NCAR Graphics: An integrated solution

With the release of Version 4, NCAR Graphics continues its evolution into an integrated environment for data processing and scientific visualization. The package contains multiple interfaces to accommodate diverse user skill levels and application needs. Many tools come bundled with the distribution to perform such functions as viewing and editing metafiles, creating animations, converting between raster formats, resizing and compressing raster images, and zooming on images.

NCAR Graphics produces output files based on popular industry standards, such as PostScript and Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM). This allows you to import NCAR Graphics plots into non-NCAR visualization tools that run on Macintoshes, Personal Computers (PCs), and UNIX systems.

Enhanced features, wider accessibility

Version 4 adds capabilities that make it easier than ever to create exceptional scientific graphics:
NCAR Command Language
New to Version 4 is a powerful data processing language called the NCAR Command Language. The language provides strong data handling and data manipulation facilities and supports a variety of data formats, including Network Common Data Form (netCDF), Hierarchical Data Format (HDF), binary, and ASCII.

High-Level Utilities
The High-Level Utilities library provides a collection of graphical objects with which you can easily generate custom visualizations.

Hypertext documentation system
New documentation provides hypertext capabilities for interactive access to reference material, user information, code examples, and online animations. You can use online documentation maps and other navigational aids to locate specific information.

Site licenses
With the new NCAR Graphics site license, you can install NCAR Graphics on all UNIX systems at your site for use by an unlimited number of staff.

A tradition of excellence

NCAR Graphics has been at the forefront of scientific visualization for 20 years. The popularity of the package is due to the care developers have taken to ensure:
Real-world data compatibility
NCAR Graphics allows you to handle real-world data. For instance, NCAR Graphics plotting routines accept and display datasets that have missing values, and contouring and curve plotting objects can display data that have nonlinear coordinate spacing in either or both dimensions.

Upward compatibility
As NCAR Graphics moves forward with new capabilities and features, it maintains upward compatibility for your entry routines.

UNIX portability
You can use NCAR Graphics on most major UNIX systems. A list of currently supported systems is available on the Internet's World Wide Web at the following URL: http://ngwww.ucar.edu/

Source code availability
The NCAR Graphics package includes Fortran and C source code for low-level graphics libraries. This allows you to adapt and port your codes to non-UNIX systems if necessary.

Adherence to standards
NCAR Graphics utilizes most major standardsÑfor example, Fortran 77, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) C, X Window System, Motif, Graphical Kernel Standard (GKS), CGM, PostScript, netCDF, and HDF.

Multiple interfaces for different needs

Version 4 offers three interfaces . . . choose the one that meets your exact needs.

Interactive programming power:
NCAR Command Language Interface

The NCAR Command Language is a powerful interpreted language for reading, writing, and manipulating scientific data. It uses an internal netCDF data model, but handles input data in a variety of formats. The command language provides many functions for manipulating data (including sorting) as well as arithmetic and trigonometric functions. As part of an integrated package, the NCAR Command Language can create any visualization supported by the High-Level Utility interface, including XY plots and contour plots with maps, legends, labelbars, and other annotations. You can use the command language's looping constructs to create animations; you can also subscript arrays directly with latitude and longitude values. You can execute the NCAR Command Language interactively from the command line or as a batch script.

Toolkit convenience:
High-Level Utility Interface

Version 4 includes the new High-Level Utility library, which provides routines to create and manipulate graphical objects. This interface makes it easier to produce complex visualizations. The interface includes both Fortran and C bindings.

Legacy code compatibility:
Low-Level Utilities Interface

NCAR Graphics continues to provide about 500 low-level plotting routines. Both Fortran and C bindings will continue to support your NCAR Graphics code in an upwardly compatible manner.

Diverse functionality for superior visualizations

NCAR Graphics is a leader in the market of scientific functionality. Robust utilities let you create precise, sophisticated visualizations of your data. Multiple graphical output formats include CGM, NCAR encoded CGM (NCGM), PostScript (PS, EPS, EPSI), and X11 direct. With NCAR Graphics, you can create numerous types of plots, including:

Contour plots

Map plots

Weather maps

XY plots

Field flows

Histograms

3-D wireframe surfaces

Text and annotations

Overlays

Powerful tools for `post production'

A full array of translators, filters, conversion utilities, and editors let you manipulate your data for publication-quality visualizations.

Raster utilities

Translators and filters

Additional commands

A full range of support services

NCAR Graphics comes fully supported. You can depend on the following services:

Consulting

Software maintenance

Online information

For more information . . .

NCAR Graphics Information staff are happy to answer your questions about the capabilities and availability of NCAR Graphics, documentation, training and contract services, and provide you with ordering details. For more information, send e-mail to the Internet address ncarginf@ucar.edu or call (303) 497-1201.