Hi everyone, Yet another tool for tackling this kind of thing might be to use the syntax `var,return=dsetnum`You could assign variables or symbols containing the information from these RETURN keywords as the datasets are opened, and use them later to refer to the data sets. Note that since the dsetpath contains slashes, you'll need to put those strings inside quotes. Try this: SET DATA filenameAnsley Jaison Kurian wrote: Hi Billy, Yes, that is a good solution. A similar trick for reading binary datasets is explained in user manual Ch2 Sec6. For beginners, this may be a good starting point. Billy, I also work on mom4 outputs and the method i found very convenient is "descriptor" files. As you explained, in my case also the filenames are same between experiments but directory names will be different, according to the model experiment. I used to keep a directory in the name "analysis" in my home area, where the descriptor files are kept according to the experiment name as follows : /home/jaison/analysis/ control_temp.des control_salt.des turb_temp.des turb_salt.des .... etc So I don't have to worry about where exactly is my output files are located or in Ferret d=1 corresponds to which experiment. After using this descriptor files with full path for 2-3 times, comparing the experiments or switching between experiments in a Ferret session is really cool....Even if there is only one NetCDF file from the model run, this method is safer i think. Once a proper descriptor file is made and placed in ~/analysis, i can comfortably use it in Ferret without any problem. This method is a big relief if your model outputs are saved in multiple NetCDF files. There is no need to fear about accidental removal of original data files. You will not fill up your working directory with symbolic links. Cheers.... Jaison On Sun, 10 Dec 2006, William S. Kessler wrote:Hi all - This is an answer rather than a question. Maybe this is obvious to some, but it wasn't to me .... When an OGCM is run repeatedly with different forcing, you may end up with identical filenames in different directories. For example I run MOM4 with various forcing anomalies, and the filenames describe the date of each snapshot, while the directories they are in describe the model run. For example I have files: /data/Models/mom4/seasonal_cycle/ocean_day_2002_10_05.nc ! a seasonal cycle run /data/Models/mom4/EXP_1003/ocean_day_2002_10_05.nc ! a run with modified winds If typing in commands by hand, I can easily do operations on the files, for example: yes? shade/z=0 temp[d=2] - temp[d=1] ! plot anomaly of SST But suppose I want to do this in a script that would open the two files and do the comparison. Then I can't assume that the datasets are 1 and 2. Nor can I use the filename to distinguish them, since they are identical. You can do this in a script using unix soft links. Here's an example script to do this: --------------------------------------------------- ! $1=experiment number (e.g. 1003) ! $2,3,4=yr,mon,day (e.g. 2002 10 05) ! $5=depth level ! use the input values to construct the filename def sym fname "ocean_day_$2_$3_$4" ! use soft links to define temporary names for these files ! ==>> must be soft links (ln -s)!! Else will delete the actual file! <<== ! first get rid of previous definitions can dat/noerr seasonal can dat/noerr anomalies sp \rm seasonal.nc sp \rm anomalies.nc sp ln -s /data/Models/mom4/EXP_$1/($fname).nc anomalies.nc sp ln -s /data/Models/mom4/seasonal_cycle/($fname).nc seasonal.nc ! bring in and use the identical filenames under new descriptive names use seasonal.nc use anomalies.nc shade/z=$5 temp[d=anomalies] - temp[d=seasonal] --------------------------------------------------- Billy K -- ~> ~> ~> ~> ~> ~> ~> ~> ~> ~> ~> Ansley Manke, NOAA/PMEL ansley.b.manke@noaa.gov 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle WA Phone 206-526-6246, FAX 206-526-6744 |