Automation help anyone?

[simonjk]

Hi,

I am tryng to run a routine to collect GRIB data and then output a seres of png charts.

Can anyone provide a smnple 'get started' gude for this please?

Brilliant prog Jef!

Thanks,
Simon Keeling

[wxforecaster]

Has Anyone figured this out yet?? I really want to do this but i don't were to start. If it was in DAWS it would be easy because of the scheduler (one of the only things that is good about DAWS) but WINGRIDDS is such a better program, it just needs a scheduler!

Thanks.

[andyg]

I do not know of any command line switches that will allow you to go from downloading then ingesting grib data to being able to generate PNG maps.

However, as for the automation of downloading GRIBS then ingesting it for WINGRIDDS that is very easy. You will need to be a bit savvy at writing batch or command files and have to use an external scheduler.

Here are sample windows batch (.BAT) files for both dowloading and ingesting grib data.

e.g. to get the 00z UKMET Grib files:

@ echo off
c:\wingridds
getgrib ukm1002.dat

(note that since wingridds doesn't process/ingest grib data past 72 hours I edited this 1002.dat file and removed the download commands for forecats hours greater than 72hours).

Save the three lines above as a windows .bat file (or a .cmd) file. Name this file something like GET 00Z UK

To INGEST this downloaded grib file:

@ echo off
c:\wingridds
grib2pcg32 octets.wk2

again save these three lines as a .bat (or a .cmd file)

Now in Windows Scheduler (or whatever scheduling program you have) just add when you want to download the GRIB files (Hour, Minute of Day and what day or days). Depending on what sort of internet connection you have and what NCEP/NWS server you are downloading from will determine how long it will take for this grib file to download.

For me for this UK file it takes no more than 20 minutes, most times about 10 mins.

After it is download ingest takes about another 15-20 minutes (I have a very slow computer at home)

So for example in my scheduler (I use system scheduler by splinterware (its free and fast and plus I removed the windows scheduler from my system anyway)

I set up an event to download the 00z ukmet data at 0220 EST EVERY day of the WEEK using the GET 00Z UK.bat program. (from above)


I then set up another event in the scheduler to ingest the data at 0245 EST every day using the INGEST UK.bat program (from above)
=======

I have automated the entire process for downloading and ingesting grib data for me around the clock using similar batch files for both downloading and ingesting.

I even wrote an .exe file that will send the grib data after it has been ingested DIRECTLY to the recycle bin at scheduled times.

[wxforecaster]

That is all a good idea. Now we need to figure out how to run wingridds and upload images to the net. I hope jeff could make something for that in the upcoming releases. WOW, i would be so happy!!!

[jkrob]

Hey Guys,

On page 183 of the WINGRIDDS Users Guide, it talks about using WINGRIDDS in an 'automated' mode. I presume you could add the WINGRIDDS command entry right after the GRIB ingest/processing section of a batch file because the batch file should not progress to the next command till the current command is completed (if I understand it properly). The only issue is you need to know the name of the processed data file(s) for WINGRIDDS to open. If this batch file were to be run every day, the data file names would need to be changed accordingly every day to accommodate the changing data file date-time-groups (sorry, that's just the way it is & I haven't figured out how to incorporate wild-card entries). Also, the command macro associated with the automated data processing would have to include a screen capture/save function (SAVS), of course. WINGRIDDS *can* save the image to a Web server if the destination directory is mapped & visible to the WINGRIDDS computer as a shared drive. this is set in the WINGMODE.DAT file under LINE 8 "Print Save Directory".

I hope all of this helps. Good luck,
Jeff Krob
WINGRIDDS System Developer

[simonjk]

Hi guys,

Sorry for the delay in respondong to this threa...Christmas etc and TV commitments meant I haven't been around.

I've now sorted the GRIB problem I initially posted about, thanks again to Jeffs help.

Wxforecaster I notice you want to post iages to the web. What I do is output the files using the SAVS command which saves the image files as PNG's. Then I convert these to gifs before uploading them to the website.

Hope that helps,
Simon

[wxforecaster]

Hi guys,

Sorry for the delay in respondong to this threa...Christmas etc and TV commitments meant I haven't been around.

I've now sorted the GRIB problem I initially posted about, thanks again to Jeffs help.

Wxforecaster I notice you want to post iages to the web. What I do is output the files using the SAVS command which saves the image files as PNG's. Then I convert these to gifs before uploading them to the website.

Hope that helps,
Simon

Do you have a script that i might be able to look at by chance? AND if you use any other program other then WINGRIDDS, let me know as well. Thanks for all of your help!!