Hello Data Browser,

     Welcome to the Browse, Inventory, and Retrieval System (BIRS),
provided by the National Oceanographic Data Center's (NODC)
Shipboard ADCP Center (SAC) at the University of Hawaii.

    The NODC is pleased to assist you in finding out more about 
our holdings of shipboard ADCP data.  The BIRS is available
for SUN, SGI, or IBM-PC compatible computers with a 
subdirectory within the present directory for each; i.e.,
do an "ls" for "list directory" and you will see

pc  "Special note, the present version only sees the first
     100 cruises in the database due to a memory size problem.
     Please email me if you desire a new version;
     I'm prioritizing the upgrade based on demand"
     
sgi
sun

Go to (use a "cd ---" which means change directory to subdirectory ---)
the subdirectory of the machine of your choice and down load the
three files:

-rwxr-xr-x  1 root        93920 Feb 14 14:18 birs
-rw-r--r--  1 root         4689 Feb 14 14:12 birs.cnt
-rw-r--r--  1 root        43608 Feb 14 14:13 ftr.sum

The file "birs" is the executable.  The file "birs.cnt" is
an ASCII file that the user sets using a text editor for choosing
various query options.  Save an original copy and make working
copies of a different filename.  The "ftr.sum" file contains the
freshest metadata concerning the NODC global database of shipboard
ADCP data.  Periodically, check the SAC ftp area for the most
up-to-date ftr.sum file (updated monthly).

First obtain the binary files.  Type the following


           binary
           get birs
           get ftr.sum

Now get the ASCII file, Type:

           ascii
           get birs.cnt

Finally, once you are ready to leave FTP, type

           bye

First, test that the file "birs" or "birs.exe" has 
executable status.  If not, change the permission.

The instructions on how to use BIRS is given here and in the
control file "birs.cnt".  But the control file is set up with
an example, so to get a quick start on what BIRS can do,
once you have successfully loaded the files onto your machine,
just type

          birs birs.cnt

The output file is set to a file name "test.inv".  This ASCII file
can be viewed in the standard ways (text editor, etc.).

For a second introduction to "birs", lets modify the control file.
But make a working copy so one can always refer back to the original.
For instance, "copy birs.cnt b1.cnt" (on PC) or "cp birs.cnt b1.cnt" (unix).
Now bring "b1.cnt" into a text editor and  go to the section:

/* BEGIN QUERY OPTION SELECTION  
     - some examples given below as a starting point; however,
       set the options as you desire */
 
project:  coare 
p_i:  e.firing


OK, great.  The above settings will search the database and grab
all occurrences where project matches with the word "coare" AND
principle_investigator matches with "e.firing".  As a second
example, delete the line with p_i: e.firing, exit the text editor,
and rerun birs (birs b1.cnt).  Now look at "test.inv".  One will
see additional cruises from the first run.  

Now you are on your own.  Good luck.


    Other information available within the NODC/SAC anonymous ftp area :

 directory             comment
 -------------------   -----------------------------------
 INVNTORY              Inventory lists, cruise track plots 
 DATABASE              standard subsets, cruise tracks, and 
                       cruise summary files for each cruise 
                      *if you obtain files, please email me 
                       and let me know what you grabbed, thanks.
                       caldwell@soest.hawaii.edu
 GEN_DOC               general documentation and overview
 ASC_DUMP              software for ascii dump of codas data set
 CODAS_MN              1) a compressed post-script "rough draft"
                       of processing manual and 2) "second draft"
                       of NODC's Acess to High-Resolution CODAS
                       Shipboard ADCP Data
 SUBMIT                ATTENTION DATA CONTRIBUTORS
                       metadata is invaluable, to assist in
                       preparation for your submission, see
                       this subdirectory for a
                       a blank form and an example
 SAMP_SUB              sample files for NODC subset
 ESM                   article for NOAA's Earth System Monitor
 xfer_dat              working area for data transfer

    Questions and comments can be directed to:
  
     Mr. Patrick Caldwell
     NODC Hawaii Liaison Officer
     Shipboard ADCP Center
     Dept. of Oceanography
     University of Hawaii, MSB 317
     Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
     USA
 
     Internet: caldwell@soest.hawaii.edu
     fax:  808-956-4104
     office phone: 808-956-4105


NOTES on upgrades:
5/31/95 : lat/lon query test bug fixed