What's New!

VCS Version 2.7    (Latest Version)

Changes designated as are major enhancements (i.e., not just bug fixes or incremental changes) of VCS.

Release of VCS Version 2.7 (January 1997)

VCS can now ingest data written in the Hierarchical Data Format (HDF). Data representation in VCS is transparent to the user. Current data file formats presently ingestible by VCS are: the Network Common Data Form (netCDF) format; Hierarchical Data Format (HDF); formats supported by the Grid Analysis and Display System (GrADS); and the Data Retrieval and Storage (DRS) format.

In addition to saving variables (i.e., data attribute sets) in netCDF and DRS files, variables now can be saved in the Hierarchical Data Format (HDF) by use of a newly created panel. As with netCDF and DRS files, both "Append" and "Replace" modes of saving are allowed. HDF output can also be obtained while running in script (i.e. batch) mode.

The ability to save individual attributes sets has been included in VCS. Individual attributes for the primary elements (i.e., `template', `graphics method', and `data') and for the secondary elements (i.e., `colormap', `list', `line', `marker', `text', `fill area', and `format') can be saved in the user's $HOME/PCMDI_GRAPHICS directory.

The boxfill graphics method displays a two-dimensional data array by surrounding each data value by a colored grid box. It also displays a color spectrum legend with labels and line marks. Now, the boxfill legend labels and line marks can be produced in three different ways: VCS generates appropriate legend values; or a list of legend values are generated, given the number of intervals and the start and end legend points; or a given list of values are used as the legend values.

The VCS home page has been updated. Significant changes include the addition of new Hints and Examples to the VCS User's Guide, as well as the updating of existing Hints and Examples for conformity with the new Version 2.7 software. Appropriate changes also were made to the Overview of VCS to reflect new VCS capabilities. A new section, 'VCS Scripts', has been added to the VCS document. This section describes the purpose and use of VCS Scripts.  Finally, in implementing a new policy for broader distribution of VCS, instructions on how to acquire VCS executables from the PCMDI Website have been altered.

The (Tl) line is a secondary element that specifies the line type, line width, and line color index. An error that occurred when converting CGM line type output to Postscript hardcopy has been corrected. That is: the 'Solid', 'Dotted', 'Dashed', 'Dashed-Dotted', and 'Long-Dashed' line type settings now correctly produce the corresponding Postscript output.

The (Tm) marker is a secondary element that specifies the marker type, width, and color index. Eighteen different marker types now are available: dot, plus, star, circle, cross, diamond, triangle-up, triangle-down, triangle-left, triangle-right, square, diamond-fill, triangle-up-fill, triangle-down-fill, triangle-left-fill, triangle-right-fill, square-fill, and none. Also, errors that occurred in using these markers have been resolved.

VCS software has been ported to personal computer (PC) platforms that run under the latest Red Hat version (3.0.3) of the Linux operating system. (Linux is a UNIX clone for the PC written from scratch by Linus Torvalds with assistance from a loosely-knit team of programmers across the Internet. Linux, which aims for POSIX compliance, has all the features to be expected in a modern full-fledged UNIX operating system, including: true multitasking, virtual memory, shared libraries, demand loading, shared copy-on-write executables, proper memory management, and TCP/IP networking. Linux runs mainly on 386, 486, 586, Sparc, and Pentium-based PCs.)

The Page Description Panel was modified to provide greater control over the selection of the 'Options' menu (now positioned to the left of the 'Page Description Panel' label). The pulldown 'Options' menu allows the user to select the 'Continents', 'Picture', and 'Update' pullright menus.