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20040809: Aliases




I would like to use the alias feature to simplify this process and to
automatically get derived parameters.  There is no alias help available.



Hi Dave,
The current release of the IDV is indeed missing documentation about defining aliases. This is 
fixed in the next release which is slated for this Wednesday.
In the meantime you might want to look at the IDV workshop materials concerning aliases: 
http://my.unidata.ucar.edu/content/software/idv/docs/workshop/resources/parameters/index.html


For example I am trying to alias u to my UWindComponent.

1.  What are the IDV parameters that can be aliased?
2.  Do I need to qualify my data for it to be recognized?
(mydata.UWindComponet)


There really is no fixed set of IDV parameters.
The basic idea behind aliases is that the idv has a variety of
resources that deal with data based on the parameter name. For example,
we have a way of describing how to create derived quantities. e.g.:
the specification of windspeed says it needs a "u" and a "v". 
Using the alias editor from the Edit -> Resources -> Parameter Aliases menu
allows you to define that your parameter named "UWindComponent" is an alias
of the parameter named "u". When you bring up the alias editor
go to the second tab ".../resources/aliases", right click on the entry for "U" and select "Copy to User Table" which should show it 
in the first tab. Then Right click on the "U" line and choose "Edit Entry"
Add in your "UWindComponent" to the list of aliases. Do the same for "V".
Now, when you load in your data set the IDV should recognize that it can
create a windspeed derived quantity from the parameters "UWindComponent"
and  "VWindComponent".

You shouldn't have to qualify your data.


-Jeff McWhirter