[McIDAS #AZG-443138]: Problem with McIDAS users_guide

["Unidata McIDAS Support" <support-mcidas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Samuel,

re: thanks for reporting the inconsistency in the Users Guide page...

> No problem, I was working thru this (hopefully for the last time), setting up our server on
> that HP ML 370 machine we talked about earlier.

OK.

> I had attempted an OS re-install(from CentOS5 to RHEL5) and decided an LDM/McIDAS/GEMPAK
> re-install would be better than a selective restore from tape.

OK.

> I may be directing our higher level students to setup their own accounts, if they wish, using this web-page.(
> http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/mcidas/current/users_guide/ConfiguringaNewUserAccount.html)

Please note that my recommendation is that a site fully setup ADDE serving of all datasets
hosted on the machine (except for MYDATA, that is).  This means that 'mcidas' sets up the various
datasets (e.g., RTIMAGES, RTGRIBS, etc., etc., etc.), AND that 'root' has setup remote ADDE access.
When remote ADDE access has been setup, then the users on the same machine do not need to setup
the ADDE dataset definitions themselves.  All they need to do is setup their client routing
tables to point at the remote ADDE interface on the machine.  They do this by running the
'BATCH LOCDATA.BAT' invocation from their McIDAS session assuming, of course, that:

- 'mcidas' has created a fully configured LOCDATA.BAT in the ~mcidas/data directory

- the user's Unix shell definitions has defined MCPATH and it includes the ~mcidas/data
  directory after the user's own local working directory for McIDAS.  Example:

  MCPATH=/home/user/mcidas/data:/home/mcidas/data:/home/mcidas/help

> This is the only inconsistency I was able to find in LDM/McIDAS/GEMPAK setup.  If one
> can follow the instructions flawlessly, then anyone can setup all this stuff on their own.

Yes.

> Unfortunately it took me about 5 tries to get it right.

If the remote ADDE interface is setup by 'root' and if 'mcidas' has defined the various
datasets, then the job for the non-'mcidas' user is very simple:

1) add the appropriate sourcing of ~mcidas/admin/user_env.(sh|csh) to their shell
   definition file

2) create the ~/mcidas and ~/mcidas/data directories

At that point, the user should be able to start McIDAS using 'mcidas -config'; specify the
use of the MCGUI as a graphical user interface; save the configuration definitions; and
have access to all of the data available through the MCGUI.

> Please keep in mind there are a few errors in section 11.8 of McIDAS's learning guide
> "Real-time Data Access - Gridded Data"
> (http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/mcidas/current/mclearn/realtime-9.html), but
> since it's a guide, it's not as critical.

I just corrected what I believe are all of the errors on this page.

Cheers,

Tom
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Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: AZG-443138
Department: Support McIDAS
Priority: Normal
Status: Closed