Instructions for Windows Users

You can run all the code at this blog on Windows, rather than Linux. I will show you how. Preferred Windows is version 10. That’s the only one I’ve set up. Any Windows >7.0 should work in theory.

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Run Windows Command Line (<Win>+R; type “cmd” then <enter>)

cd \
mkdir Zoe

Zoe is your variable. Make it whatever you want, remember it, then “exit” <enter>

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Download Cygwin Setup Program. [Direct Link to 64-bit Exe]

Run Exe, click <Next>

Choose 1st

Set the root directory

Set to same previous directory

Choose a connection method, I choose 1st

Choose a mirror

Change View to “Full”

You will need 3 packages: wget, lua (5.3), gnuplot.

Type package name in search, then under New, CLICK on the word “Skip”, version number will appear

For lua, keep clicking “Skip/Version #” until version 5.3.x appears. Failure to do so will break gnuplot.

When done click <Next>. Next screen suggests dependencies; Just click <Next>, then wait through download & install process.

First is required, 2nd is your choice

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Download Miniconda3. [Direct Link to 64-bit Exe]. Run Exe, click <Next>, click <I Agree>

Your choice. I do recommended.

Place it inside previous Cygwin directory for neatness

I select both. Caution if you are a python developer.

When complete, click <Next>, click <Next>, deselect both “Learn …”, click <Finish>

Double click

A new user home environment will be created.

The Path is “C:\Zoe\home\<Windows Username>”. All code can just go here.

Inside the Terminal:

$ conda config --add channels conda-forge
$ conda install nco numpy

Second command requires your confirmation. Type “y” and <enter>.

When done, exit with “exit” <enter>, and relaunch Cygwin Terminal.

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Use any text editor you like (must be able to format Unix-style files), or get Sublime. [Direct Link to 64-bit Exe]

After install, run, and select: File > New File

Make sure to set View > Line Endings > Unix, otherwise script will not run!

Copy and paste the following sample code into the empty new file:

# source map.sh

download() {
	wget -c ftp://ftp.cdc.noaa.gov/Datasets/ncep.reanalysis/surface/land.nc
}

extract() {
	ncks --trd -HC land.nc | awk -F [=\ ] '{
		if ($6 < 191) {$6+=169} else {$6-=191}
		print $6" "$4" "$8
	}' > map.dat
}

plot() {
	echo 'set term png size 362,182; set nokey
		set yrange [-90:90]; set xrange [0:360]
		set noborder; unset colorbox 
		unset xtics; unset ytics
		set palette define (0 "blue", 1 "orange") 
		set margin 0,0,0,0
		plot "map.dat" u 1:2:3 pt 5 ps 1 lc palette' | gnuplot > map.png
}

Save this file to: C:\Zoe\home\<Windows Username>\map.sh

Now execute from Cygwin Terminal:

$ source map.sh
$ download
$ extract
$ plot

* or *

$ . map.sh && download && extract && plot

The result is a file called map.png inside C:\Zoe\home\<Windows Username>. Use Windows Explorer to find it and launch it.

If map.png looks like this … you are done! Most of my blog code will work.

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Happy Coding 🙂 -Zoe