What's new in PyNGL 1.3.0b4 and PyNIO 1.3.0b5

We are releasing these two versions in order to test a new ESG system which we plan to release for production use in the near future. We do not have source code yet, but hope to soon.

The new ESG system is:

http://esg.ucar.edu

All user accounts from the old ESG site have been created on the new system, and this is updated hourly. If you have any problems using the system, please email "esg-support AT earthsystemgrid.org" and include "ESG Early Access" in your Subject line.

The ESG developers welcome feedback of any sort, so let them know what works, what doesn't, and any suggestions you might have for providing better service to you.

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PyNIO Version 1.3.0b5 - April 1, 2010

• Updated code to build under Python 2.6.

• Added OPeNDAP capabilities for reading NetCDF files. You can now read a NetCDF file that is stored on an OPeNDAP server:

  import Nio
  
  fname = "http://test.opendap.org/opendap/data/nc/123.nc"
  f = Nio.open_file(fname)
  variables = f.variables.keys()
  
  print f
  print "variables",variables
  

• Added support for unsigned int and int64 types.

• Fixed several memory leaks.

• Fixed a bug with assigning to file variables with single element dimensions.

• Fixed a bug involving assigning to file variables with an unlimited dimension using non-explicit slice start and/or stop values ([:],[3:], etc).

• Updates and changes to GRIB2 reader - more information coming soon.

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PyNGL Version 1.3.0b4 - April 1, 2010

• New graphical output devices available.

  We've added some new graphical output formats (workstation types). These are based upon an experimental graphics driver, and are considered beta-level capabilities:

  • "png" or "newpng" for PNG output
  • "newps" for PostScript
  • "newpdf" for PDF

  These formats can be used with Ngl.open_wks:

     wks = Ngl.open_wks("png","test")      ; Will create "test.000001.png"
     wks = Ngl.open_wks("newpdf","test")   ; Will create "test.pdf"
     wks = Ngl.open_wks("newps","test")    ; Will create "test.ps"
  

  The "newpdf" workstation generally produces smaller output files than the original "pdf" type. Unfortunately, the "newps" output does not produce smaller PostScript files.

  The "newps" and "newpdf" formats will remain in test mode for awhile, and may eventually replace the original "ps" and "pdf" formats. The original formats may be kept for backwards compatibility.

  The old "png" format, which was never officially advertised, has been replaced by the new graphics driver; "png" is now synonymous with "newpng".

• New color tables donated by MeteoSwiss. Click on image for larger version.

  

• Added new resources that allow you to mask a Lambert Conformal map, nglMaskLambertConformal and nglMaskLambertConformalOutlineOn.

  See the "conmasklc.py" example on the gallery page.

• There are two new ways to set the paper width and height for PS/PDF output, if you don't want the default 8.5 x 11 inches. The first way is to set wkPaperSize to a string like "A4", "legal", "ledger", etc.

  The second way is to set the width and height directly using resources wkPaperWidthF and wkPaperHeightF. These resources are replacing nglPaperWidth and nglPaperHeight.

• A memory problem with Ngl.vinth2p was fixed.