AWIPS Tips: Unidata AWIPS 20.3.2-0.1 Beta CAVE Software Release

Welcome back to AWIPS Tips!

Today we're happy to announce that AWIPS version 20.3.2-0.1 is beta release of CAVE for install on linux and virtual machines (Windows and Linux). We are currently working on a MacOS release.

Not all functionality is available yet, but we wanted to get something out there for people to start playing with and testing. This release is a CAVE only release, with us at Unidata running a version 20.3.2 public EDEX (edex-beta.unidata.ucar.edu) that you can connect to.

NOTE: We will still have our version 18.* public EDEX up and available for the foreseeable future, but the version of CAVE you are running has to match the version of EDEX it's connected to (ex. version 18.* of CAVE will not connect to version 20.* of EDEX).

Major Updates:

• System upgrade to Python 3.6
• JAVA upgrade to openJDK 11

Other Updates:

• Additional multi-pane layouts (2, 9, and 16 panel)
• Multi-color and line-style contouring (see image above)
• Faster looping (up to 30 frames per second)
• Ability to select from the previous 3 runs of a model
• Additional radar elevation scans below 0.5 degrees
• Improved Looping Options
• Enhancements to NSHARP
• New PGEN tool - PGEN Static
• Obs Time Batch Basis re-instated
• New Distance Scale units option
• New Load as Image and Combine option
• NSHARP Auto Updates with new model runs
• Ability to save NSHARP Dislpays
• Updated SPC Outlook Menus

How to Install CAVE 20.3.2-0.1

More in depth instructions on installing CAVE can be found here.
  Linux

1. Download the latest awips_install-v20.sh
2. In a terminal, go to the download directory
3. Make the installer an executable:
   • chmod 755 awips_install-v20.sh
4. Run the installer as root
   • ./awips_install-v20.sh --cave
5. Remove caveData
   • rm -rf ~/caveData
6. Start CAVE by opening a terminal
   • cave

  Virtual Machine

This can be installed on Windows or Linux and requires VMWare Workstation Player (free software)

1. Download the zipped file containing the virtual machine: CentOS7-Unidata-CAVE-20.3.2-0.1
2. Unzip the folder.
3. Open VMWare Player and go to Player>File...>Open and locate the folder that was created from the downloaded zipped file. Select the file called "CentOS 7 - Unidata CAVE 20.3.2-0.1.vmx".
4. Run this new VM option. If it asks if it's been moved or copied, select "I Copied It".
   • There will be a user in the Linux machine named "awips" and the password is "awips"

EDEX Connection

Select the server in the Connectivity Preferences dialog, or enter edex-beta.unidata.ucar.edu.

Functionality/Reporting

The radar menu has not been updated yet to reflect what is in version 18.*. To report any other bugs/issues/broken functionality, please fill out this short form.