NCAR Graphics

• NCAR Graphics has a home page here. 
  
  
• Among their documentation is:
• line (1D) graphics through Autograph
• contour (2D) graphics via Conpack
• flow (vector 2D) display via Vectors
  
  
• To install NCAR graphics on a PC or department cluster:
• Their download page is here.  NCAR Graphics is part of NCL - the NCAR Command Language.
• Note that downloads may take you to, or be accessed from, the Earth System Grid at NCAR.
  
• you don't need a login to access NCL/NCAR at the Earth System Grid pages.
• you would use the link near the bottom of that page, named: "NCL: NCAR Command Language."
  
• The easiest install of NCAR Graphics is using one of their pre-built "binaries", ready to go on many systems.
• look through the list of systems.  Many types of Linux-compatible "builds" are available, and also
  for Macintosh and Windows (using Cygwin on your Windows PC) systems.
  
• If you have or will use e.g. Python on your system, you might find it easiest to first install conda,
  and then install NCAR Graphics with conda or miniconda.
• If you can't use a binary distribution, then you have to build NCAR Graphics from scratch on your system.
• This can be a real pain!
  
• If you are using a departmental cluster, first ask an administrator if it is already available,
  e.g. though the Linux module command.  If they use module on that system, try typing module avail for a list of modules.
• If there is an administrator, ask if they can build or install the system for you.
• If there is no administrator but there is a savvy programmer there, ask them if they know of NCL/NCAR.
• Otherwise you have to do it yourself.  See below.
• Building from source:
• You have to first concern yourself with other packages that NCL/NCAR requires in place before building NCAR.
• Go to this page and work through the links near the top of the table of contents.
• You will have to "download and build non-optional external software"
• non-optional is a nice way to say you have no choice: build and compile those packages first!
  
• Some of this software may already be on your system.
• You can check the "usual suspects" where system software is often installed on a Linux PC or cluster:
  look for (try "ls" on) those directories - named :
  
• /usr/lib
• /usr/lib64
• /usr/local
• You won't do any harm by building software that is already on your system, but it does take your time!
• OK, from here it looks like you'll be compiling/linking/installing some Linux software.   Before digging in, look at
• How to compile and install software from source code on Linux, or
  
• The magic behind configure, make, make install
• On to building your non-optional packages:
  
• Most of these packages have a "configure" or "Configure" file.  When you use that, you often want to tell
  the configure tool where you want the software to be put.  To do that, instead of just typing "configure"
  or "./configure" or "Configure" or whatever it is called, you add an argument telling the configure script
  where to put the compiled software.  Get used to doing something like this:
  
      ./configure --prefix=name-of-your-ncar-directory
  
  So make sure you first create that ncar-directory, and just put everything there.
  
  
• A similar procedure is used to install NCL/NCAR Graphics: Configure, make Everything ...
• If you got to this point, I can probably help you more in person. 
  
• Make an appointment to see me to work 1-on-1.
  

Adding compilers to your system

Depends on the system!  See me with questions and I will help if I can.