free grads

• Starting and Quiting GrADS
• Basic Concept of Operation
• Gridded Data Sets
  • Gridded Data Descriptor File
  • Structure of a Gridded Binary Data File
  • Binary Data Formats
  • Creating Data Files
  • The Ensemble Dimension in GrADS version 2.0
  • Elements of a GrADS Data Descriptor File
  • Creating a Data Descriptor File for GRIB Data
  • Reading NetCDF and HDF-SDS Files with GrADS
  • Reading and Writing Compressed Data Sets
• Reinitialization of GrADS
• Command Line Editing and History
• External Utilities

Analysis Topics

• Dimension Environment
• grads Variables
  • Variable Names
  • Defining New Variables
  • Undefining Variables
• grads Expressions
• Using Templates to Aggregate Data Files
• About grads Station Data
  • Structure of a GrADS Station Data File
  • Creating a GrADS Station Data File
  • GrADS Station Data Descriptor File
  • The STNMAP Utility
• The BUFR Format for Station Data
• Using Station Data
  • Operating on Station Data
  • Plotting Station Models
  • Drawing Arbitrary Cross Sections
• User Defined Functions
  • Overview of User Defined Functions
  • The user defined function table
  • Format of the function data transfer file
  • Format of the function result file
  • Example: Linear Regression Function
• Using Pre-Projected Data in GrADS
  • Polar Stereo Preprojected Data
  • Lambert Conformal Preprojected Data
  • NCEP ETA Model
  • NCEP polar stereographic grid for SSMI data
  • CSU RAMS oblique polar stereographic grid
  • Pitfalls when using preprojected data
  • GrADS Display Projections
  • Summary and Plans
• Non-Standard Variable Formats and Data File Structures

Display Topics

• Displaying Data
  • Drawing Plots
  • Clearing the Display
  • Graphics Output Types
  • Graphics Options
  • Drawing Basic Graphics Elements
  • Drawing the Contents of a Shapefile
• Animation
• Page Control
  • Real and Virtual Pages
  • Controlling the Plot Area
  • Drawing Multi-Panel Plots
• Color Control
• Font Control
  
• Producing Hardcopy and Image Output from GrADS

GrADS Scripting Language

• Introduction to GrADS scripts
• Elements of the Language:
  • comment
  • statement
  • assignment
  • say / prompt / pull
  • if / else / endif
  • while / endwhile
  • variables
  • operators
  • expressions
  • Functions
  • Intrinsic Functions
• Commands that complement the scripting language
• Widgets
• Dynamic Loading of Script Functions
• Script Library