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pb

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:
pb - A utility to convert "pseudo binary" to readable integers.

Status:

This non-supported script was retired in December 2011. Script functionality is now contained in the new and improved bb script available here http://water.usgs.gov/usgs/osw/adaps/bb.html. This page is available for historical reference only. If you feel this script was retired prematurely and would like to see it restored send email to GS-W OSW Scripts@usgs.gov.

Information:

This script prompts for one, two or three character '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, simple download it, make it executable (chmod +x pb). The various program options are as follows.

pb                - normal mode for 3 character positive values,

pb -s#          - for 1 or 2 character positive values (# is the number 1 or 2),

pb -c            - for negative (2-complement) values for DCPs except Design Analysis and Satlink,

pb -s2          - for negative values from DA and Satlink DCPs.

Note if you use the pb -s2 or the pb -c option on the wrong DCP type you will get a very large negative value.

Script Language:
perl

Requirements:
The script reports that it requires "getopts.pl", but I have not heard of that causing anyone problems so you probably already have it.

Author(s): (for unsupported scripts, please address questions to the author)
Original author (in 1994!) was Michael DeAngelo (no longer with the Survey). Script sent in by Ray Reed, (rlreed@usgs.gov), Lakewood, Colorado. Version 1.1 submitted by Scott Knowles (sknowles@usgs.gov), Tacoma, Washington.

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 will not work with this script.

Scripts:

Version 1.1 (Posted 12/21/04):
(added conversion of negative numbers)

pb download (Zip file = 1.6K)