Surface Water Information--Data Scripts

bb

This script is not yet supported (and may never be), but is provided in the interim because many users may find it valuable. Questions about this script should be referred to the script author. The status of the script is noted.

Name:
bb - A utility to convert "pseudo binary" to readable integers (similar to the old pb utility but is simpler and can handle larger numbers).

Status:
If folks really find this useful it could be supported. Let us know.

Information:
This script prompts for 'pseudo binary' code and converts it to a readable integer. Pseudo binary is the compressed data format used by many data collection platforms transmitting via GOES satellite.

To run the script, simply download it, make it executable (chmod +x bb), and type the script name to execute it. Script then prompts for the pseudo binary to decode.

bb—normal mode for 3 character positive or negative values (not to exceed 131072)

ex. nova% bb

: Enter the psuedo binary code: @MI@Mi
Value 1 = 876
Value 2 = 873

To determine the value of a single character type in @@x (where x is the character)

ex. (to decode "D")

: Enter the psuedo binary code: @@D
Value 1 = 4

To determine the value of 2 characters only type in @xx (where xx is the characters)

ex. (to decode "DD")

: Enter the psuedo binary code: @DD
Value 1 = 260

Script Language:
perl

Author(s): (for unsupported scripts, please address questions/comments to the author)
Original author Barry Jackson (btjackson@usgs.gov) written with specs provided by Bubba Brossett (brossett@usgs.gov), Little Rock, Arkansas.

Known Problems/Limitations/Need Improvements:
May not work with all types of 'pseudo binary' - in particular 'Campbell binary' seems to be different than traditional pseudo binary and may not work with this script (untested...).

Latest Version Release Notes:

: Version 1.1 (Posted 01/12/12):
—Added portion of pseudo-binary being decoded for each value to output; bb download (Zip file = 879 )

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