| Index of /arch/ucar/ncardata/ncardata |
Name Last modified Size Description
Parent Directory 11-Jan-2005 15:32 -
catalogs/ 11-Jan-2005 15:32 -
how2ftp 03-Apr-1993 12:12 2k
WELCOME Welcome to the NCAR, SCD, Data Support Section (DSS) anonymous ftp file system. Through this system, DSS provides access to catalogs, documentation, programs, and certain data files from the extensive DSS collection. Most data files are not contained within this system, but many smaller sets can be made available by ftp on request for a fee (see "pricing"). Larger sets are provided on external media. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION We encourage you to browse these files but also feel free to contact us for help in finding data and placing orders. internet email - datahelp@ncar.ucar.edu telephone - (303)-497-1219 fax - (303)-497-1137 (attn: Data Support Section / SCD) mail - Data Support Section NCAR/SCD PO Box 3000 Boulder, CO 80307 to access this anonymous ftp area - ftp ncardata.ucar.edu or 128.117.8.111 LOOKING AT FILES As you browse through the information you will likely want to look at some files without breaking your ftp connection. If you are using a windows system, you may want to "get" the files using the ftp window and look at them in another window. This could also be done with two dumb terminals accessing the same local file area. If you have only one window, such as a PC ftp connection under DOS or a single dumb ascii terminal, there may be ways that will allow dumping a file directly to your screen from the ftp connection. Some ftp's provide for pagination or you may have to stop the screen displays with control-s or "break"( on PCs). Check your local ftp documentation. get filename |more should display a file with pagination on many unix systems. get filename - should display a file without pagination on many unix systems. show filename should display a file without pagination on some PC systems (FTP Software Inc.). CONTENTS OF THIS SYSTEM news - recent developments (new data, updates) pricing - contains a summary of our pricing policy how2ftp - instructions on accessing the ftp area. weather - various current forecasts and weather information, mostly for Colorado. catalogs - data catalogs. DSS maintains a number of different catalogs which provide different looks at the database. First time users will be most interested in "dstitles" which is a brief list of all set titles, "dataavail" which gives more information on most data sets, and "keyword" which you can search for ascii strings to locate data sets of interest. ALL DATA SETS ARE KEYED TO A NUMBER OF THE FORM "dsnnn.n" AND THIS IS THE NUMBER YOU SHOULD MAKE NOTE OF WHEN YOU LOCATE SETS OF INTEREST. papers - (this section is not yet implemented) DSS generates and obtains many documents of interest to the community. Some appear in the catalog section and some, which apply to specific datasets, appear in the datasets section. Many others will be found in this section. They are cataloged by document number and filed in this area. datasets - under this directory you will find most of the data set information in a subdirectory, dsnnn.n. When you have the set number of interest (dsnnn.n), you can find detailed information, programs, sample data, inventories, etc. in this area. The key file for each data set is dsnnn.n/MASTER. libraries - source for programs of general interest is found in this area. download - when a data order is made and the data is to be delivered via ftp, this is the area to temporarily hold the data while users pick up the information. upload - can be used to send information to DSS. Please put any files you send in a subdirectory named with your user name. GrADS - this directory contains information on the University of Maryland Grid Analysis and Display System. other - there will occasionally be files and directories in the ftp area which are not listed here. These are typically not of interest to general users. FILE NAMES and EXTENSIONS File names within the various directories attempt to convey the content of the file. When a directory contains file names which are difficult to understand, README flles will be added to these directories to briefly explain the various files. Extensions are added to many file names to convey the type of file. The most common extensions in use are listed below. "null" (no extension) plain ascii text file .f fortran code (unix compatible) .for fortran code (IBM PC compatible) .c c code .csh cshell script .sh bourne script .exe executable UNIX file .qsub cray unicos script and code intended for QSUB .bat cray unicos script and code intended for QSUB .pbin a packed binary data file, not machine specific .cosb cos blocked file .troff troff file .tex tex file .ps postscript file .grdctl GrADS control file .grddat GrADS data file .tar UNIX tar file .Z UNIX compressed file (may follow other extensions) DATA FILES Some actual data files reside in the datasets area of this anonymous ftp system. Most of the data files actually reside on the NCAR Mass Storage System (MSS). If you are an authorized user of the NCAR SCD computing systems you can access these files from the MSS. The MASTER documents give the names of the MSS files. The full MSS path name for data files is of the form /DSS/Ynnnnn or /DSS/KnnnnK and only the Ynnnnn or KnnnnK part of the name is given in the MASTER list.