McIDAS-V Team Meeting Minutes - January 10, 2007
TomW started the meeting by showing everyone how to install a plug-in
1 - start the IDV
2 - Select Tools/Plug-In Manager/File/Install plug-in from
URL
3 - Enter https://www.ssec.wisc.edu/~tomw/idv/mc-v.jar
and Tom also showed the cool new drawing tool in the IDV.
The rest of the meeting was spent going around the room discussing what everyone
has been working on in regards to McIDAS-V.
Gail Dengel -
Once the Mc-V plug-in was installed, Gail showed the Mc-X command line chooser
that she's been working on. Right now it gets text output, the nav and
frame directory, but still working on the GIF, color tables and images. Enter
the host (occam), the port (8080), and the key (32 zeros), Add Source, and
it's ready for McIDAS commands. It's "very stupid", text in and text
out is all it does. Creates a scroll when needed.
TomW - added that ancillary information could be added to later read the data
- namely the ADD request needed. Then users would have more than just
a picture, they could get the data to use. We'll also need to decide
what to do with non-navigated frames (e.g. a meteorogram) - perhaps show them
in a separate window. Tom also noted that Unidata is finally embracing
the concept of LOGON/PROJ, which is something they've resisted until now.
Many people commented how great it is to see this working in the Mc-V environment
and how this should make the transition from Mc-X to Mc-V much easier for current
Mc-X users.
Becky Schaffer -
Been working with Dave Parker when he needs feedback on work that he's doing
with the listener. Also attempted to load Gail's new image chooser, but
it turned out my IDV version was too old. Jay has downloaded the new
IDV and could also see the new image selector. The rest of my work has
been project management work.
Scott Mindock -
Been working on defining the boundary between Mc-V and other projects. With
PEATE, they just processed a month of MODIS data to VIRS and then compared
the two cloud masks. This exercise was done mostly to identify the analysis
tools needed for PEATE. He's also been working on ADDE server bugs, but
he's not sure if that's Mc-V, Mc-X, or PEATE.
Rick Kohrs -
Hasn't done anything for Mc-V.
Tommy Jasmin -
Hasn't done anything recently, but what he'd like to do is to take some time
to learn the IDV. TomA asked if he had cycles available and Tommy thought
that he did. Becky asked if his work with an XML editor was pertinent
to Mc-V, and the answer was maybe.
Tom Whittaker -
Got example scripts from Kathy and Jerry, and will continue to look at those.
Talking to Unidata, and they are adopting Gail's image chooser.
DaveS asked if IDV is replacing GEMPAK & McIDAS and would they want a GEMPAK
chooser and Mc-X chooser. TomW answered that the Unidata Policy
Committee produced a statement of longevity for Mc-X and GEMPAK. The
do not see dropping support of Mc-X and GEMPAK in the next five years, but
rather increasing the support for IDV.
Dave Santek -
Met with Kevin, ScottM and DaveP to discuss the ADDE servers and file adapters. He'd
like to bring in TomW on this group.
Gave DaveP code that converts a Mc-X virtual graphics file into text geo-located
vector graphics.
TomW mentioned that you could use the polygon part of a shape file. The
IDV line drawing tool saves a text file. If you added altitude,
you make it a 3D graphics file.
ScottM asked if he followed XML SVG (scalable vector graphics) standard? It
might be worth while to explore.
TomW added that as of a couple years ago, meta data was not supported in the
SVG standard.
Tommy added that with the Science Education Project, they were dealing with
real-time data requests and did a proof of concept of a single server ("servlet")
listener. The data request went in to the servlet, it determines the
server, and makes the request. Tommy would like to be involved in the
server work for Mc-V.
ScottM asked Tommy if there is an API. The answer was no, this was just
a proof of concept.
Tom Achtor -
Most of his work has been done in project management and to connect with the
NPOESS and GOES-R groups. Met with Hank, Fred, John, Liam, and BobK to
get center support for the Mc-V program. ScottM joining the Mc-V group
is a positive thing, and Ray and Bob using the IDV for their ORIGAMI work is
a positive. Also working on support for operational processing involvement
in the ground system, data analysis, and visualization for GOES-R. Allen
and TomA have been pushing for Mc-V to Mitch Goldberg. ScottM and BobK
have been stressing the importance of Requirements Documents, Program Management
plans, software development plans. Working with TomD on the basic requirements
for Mc-V. Other agencies require this, and very useful for us. Also
writing a white paper with the key tasks for Mc-V and GOES-R to Mitch Goldberg. Also
giving an oral presentation on Mc-V at the AMS IIPS (interactive information
process system) conference.
Tom Rink -
Working on the 4D hyper spectral for AMS. Bringing in calypso data
into HYDRA & IDV. Also worked on the India workshop. Gail & Tom
got together to talk about how to fit HYDRA into the IDV.
Jay Heinzelman -
Ran into some troubles installing Gail's new image chooser. Realized
that he needed a new version. Removed the old, upgraded to the new version,
and now the image chooser is there, but he hasn't had much time to play with
it yet.
Dee Wade -
Nothing to bring up.
Bruce Flynn -
Been working on finishing ORIGAMI, which is basically a front end for cluster
processing. If you navigate to the ORIGAMI web page, there are work orders,
jobs done in serial, and tasks done in parallel, which can be doled out to
the cluster node. You can select the general meta data, the lat/lon box,
and the URLs are provided back to you from the database. Then submit
the work order. When the work order ids complete, you are notified by
email with a link to your data. It brings your work order dataset directly
into the IDV (and even installs it if you need it). There was a lot of
interest in making it a plug-in, but the ORIGAMI demo is done for now. Bruce
will plan on showing this at the next meeting. TomA noted that this was
a demo of the concept, not necessarily the exact process for the future.
"Use Cases"
TomA asked ScottM to talk a bit about use cases. It basically requires
you to question what the system will be used for, who will use it, what other
packages will it interact with, and the steps that people have to do. The
process of formalizing this is very useful for requirements documents, for
evolution and continuation. People come and go from projects, but the
documents remain. Gives everyone an equal footprint. These use
case diagrams can expose the differences in peoples understanding of the project. These
diagrams are things that we do now in discussions in the hallway, but writing
them down is the key.
TomW noted that Unidata IDV defined 15 use cases and they've been very useful,
both at the beginning of the project, but also throughout the project.
TomA said that we could have use cases be the basis of user training. Something
that would be useful to get from MUG would be the list of requirements that
MUG feels they need in order to start training users on Mc-V. Dee
responded that we really need first is a place to have the training.
Tommy noted that the requirements are just logical groupings. Berbee
would define basic use cases for a new site and then create a flow chart.
Barry Roth -
Played with IDV earlier in the fall, but wants to get the new version and play.
Kevin Baggett -
Tasked with working on the BUFR server. Attended the meeting with DaveS,
but waiting to proceed until there's a consensus on what needs to be done.
Also used ECLIPSE and been doing a lot of work on the -XCD grib2 data server
and filer.
Kathy Strabala -
Trying to educate herself on the IDV. Thought a lo about the new
satellites coming and the opportunities that are available. With the
new polar orbiters, we need software that accesses data and products that is
calibrated and navigated, and a way to visualize and analyze that data.
Next Meeting:
Wednesday, February 14th, Room 351 at 10:00 a.m. (possible demos - HYDRA,
ORIGAMI, Use Cases)