Accessing CDIP Data: Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I obtain your most recent data automatically?

The easiest way to obtain our data automatically is to run a browser or other utility every hour or so using to dump the contents of the desired web address. A number of useful scripts are maintained on the CDIP site for this purpose. For example, the command to obtain our latest parameter file data for station 029 using the lynx web browser is:

lynx -dump http://cdip.ucsd.edu/data_access/justdar.cdip?029+pm

The most powerful access script that can be invoked is justdar.cdip, as in the address above. It allows access to all CDIP data types - sp, pm, xy, de, etc. - over any specified time period. For more details, try the help option:
      http://cdip.ucsd.edu/data_access/justdar.cdip?help

Other useful scripts include synopsis.cdip, synopsis_pm.cdip and synopsis_9band.cdip, which provide a parameter summaries and a 9-band summary of all stations' latest data. (The difference between synopsis.cdip and synopsis_pm.cdip is that the first script returns 9-band Tp and Dp values, while the second script gives full-spectrum Tp and Dp values.
      http://cdip.ucsd.edu/data_access/synopsis.cdip
      http://cdip.ucsd.edu/data_access/synopsis_pm.cdip
      http://cdip.ucsd.edu/data_access/synopsis_9band.cdip

A script designed for SCCOOS includes the same values as synopsis.cdip above, but they are arranged in an easily parsed, tab-delimited format that includes the stations' current locations and depths.
      http://cdip.ucsd.edu/data_access/sccoos.cdip
For details of the formatting, try the help option:
      http://cdip.ucsd.edu/data_access/sccoos.cdip?help


2. Do you have any HDML/WML pages I can view on my phone, PDA, etc?

CDIP does not generate any pages for use with handheld devices. A number of organizations do use our data on these types of pages; try a web search.