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 compiled into the program. Some of these resources default to a user prompt often with a menu of possible values.  When you select a file in a WXP program, you are setting a resource value.  

You could just prompt the user for all of the resources but some WXP programs have over 30 available resources. This would make it to difficult to run the program.  As a result, many of the resources are not visible (menus or prompts) but can be set either on the command line, through environment variables or through the resource 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 typical resources used in WXP and a brief explanation of what information they contain:

File Resources

• name_conv - This defines the file which stores the naming convention information for WXP.  Every file WXP uses must adhere to a specific name convention which specify how date and time information are contained in the file name.
• file_path - This defines the path to locate all WXP database files including city databases (define station locations) and map databases.
• data_path - This defines the path to locate all raw encoded data from the Family of Services. Generally, the decoders and parsers use this resource but it is also used for locating MOS data and some of the model gridpoint data.
• con_path - This defines 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 is where grid file generated by WXP are saved.
• raw_path - This is where raw files generated by WXP are saved.
• image_path - This is where images generated by WXP are saved.
• file_param - This resource controls how data files are handled.  If the file exists, should you overwrite it or append to it.
• in_file - Defines what type of files are going to be used as input into the program. This resource is used to define the input file format as well as the naming convention.
• out_file - Defines the type of output files.  For some programs such as decoders, this defines the output file format as well as the naming convention.  For others, it specifies whether the program will produce output or not.
• filename - This specifies the actual filename to be used by a program.  More than one file can be specified to create loops.

Date Resources

• current - This defines which data files is to be used based on the current time.  You can specify to use the latest file or a file which is X number of hours old.
• hour - This limits the current resource to specific hour during the day.  This would be used if you want the latest 12Z file.
• 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 display programs, this specifies the number of hours to loop through.
• decode_hour - This specifies the exact time to specify for decoding.  Only data that is within a specified range of this hour will be saved to the output converted file.

Data Analysis Parameters

• plot_domain - This specifies the domain and projection of the final plot.  There are several projections available in WXP.
• region - This is nearly synonymous to plot_domain except it can be used to specify the grid that data are fit to in the contouring programs.
• 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.
• parameter - Some general parameters used in non-graphical programs.

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.
• plot_param - Specifies a list of additional plotting and analysis parameters.
• font_list - Lists the fonts to be used in the plots
• color_table - Specifies a file which contains a list of color that will be used in the plots

Attribute/Color Parameters

• color_text - 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_cmap - Specifies the colors/attributes on the color fill contour map overlay.
• color_line - Specifies the colors/attributes of the latitude, longitude lines.
• color_data - Specifies the colors/attributes of plotted data.
• color_wind - Specifies the colors/attributes of the wind barbs.
• color_cloud - Specifies the colors/attributes of the cloud cover symbols.
• color_cont - Specifies the colors/attributes of the line contours.
• color_fill - Specifies the colors/attributes of the color fill contours. ****
• color_front - Specifies the colors/attributes of the fronts.

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.
• 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
• batch - Specifies to eliminate prompts/menus from program in order to be run in a background/batch mode.
• message - This specifies the message level.  This is handy in either reducing the amount of text output from a program or increasing it for informative purposes.
• default - Specifies the location of the resource file
• name - Specifies a program name for resource parsing
• command - Specifies a list of command to run