Resource Basics

Each WXP program has a set of internal resources that can be set to tailor the execution of the program. Each resources has a default value or action hardcoded into the program. This allows the program to be run without any parameters if desired. WXP version 5 allowed many of the resources to be left up to the user at run-time prompting for values if not given on the command line. But in WXP version 6, it was decided that this interactive setup would be removed to simplify setup and command line specifications. The resources can be set via the command line, environment variables or the resource/defaults file.

Typical Resources

WXP has over 50 resources available. Each resource has a resource name and a value which can either be a number, string or a list of values separated by commas. Here is a list of resources used in WXP and a brief explanation of what information they contain:

Resource File

• default - This specifies the path to locate the resource/default file. This file will set up local resource defaults like name conventions, location of data, color table specifications and background map data.
• name - Specifies a program name for resource parsing. Resources in the defaults file can have a name prepended to the resource. If not specified, this is the name of the program. But using this can set additional sets of program defaults.

Database Resource

• file_path- This specifies the path to locate all WXP database files including city databases (define station locations) and map databases. This resource should always be specified in the resource file. In addition, the WXP licensing file location is specified by this resource. WXP will not run without a proper license.

File Resources

• name_conv - This specifies the file which stores the file name conventions used by WXP. WXP requires a name convention be set up for each file it accesses or creates. This specifies how date/time stamps are incorporated into the file name as well as the data type and other parameters.
• input - Defines the input file type such as GRIB, AREA or NIDS data.
• in_file - Defines the name convention of files to be used as input into the program. The name convention file can specify the input file type eliminating the need to specify the input resource as well.
• output - Defines the output file format. For decoders, it's the type of output file as in WXP, netCDF or XML format. For other programs, this might be output such as a raw file, grid file or GIF/PNG image.
• out_file Defines the type of output files. As with in_file, the name convention file can specify the output format eliminating the need to specify output.
• current - This specifies that the program will use current data or some offset of current data. The time is then passed to the name convention to create the actual file name.
• filename - This specifies the actual filename to be used by a program. This will override the in_file and current resources.
• hour - This limits the current resource to specific hour during the day. This would be useful if the latest 12Z file is needed.
• num_hour - This specifies how many data files to use. In parsing programs, this extends the search for data to more than one data file. In decode programs, the specifies the number of data files to search for data to decode. In display programs, this specifies the number of hours to loop through.

Path Resources

There are a set of path resources which can be used in conjunction with the name convention to tell WXP which directory the data files are located.

• data_path - This specifies the path to locate all raw encoded data such as METAR, Rawinsonde and radar data.
• text_path - This specifies the path to ASCII text data such as forecasts and advisories.
• model_path - This specifies the path to forecast model GRIB data files.
• sat_path - This specifies the path to satellite imagery.
• con_path - This specifies the path to locate all decoded/converted data files. The WXP decoders will read data in from the data_path and place their output in the con_path directory. Most WXP analysis programs then read from this directory.
• grid_path - This specifies where grid file generated by WXP are saved.
• raw_path - This specifies where raw files generated by WXP are saved.
• image_path - This specifies where images generated by WXP are saved.
  

Data Analysis Parameters

• plot_domain - This specifies the domain and projection of the final plot. There are several projections available in WXP.
• time - This specifies the forecast time to be used in programs that deal with forecast products.
• level - This specifies the vertical level or layer to be used in the program.
• variable - The variable or parameter to plot.
• identifier - This specifies a list of specific station identifier to use.
• object_param - Specifies the parameters to be used when fitting the data to a grid.
• stat_prior - Determines the priority level of the stations to be used. The higher the number, the more stations will be used.

Database Parameters

• city_file - This lists the city database file to be used to locate station data.
• map_file - This lists the map files to be used in creating the geographical background maps.

Plotting Parameters

• plot_type - Specifies the type of output plot
• draw - Defines which parts of the plot are to be drawn. This is handy for overlays where certain parts of the plot may overlap another.
• con_interval - Specifies the interval to be used in plotting and contouring data.
• con_base - Specifies the base value to be used for contours.
• plot_scale - The scale factor to be used in plotting the data.

Attribute/Color Parameters

• color_table - Specifies a file which contains a list of color that will be used in the plots
• color_label - Specifies the colors/attributes of the text labels drawn above and below the plot.
• color_map - Specifies the colors/attributes of the base map used in most programs.
• color_fmap - Specifies the colors/attributes on the color fill contour map overlay.
• color_latlon - Specifies the colors/attributes of the latitude, longitude lines.
• color_data - Specifies the colors/attributes of plotted data.
• color_cont - Specifies the colors/attributes of the line contours.
• color_fill - Specifies the colors/attributes of the color fill contours.

Device/Window Parameters

• device- Specifies the output device type and parameters.
• geometry - Specifies the geometry of the window or output plot.
• title - Specifies the title to use on the window.
• label - Specifies additional labels on plot
• icon - Specifies whether to open the window iconified and not visible.
• background - Specifies the background color to be used in the plot

Miscellaneous Parameters

• help - Provides help for each program
• message - This specifies the message level. WXP uses a priority scheme for text output ranging from print on the high end to debug on the low end.
• parameter - This specifies general parameters to programs. Often most resources can be overridden with the parameter resource.

Updated January 2021