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ncBrowse: A Graphical netCDF File Browser. Donald Denbo NOAA-PMEL/UW-JISAO. http://www.epic.noaa.gov/java/ncBrowse. Introduction. ncBrowse is a Java Application designed to graphically browse data files in netCDF format. netCDF is available from Unidata and is …
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ncBrowse: A Graphical netCDF File Browser Donald Denbo NOAA-PMEL/UW-JISAO http://www.epic.noaa.gov/java/ncBrowse
Introduction • ncBrowse is a Java Application designed to graphically browse data files in netCDF format. • netCDF is available from Unidata and is … • Widely adopted by the oceanic and atmospheric communities • Machine-independent format • Array-oriented • Self describing • Available for the Java, C, C++, and Fortran languages 2002 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting Wellington, New Zealand
Overview • ncBrowse provides • Flexible, interactive graphical displays of data • Tree and table views of netCDF file schema and attributes • Supports a wide range of netCDF conventions • COARDS – oceanic/atmospheric data sets (gridded) • EPIC – oceanic observations, profile and time series • Next release will provide network access to DODS data files • ncBrowse has been downloaded 4749 times to 2265 unique sites in 55 countries as of July 1, 2002. 2002 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting Wellington, New Zealand
Features • SGT graphics for 1 and 2 dimensional cuts through data • Handles files with character variables. • Handles dimensions without associated variables • Properly decodes several time formats • Access to remote data files via DODS (beta version). • Direct access to remote netCDF files from the Web (even without DODS). • Vector plots (beta). • Variable mapping (beta). • Animations by varying parameters in Variable Map (beta). • Available for UNIX, Win32, and MacOS • Graphics appearance easily modified • Printing support 2002 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting Wellington, New Zealand
Design Goals • Easy to use. • Graphical user interface designed to provide a “natural” navigation through netCDF file contents. • Platform neutral. • Operates on UNIX, Win32, MacOS X, and MacOS 9.x (v1.0 only). • Independence from netCDF conventions. • Does not require netCDF files to conform to a specific convention. • Does recognize some conventions, if present. For example, EPIC and COARDS time conventions. • Easy to compare netCDF files. • Multiple netCDF files and graphics windows can be simultaneously open 2002 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting Wellington, New Zealand
Variable Mapping • Update data handling to support variable mapping. • Support • Line plots assigning any two variables or dimensions • Grid plots. • Vector plots. • Parametric plots. • For example, temperature vs. salinity, with depth the parameter. • Flexible mapping of independent variables to graphical axes. • For example, a file that contains lat, lon, and temp as separate netCDF variables could be mapped so that lat -> y-axis, lon -> x-axis, and temp -> z-axis. 2002 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting Wellington, New Zealand
Mapping Examples Line Plot Where i,the depth index, varies. Grid Plot Where i,j, the latitude and longitude indices, vary, and k is held constant. Vector Plot Where i,k, the x-axis and depth indices, vary and j, m are held constant. 2002 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting Wellington, New Zealand
Future Directions(version 1.4 and beyond) • Color palette control • Set range for colorbar • Use zoomed range of graph for colorbar range • Improved graphics capabilities. • Contour plot control (editing color map, contour levels, etc.) • Co-plotting variables • Global and variable attribute editing. • Modification of local netCDF files. 2002 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting Wellington, New Zealand
Future Directions(version 1.4 and beyond) • Allow mouse interrogation of data values. • Logarithmic axis support. • Full access to OPeNDAP (formerly DODS) servers. • 3-D visualizations using VisAD. 2002 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting Wellington, New Zealand
Availability • NcBrowse is freely available from the ncBrowse web page, at http://www.epic.noaa.gov/java/ncBrowse and includes: • Download options for Mac, PC, and Unix (notice that V1.3.3Beta5 includes the Java Virtual Machine) • Users E-Mail Archive (ncBrowse related discussions and questions) • News and updates • On-line help 2002 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting Wellington, New Zealand