[Met_help] [rt.rap.ucar.edu #78796] History for MODE Color Tables
John Halley Gotway via RT
met_help at ucar.edu
Thu Dec 1 14:43:46 MST 2016
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Initial Request
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I have a question about the color scale used in the configuration files for MODE runs. In the configuration file, I have the following:
// Plotting information
// 24.5mm as max is equivalent to 1 inch
//
met_data_dir = "MET_BASE";
fcst_raw_plot = {
color_table = "MET_BASE/colortables/nws_radar_precip.ctable";
plot_min = 0.0;
plot_max = 0.0;
colorbar_spacing = 1;
};
obs_raw_plot = {
color_table = "MET_BASE/colortables/nws_radar_precip.ctable";
plot_min = 0.0;
plot_max = 0.0;
colorbar_spacing = 1;
If plot_max = 0.0, then are the color scales automatic, right? I tried doing this but the maximum value for all plots was 152mm in white. Is this the maximum value for "nws_radarr_precip.ctable"? Are there other options that I can use for even higher amounts of precipitation in the "color_table" option?
Thank you in advance for any help,
Tracey
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Complete Ticket History
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Subject: MODE Color Tables
From: John Halley Gotway
Time: Thu Dec 01 10:55:28 2016
Hello Tracey,
I see that you have a question about setting up the MODE color table
files. I decided to turn this into a met_help RT ticket since other
users may have similar questions.
Let me explain what MODE is currently doing which may or may not be
what it *should* be doing. In order for MODE to automatically rescale
configuration files to the range of the data values, two conditions
must exist:
(1) In the MODE config file, the plot_min and plot_max values must be
set to 0.
(2) In the color table file itself, the min/max plotting values must
be 0 to 1.
You are using the "nws_radar_precip.ctable" color table which is
defined for values from 0 through 203. Any values greater than 203
should plotted using the color of the highest bin. Since this color
table doesn't have a range of 0 to 1, it will not automatically
rescale.
If you'd like to rescale this color table to a different range of
values, you'll need to set the plot_min and plot_max values in the
MODE config file.
If you'd like a similar color table that automatically rescales to the
range of values, you'll need to make a copy of nws_radar_precip.ctable
and modify it. You can use exactly the same colors, but set the
minimum value to 0 and the maximum value to 1.
If you suggestion for how to refine this logic, please let us know!
John
------------------------------------------------
Subject: MODE Color Tables
From: tracey.dorian at noaa.gov
Time: Thu Dec 01 11:38:04 2016
Thanks, John. Do you know why then many of the PostScript plots had a
maximum of 152 in the color scale and not 203? How do I go about
changing
/MET_BASE/colortables/nws_radar_precip.ctable since the directory is
not on
WCOSS? Also, if I DID do automatic color scales, then this would mean
that
two different models would possibly have completely different scales,
right? Sot it would make it difficult to compare the two models if
the
color scales differ? I may just keep what I have with the maximum as
152
since this generally seems to be high enough for most 24-h heavy
precipitation events.
Thanks,
Tracey
On Thu, Dec 1, 2016 at 12:55 PM, John Halley Gotway via RT <
met_help at ucar.edu> wrote:
> Hello Tracey,
>
> I see that you have a question about setting up the MODE color table
> files. I decided to turn this into a met_help RT ticket since other
users
> may have similar questions.
>
> Let me explain what MODE is currently doing which may or may not be
what
> it *should* be doing. In order for MODE to automatically rescale
> configuration files to the range of the data values, two conditions
must
> exist:
> (1) In the MODE config file, the plot_min and plot_max values must
be set
> to 0.
> (2) In the color table file itself, the min/max plotting values must
be 0
> to 1.
>
> You are using the "nws_radar_precip.ctable" color table which is
defined
> for values from 0 through 203. Any values greater than 203 should
plotted
> using the color of the highest bin. Since this color table doesn't
have a
> range of 0 to 1, it will not automatically rescale.
>
> If you'd like to rescale this color table to a different range of
values,
> you'll need to set the plot_min and plot_max values in the MODE
config file.
>
> If you'd like a similar color table that automatically rescales to
the
> range of values, you'll need to make a copy of
nws_radar_precip.ctable and
> modify it. You can use exactly the same colors, but set the minimum
value
> to 0 and the maximum value to 1.
>
> If you suggestion for how to refine this logic, please let us know!
>
> John
>
>
>
--
Tracey Dorian
NOAA/NCEP/EMC
IMSG contractor
5830 University Research Court
College Park, MD 20740
------------------------------------------------
Subject: MODE Color Tables
From: John Halley Gotway
Time: Thu Dec 01 14:19:48 2016
Tracey,
Values assigned to the color bar on the right side of each plot
indicate
how the colortable is defined, not the actual range of data values
present. Of course, when MODE automatically rescales a color table to
the
range of values in your data, the range of the data and colortable
will be
identical.
But generally, the range of your data and the range of your colortable
do
not need to be the same. Any data values greater than the range of
the
colortable should be plotted as the highest color. And values less
than
the range should be plotted with the lowest color.
I totally agree that it is wise to fix the colortable rather than
letting
it change based on the current data. That makes it much easier to
compare
plots from multiple cases.
Tara was the person who originally created the NWS precip color table
and
the colors are meant to correspond to specific ranges of values used
by the
NWS. The goal was to give the MODE output the same look and feel as
other
NWS products by using their colortable definition.
So you could keep it as is... or you could easily change the plotting
range
by setting "plot_min = 0;" and "plot_max = 203;" in the MODE config
file.
Or use whatever upper limit you'd like.
As for how to create new colortables, I have two points to make.
First,
they do not need to live in any special directory. I'd suggest
putting
your custom colortable in the same directory as your MODE config file.
Just list the full path to the new colortable file in your config
file.
Second, MET_BASE is a special keyword in MET config file. MET_BASE is
set
at compilation time as INSTALL_DIR/share/met where INSTALL_DIR is the
directory where MET was installed. For example, it might be
"/path/to/met-5.2/share/met". In there, you should find the
"colortables"
subdirectory.
I think what I really hear you asking is whether or not the range of
the
data shows up in the MODE PostScript output. And the answer is no.
If you
run MODE using higher verbosity level, I do think it's printed to the
log
file, but doesn't show up in the PostScript plot.
Hope that helps clarify.
Thanks,
John
On Thu, Dec 1, 2016 at 11:38 AM, tracey.dorian at noaa.gov via RT <
met_help at ucar.edu> wrote:
>
> <URL: https://rt.rap.ucar.edu/rt/Ticket/Display.html?id=78796 >
>
> Thanks, John. Do you know why then many of the PostScript plots had
a
> maximum of 152 in the color scale and not 203? How do I go about
changing
> /MET_BASE/colortables/nws_radar_precip.ctable since the directory is
not
> on
> WCOSS? Also, if I DID do automatic color scales, then this would
mean that
> two different models would possibly have completely different
scales,
> right? Sot it would make it difficult to compare the two models if
the
> color scales differ? I may just keep what I have with the maximum
as 152
> since this generally seems to be high enough for most 24-h heavy
> precipitation events.
>
> Thanks,
> Tracey
>
> On Thu, Dec 1, 2016 at 12:55 PM, John Halley Gotway via RT <
> met_help at ucar.edu> wrote:
>
> > Hello Tracey,
> >
> > I see that you have a question about setting up the MODE color
table
> > files. I decided to turn this into a met_help RT ticket since
other
> users
> > may have similar questions.
> >
> > Let me explain what MODE is currently doing which may or may not
be what
> > it *should* be doing. In order for MODE to automatically rescale
> > configuration files to the range of the data values, two
conditions must
> > exist:
> > (1) In the MODE config file, the plot_min and plot_max values must
be set
> > to 0.
> > (2) In the color table file itself, the min/max plotting values
must be 0
> > to 1.
> >
> > You are using the "nws_radar_precip.ctable" color table which is
defined
> > for values from 0 through 203. Any values greater than 203 should
> plotted
> > using the color of the highest bin. Since this color table
doesn't
> have a
> > range of 0 to 1, it will not automatically rescale.
> >
> > If you'd like to rescale this color table to a different range of
values,
> > you'll need to set the plot_min and plot_max values in the MODE
config
> file.
> >
> > If you'd like a similar color table that automatically rescales to
the
> > range of values, you'll need to make a copy of
nws_radar_precip.ctable
> and
> > modify it. You can use exactly the same colors, but set the
minimum
> value
> > to 0 and the maximum value to 1.
> >
> > If you suggestion for how to refine this logic, please let us
know!
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Tracey Dorian
> NOAA/NCEP/EMC
> IMSG contractor
> 5830 University Research Court
> College Park, MD 20740
>
>
------------------------------------------------
Subject: MODE Color Tables
From: tracey.dorian at noaa.gov
Time: Thu Dec 01 14:25:55 2016
John,
Yes, that does help to clarify. I will probably just change the
plot_max
value for cases with very high amounts of precipitation.
Thanks again,
Tracey
On Thu, Dec 1, 2016 at 4:19 PM, John Halley Gotway via RT
<met_help at ucar.edu
> wrote:
> Tracey,
>
> Values assigned to the color bar on the right side of each plot
indicate
> how the colortable is defined, not the actual range of data values
> present. Of course, when MODE automatically rescales a color table
to the
> range of values in your data, the range of the data and colortable
will be
> identical.
>
> But generally, the range of your data and the range of your
colortable do
> not need to be the same. Any data values greater than the range of
the
> colortable should be plotted as the highest color. And values less
than
> the range should be plotted with the lowest color.
>
> I totally agree that it is wise to fix the colortable rather than
letting
> it change based on the current data. That makes it much easier to
compare
> plots from multiple cases.
>
> Tara was the person who originally created the NWS precip color
table and
> the colors are meant to correspond to specific ranges of values used
by the
> NWS. The goal was to give the MODE output the same look and feel as
other
> NWS products by using their colortable definition.
>
> So you could keep it as is... or you could easily change the
plotting range
> by setting "plot_min = 0;" and "plot_max = 203;" in the MODE config
file.
> Or use whatever upper limit you'd like.
>
> As for how to create new colortables, I have two points to make.
First,
> they do not need to live in any special directory. I'd suggest
putting
> your custom colortable in the same directory as your MODE config
file.
> Just list the full path to the new colortable file in your config
file.
> Second, MET_BASE is a special keyword in MET config file. MET_BASE
is set
> at compilation time as INSTALL_DIR/share/met where INSTALL_DIR is
the
> directory where MET was installed. For example, it might be
> "/path/to/met-5.2/share/met". In there, you should find the
"colortables"
> subdirectory.
>
> I think what I really hear you asking is whether or not the range of
the
> data shows up in the MODE PostScript output. And the answer is no.
If you
> run MODE using higher verbosity level, I do think it's printed to
the log
> file, but doesn't show up in the PostScript plot.
>
> Hope that helps clarify.
>
> Thanks,
> John
>
>
>
> On Thu, Dec 1, 2016 at 11:38 AM, tracey.dorian at noaa.gov via RT <
> met_help at ucar.edu> wrote:
>
> >
> > <URL: https://rt.rap.ucar.edu/rt/Ticket/Display.html?id=78796 >
> >
> > Thanks, John. Do you know why then many of the PostScript plots
had a
> > maximum of 152 in the color scale and not 203? How do I go about
> changing
> > /MET_BASE/colortables/nws_radar_precip.ctable since the directory
is not
> > on
> > WCOSS? Also, if I DID do automatic color scales, then this would
mean
> that
> > two different models would possibly have completely different
scales,
> > right? Sot it would make it difficult to compare the two models
if the
> > color scales differ? I may just keep what I have with the maximum
as 152
> > since this generally seems to be high enough for most 24-h heavy
> > precipitation events.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Tracey
> >
> > On Thu, Dec 1, 2016 at 12:55 PM, John Halley Gotway via RT <
> > met_help at ucar.edu> wrote:
> >
> > > Hello Tracey,
> > >
> > > I see that you have a question about setting up the MODE color
table
> > > files. I decided to turn this into a met_help RT ticket since
other
> > users
> > > may have similar questions.
> > >
> > > Let me explain what MODE is currently doing which may or may not
be
> what
> > > it *should* be doing. In order for MODE to automatically
rescale
> > > configuration files to the range of the data values, two
conditions
> must
> > > exist:
> > > (1) In the MODE config file, the plot_min and plot_max values
must be
> set
> > > to 0.
> > > (2) In the color table file itself, the min/max plotting values
must
> be 0
> > > to 1.
> > >
> > > You are using the "nws_radar_precip.ctable" color table which is
> defined
> > > for values from 0 through 203. Any values greater than 203
should
> > plotted
> > > using the color of the highest bin. Since this color table
doesn't
> > have a
> > > range of 0 to 1, it will not automatically rescale.
> > >
> > > If you'd like to rescale this color table to a different range
of
> values,
> > > you'll need to set the plot_min and plot_max values in the MODE
config
> > file.
> > >
> > > If you'd like a similar color table that automatically rescales
to the
> > > range of values, you'll need to make a copy of
nws_radar_precip.ctable
> > and
> > > modify it. You can use exactly the same colors, but set the
minimum
> > value
> > > to 0 and the maximum value to 1.
> > >
> > > If you suggestion for how to refine this logic, please let us
know!
> > >
> > > John
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Tracey Dorian
> > NOAA/NCEP/EMC
> > IMSG contractor
> > 5830 University Research Court
> > College Park, MD 20740
> >
> >
>
>
--
Tracey Dorian
NOAA/NCEP/EMC
IMSG contractor
5830 University Research Court
College Park, MD 20740
------------------------------------------------
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