WXP
Program Reference

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:

  1. Geographical Maps
  2. Annotating Plots
  3. Raw File Plotting
  4. City Database Plotting
  5. 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

FILES

SEE ALSO


Last updated October 2013