20060102: IDV - trouble loading 3d model displays...

>From: "Jacob Gore" <address@hidden>
>Organization: student pursuing meteorology degree
>Keywords: 200601022001.k02K1iBk006918 IDV display

Hi Jacob-

>Institution: student pursuing meteorology degree
>Package Version: 1.3b1
>Operating System: os.name:Linux; os.arch:i386; os.version:2.6.11-1.1369_FC4;
>Hardware Information: java.vendor:Sun Microsystems Inc.; java.version:1.4.2_01
> ; java.home:/root/IDV_1.3B1/jre; j3d.version:1.3.2 fcs (build12); j3d.vendor:
> Sun Microsystems, Inc.; j3d.renderer:OpenGL;
>Inquiry: Hello, I am having a problem loading 3D model displays on my PC.  
>I am running the Fedora Core 4 operating system.  I have 512MB of Memory, 
>900MHz processing speed and over 20GB Hard drive space.  I am able to load 
>everything else fine, but the 3D Model displays will never finish loading.  I 
> am able 
>to select any 3d model display fine, but when I go to actually load them into 
> the 
>display window, my PC will begin to load them, but it stays in the loading pha
> se 
>and never gets done with the loading process, so I never get a display of anyt
> hing.  
>This also occurs with the 2D model display of total precipitation at surface o
> f earth, 
>when I choose the color-filled option.  But when I choose just the plan view, 
> the 
>display will load in only a few seconds.  The computer just sits there and nev
> er gets 
>done loading.  It was almost 20 minutes yesterday, and it was still not finish
> ed 
>loading a 3d model display.  Even when I choose only one specific forecast 
>time, and not the whole forecast time frame, it will do the same thing, never 
>will finish loading. Any suggestions?

This is the first time we've heard of anything like this so I'm a bit
stumped on what is happening.  It sounds like there is some sort of
graphics issue.

When you say the 3D model displays, what particular display are
you trying?  Is it a Plan View Contour or an IsoSurface?

What type of video card do you have?

What does the memory readout in the lower left corner of the IDV window
show while it's trying to load in the data?

What type of connection do you have to the internet?  Are you on
a dial-up line or on a cable modem/DSL connection?

If you only have 512MB of memory, you might want to change the IDV
script to use 256 MB maximum instead of the default of 512 Mb.  See
the instructions in the FAQ:

http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/idv/docs/userguide/Faq.html#faq1_cat3_11

for doing this.

Please answer the questions above and we can go on from there.

Don
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