At first glance, the user will immediately notice the visible changes to the bottom portion of VCDAT (i.e., the "Defined Variables" and "Variable Information" panel sections). If the user does not have a vcdat_initial.py file in their "$HOME/PCMDI_GRAPHICS" directory (i.e., has not done a "Save GUI State" under the "Options" menu), then the "Variable Information" panel section of VCDAT will only show the "Variable Information" text. To view more of this section, just enlarge the VCDAT window or adjust upward the small pane button located at the far upper right of the "Variable Information" text.
GUI modifications describing the interface changes from left-to-right and top-to-bottom
VCDAT Main Menu (i.e., File, Options, Tools, PCMDITools)
Under the "File" menu option:
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The "Save Plot As" menu item now uses the standard GUI interface to save the specified output. This was done for user convenience and GUI consistency.
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The "Save Current State of System" menu item is new. It will attempt to save the current state of the VCDAT session. Note the word "attempt". Every command is not yet fully recorded by VCDAT, but most commands are recorded.
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The "Read Script File" menu item is new. It will read in the script files generated by the "Save Current State of the System" menu item.
Under the "Options" menu option:
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The "Retain Subset Selection" menu item has been removed and replaced with "Select Predefined Region" and "Define Meridian for Longitude Dimension" menu items.
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The "Select Predefined Region" menu item is new. Working in conjunction with the "Define Meridian for Longitude Dimension" menu item, it allows the user to select up to 15 global regions (i.e., Africa, Europe, South Pacific, etc.).The setting of this menu item takes precedence over the setting of the "Define Meridian for Longitude Dimension" menu item.
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The "Reset GUI Swap Space" menu item has been modified to receive the swap space size in megabytes.
Under the "PCMDITools" menu option:
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Under the "Statistics" menu item option:
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The "Mean" menu item is new. If selected, it will popup a dialog widget requesting input for "Weighted" or "Unweighted" for each dimension. If neither is selected, then the mean operation does not occur for that dimension.
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For the sake of brevity, I will state that all "Statistics" menu item selections will now popup a dialog widget requesting which dimension to operation on and to what extent (i.e., ("Weighted" or "Unweighted") or in some cases a simple "Yes").
Under the "Help" menu option:
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The "PCMDI Software Web Site" menu item was removed and replaced with the "CDAT Web Site" and the "PCMDI Web Site".
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The "PCMDI Web Site" menu item is new. Selecting it will display the Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (i.e., PCMDI's) web page via your web browser.
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The "CDAT-LAS Web Site" menu item is new. Selecting it will display (via your web browser) the web site for accessing PCMDI Model Data Sets (i.e., AMIP observed, CMIP2, and PCM data sets). Note, some web browsers will not work with LAS (e.g. Netscape version 6.2). In the future, we hope to have a better working connection between VCDAT and CDAT-LAS.
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The "Python Web Site" menu item is new. Selecting it will display the Python web page via your web browser.
Select Variable Panel
Directory Row:
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The directory input window now accepts the tilde symbol (i.e., "~") for connivance. For example, the user can now enter "~" followed by the <Return> key to change to their $HOME directory. Or the user can enter "~/subdirectory" to change to their $HOME/subdirectory.
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Bookmark entries and removals are now immediately saved without prompting by the user. Also, in the "List of Favorite Directories" popup dialog, double clicking on a directory will immediately "Dismiss" the widget and change VCDAT's directory to the selected directory. The bookmark file can be found in $HOME/PCMDI_GRAPHICS/bookmark_directory_files.py
Variable Row:
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To the far right is a variable information icon, which is new. If selected, a "File Variable Information" popup dialog will appear. This information is identical to the information displayed in the "Variable Information" window below.
Graphics Panel (i.e., Plot, Boxfill, VCS Canvas 1, Options, Define) Graphics "Options" Menu:
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The "Page Orientation" menu item is new. It sets the VCS Canvas to either "Landscape" or "Portrait". "Landscape" is the default mode.
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The "Annotation" menu item pops up the "Annotate VCS Plot" dialog.The "Annotate VCS Plot" dialog has been modified to allow: the user control over the positioning (in the "X" direction) of a text string, selection and modification of a text property object, and selection and modification of a text orientation object. For example, in this dialog, the user could select the "Source" button, then set the X location to 0.5 (midway), select "std" as the "Properties" object, and "7left" as the "Orientation" object. Selecting the "Re-Plot" button will redraw the plot with the new specifications. To further modify the text "Properties" and "Orientation" objects, select the appropriate buttons. Remember, VCDAT will not allow modifications of "default" values.
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The "Set Graphics Method Attributes" menu item pops up the "Graphics Method Attribute Settings" dialog.
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Under the "Boxfill" tag, the user can specify the spacing to either "Linear" or "Log". The default setting is "Linear".
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Under the "Continents" tag, there is a new option ("-1"), which corresponds to the "Auto Continents" found under the "Continents Types" graphics "Options" menu. If set to "-1", then VCDAT will determine if continents are to be displayed on the plot.
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Under the "Contour" tag, the user can now specify whether to include zero or not.
Dimension information is only visible when the user has selected a variable in a file or has selected a defined variable.
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Sliders now show the current node values as they move.
Dimension function List:
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The list now contains the geometrical mean. (i.e., gtm(x) = (exp( mean ( log( x ) ) ))
Defined Variables Panel
The "Defined Variables Options" menu was removed and replaced and enhanced by the following:
Defined Variable Icon Controls:
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Edit Defined Variable Icon:
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Selecting this icon will display the "Alter Variable Attributes" dialog.
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Save Defined Variable Icon:
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Selecting this icon will display the "Write Variable to NetCDF File" dialog.
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Display Defined Variable Information:
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Selecting this icon will display the "Defined Variable Information" dialog. Note, the information displayed in this dialog is identical to the information displayed in the "Variable Information" panel.
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Prepare Selected Defined Variable for Disposal:
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Selecting this icon will remove the selected defined variables from the list and store them in the VCDAT trashcan, where they wait for proper restoration or disposal.
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Prepare All Defined Variables for Disposal:
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Selecting this icon will remove all defined variables from the list and store them in the VCDAT trashcan, where they wait for proper restoration or disposal by the user.
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Logged Defined Variables Information:
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Selecting this icon will display the "Logged Information about Defined Variables" dialog. This dialog displays: the defined variables and their individual sizes in bytes; the total size of all the defined variables; the defined variables stored in the trashcan and their individual sizes in bytes, the total size of the trashcan; and the combined size of defined variables and the trashcan.
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Defined Variables Trashcan:
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Selecting this icon will display the "Trashcan for Disposing of Unwanted Variables" dialog. This dialog allows the user to dispose of all defined variables or restore them to the "Defined Variable" list.
Defined Variables List Window:
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The selected variable color is the same as the background color of the "Define" button located in the "Graphics Control Panel". This change was for consistency.
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If a defined variable is a scalar value, then it is represented as "() = some number".
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The "Defined Variables" list is now in sync with the "Command Line Window". That is, if variables are created (or removed) in the "Command Line Window", then the "Defined Variables" window is automatically updated.
Defined Variables Calculator:
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The user two ways (or modes) for calculating variables: Mode 1, the default mode, wants the user to select the defined variable(s) first, then select one of the icon functions; Mode 2 wants the user to form an equation by way of an expression dialog popup. ·Mode Toggle Icon:
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Selecting this icon puts the user in calculation mode 1 or mode 2.
·Expression Icon:
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Selecting this icon displays the "Enter Variable Name and Expression" dialog. The user can watch the expression build as selections occur or enter the desired expressions followed by the <Return> key.
·"X+Y" (or Add) Icon:
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Add a number or two or more defined variables.
·"X-Y" (or Subtract) Icon:
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Subtract a number or two or more defined variables.
·"X*Y" (or Multiply) Icon:
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Multiply a number or two or more selected defined variables.
·"X/Y" (or Divide) Icon:
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Divided a number or two or more selected defined variables.
·Spatial Regridder Icon:
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Spatially regrids the first selected defined variable to the second selected defined variable.
·Exponential Icon:
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Compute the exponential of the selected defined variable.
·Natural Log Icon:
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Compute the natural log of the selected defined variable.
·Base10 Icon:
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Compute the value of 10 to the power of the selected defined variable.
·Log10 Icon:
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Compute the value of log10 of the selected defined variable.
·Inverse Icon:
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Compute the inverse value of the selected defined variable.
·Absolute Icon:
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Compute the absolute value of the selected defined variable.
·Sine Icon:
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Compute the sine of the selected defined variable.
·Hyperbolic Sine Icon:
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Compute the hyperbolic sine of the defined variable.
·Cosine Icon:
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Compute the sine of the selected defined variable.
·Hyperbolic Cosine Icon:
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Compute the hyperbolic cosine of the defined variable.
·Tangent Icon:
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Compute the sine of the selected defined variable.
·Hyperbolic Tangent Icon:
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Compute the hyperbolic tangent of the defined variable.
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