Objectives of the tutorial


 

At the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

  • write and run small Magics python programs.
  • create meteorological maps using different projections, or Cartesian projections
  • load GRIB, netCDF, or simple ASCII data

  • use the different action routines contour, wind, graph to visualise them
  • add text and legend
  • create a complex layout to organise your plots
  • find your way in the documentation

The slides of the course can be found here [PDF].



Quick Links


Hello World

A Geographical Map

A Cross Section

Vertical Profile and time series

More on Symbol Plotting

A Complex Layout

 

 

 

In short, once you have realised this plot, you will have understood and used the main concepts of Magic

Before you start ...

During this tutorial, you will use Python and Magics++ on a Linux workstation.

Here is a list of basic commands you may want to use.

Basic UNIX commands:

  • ls : list the files in the current directory
  • mkdir my_exercise : create a directory called my_excercise
  • cd my_exercise :  go to the directory my_excercise. my_excercise becomes the current directory

Using an editor:

There are several editors available

  • vi
  • emacs
  • kate
  • nedit
  • geany ( Python syntax highlighted..)
Run the python interpretor :

In this tutorial we are expecting you to create a python script using your favourite editor and run python to interpret it. Your system have been set-up already and you can use Magics and python by typing the single command:

python magics.py 

Visualise your result:

Magics will generate a Postscript or a PNG output. To visualise the results, you can use one of the following commands:

  • gv magics.ps : visualise a Postscript file called magics.ps
  • display magics.png : visualise a PNG file called magics.png
  • xv magics.png : visualise a PNG file called magics.png

First Step - warming up : the "Hello World" example 

Objectives
  • Get familiar with the environment

  • Find your favourite editor to edit your Python script

  • Create your first Magics script

  • Learn how to:

Second Step - a geographical map

Objectives
  • Set-up a geographical area

  • Learn how  to

    • Load GRIB data and apply nice contouring to them
    • Draw a curve on a map.
    • Draw a symbol
    • Set-up a text
    • Taylor the legend

      Go to the tutorial ...

 

Third Step - a Cross Section

Objectives
  • Set-up a Cartesian projection

  • Learn how  to

Fourth Step - a vertical profile and a Time series

Objectives
  • Set-up a date coordinate system.

  • Learn how  to

    • Load a CSV file
    • Use arrays of data
    • Draw a curve or bars
  • Create a more complex layout

Go to Tutorial...

Fifth Step - More on Symbol Plotting

Objectives

  • Learn how  to

    • Create a long list of visualisation
    • Load and use CSV files

Go to Tutorial...

 Finally - a complex layout

Objectives
  • Create a complex layout to put all these maps together
  • Understand the notion of page and sub page

Go to Tutorial...

Download the full solution ...