What's New in FX-Net!   updated May 2, 2005


FX-Net v4.0 Released April 2005

  • FX-Net Client Configuration Update Utility (FCU) - allows the configuration files for an FX-Net client to be updated to the client application at runtime.
  • Volume Browser Changes - the volume browser now offers the user the ability to define custom cross-section vertical ranges.
  • Time matching in FX-Net has been addressed, and error messages now reference time-matching errors.
  • Larger Primary Window - An additional screen resolution of 1600x1200 has been added to the list that a user may choose at installation time.
  • You can now print directly from the File menu on the FX-Net menu bar, either the Current Frame or All Frames.
  • The FX-Net Export feature now allows for JPEG image format. NOTE: if you select the Export feature, the client will automatically fill the file name based on the product type being saved. If you then change the image type to "jpeg", the autogenerated name will be erased from the file name text field.
  • Users may now hide bad/unwanted images from any frame of a time series via the product legend pop-up menu.
  • The "load mode" control has been removed from the menu bar, now the only load mode available is "valid time sequence." This mode will automatically backfill missing frames within a requested model run with previous model runs if available.
  • Messages that get sent to the status bar are now aged off after a specified short or long duration.
  • The wavelet copmression has been improved so images should be less "lossy" with better resolution and be processed more quickly. As always, if you load a satellite image on a smaller scale to begin the resolution will be better than the same image on a larger scale.
  • A considerable effort was made to make the display engine faster. Also, the display engine is now "thread-safe", and as a result, cosmetic display errors should now be all but eradicated.
  • New datasets and relevant name changes associated with AWIPS OB3 have been added, including WRF NMM, WRF ARW, NCEP HRW.
  • Newer versions of Java virtual machine (v1.4.2) and Apache (2.0) have been utilized.

 

FX-Net v 3.41East/West released March 2004

• You now can change the density of individual products loaded as line contours in the primary window, overriding the Global Density setting found on the toolbar.
• You can now change the thickness of the line coutours as well.
• New model data included, the WRF/Chem model, which has been added to the Volume Browser. A short discussion of loading the WRF/Chem data using the volume browser has been included in the help manual.
• New profiler data included in the Upper Air menu: MAP Profilers. MAP is synonymous with CAP (Cooperative Agency Profilers). Much more information on MAP/CAP Profilers is here
• FX-Net menu bar reorganized to break up Surface menu into Obs and NCEP/Hydro menus, to put Natl Radar and Home Radar into single Radar menu, and added a Tools menu where you can access the Baselines and Points.

NOTE: FX-Net now comes in several versions which may have subtle differences, mainly in the view scales. Forecast Systems Laboratory currently has two flavors of servers which serve either the localization for FX-Net East or the localization for FX-Net West. In addition, there are four NWS Regional offices serving FX-Net from within their headquarters: Western Region (SLC), Southern Region (FWD), Pacific Region (GUM), and Alaskan Region (AFC).


FX-Net v 3.2 release - September 2002

• File -> TEXT Browser: forecast and discussions (AFOS display)
• File -> Export: "Export file" functionality
• 30 minute mesonet surface plot (for info on this data set: http://www-sdd.fsl.noaa.gov/MADIS)
• AIRMAP AQ stations: O3, Condensation Particles, SO2, NOY, NO, CO (from Thompson Farm, Mt. Washington, Castle Springs, NH) available every 15 minutes (SURFACE menu). Also can be displayed as "AQ Family" with all 6 parameters loaded simultaneously. Only available on North East US view.
• National low level one hour average ozone (O3) fields from EPA (SURFACE -> Air Quality menu)
• Maritime surface data: fixed buoys, moving maritime, and marine guidance (SURFACE menu)
• Options -> Preferences: preference setting replaces the need for editing the client.properties files. Settings include max number of frames, home radar location, viewport and radar chooser size, product and map default color settings
• County names and boundaries on regional scales
• Additional background maps for Regional scales: National Forest Boundaries, National Park Boundaries, Bureau of Land Management Districts, Indian Reservations
• New much improved wind profiler time-height plots
• New Density functionality (menu bar:upper right) for changing density of model contour lines (change of observation plot density was part of 3.1 already)
• Northern Hemispheric scale and North America scale allow for display of ECMWFand UKMET in Volume Browser (no families, limited number of parameters)
• All product labels/legends display parameter units
• Color bar with units for all numerical model imagery
• Enhancements:

~ Procedure window now resizable
~ Personalized Color Maps now saved on upgrade/reinstall
~ Menus FILE, VIEW, OPTIONS don't get occluded when looping weather products

• Additions to Menus:

Surface
National Center Models
Severe Weather Plot
SPC Convective Outlook
Threat Charts
Fire Weather

Upper Air
TAQ Profiler
Canada RAOBs
Mexico RAOBs
Atlantic RAOBs
Alaska RAOBs

Maps
Cities (for NE scale only)
Lakes (fore NE scale only)
Marine Zones
Marine Locations
Mesonet Stations
Profilers
GPS-IPWV Stations

• Server Changes:

1. Convert AWIPS data server to Linux box
2. Install operational AWIPS Text server (Linux box)
3. Introduce Linux box CP (NOAAPort Receiver) - This ensures better product availability and improves client robustness

FX-Net v 3.1 released January 2002

• Baseline tool (user-defined cross sections)
• Point tool (allows time-height plots and model soundings)
• New on-line FX-Net User Manual (what you are reading, provided by The STORM Project at the University of Northern Iowa)
• Improved FX-Net server robustness
• Load balancing over several FX-Net servers