8 Using the IDL post-processor

The IDL post-processor, tgcmproc_idl, uses Research System Inc's Interactive Data Language (IDL) package with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to enable interactive graphical browsing of TGCM netCDF history output files. This processor runs on HAO Linux and Sun workstations, as well as on DASG vis machines. IDL is not available on CISL IBM systems (bluevista, bluefire, etc), or lightning). See section 1.2.2 for a brief introduction to tgcmproc_idl.

8.1 Setting your environment for tgcmproc_idl

To get started using tgcmproc_idl, make sure you have the following settings in your .cshrc files (you must also set TGCMROOT, and add $TGCMROOT/bin to your $path env var, see also section 3).

At HAO and DASG systems:

 setenv IDL_PATH $IDL_PATH\:$TGCMROOT/bin/idl

8.2 Running tgcmproc_idl

After sourcing your .cshrc file with the above settings, you can simply cd to the directory containing the TGCM netCDF output history files, and give the command "tgcmproc_idl". If it cannot find the tgcmproc_idl command, make sure TGCMROOT is set properly, and $TGCMROOT/bin is in your path env var (see section 3).

A narrow horizontal window titled "tgcmproc" should appear on your screen. Use the "File" menu to open a TGCM netCDF history file. After the file is read, the "Plot" menu should become available. From here you can experiment by selecting plot types and options from the pop-up windows and menus.