[McIDAS #HMV-801244]: ASCII file display in McIDAS-X

Hi Sohail,

re:
> I am trying to implement TXT2MD command on ASCII file. But how to list the
> ASCII or PATH to ASCII file to implement this command?
> Here what i do, but fail.

The TXT2MD positional parameter of the file name to use allows
for the name to be 12 characters in length, 8 of which are before
a suffix, the period, and then 3 characters for the suffix.  This
file name limitation is an archaic holdover from the long past of McIDAS.

The command then finds the file by using the defined MCPATH environment
variable or file REDIRECTion.  The concept of file REDIRECTion (managed
by the REDIRECT command) is complicated enough that it is better to
not delve into it.

So, the first things to do are:

- make sure that your ASCII file is located in one of the directories
  in your MCPATH

- make sure that the name of your file follows the 8.3 (archaic) McIDAS
  file naming convention

re:
> Here I created a local dataset for ASCII files created by *AXFORM*
> command and now want to list it to implement *TXT2MD* command. Here
> is the screenshot.

Given that AXFORM creates multiple output files (see HELP AXFORM), I
think it will be difficult to come up with a single file that has the
fields that will be needed by TXT2MD since TXT2MD expects all values
to be in a single file.

A more specific comment on your question is that the way you defined
your TEXT dataset does not follow the directions listed in the HELP
for DSSERVE.  The part I am referring to is:

*************************  Text Dataset Remarks  *************************
   When ADDing a TEXT-format dataset, you must specify the text file name
   with the INFO keyword. The file name is case-sensitive. If you do not
   include the full path name, the file must be located in a MCPATH or
   REDIRECT directory. For example, you can create a TEXT-format dataset
   containing a NORAD Two-Line Element (TLE) file, then list and display
   its data with the NAVCALC and NAVDISP commands. To do so, place the
   TLE file into a MCPATH or REDIRECT directory, then make the dataset
   with a command similar to:
   DSSERVE ADD NAV/MODIS TEXT INFO='TLE.TXT' "TLE file with TERRA and AQUA

Your DSSERVE command invocation:

DSSERVE ADD MYDATA/MYASCII TEXT DIRFILE='/home/mcidas/workdata/testascii/GOES*' 
"ASCII files

uses the DIRFILE= keyword in an attempt to specify the file.  The HELP
for DSSERVE says:

"you must specify the text file name with the INFO keyword."

Comment/question:

Since you are using AXFORM to dump out values from an AREA file, you already
have an image in a format that McIDAS understands.  Why do you want to dump
out image values and then try to bring them into McIDAS as POINT data?

If your objective is to contour image data values, this can be done
directly using the IMGPROBE command.  I've attached a GIF to show a simple
example of loading an IR image, contouring TEMPeratures in a portion of
the image, and then saving the image into a GIF file:

IMGLIST MYDATA/IMAGES.3000 FORM=ALL
Image file directory listing for:MYDATA/IMAGES
 Pos Satellite/         Date       Time      Center      Res (km)   Image_Size
     sensor                                 Lat  Lon    Lat   Lon
 --- -------------  ------------  --------  ---- ----  ----- ----- ------------
3000  G-16 IMG      18 JAN 18018  21:45:38     0   75
   Band: 13   10.3 um IR Surface & cloud                2.02  2.00  5424 x 5424
     proj:    0 created: 2018018 221152  memo: GOES-R Full Disk
     type:ABIN     cal type:RAW
     offsets:  data=    3076 navigation=  256 calibration=  768 auxiliary= 3076
     doc length:   0   cal length:   0   lev length:   0 PREFIX=   0
     valcod:          0 zcor:  0 avg-smp: A
     lcor:    1  ecor:     1  bytes per pixel: 2  ss:186
     Resolution Factors (base=1):   Line=    4.0   Element=    4.0
IMGLIST: done

IMGDISP MYDATA/IMAGES.3000 LAT=0 75
Beginning Image Data transfer, bytes= 1413156
IMGDISP: loaded frame  1
IMGDISP: done

MAP FILE=OUTVHPOL
MAP: Completed frame 1

IMGPROBE CONT BOX TEMP SIZE=400 400 CINT=20 LATLON=0 72 PLACE=C MODE=N
Beginning Image Data transfer, bytes= 327972

IMGPROBE: Done
 
FRMSAVE 1 GOES16_BAND13_TEMP.gif
Frame saved in /home/mcidas/workdata/GOES16_BAND13_TEMP.gif

The IMGPROBE command line values are:

CONT         - do a contour plot
BOX          - contour within a box
TEMP         - contour temperatures (the image I loaded is an IR band, so
               the calibrated data values are TEMPerature)
SIZE=400 400 - the size of the box to do the objective analysis in
CINT=20      - the contour interval is 20K
LATLON=0 72  - specifies the latitude,longitude of the box
PLACE=C      - specifies that LATLON=0 72 refers to the Center of the box


Cheers,

Tom
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Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: HMV-801244
Department: Support McIDAS
Priority: Normal
Status: Closed
===================
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Attachment: GOES16_BAND13_TEMP.gif
Description: GIF image