1486 lines
56 KiB
HTML
1486 lines
56 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
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<html>
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<head>
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<meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
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http-equiv="content-type">
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<title>Formatter Launcher User's Guide</title>
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</head>
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<body>
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<h1 style="text-align: center;">Formatter Launcher User's Guide</h1>
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<div style="text-align: center;">March 7, 2012<br>
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</div>
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<br>
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<br>
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The Formatter Launcher Dialog is used to define zone groupings, queue
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formatters for execution, monitor their progress, display and edit the
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final product, and send the product to AWIPS for transmission.<br>
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<br>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=""
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src="images/FormatterLauncher.png"><br>
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</div>
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<br>
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<h2>Table of Contents</h2>
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<br>
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<a href="#Components">Components</a><br>
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<a href="#ZoneCombiner">Zone Combiner</a><br>
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<a href="#ProductEditor">Product Editor</a><br>
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<a href="#OutputLog">Output Log</a><br>
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<br>
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<hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;">
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<h2><br>
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</h2>
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<h2><a name="Components"></a>Components</h2>
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The Formatter Launcher consists of the main menu bar, product tabs and
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product canvas area, and status bar.<br>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Components"
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src="images/FormatterLauncher1.png"><br>
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</div>
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<br>
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<br>
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<h3>Main Menu Bar</h3>
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<h4>Products</h4>
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The products menu permits selection of the products to appear in the
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panes. The menu is divided into "Site-level" products, then
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Hazard and Civil Emergency, then Baseline, Regional, and Hazard
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backup product configurations, and then the Product Editor / Make
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Correction
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tab.
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Each selection will
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open a new tab. The Product Editor / Make Correction tab brings
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up an
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empty editor, allowing for loading existing products from the AWIPS
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text database and making corrections to a product. <br>
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<br>
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<h4>Data Source</h4>
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The data source menu allows the forecaster to change the source
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database for all products to one of the four options: Official,
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Fcst, ISC, or Default. The Default setting uses the database
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definition contained within each formatter to determine which database
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should be used as a data source.<br>
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<br>
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The default data source is configured within each
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formatter's definition section as one of the following:<br>
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<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span
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style="font-weight: bold; font-family: monospace;">Definition['database']
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= "Official"</span><br
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style="font-weight: bold; font-family: monospace;">
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<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: monospace;">Definition['database']
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= "Fcst"</span><br style="font-weight: bold; font-family: monospace;">
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<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: monospace;">Definition['database']
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= "ISC"<br>
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</span></div>
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<br>
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Note in <a href="GFEStartup.html#special">GFE PRACTICE mode</a>, the
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only Data Source is the Practice Forecast database; in <a
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href="GFEStartup.html#special">GFE TEST mode</a>, the only Data Source
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is the Test Forecast database.<br>
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<h4>Processor</h4>
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Formatters execute either on the server platform or the local
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platform. Better performance for the local GFE and faster
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formatter execution should be realized when the processor is set to
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"Server". This item is not configurable on a per-product
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basis. The default is "Server". Setting the item to "Local"
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will run the formatters locally. The default may be changed
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through the gfe configuration entry <a
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href="gfeConfig_formatterLauncher.html#Processor">FormatterLauncherDialog_Processor</a>.<br>
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<br>
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<br>
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<h4>Issued By</h4>
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The Issued By option brings up a dialog allowing the forecaster to
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enter his/her site identifier (3-letters). The entry is only used
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when the site is performing service backup for another
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site. Defining an "Issued By" entry will result in the
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generated products containing the Issued By statement in the product
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header.<br>
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<br>
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<h4>Help</h4>
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The Help menu simply provides a color legend for the Product Tabs. <br>
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<br>
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<h3><span style="font-weight: bold;">Product Tabs</span></h3>
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<h3><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: monospace;"></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: monospace;"></span>There
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is a product tab for each selected entry in the Products
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Selector. Clicking on one of the tabs will then display that
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product's Product Canvas Area. The Product Canvas Area contains
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the zone combiner (if applicable), editor window, output log, and
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several other controls. The color state of the buttons indicate
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whether the product is queued, running, or finished as shown below:<br>
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<br>
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<table style="width: 100%; text-align: left;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
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cellspacing="2">
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<tbody>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;">Tab Color<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;">Meaning<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Gray<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product has not been requested
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to be started, or has been reset to the initial state (due to
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conflicts).<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Yellow<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product is queued for execution
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and is pending.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Pink<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product is currently running.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Green<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product has finished and is
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ready to be edited if needed. Also used to indicate a Draft has
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been loaded and is ready to be edited if needed.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Red<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product has failed or has been
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aborted.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Blue<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product has been transmitted and
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editor is now locked.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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<br>
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<h3><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Product
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Canvas Area</span></span></h3>
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The Product Canvas Area appears for each product that has been
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selected. Use the Product Tabs to display the specific Product
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Canvas Area of interest. The Product Canvas consists of a control
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panel and the canvas area. Depending upon the state of the
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product, some of the controls are dimmed and not accessible.<br>
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<br>
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<img alt="Controls" src="images/FormatterLauncher2.png"><br>
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The controls perform the following functions:<br>
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<br>
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<table style="width: 100%; text-align: left;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
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cellspacing="2">
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<tbody>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img alt=""
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src="images/gfepmunuon.gif" style="width: 48px; height: 48px;"><br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Zone Combiner<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">When selected, the zone combiner
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will appear in the Product Canvas Area. This button is dimmed if
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the product doesn't support zone combinations, or while the formatter
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is currently running.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img alt=""
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src="images/gfeedit.gif" style="width: 44px; height: 44px;"><br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product Editor<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">When selected, the product
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editor will appear in the Product Canvas Area. Initially, this
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pane is blank. When the product has finished generation, the
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contents of the generated product will appear in the canvas. This
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button is dimmed until the formatter has completed.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img alt=""
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src="images/gfeterm.gif" style="width: 44px; height: 44px;"><br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Output Log<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">When selected, the output from
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the formatter execution will appear in the Product Canvas Area.
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Initially this pane is blank. Only when the formatter has
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completed, will the output log button be undimmed and the contents
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available. If you wish to monitor the progress of a formatter
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during its execution, please use the <a
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href="MainMenuDialogs.html#ProcessMonitorDialog">Process Monitor</a>. <br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img alt="Load Draft"
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src="images/loadDraft.gif" style="width: 44px; height: 44px;"><br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Load Draft<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">When selected, the Formatter
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Launcher is switched to the product editor and the saved draft for the
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product is loaded. If there isn't a saved draft, then a
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message will be displayed to the forecaster indicating that no draft
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exists.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img alt=""
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src="images/gferun.gif" style="width: 44px; height: 44px;"><br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Run Formatter<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">This button will queue the
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formatter for execution. Once it is queued, the button will
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be dimmed until the product is completed. Queuing a product will
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cause the zone combiner, product editor, and output log buttons to be
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dimmed.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img alt=""
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src="images/gfecancel.gif" style="width: 48px; height: 48px;"><br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Stop Formatter<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">This button is available during
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the execution of a formatter. If selected, the formatter will be
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aborted.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img alt=""
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src="images/gfestop.gif" style="width: 48px; height: 48px;"><br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Close Tab<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">This button will close the tab
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and ABORT any running formatter. Use this button only after the
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formatter is complete and you have stored or sent the product, or data
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loss will occur.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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<br>
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<br>
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If the GFE is started in PRACTICE mode, an additional Formatting button
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is
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available as shown below. The button only affects the product in
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that tab, and no other tabs. The selection must be made before
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the Run Formatter button is pressed:<br>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Toolbar in Practice mode"
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src="images/FormatterLauncher18.png"><br>
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</div>
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<br>
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The Formatting button defaults to the <a href="VTEC.html#EnablingVTEC">VTECMessageType</a>
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definition for the product, but the user may change it depending upon
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the task at hand. Here are the available options:<br>
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<table style="width: 100%; text-align: left;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
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cellspacing="2">
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<tbody>
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<tr>
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<td
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style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Option<br>
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</td>
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<td
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style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Meaning<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Normal: NoVTEC<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product will be formatted
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normally (no test wording), and will not contain VTEC.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Normal: O-Vtec<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product will be formatted
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normally (no test wording), and will contain Operational VTEC (O-code).<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Normal: E-Vtec<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product will be formatted
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normally (no test wording), and will contain Experimental VTEC (E-code).<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Normal: X-Vtec<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product will be formatted
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normally (no test wording), and will containg Experimental in an
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Operational Product VTEC (X-code).<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Test: NoVTEC<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product will be formatted with
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test wording, and will not contain VTEC.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Test: T-Vtec<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product will be formatted with
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test wording and will contain Test VTEC (T-code).<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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<br>
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<br>
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More details on the output log, zone combiner, and product editor are
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found later in this document.<br>
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<br>
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<h3>Status Bar</h3>
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The bar is used to relay important messages to the forecaster.
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The status bar is used for displaying routine (as green), significant
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(as yellow), alert (as orange), and urgent (as red) messages. A
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partial list of
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messages is shown in
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the table below:<br>
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<br>
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<table style="text-align: left; width: 100%;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
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cellspacing="2">
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<tbody>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;">Message
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Contents<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;">Significance<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;">Description<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Formatters Queued: [prod1,
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prod2, prod3]<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Regular<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Indicates that formatters have
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been queued for execution.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Map <span
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style="font-style: italic;">mapname</span> not available<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Urgent<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Indicates that the zone combiner
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could not find or load the map background required by the zone
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combiner. The map background is defined in the
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Definition['mapNameForCombinations'] of each product formatter needing
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combinations. No zone combinations may be changed for the product.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Bad format in Combo file: <span
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style="font-style: italic;">combofilename</span><br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Significant<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">The user has attempted to load a
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previously saved combinations file from the Combo Sets -> Load menu,
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and the format of the combinations file is corrupted. The zone combiner
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may still be used, but the current set of combinations is cleared.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Combo file has python syntax
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errors: <span style="font-style: italic;">combofilename</span><br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Significant<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">The product's combination file
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was retrieved from EDEX, but could not be decoded. The
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zone combiner may still be used, but the current set of combinations is
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cleared.</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Combo file is not in combo
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format: <span style="font-style: italic;">combofilename</span><br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Significant<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">The retrieved combination file
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(from EDEX) was not in the correct format, i.e., not a list of
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tuples containing a list of zones and a label. The zone combiner
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may still be used, but the current set of combinations is cleared.</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Combinations file saved: <span
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style="font-style: italic;">combofilename</span><br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Regular<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Indicates that a combinations
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file was saved. If a GFE red banner appears, then there may have
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been a problem with the save.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Missing Color file or errors in
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Color file<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Significant<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">The color file for the zone
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combiner was not found or there were errors in the color file.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Removed Unknown Edit Areas: [<span
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style="font-style: italic;">ea1, ea2, ea3...</span>]<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Significant<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Informs the user that the
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combinations file contained zones that were not in the map background
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assigned to the product, and thus these names have been removed from
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the combinations file.<br>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Missing zones have been added [<span
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style="font-style: italic;">ea1, ea2, ea3...</span>]<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Regular<br>
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</td>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;">Zones identified on the map
|
|
background but not included in the combinations file have been added to
|
|
the combinations file as individual zones, i.e., not combined.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
</tbody>
|
|
</table>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;">
|
|
<h2><a name="ZoneCombiner"></a>Zone Combiner</h2>
|
|
The Zone Combiner is used to view and modify the set of combined zones
|
|
for the product. Not all products support zone selection.
|
|
In the case of a product that doesn't support a zone selection, the
|
|
zone combiner selection button is dimmed. The Zone Combiner
|
|
contains a menu bar, the canvas depicting the zones, and a label
|
|
containing the product name and combinations filename, and the Apply
|
|
Zone Combo button.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
Unlike most configuration files throughout GFESuite which adhere to the
|
|
BASE/SITE/User concept, the Zone Combiner color table, saved
|
|
combination sets, and saved combination files are shared among all
|
|
users.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="FormatterLauncher"
|
|
src="images/FormatterLauncher3.png"><br>
|
|
</div>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h3>Zone Combiner Menus</h3>
|
|
<h2><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></h2>
|
|
<h4>Combo Sets</h4>
|
|
The combo sets menu contains three entries as shown in the following
|
|
table:<br>
|
|
<table style="text-align: left; width: 100%;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|
|
cellspacing="2">
|
|
<tbody>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Save...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Brings up the SaveComboSets
|
|
Dialog allowing the user to save the current set of combinations for
|
|
later retrieval. Only those combinations that apply to the
|
|
current map background are displayed. The user can select an
|
|
existing name (to overwrite a combo) or type in a new name.
|
|
Pressing "Save" will save the combinations.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img
|
|
style="width: 262px; height: 316px;" alt=""
|
|
src="images/DialogSaveCombos.jpg"></td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Load<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Loads in a saved set of
|
|
combinations. Another menu will be displayed showing the list of
|
|
saved combinations.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;"><br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Delete<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Brings up the DeleteComboSets
|
|
Dialog allowing the user to delete saved sets of combinations.
|
|
Only those combinations that apply to the current map background are
|
|
displayed. The user can select an existing name from the list and
|
|
then press "Delete" to delete the combination.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img alt=""
|
|
src="images/DialogDeleteCombo.jpg"></td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
</tbody>
|
|
</table>
|
|
<br>
|
|
Combinations are available based on the base map background in use for
|
|
each formatter. Each formatter requiring zone combinations
|
|
contains a definition defining the map background. An example is:
|
|
<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: monospace;">Definition["mapNameForCombinations"]
|
|
= "Zones_BOU"</span> . If the definition is missing, then zone
|
|
combinations may not be changed for the product.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
The Combo Sets menu entry is dimmed if there are no combinations being
|
|
shown in the zone combiner.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h4>Combo Actions</h4>
|
|
The Combo Actions menu controls the Zone Combiner and provides commonly
|
|
used actions, such as clear.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<table style="text-align: left; width: 100%;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|
|
cellspacing="2">
|
|
<tbody>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Clear<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;" rowspan="1" colspan="2">Removes
|
|
all zone combinations from the zone combiner.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Revert<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;" rowspan="1" colspan="2">Reverts
|
|
the zone combinations to the last saved (e.g., last applied)
|
|
combination setup.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Examine/Clear Groups...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Brings up a dialog which is used
|
|
to clear zone groupings. This dialog can also be used to examine
|
|
the currently defined set of zone groupings.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img
|
|
style="width: 436px; height: 306px;" alt=""
|
|
src="images/DialogExamineCombo.jpg"></td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Shuffle Groups...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Brings up a dialog which is used
|
|
to shuffle (move the order) of groups. Multiple selections
|
|
may be made and the group will move top/down together. The Up and
|
|
Down buttons move the selection one step at a time. The Top and
|
|
Bottom move the selection to the top or bottom of the groups.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img
|
|
src="images/DialogZoneShuffle.jpg" alt=""><br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
</tbody>
|
|
</table>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
The Combo Actions menu is dimmed if there are no combinations being
|
|
shown in the zone combiner.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h4>Combo Options</h4>
|
|
The Combo Options menu provides display and execution options for the
|
|
Zone Combiner, as shown in the following table:<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<table style="text-align: left; width: 100%;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|
|
cellspacing="2">
|
|
<tbody>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Include All Zones<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;" rowspan="1" colspan="2">If
|
|
include all zones is selected, then all zones will be part of the
|
|
combinations file. If Include All Zones is off, then zones that
|
|
are not part of a specific combination will be stand alone, or will be
|
|
indicated as not included. Generating a product with some zones
|
|
that aren't included will result in a product that does not represent
|
|
all of the zones. Toggling Include All Zones on will take all
|
|
zones that were previously not included and place them as individual
|
|
zones.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Label Zones<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;" rowspan="1" colspan="2">If Label
|
|
Zones is selected, then the zone label identifiers will be placed for
|
|
each zone on the map background.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Label Zone Groups<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: top;">If Label
|
|
Zone Groups is selected, then the zone grouping numbers will appear on
|
|
the map background. Zone groups are counted from 1.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;"><a name="ZoneColors"></a>Zone
|
|
Colors...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">The Zone Colors... selection
|
|
brings up the Zone Color Table Editor. There is only one color
|
|
map for all products, and the size of the color map depends upon the
|
|
maximum number of zones that have been color-edited. The color
|
|
editor works simlarily to the other <a href="ColorDialogs.html">Color
|
|
Table Editors in the GFE</a>. Pressing "Apply" will change
|
|
the color mapping of the Zone Combiner as well as save the new color
|
|
table to EDEX.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img
|
|
style="width: 510px; height: 398px;" alt=""
|
|
src="images/DialogComboColors.jpg"></td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
</tbody>
|
|
</table>
|
|
<br>
|
|
The Combo Options menu entry is dimmed if there are no combinations
|
|
being shown in the zone combiner.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h4>Zoom</h4>
|
|
The map background in the zone combiner may be zoomed. The scroll
|
|
bars around the map are used to pan the display. The
|
|
options on the zoom menu control the amount of zooming, from "No Zoom"
|
|
to various zoom factors.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h3>Zone Combiner Canvas</h3>
|
|
<br>
|
|
The canvas is the drawing area of the zone combiner.
|
|
Through a series of clicks and drags, the set of zone combinations may
|
|
be edited.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
The canvas may be resized. Its initial size is configurable
|
|
through the gfe configuration file. By default, the zone
|
|
combiner dialog is about 80% the height and width of the display.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h4>Drawing a New Combination</h4>
|
|
Using MB1, press over a zone that is "grayed-out" which represents an
|
|
individual zone, and drag through that zone into zones you wish to be
|
|
part of the same combination. The "zone color" is chosen
|
|
automatically for you. You can change the zone colors if desired
|
|
through the <a href="FormatterLauncher.html#ZoneColors">Zone Colors....</a>
|
|
menu entry.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h4>Picking Up a Zone Combination</h4>
|
|
A MB2 click over a zone will "pick-up" that zone's configuration.
|
|
This is useful for adding another zone to a combination or changing the
|
|
existing configuration of a zone to that which was "picked-up".<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h4>Adding Another Zone to a Combination - Contiguous</h4>
|
|
Using MB1, press over the zone which you want to extend. Drag
|
|
through the new zones (whether they are already assigned or not doesn't
|
|
matter). As you drag through the zones, they become part of the
|
|
same combination.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h4>Adding Another Zone to a Combination - Non-Contiguous</h4>
|
|
MB2 click over a zone in the combination you wish to extend to pick up
|
|
its value. MB1 click over the zone you wish to add. You may need
|
|
to MB1 click more than once.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h4>Toggling Zones</h4>
|
|
MB1 clicks will toggle a zone from the combination, to a new group, and
|
|
to "off" or non-included zone. If the "Include
|
|
All Zones" is selected, then the clicks will toggle between the
|
|
combination and a new group.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h3>Apply Zone Combo <br>
|
|
</h3>
|
|
This button is enabled when the zone combination has been modified but
|
|
not saved. Press this button to save the zone combination to the
|
|
server.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h3><br>
|
|
</h3>
|
|
<h3>Proper Formatter and Configuration Setup</h3>
|
|
<br>
|
|
The zone combiner requires certain Definition section items to be set
|
|
up in each formatter. It also requires <a
|
|
href="mapConfig.html">map backgrounds</a> to be configured properly in
|
|
the EDEX.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h4>Definition section of product<br>
|
|
</h4>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<table style="text-align: left; width: 100%;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|
|
cellspacing="2">
|
|
<tbody>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Definition['mapNameForCombinations']
|
|
= "Zones_PBZ"<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Mandatory<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Defines the map background used
|
|
for this product's zone combinations. All edit areas in the
|
|
combinations file must match the map backgrounds's attribute
|
|
"EDITAREANAME"'s values.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Definition['defaultEditAreas'] =
|
|
"combinations Name"<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Mandatory<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Defines the combinations file to
|
|
be used for this product. If default edit areas is not a
|
|
combinations file, i.e., it is a list of edit areas, then the zone
|
|
combiner will not be available. <br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Definition['singleComboOnly'] = 1<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Optional<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">If this definition is set to 1,
|
|
then the zone combiner will only allow ONE combination. Some
|
|
products are intentionally restricted for this capability.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Definition['subDomainUGCs'] =
|
|
["ugc1", "ugc2", "ugc3"]<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Optional<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Limits the zone combinations to
|
|
just those zones listed in the subDomainUGCs entry. This is
|
|
normally only used for those sites whose domain is split into several
|
|
products.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
</tbody>
|
|
</table>
|
|
Note: the combinations file must be read-write in the server in order
|
|
for the user to modify the zone combinations. If a combinations
|
|
file is marked read-only, then the zone combiner will not be displayed.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h4>Map Configuration in EDEX<br>
|
|
</h4>
|
|
The map background configuration defines the editAreaName for certain
|
|
map backgrounds. If this attribute is defined, then edit areas
|
|
will be automatically generated for the map background, based on the
|
|
attributes specified. The Zone Combiner uses the edit area names
|
|
associated with each shape in the map background to map combination
|
|
edit area names to map background names. If your
|
|
combinations file uses other names, then the zone combiner will reject
|
|
those names and start out with an empty set of zone combinations.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;">
|
|
<h2><a name="ProductEditor"></a>Product Editor</h2>
|
|
The Product Editor is used to display the finished product to the
|
|
forecaster, and then allows the forecaster to edit, save to a file,
|
|
save as a draft, store, and
|
|
transmit it.. It consists of a menu bar, the text editor,
|
|
and to save a draft and transmit the product.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
Some fields in the product editor may appear in a different color
|
|
(default is blue). These fields are "Locked" and cannot be edited
|
|
by the forecaster. NWS policy requires quality control on
|
|
the UGC, VTEC, and other components of the product thus requires that
|
|
the forecaster not be
|
|
able to edit that field. Some fields may appear in another color
|
|
(default is red). These fields are "framing codes" and indicate
|
|
to the forecaster that the text within the framing codes and the
|
|
framing code deliminators must be edited/removed by the forecaster.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
A special entry on the Products menu called "Product Editor / Make
|
|
Correction" brings up
|
|
a blank slate. You can load files from the AWIPS Text Database, text
|
|
file on disk, type an original product, or make a correction to an
|
|
existing product.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="FL"
|
|
src="images/FormatterLauncher4.png"
|
|
style="width: 776px; height: 674px;"><br>
|
|
</div>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h3>Menu Bar</h3>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<table style="width: 100%; text-align: left;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|
|
cellspacing="2">
|
|
<tbody>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td colspan="1" rowspan="8" style="vertical-align: top;">File<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Save File...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Brings up a file chooser to
|
|
allow the user to save the contents of the
|
|
text buffer to a disk file. The default location is defined in
|
|
the
|
|
Definition['outputFile'] part of the formatter.</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Store...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Brings up an entry field
|
|
containing the 8 or 9-letter PIL (Product Inventory List) that will
|
|
be used to store the product into the AWIPS text database.
|
|
The default pil is defined in the Definition['textdbPil'] part
|
|
of the formatter. <b>Use with caution:</b> Saving to the text
|
|
database will cause triggers for that PIL if they have been
|
|
defined. This button is colored Blue when in practice mode and
|
|
the product won't get stored to the AWIPS text database. Normally
|
|
the button is gray.<br>
|
|
<img alt="Store" src="images/StoreDialog.png"><br>
|
|
The user can change the AWIPS Product ID if necessary,
|
|
and then presses the "Store" button to store the product.
|
|
The Store Countdown timer counts down from 5 seconds giving the user
|
|
the chance to abort the store operation. If the operation
|
|
is not aborted, the product will be stored into the AWIPS text
|
|
database. <b>Use with caution:</b>
|
|
Saving to the text database will cause
|
|
triggers
|
|
for that PIL if they have been defined. If the store was not
|
|
successful, then an error dialog is raised which
|
|
contains the traceback on the store failure. <br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Transmit...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Brings up an entry field
|
|
containing the 9 or 10-letter AWIPS WAN PIL
|
|
(Product Inventory List) that will be used to transmit the product onto
|
|
the AWIPS WAN. The product is also stored into the text database
|
|
during this operation. The default pil is defined in the
|
|
Definition['awipsWANPil'] part of the formatter. This button is
|
|
colored RED if live transmission is enabled and colored BLUE if live
|
|
transmission is disabled due to practice mode. <br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Print<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Sends the contents of the editor
|
|
to the lpr command. This should cause the contents of the editor
|
|
to be printed. However, the lpr command must be configured at the
|
|
system level for this to work.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Load Draft<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">This option only appears for
|
|
product tabs. It retreives a previously saved draft and places it
|
|
into the product editor for editing. If there is no previously
|
|
saved draft, a message is displayed to the forecaster.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Save Draft<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">This option only appears for
|
|
product tabs. It saves the current text in the editor along with
|
|
the product definition for later callup with Load Draft.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Open File<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">This option only appears for the
|
|
"Product Editor"tab. It allows you to bring any local file into
|
|
the text editor. Products brought into this window are set to routine
|
|
products with an option to set them to Corrected, Updated, Delayed, or
|
|
Resend mode through the "Type" pulldown menu choice at the bottom of
|
|
the Formatter Launcher window. <br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Load Product / Make Correction<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">This option only appears for the
|
|
"Product Editor" tab. It allows you to specify a pil, then
|
|
retrieves the product from the AWIPS text database and loads it into
|
|
the editor. The editor is placed into Resend mode automatically
|
|
when selecting this option. Typing in the product changes the mode to
|
|
Corrected automatically.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td colspan="1" rowspan="9" style="vertical-align: top;">Edit<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Undo<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Undoes the last edit operation.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Redo<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Undoes the Undo.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Cut<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Cuts the selected text from the
|
|
buffer and saves it temporarily for pasting.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Copy<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Copies the selected text and
|
|
saves it temporarily for pasting.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Paste<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Pastes the Cut or Copied text at
|
|
the cursor location.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Find...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Brings up the Find dialog,
|
|
allowing the user to find words. There are many options
|
|
available, such as backwards and forwards searches, regular expression
|
|
or exact searches, ignoring case, starting at the start, end, or at the
|
|
cursor position. <img alt="" src="images/FormatterLauncher5.png"><br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Replace...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Brings up the Replace dialog,
|
|
allowing the user to find and replace words. Various options are
|
|
available to find and replace forwards, backwards, using regular
|
|
expressions or exact matches, and starting at the beginning, end, or
|
|
cursor location.<br>
|
|
<img alt="" src="images/FormatterLauncher6.png"
|
|
style="width: 378px; height: 180px;"><br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Spell Check...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Brings up the spell
|
|
checker. As each mispelled word is found, suggestions are
|
|
provided and the user can choose the suggestion or type in the correct
|
|
spelling. Capabilities are provided to add a word to your
|
|
personal dictionary, or to ignore the mispelling.<br>
|
|
<img alt="" src="images/FormatterLauncher7.png"><br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Wrap Selected<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Rewraps the selected portion of
|
|
the product based on the wrap length. You probably will want to
|
|
wrap paragraph by paragraph rather than selecting the entire
|
|
text. The Product Editor does understand certain types of
|
|
paragraphs, such as blank lines denoting paragraphs and ".xxx..."
|
|
syntax such as ".TONIGHT..." as paragraphs.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td colspan="1" rowspan="2" style="vertical-align: top;">Options<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Auto Wrap<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Enables/disables automatic
|
|
wrapping while typing. The default value may be set through the
|
|
gfe configuration file on a per-pil basis.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Wrap Length<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Specifies the wrap length. <br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td colspan="1" rowspan="2" style="vertical-align: top;">CallToActions<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Hazard...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Based on the editor insertion
|
|
point which defines the segment, brings up the possible set of call to
|
|
action statements for the VTEC hazards identified within the
|
|
segment. The user selects a call to action and the text is
|
|
inserted at the insertion point in the editor. Call to action
|
|
statements are configurable through the CallToActions
|
|
TextUtility. If the cursor is not in a segment that has VTEC
|
|
hazards, then the Call To Actions dialog will be empty. The text
|
|
appearing in the dialog is either the actual Call To Action text or a
|
|
descriptive string, depending upon the Call To Action entry format.<br>
|
|
<img alt="CallToActions" src="images/CallToActions.png"
|
|
style="width: 356px; height: 334px;"><br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Based on the editor insertion
|
|
point, brings
|
|
up the set of product-specific call to action statements.
|
|
The user
|
|
selects a call to action and
|
|
the text is inserted at the insertion point in the editor. <br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Generic...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Based on the editor insertion
|
|
point, brings
|
|
up the set of generic call to action statements. The user
|
|
selects a call to action and
|
|
the text is inserted at the insertion point in the editor. Call to
|
|
action statements are configurable through the CallToActions
|
|
TextUtility.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Help<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Tab Color Key...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Displays the various Product Tab
|
|
colors and their meaning.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
</tbody>
|
|
</table>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h3>Text Window</h3>
|
|
The Text Window is the text editor. Clicking on a location will
|
|
set the cursor position to that location. Typing will then insert
|
|
characters at that point. Dragging over text will select
|
|
the text, which then can be used in cut/copy/paste operations.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
The WMOID block, headlines, and UGC blocks cannot be edited and appear
|
|
in a different color
|
|
(configurable through the GFE configuration file). The UGC block
|
|
consists of the UGC codes, any VTEC lines, the list of zone names, the
|
|
list of city names, and the date-time group.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
A MB3 popup menu is available that duplicates the functions found on
|
|
the menu bar.<br>
|
|
<h3>Buttons</h3>
|
|
There are usually three buttons available: Save File..., Store, and
|
|
Transmit. During <a href="GFEStartup.html#special">GFE Practice
|
|
mode</a>, the buttons are labeled the same, but have a different
|
|
appearance.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<table style="width: 100%; text-align: left;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|
|
cellspacing="2">
|
|
<tbody>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Save Draft<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Saves the current text and
|
|
product definition to EDEX. The name of the file
|
|
is based on the Definition['awipsWANPil']. This allows
|
|
other workstations to access the text/product to continue edits.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Transmit<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Brings up an Transmit Dialog
|
|
containing the 9 or 10-letter AWIPS WAN PIL (Product Inventory List)
|
|
that will be used to transmit the product onto the AWIPS WAN. The
|
|
product is also stored into the text database during this
|
|
operation. The default pil is defined in the
|
|
Definition['awipsWANPil'] part of the formatter. If live
|
|
transmission is enabled, then this button is RED. If live
|
|
transmission is disabled, as in PRACTICE mode, then this button is
|
|
BLUE.
|
|
In practice mode, this action emulates the normal sending out of the
|
|
product via the AWIPS WAN, the receipt of the product via the SBN, and
|
|
the running of the VTEC Decoder.</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;"><img alt=""
|
|
src="images/checkmark.jpg" style="width: 50px; height: 47px;"><br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">The Check button will rescan the
|
|
text in the product editor. It searches for framing codes and
|
|
rehighlights the framing section ("red" is the default color). It
|
|
updates the transmission time in the WMOID header block and each UGC
|
|
block. It rescans the headlines. It checks the VTEC times
|
|
and updates those to the current time. It also checks for invalid
|
|
products, which can occur in situations when the ending VTEC time is
|
|
earlier than the present time. If the VTEC is determined to be
|
|
invalid, then the editor is disabled and a red banner message is
|
|
displayed.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Type<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">This pulldown menu provides the
|
|
type of the product. Changing the product to AAA, AAB, or AAC
|
|
will result in the "UPDATED" wording to be appended to the product's
|
|
MND header. Changing the product to RRA, RRB, or RRC results in
|
|
the "DELAYED" wording to be appended to the product's MND header.
|
|
Changing the product to "res" indicates this is a retransmission, no
|
|
"bbb" field is included in the WMO line, but the MND header will
|
|
contain "RESENT". "rou" indicates a normal
|
|
type of product. When the editor is put into Correction
|
|
Mode,
|
|
only the CCA, CCB, and CCC options are available and the MND header is
|
|
appended with CORRECTED.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product Expiration Time<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">The user may adjust the product
|
|
expiration time in the segments by changing the selectors in 15 minute
|
|
increments. The interval plus the calculated expiration time is
|
|
shown on the interface. Each segment will receive the
|
|
earlier of the specified time, 1 hour if a segment only contains a CAN
|
|
VTEC code, or the end of any event.<span
|
|
style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"></span><br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
</tbody>
|
|
</table>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h3>Transmit Dialog</h3>
|
|
The Transmit Dialog is presented when the user chooses the "Transmit"
|
|
button. The user can change the AWIPS Product ID if necessary,
|
|
and
|
|
then presses the "Store" button to store the product. The
|
|
Transmit
|
|
Countdown timer counts down from 5 seconds giving the user the chance
|
|
to abort the transmit operation. If the operation is not
|
|
aborted, the
|
|
product will be transmited to the AWIPS WAN.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="TransmitDialog"
|
|
src="images/TransmitDialog.png" style="width: 464px; height: 242px;"><br>
|
|
</div>
|
|
<br>
|
|
If the transmit was not successful, then an error dialog is raised
|
|
which contains the traceback on the transmit failure.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h3>Changes to Product when Transmitting, Storing, or Saving</h3>
|
|
Whenever products are transmitted, stored, or saved, certain
|
|
modifications are made to the product text (Except as noted for
|
|
Corrections below):<br>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>The issuance time in the CI header is updated to the present time.</li>
|
|
<li>The descriptive text indicating the issuance time, such as 400 AM
|
|
MST THU DEC 25 2004, is updated to the present time.</li>
|
|
<li>The product purge times for each segment are updated.</li>
|
|
<li>VTEC codes that have an explicit starting time that is now in the
|
|
past, are updated to the present time.</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
For Corrections (from the Product Editor tab):<br>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>The MND time stamp remains unchanged.</li>
|
|
<li>The product purge times for each segment are updated.</li>
|
|
<li>VTEC codes that have an explicit starting time that is now in the
|
|
past, are updated to the present time.</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
In addition, other checks are made:<br>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>If any VTEC string ending time is now earlier than the present
|
|
time, the operation is aborted and the product is invalidated.</li>
|
|
<li>If a VTEC notification is received that your WFO has updated some
|
|
of the VTEC strings in the product, usually by running and transmitting
|
|
another product in the office, then the operation is aborted and the
|
|
product is invalidated.</li>
|
|
<li>All text is changed to Upper Case, per the 10-1701 product
|
|
directive.<br>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
If the product is invalidated, you can still save the text to a
|
|
temporary file or Save Draft, but will be unable to transmit it
|
|
or store
|
|
it. You will need to regenerate the product.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
Once a product is transmitted, you can no longer transmit the same
|
|
product. Instead you need to re-run the
|
|
formatter.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h3>Locked Out Fields and Editing Headlines</h3>
|
|
Due to NWS Quality Control rules, the CI, MND, VTEC lines, UGC lines,
|
|
Zone and City Names, Issuance Date Lines, and Headlines are locked and
|
|
cannot be edited by the forecaster.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
Headlines do allow additional phrasing to be added at the end of each
|
|
Headline. This is to accomondate specific phrases such as "ABOVE
|
|
9000 FEET". The text must be added right before the "..."
|
|
or "TEST..." in the headline. Your additional headlines, or
|
|
added words to existing headlines should not contain any of the
|
|
following words, or your headline will lock. <br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
The words that should NOT be used in local headlines or added phrases
|
|
to headlines are:<br>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>AFTERNOON</li>
|
|
<li>CANCELLED</li>
|
|
<li>EFFECT</li>
|
|
<li>EXPIRED</li>
|
|
<li>EVENING</li>
|
|
<li>FRIDAY</li>
|
|
<li>MONDAY</li>
|
|
<li>MORNING</li>
|
|
<li>NIGHT</li>
|
|
<li>SATURDAY</li>
|
|
<li>SUNDAY</li>
|
|
<li>THURSDAY</li>
|
|
<li>TODAY</li>
|
|
<li>TONIGHT</li>
|
|
<li>TUESDAY</li>
|
|
<li>WEDNESDAY</li>
|
|
<li>IS FOR TEST PURPOSES ONLY<br>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<br>
|
|
This example illustrates adding words to the end of the headline.
|
|
The blue text is locked and cannot be edited. The black text is
|
|
editable. The cursor was placed right before the "..." and the
|
|
user typed <span style="font-weight: bold;">ABOVE 9000 FEET</span>.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=""
|
|
src="images/FormatterLauncher15.png"
|
|
style="width: 720px; height: 442px;"><br>
|
|
</div>
|
|
<br>
|
|
It is important to realize that some headlines that are edited by the
|
|
user will lock and thus not be correctable. If the
|
|
forecaster uses different words that what is expected the software will
|
|
not be able to distinguish the words from the non-editable portion of
|
|
the headline.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
Automatic word wrap is disabled in the headlines for technical reasons
|
|
and thus the forecaster will need to provide the appropriate word
|
|
wrapping.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<a NAME=UsingDraft></a>
|
|
<h3>Using Load Draft and Save Draft</h3>
|
|
The Load Draft / Save Draft feature provides several benefits:<br>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>Provides a quick way to save a copy of the current product "just
|
|
in case" a system problem or editing mistake is made.</li>
|
|
<li>Provides a way for one forecaster to edit part of the product,
|
|
and then hand off the product to another forecaster for review or
|
|
further editing.<br>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
The saved draft is put into the EDEX
|
|
/awips2/edex/data/utility/cave_static/site/SITE/gfe/drafts directory and is
|
|
named via the Definition['awipsWANpil'] contained in the product
|
|
definition. The saved information consists of the product text
|
|
and the product definition. The product definition contains
|
|
important attributes for the product, such as line length and segment
|
|
expiration time characteristics. EDEX monitors
|
|
incoming VTEC notifications and compares them to the contents of the
|
|
draft products and invalidates the draft products if there is a match;
|
|
this prevents the loading of a draft that might contain invalid VTEC
|
|
and then transmitting a product with invalid VTEC. Loading a
|
|
draft that has been invalidated will result in the editor being
|
|
disabled and a message indicating that there is a possibility of
|
|
invalid VTEC so the product must be regenerated.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
Once the draft is saved, the same forecaster or different forecasters
|
|
may load the draft into their product editor. Loading a
|
|
draft is accomplished by selecting Products -> XXX in the Formatter
|
|
Launcher, where XXX is the product name, to create the product
|
|
pane. Then the forecaster clicks on the Load Draft (<img
|
|
alt="LoadDraft" src="images/loadDraft.gif"
|
|
style="width: 22px; height: 22px;">) button and the previously saved
|
|
text and its product definition are loaded into the editor.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
The forecaster than continues to edit the product until it is ready for
|
|
transmission.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
Drafts are automatically purged from the server when the segment
|
|
expiration time has been reached.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">NOTE: Due to VTEC QC
|
|
requirements, and the calculations of segment expiration times, it is
|
|
NOT recommended to use the Save File... and Open File..., nor Store...
|
|
and Load Product... capabilities to faciliate multiple forecasters
|
|
editing the product. The VTEC QC will be bypassed and the segment
|
|
expiration times may be miscalculated since the product definition will
|
|
not be reinstated from the plain text that was previously saved.</span><br>
|
|
<h3>Making Corrections - from the Product Editor tab<br>
|
|
</h3>
|
|
The Product Editor has a correction mode. Correction mode
|
|
is entered automatically when a user opens the "Product Editor" tab on
|
|
the Formatter Launcher and then uses the "Load Product" option.
|
|
This option loads a product from the AWIPS Text Database.
|
|
If the user modifies the headline, such as in the following example,
|
|
the VTEC action codes for the segment will change to "COR" and the MND
|
|
product header will have "...CORRECTED" appended. The "Type"
|
|
field in the editor is automatically set to "CCA". The user can
|
|
change this to "CCB" or "CCC" if necessary.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=""
|
|
src="images/FormatterLauncher16.png"> <br>
|
|
</div>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
Note that using the "Open File" option or no option at all, i.e., blank
|
|
editor, will not put the editor into correction mode.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h3>Resent, Updated, Delayed Products<br>
|
|
</h3>
|
|
The "Type" selector at the bottom of the product editor allows the user
|
|
to specify the type of the product as shown below:<br>
|
|
<table style="width: 100%; text-align: left;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|
|
cellspacing="2">
|
|
<tbody>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;">Type Field<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold;">Meaning<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">rou<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Routine product, no additional
|
|
words added to the MND header.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">res<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Product that has been
|
|
resent. The word RESENT is added to the MND header. This is
|
|
only available from the "blank" product editor tab.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">AAA...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Updated product. The word
|
|
UPDATED is added to the MND header.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">RRR...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Delayed product. The word
|
|
DELAYED is added to the MND header.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">CCC...<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
<td style="vertical-align: top;">Corrected product. In the
|
|
blank Product Editor with a loaded product from
|
|
the AWIPS text database, the word CORRECTED is added to the MND header
|
|
and changes made to any segment text will result in the corresponding
|
|
VTEC lines to indicate a "COR" action. This is only available
|
|
from the "blank" product editor.<br>
|
|
</td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
</tbody>
|
|
</table>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<h3>Adding the Update Reason Field</h3>
|
|
Some products require adding a reason for the update or
|
|
correction.
|
|
The user can insert a new line, which will be unlocked, between the UGC
|
|
block and the headline. The cursor is placed between the UGC
|
|
block
|
|
and any headline and then the text is added. Be sure to follow
|
|
polices and leave a blank line between the UGC block, the update
|
|
reason,
|
|
and the headline.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=""
|
|
src="images/FormatterLauncher17.png"><br>
|
|
</div>
|
|
<h3>Framing Codes</h3>
|
|
Some of the product formatters and Call To Action statements may
|
|
contain "Framing Codes". These codes are highlighted in 'red' by
|
|
default in the Product Editor. The product will not be able to
|
|
be saved to a file, stored, or transmitted if there are framing codes
|
|
present in the product. An example of a product with framing
|
|
codes is shown below; the user must remove the frame codes prior to
|
|
attempting to save the product. The software only checks
|
|
for pairs of framing codes; i.e., if a single framing code is left in
|
|
the editor, it may be transmitted.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
In the example below, locked text is shown in blue, and framing code
|
|
text is shown in red:<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=""
|
|
src="images/FormatterLauncher14.png"
|
|
style="width: 608px; height: 250px;"><br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
</div>
|
|
<h3>Simulated Transmit</h3>
|
|
If the GFE is brought up in PRACTICE mode, then the Store and
|
|
Transmit are simulated. The dialogs appear different and state
|
|
that the simulated store/transmit operations. The dialogs look
|
|
like:<br>
|
|
<img alt="" src="images/FormatterLauncher10.png"
|
|
style="width: 460px; height: 219px;"><img alt=""
|
|
src="images/FormatterLauncher11.png"
|
|
style="width: 462px; height: 238px;"><br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
In PRACTICE mode, the Store operation writes the product to the
|
|
GFESuite products/PRACTICE directory as a time-stamped and pil-stamped
|
|
file. The first three characters of the AWIPS product id are
|
|
ignored. The Transmit operation in practice mode writes the
|
|
product to the GFESuite products/PRACTICE directory in the same manner
|
|
as the Store operation, and then runs the VTEC Decoder on the product
|
|
to simulate sending the product on the WAN and re-receiving
|
|
it. The <a href="VTEC.html">operational VTEC
|
|
active table</a> is not used during practice mode, instead a special
|
|
active table called PRACTICE is used.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<div style="text-align: center;"><br>
|
|
</div>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;">
|
|
<h2><a name="OutputLog"></a>Output Log</h2>
|
|
The Output Log is available after the product has finished. It
|
|
contains the log and print statement output from the formatter
|
|
run. It can be used to look for errors that may have
|
|
occurred. A Save As... button is available to allow the contents
|
|
to be saved to file for later use.<br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<img alt="" src="images/FormatterLauncher8.png"><br>
|
|
<hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"><br>
|
|
<br>
|
|
</body>
|
|
</html>
|