Configuring the output graphics

Question:

How can I make LAS produce special graphics for particular variables?

Example:

Here the palette and shading style were specified by the data provider in the .xml file.

Explanation:

LAS data providers can customize graphics by adding properties to the XML configuration file. Some of the properties control graphics styles, while others specify which Ferret script to run when a plot is generated. These properties may be overridden by users through the "Options" interface of LAS

Solution: Ferret properties

See also scripts_and_templates.

For the graphic above several properties were changed from their LAS defaults to highlight the underlying grid, remove contouring and select a palette appropriate for anomalies:

   <properties>
    <ferret>
     <fill_type>shade</fill_type>
     <fill_levels>20c</fill_levels>
     <contour_levels>(-1000000)</contour_levels>
     <palette>light_centered</palette>
    </ferret>
   </properties>

A similar hunk of XML code may be attached to an individual dataset in which case it applies to all variables within that dataset. It may also be attached to a specific variable. The inheritance cascade for properties is:

LAS defaults
- xml file level
  - dataset level
    - variable level
      - per request through the options interface

Following are the currently supported Ferret properties:

Name Values Description

contour_levels Contour levels to use. Format is available in Ferret documentation.

fill_type fill|shade Type of 2D fill algorithm to use. Fill uses a contour fill algorithm and shade uses a rectangular raster algorithm. Shade is faster.

fill_levels Fill levels to use. Syntax for fill levels is available in Ferret documentation.

palette Palette to use for color fills. A list of available palettes can be obtained by using the ferret Fpalette command.

land_type none|contour|shade Type of continent fill to use when drawing land boundaries. None implies that no boundaries will be drawn, contour implies that only land outlines will be drawn, and shade implies that continents will be filled.

Jonathan Callahan: Jonathan.S.Callahan@noaa.gov
Last modified: August 10, 2000

Name	Values	Description
contour_levels		Contour levels to use. Format is available in Ferret documentation.
fill_type	fill\|shade	Type of 2D fill algorithm to use. Fill uses a contour fill algorithm and shade uses a rectangular raster algorithm. Shade is faster.
fill_levels		Fill levels to use. Syntax for fill levels is available in Ferret documentation.
palette		Palette to use for color fills. A list of available palettes can be obtained by using the ferret Fpalette command.
land_type	none\|contour\|shade	Type of continent fill to use when drawing land boundaries. None implies that no boundaries will be drawn, contour implies that only land outlines will be drawn, and shade implies that continents will be filled.