3.2 File IO Page

The File I/O page (the first page that the user will see following the copyright notice) allows the user to define the input and output files to be processed by MetCal. For both RPN file formats, the user also has the option to view any of the input or output files. The primary input file should reference the file containing all of the necessary input variable, if possible. For the “Standard Outputs” setting (see Standard outputs), the secondary input file can be used for supplemental input; however, all other Major Modes refer only to the primary input file. The output file defines the data file into which to store the output from MetCal. If this line is left blank, then the output is piped directly back to the input file. The grid file allows the user to remap fields to a desired output grid. All values read from the primary input and secondary input files are remapped to the domain contained in the grid file before the execution of any calculations. If the grid file is left blank, then no remapping of the input fields occurs (the default). The file referenced in the grid entry must contain at least one two-dimensional field of the grid onto which the data will be remapped.

All of the data times and levels present in the input file will be operated on by MetCal. For this reason, try as much as possible to isolate the data times that you require so that MetCal does not continue to execute on the entire set.