Download McIDAS-XCD v. 2020.1

Since May 2009 SSEC has been distributing McIDAS-XCD updates as fully supported Fastrack releases. This means that the software is fully supported by SSEC, and that each change to the software has been tested on all of the supported system configurations. Prior upgrade versions were distributed once a year, normally in late-May.

The SSEC McIDAS Help Desk provides full assistance for McIDAS software questions pertaining to the current or previous issue. The Help Desk will still assist those sites that are two issues behind the current issue at a reduced capability. A complete description of your MUG support is detailed in the SSEC McIDAS Users’ Group Policy Document.  Also note that if you plan to upgrade to 2020.1 from a version earlier than the previous release (2019.1), you must first read and perform any required actions in the release documents for each of the versions you skipped so you know about their major changes and any required actions in the interim. For example, if you are upgrading from version 2017.2 to 2020.1, you must first read and perform the required actions in the release documents for versions 2018.1, 2018.2 and 2019.1 before proceeding to 2020.1. See the past versions page for links to those and other materials from past versions.

A login and password is required to download any software. Once you’ve entered your valid login and password, you can obtain any other McIDAS software your site is licensed to receive (e.g., McIDAS-X and McIDAS-XCD).

McIDAS-XCD 2020.1 – released 06 August 2020

McIDAS-XCD Software & Installation

2020.1 McIDAS-XCD Installation Instructions

As user oper download the following files to the ~oper/mcidas directory on your McIDAS‑XCD workstation.

System Requirements

If you are upgrading from an older version, please see the past versions page for links to download files and other materials from past versions.

What's New in McIDAS-XCD 2020.1

  • Added disablelog option to the gribadmin command. As noted in the gribadmin doc, if you upgrade to MySQL/MariaDB 8.0 or later you should run command gribadmin disablelog to disable binary logging because it is not useful and it fills large amounts of disk space.
  • Updated datasets defined in XCDRADAR.BAT and XCDTDWR.BAT files to accommodate distribution changes to Terminal Doppler Weather Radar products detailed in NWS Service Change Notice 19-82 (SCN 19-82).
  • Added instructions in the McIDAS-XCD Administrator’s Guide for creating a separate spool file for the CONDUIT decoder. This optional procedure is for sites that receive their data via the LDM and helps ensure that data processing keeps up during high data volume periods.
  • Renamed datasets in XCDNOAAPORTGRID.BAT for the Nearshore Wave Prediction System (NWPS) GRIB2 files to more adequately convey the location of the data.
  • Increased maximum number of Metar observations allowed in the SAOMETAR.RAT file from 6 per station per hour to 20 per station per hour. The default value for this 2020.1 release was kept at 6, but sites can change its setting in step 6 of the 2020.1 Installation Instructions.