|
|
1.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1 About DIAL
Data and Information Access Link
(DIAL)1
was developed to provide easy, fast access
to a wide range of scientific data stored
in a computer system. DIAL is designed as
a portable, client/server-based system;
any low-end workstation (Windows or UNIX)
can be set up as a DIAL server and
populated with data and metadata. DIAL
promotes data access and search through
the Web. All you need to be able to access
a DIAL server is its Web address and a
Java-enabled Web browser. You can then set
to work exploring the DIAL server’s
data holdings and examining and
manipulating individual data products.
1.2 About This Guide
This User’s Guide was written to
help you quickly learn to use DIAL and get
the most out of its features. In addition
to this User’s Guide, which is
applicable to any DIAL server, online help
may also be available that is tailored to
the individual DIAL server you are using.
For guidance with DIAL features specific
to your local DIAL server, consult the
online help or contact your DIAL
server’s Webmaster.
DIAL has two basic components: the
search page, where you set specific search
criteria to help DIAL retrieve the data
you want, and the scientific data browser,
where you do the actual work with the
retrieved data files. DIAL offers several
different ways to manipulate and view the
data, including generating x-y plots and
creating Graphical Interchange Format
(GIF) images that can be displayed
onscreen. You also can download the data
to your local disk. These two components
of DIAL are discussed in detail in the
next sections of this guide. Section
2 leads you step by step through the
search page, discussing how to set search
criteria in each of the three attribute
selection panels, which are also
illustrated in the section. Section
3 discusses the types of data files
that DIAL uses and how to explore and
manipulate the retrieved data. Section
4 is a glossary of terms and acronyms
used in this guide.
1DIAL
was originally called DAAC-in-a-Box (DiB).
The name "DAAC-in-a-Box" was derived from
the Distributed Active Archive Centers
(DAACs)
that form the backbone of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration's
(NASA's)
Earth Observing System (EOS)
Data and Information System
(EOSDIS).
|
