Introduction

A fundamental concept in Metview is the View. A View specifies the following definitions in a Metview plot:

• type of visualisation (e.g. geographical map, cross section, vertical profile)
• parameters specific to that plot type (e.g. geographical area, cross section line, min/max axes values)
• plot position within the page (several plots can share a page)
• how to overlay different data in the same plot (e.g. icon drop rules, data overlay control)
• plot decoration (e.g. draw a frame around the plot)

Without a View specification, Metview would not plot anything. If you do not provide a View, then Metview will use a sensible default View.

(add a picture with 4 views and highlighting the above definitions)

The current Metview version provides 8 Views specifications:

The Geographical View

This is the default View for plotting geographic-based data.

We will first use a Geographical View icon to save a geographical area that we can reuse.

Create a new Geographical View icon. Take this opportunity to explore the different ways to find it in the Create new icon dialog. First, note that there are three ways to find icons: Recent, Types and Filter. From the Filter mode, type geo to start the search - this should be enough to find Geographical View. Now try the Types mode, and set Type to Views. This shows all the available View icons. The Recent mode gives access to the last few icon types you have created.

Whichever method you choose, create a new Geographical View icon and rename it to the name of a country/region of your choice. Edit the icon, change the Map Projection to Polar Stereographic, the Map Area Definition to Corners and click on the Geography Tool button next to the Area parameter (shown in the picture below).

The Geography Tool

This tool helps you define a region.

Use the Zoom tools to enlarge the European area and use the Area tool to select your region of choice. Click Ok to save your selection - your choices will now be updated in the Geographic View editor. Click Apply in the Geographical View editor to save everything.

Try using this icon in two different ways:

1. Visualise the Geographical View icon and drag a data icon into the Display Window
2. Visualise a data icon and drag the Geographical View icon into the Display Window

It is possible to create Geographical View icons for each region you are interested in and store them for regular use (see Analysis View).

Embedded Icons

Notice that a Geographical View icon editor contains a place for an embedded Coastlines icon. If you drop a Coastlines icon here and apply the changes, then the Geographical View icon will use your new coastlines.

You can use your own Coastlines icons in this icon field: edit your Geographical View icon, right-click on the embedded Coastlines icon (if there is one) and select remove. Now drag the land_sea_shading icon from the visdefs desktop into the now-empty Coastlines icon field. Click Apply, then visualise your Geographical View icon.

Your Geographical View icon now contains a link to the coastlines icon - if you change the land_sea_shading icon, then those changes will be reflected the next time you visualise your Geographical View; if you edit the coastlines icon within the Map View icon editor, those changes will be applied to the land_sea_shading icon.

This method allows you to share a single Coastlines icon between multiple view icons; update the Coastlines icon and all the views will pick up the changes automatically.

Another way to share embedded icons is to use the icon help drawer. Click the arrow beside the Coastlines icon to open this drawer. Drag land_sea_shading from your desktop into it. Apply.

Now create a new Geographical View icon and edit it. Open the Coastlines help drawer and drag land_sea_shading into the icon field. Your Geographical View is now using a copy of this Coastlines icon. This is an alternative way to share embedded icons. Note that this Coastlines icon is embedded in the Geographical View icon (notice the ‘E’ symbol on the icon); it is not a link to an icon you can see on a Metview desktop, but is contained entirely within the Geographical View icon. If you move the Geographical View icon, the embedded Coastlines icon will move with it.

Storing and Reusing Icons

dd