mapplot
Sections
NAME
mapplot - Map plotting
SYNOPSIS
mapplot [parameters...] filename
PARAMETERS
| Command Line | Resource | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| -h | help | No | Lists basic help information. |
| -df=filename | default | wxp.cfg | Sets the name of the resource file. |
| -na=name | name | the program name | Specifies the name used in resource file parsing. |
| -me=level | message | out2 | Specifies level of messages to be displayed |
| -fp=path | file_path | the current directory | Specifies location of database files. |
| -rp=path | raw_path | the current directory | Specifies location of output raw files generated by WXP. |
| -ip=path | image_path | the current directory | Specifies location of output image files (.gif/,png) from WXP. |
| -nc=name_conv | name_conv | name.cnv or name_conv file | This sets which name convention file to use. |
| -if=in_file | in_file | program specific | Specifies the input file name tag. |
| -cf=filename | city_file | program specific | Specifies the name of the city database file |
| -mf=filename... | map_file | wxp.map | Specifies the name of the map database file. Multiple maps can be specified along with attributes to describe how to draw the map. |
| -cu=[hour] | current | none | This specifies to use current data files. |
| -ho=hour | hour | none | Specifies the exact hour that a data file is valid for. |
| -id=ident[,ident...] | identifier | None | Used to plot specific information. |
| -pd=domain | plot_domain | program dependent, mostly "us" | Sets the plotting domain |
| -sc=type | plot_scale | 1.0 | Specifies a scaling factor for all plotted text, symbols, vectors, etc. |
| -pa=param[,param...] | parameter | none | Specifies addition parameters to program. |
| -dr=value[,value...] | draw | all | Specifies which part of the plot is to be drawn. |
| -la=type | label | Program defaults | Specifies the labels to be plotted around the plot. By default, labels are generated by the program and plotted above and below the plot. This resource overrides these labels. |
| -fl=font_file[,font_file...] | font_list | modern.fnt | Specifies a list of fonts to use in the plots. |
| -ct=color_table | color_table | wxp.clr | Specifies the color table to use in the plot. This maps color names to actual RGB color values. |
| -col=color[:attribute...] | color_label | white (black on inverse plots) | Specifies the text color for labels above and below the plot. |
| -cod=color[:attribute...] | color_data | green (for most programs) | Specifies the color for plotted data. |
| -com=color[:attribute...] | color_map | red (for most programs) | Specifies the color for background maps. |
| -coll=color[:attribute...] | color_latlon | magenta:st=dsh | Specifies the color for lat/lon lines. |
| -cof=[value:]color[:attribute...],[value:]color[:attribute...],... -cof=filename |
color_fill | magenta, lmagenta, blue, lblue, cyan, lcyan, green, lgreen, brown, yellow, red, lred, dgray, lgray, white | Specifies the colors in the color fill contours. |
| -de=device[,parameters] | device | d for display | Specifies the output device. |
| -ti=title | title | The name of the program or the value of the name resource | Specifies the window title. |
| -ic | icon | off | Specifies whether to open window in iconified mode. |
| -bg=color | background | black | Specifies the background color of the window. |
| -ge=widthxheight[+x+y] | geometry | 640x512 (for windowed plots) | Specifies the window and paper geometry. |
| filename (positional) | filename | none | The first specification is for the name of the raw file to be plotted. More than one raw file/label can be listed. The extra information following the "-" defines which field to use within a raw file. The field specification can be a column number or a field identifier. The field identifier is a string that accompanies a column header in the raw file or a string that precedes the data such as HGIRG=5.24 The second specification is a text label that will be positioned above or below the plot. This must be proceeded with a two letter position identifier and a colon (VH:label) which is used to place the text on the plot. This identifier (VH) is one of the following: ul,uc,ur,ll,lc,lr which stands for upper left, upper center, upper right, lower left, lower center and lower right respectively. The text is also justified according to its location. |
DESCRIPTION
This can be used for any of five purposes:
- Geographical Maps
- Annotating Plots
- Raw File Plotting
- City Database Plotting
- Station Identifier Plotting
Depending on the type, the program will prompt the user for the plot domain. This is done through a region menu which has predefined regions available. If needed a full plot domain can be specified to get a precise domain. The domain can be interactively changed using the mouse once the plot has been generated.
Geographical Maps
Simple base maps can be drawn by specifying domain information via the plot_domain resource. This is also handy for adding maps to overlay plot when the plot is complete rather than when the programs want to display the map.
Annotating Plots
Plots can be annotated by placing text labels above and below the plotting area. This is done by specifying labels on the command line.
VH:label
The location and alignment of the labels are specified a location prefix VH: followed by the text string. This will place text either above 'u' or below 'l' the plot, either left 'l', right 'r' or centered 'c'.
NOTE: When annotating, it is useful to put variable and plot type information upper left and date/time/forecast information upper right. Plot type information is up to the user. Date/time/forecast information can be generated by the wxpfile program using label for the output resource.
Displaying Raw Data
This program can be used to plot raw files that have been created with programs like sfcwx and upairwx. If the user has created a raw data file, use this program to display the results. If the raw file contains multiple fields, all columns can be plotted or a specific one can be selected.
filename[-field][:attributes]
The extra information following the "-" defines which field to use within a raw file. The field specification can be a column number or a field identifier. The field identifier is a string that accompanies a column header in the raw file or a string that precedes the data such as "HGIRG=5.24". An additional set of plotting attributes can be appended to the filename. These are standard plotting attributes as described in the Users Guide.
Also, a list of station identifiers can be specified using the resrc:identifier resource to limit plotting to only those sites. Also, the raw file may contain annotation and attributes information that can modify a station's output. If needed, the stations can displayed with a marker such as a dot, plus sign or an asterisk instead of the identifier text. This can be done by specifying mark:# for the resrc:parameter resource.
City Database Display
Station locations can be plotted from a city database file. This can be handy in locating various reporting stations and for determining which stations have a certain plotting priority. If the prior is set to be greater than zero, those station identifiers with priorities less than or equal to prior will be displayed on the map as their three or four letter identifier. By default, these stations are plotted in the color specified by the color_data resource. If necessary, the station color can be based on priority. If multiple colors are specified for the resrc:color_fill resource, the first color will specify the color for priority 1 stations, the second color for priority 2 stations and so on. If a color is not specified for a priority, those stations will not plot. If needed, the stations can displayed with a marker such as a dot, plus sign or an asterisk instead of the identifier text. This can be done by specifying mark:# for the plot_param resource. The WMO number can be plotted by specifying wmo. The optional numeric column in the city database file can be plotted with the num parameter. This numeric field is often used for tabulating occurrence of reports by station. An example of plotting these data is:
mapplot -cf=citynum.dat -pr=7 -re=us -sc=.4 -pp=num
-cof=white,yellow,green,cyan,magenta,blue,dgray
Specific Station Plotting
Plotting specific stations or specific locations can be done using the identifier resource. This can be used to plot the location of a specific set of stations either by searching for its location in the city databases or by specifying a latitude and longitude. Up to ten station identifiers can be specified. These identifiers will be looked up in the city database for locations, if location is not specified, and plotted. If the location is known, the latitude and longitude can be specified along with the station identifier as [ident:]lat:lon. If the station identifier is not specified, the ID defaults to a "+". With this capability, text can be placed on a plot. Also, annotation with attributes can be plotted by specifying:
[ident][:lat:lon] [:attributes][:data]
The format for the attributes and data are the same as for the If needed, the stations can displayed with a marker such as a dot, plus sign or an asterisk instead of the identifier text. This can be done by specifying mark:# for the plot_param resource.
EXAMPLES
mapplt -re=mw -de=d
This plots a map for the midwest region.mapplt -dr=text ul:left_label lr:right_label
This labels a plot. If the labels contain spaces, they either have to be quoted or underscores can be used.mapplt -re=31,-40,3 /data/hurricane/1997/ERIKA/track.raw-LINE
This plots the LINE field from the hurricane Erika track file. The region is selected to encompass the entire track.mapplt -pd=cat,0,0,4,3,50,140 -pp=lalo:10:10,line \ /data/hurricane/1997/ERIKA/track.raw-WINDThis a category plot of wind speeds from hurricane Erika. A background grid every 10 points in each direction will be plotted. A line will be drawn connecting each point. The plot_domain specification will plot data on a coordinate system that runs from 0,0 on the lower left to 50,140 in the upper right. The clat and clon parameters are the coordinates of the lower left corner of the plot. The dx and dy are the extent of the plot in each direction. This is different from standard map-type plot domains. Also, note that the X coordinate in this example is category and not X distance so that each item is plotted equally spaced in the order they appear in the raw file. The nx and ny (4,3) specifications are to set the aspect ratio of the plot as nx-1 by ny-1.mapplt -cf=sao.cty -pr=7 -re=us -sc=.4 \ -cof=white,yellow,green,cyan,magenta,blue,dgrayThis will plot the stations of priority less than or equal to 7 on a US map. Each station is color coded based on its priority.
FILES
- sao.cty - the surface station location database file
SEE ALSO
Last updated October 2013