Datapool FTP Script Readme File

1.0  Introduction

     This document includes the following sections:
        Section 2.0 - How to FTP files with an FTP script
        Section 3.0 - Data File Compression option

     If users have questions, please contact the Langley ASDC User and Data
     Services Office at:
 
         Atmospheric Science Data Center
         User and Data Services Office
         Mail Stop 157D
         2 South Wright Street
         NASA Langley Research Center
         Hampton, Virginia 23681-2199
         U.S.A.
 
         E-mail:   larc@eos.nasa.gov
         Phone:    (757)864-8656
         FAX:      (757)864-8807
         URL:      http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov


2.0  How to FTP files with an FTP script

     The data sets stored in the Data Pool are in a predefined directory
     structure as follows:
 
     <BMGTmetadatagroup>/<shortname.versionid>/<acquisitiondate>,
     where:
       <BMGTmetadatagroup> is a grouping of ECS collections by instrument
                           and mission. (e.g., MOPITT).
       <ESDT.version> is the collection identifier. (e.g., MOP03.003).
       <acquisitiondate> is the date the measurement was taken. (e.g., 2000.04.02).

     A set of files may be obtained with "mget *". An example using mget:

        user anonymous somebody@somewhere.net
        cd MOPITT/MOP03.003/2000.04.03
        prompt
        mget MOP03*
        cd ../2000.04.02
        mget MOP03-20000402-L3V1.0.1.hdf*
        bye
 
     or, using a specific list:
 
        user anonymous somebody@somewhere.net 
        cd MOPITT/MOP03.003/2000.04.02
        get MOP03-20000402-L3V1.0.1.hdf
        get MOP03-20000402-L3V1.0.1.hdf.xml
        cd ../2000.04.03
        get MOP03-20000402-L3V1.0.1.hdf 
        get MOP03-20000402-L3V1.0.1.hdf.xml
        bye 

     On an SGI or Linux machine, use the following command-line: 
        ftp -p -n l4ftl01.larc.nasa.gov < script 
          where script is a text file. 
     Do not use the -p switch in DOS, SunOS or Windows/Mac platforms: 
        ftp -n l4ftl01.larc.nasa.gov < script 


3.0  Data File Compression option 

     The FTP server on the Data Pool provides a very useful option to compress
     files at download. File compression will reduce download time and
     volume.  Depending on the method users employ to access the Data Pool, 
     use one of the following:

     For command-line ftp session (Unix, :DOS, etc.), to get gz-compression,
     add extension ".gz" to the filename: 

        ftp > get MOP03-20000402-L3V1.0.1.hdf.gz

     For Unix compression, add extension ".Z": 
        ftp > get MOP03-20000402-L3V1.0.1.hdf.Z

     NOTE: If an HDF is internally compressed during file creation, compressing
           the file again will only increase the size of the file.  Before
           transferring several files, verify the data file compression
           option extentions actually return smaller files.


Date Created: <December 11, 2005>
Last Updated: <December 12, 2007>