Software

Software to access FIFE imagery data sets is provided on all volumes of the FIFE CD-ROMs. In addition, there are public domain image display software programs available that can be used to display and manipulate the image data; several of these programs will be described below. The software on the FIFE CD-ROMs is contained in the Software directory. Both Macintosh and MS-DOS versions of the software are provided.

All imagery on the CD-ROMs is in a compressed format. The EXPAND program provided on the CD-ROM must be used to uncompress the image files before viewing. The source code for EXPAND is provided . If necessary, the EXPAND program can be recompiled to execute on various platforms (e.g., UNIX).

The image display software on the CD-ROM is provided for the user's convenience, other display software may be used in the place of the provided software (e.g., XID module available from the USGS, Imagine Software available from ERDAS). Note: The image display software requires knowledge of the format of the data files. This format information can be obtained by accessing the data description documents in the CD-ROM/docs directory of the CD-ROM.

Table of Contents:

1. Software Description

The software described in the sections that follow are contained on the FIFE CD-ROMs in the Software directory. Both Macintosh and MS-DOS versions of the software are provided.

Macintosh Software

The MAC software directory contains software which can be used to extract the point data from CD-ROM 1, decompress the images on CDs 2-5, and display those images on a Macintosh computer with an 8-bit color display.

The Mac directory contains two directories and two files described below.

mac_note.txt
provides detailed information on the use of the software.
FIFE_CD.HQX
contains an interface program that allows the user to view and save point data, decompress images stored on the other FIFE CDs, look at data summaries and documents, view a slide show of the Konza, and contains a program that allows the interface to decompress the image files stored on the FIFE CD-ROM series.
EXPAND directory
restores/expands an image or image related file from its compressed form on the CD-ROM to its original format.
DISPLAY directory
contains image display/manipulation software and documentation in Microsoft WORD format.

Users wanting to import the ASCII data files on FIFE CD-ROM #1 directly into a spreadsheet package must first copy the files to a hard drive before accessing them. In addition, each file has four header lines used by the interface packages to link the data files together, to use the files directly, the first four lines of each file must be deleted. The fifth line is a list of the column names. All of the data in the files is comma delimited, and the character columns are all encased in single quotes. The Macintosh Interface allows a user to strip out all of the commas and quotes, saving it with tabs, if desired. The interface software is designed to simplify the access to the data stored on the CD-ROM. It allows a user to view specific data and save it in a variety of formats for use in analysis programs. Users can also view documents describing the data and how it was collected and processed.

EXPAND Directory

The EXPAND Software was developed for use with data archived on the FIFE CD-ROMs (i.e., data files that have been compressed using the FIS algorithm). EXPAND restores/expands an image or image related file from its compressed form on the CD-ROM to its original format. The EXPAND software is written in the C programming language. Reading and writing of data is done using standard C I/O function calls such as fopen, fread, fwrite, and fclose.

EXPAND: Details of Operation

EXPAND will be run automatically from the FIFE CD-ROM interface software after the desired image and related files are selected. To run EXPAND independent of the CD-ROM interface software, the EXPAND executable file needs to be executed from the folder that contains the file entitled 'EXPND_IN.LIS'. The EXPND_IN.LIS file contains the list of compressed input and restored output files to be handled. The input compressed files and restored output files are specified as fully qualified directory path and physical file names in the records of the EXPND_IN.LIS file.

During execution EXPAND considers several fields of the compressed data file which were stored as 16 or 32 bit values in low order byte first fashion (this is system-architecture byte-order dependent) and resolves this for the system being used to unpack the data. Note: This implies that data decompressed on one system will not be useable on another system which uses a different byte-order convention.

EXPAND executes the following steps in processing the specified files :

  1. Verifies existence of file "EXPND_IN.LIS" in the directory from which EXPAND is being run.
  2. Reads the list of files to be read and created as specified in EXPND_IN.LIS.
  3. Verifies the existence of the input files specified in EXPND_IN.LIS.
  4. Processes each input file based on whether it contains 8, 16, or 32 bit encoded data:
  5. a) Reads the header record of the file to determine whether the file contains 8, 16, or 32 bit encoded data.
  6. b) Calls the appropriate data type handling function which will :
  7. i) Read header record information and allocate needed memory.
  8. ii) Read record of column minimum values.
  9. iii) For each original data record,
  10. (a) Read the row minimum value for this data record.
  11. (b) Read number of bits (NBITS) encoded for this data record.
  12. (c) Determine the type of each encoded record and process it according to its type.
  13. (d) Add back in the respective row and column minimum values before writing the output record.

Several error messages may be encountered during data decompression. Most of these messages relate to errors in file handling (e.g., opening a file, closing a file, reading a file record, writing a file record). Some errors for memory allocation problems are also checked and reported accordingly. These messages have been made as explicit as possible to help in diagnosing the problem. If you are unable to resolve an error, please report the error to the Users Services Office.

DISPLAY Directory

The DISPLAY directory contains the National Institutes of Health (NIH)Image public domain image processing and analysis program for the Macintosh along with several ancillary files and documentation in Microsoft WORD format. Image can acquire, display, edit, enhance, analyze and animate images. The Image program (i.e., Image4pds145) can be used to display the Aircraft and Satellite images once they are decompressed from the FIFE CD-ROMs. Image supports many standard image processing functions, including contrast enhancement, density profiling, smoothing, sharpening, edge detection, median filtering, and spatial convolution with user defined kernels. Image requires the following system configuration:

  • a color capable Macintosh computer,
  • a minimum of 2 MB of free RAM. (16 MB or more of RAM is recommended for working with 3D images, 24-bit color or animation sequences), and
  • System 7.0 or later.

Image directly supports, or is compatible with, large monitors, flatbed scanners, film recorders, graphics tablets, PostScript laser printers, photo typesetters and color printers.

MS-DOS Software

The MS-DOS interface software is designed to simplify access to the data stored on the CD-ROMs. It allows users to view specific data and save it in a variety of formats for use in analysis programs. Documents also can be viewed describing the data and how the data was collected and processed. The MS-DOS directory contains three directories described below.

comp_doc
provides detailed information on the use of the software.
EXPAND directory
restores/expands an image or image related file from its compressed form on the CD-ROM to its original format.
DISPLAY directory
contains image display/manipulation software and documentation in Microsoft WORD format.

The FIFE CD-ROM Interface software requires the following hardware to function:

  1. IBM PC (or compatible) with a minimum of 640K of RAM,
  2. CD-ROM Drive capable of handling ISO 9660 format disks,
  3. mouse, and
  4. color video card and monitor strongly recommended (a monochrome system will work).

EXPAND Directory

The EXPAND Software was developed for use with data archived on the FIFE CD-ROMs. EXPAND restores/expands an image or image related file from its compressed form on the CD-ROM to its original format. The EXPAND software is written in the C programming language. Reading and writing of data is done using standard C I/O function calls such as fopen, fread, fwrite, and fclose.

EXPAND will be run automatically from the FIFE CD-ROM interface software after the desired image and related files are selected. To run EXPAND independent of the CD-ROM interface software, the EXPAND executable file must be executed from the directory that contains the file entitled 'EXPND_IN.LIS'. The EXPND_IN.LIS file contains the list of compressed input and restored output files to be handled. The input compressed files and restored output files are specified as fully qualified directory path and physical file names in the records of the EXPND_IN.LIS file.

During execution EXPAND considers several fields of the compressed data file which were stored as 16 or 32 bit values in low order byte first fashion (this is system-architecture byte-order dependent) and resolves this for the system being used to unpack the data. Note: This implies that data decompressed on one system will not be useable on another system which uses a different byte-order convention.

EXPAND executes the following steps in processing the specified files :

  1. Verifies existence of file "EXPND_IN.LIS" in the directory from which EXPAND is being run.
  2. Reads the list of files to be read and created as specified in EXPND_IN.LIS.
  3. Verifies the existence of the input files specified in EXPND_IN.LIS.
  4. Processes each input file based on whether it contains 8, 16, or 32 bit encoded data:
  5. a) Reads the header record of the file to determine whether the file contains 8, 16, or 32 bit encoded data.
  6. b) Calls the appropriate data type handling function which will :
  7. i) Read header record information and allocate needed memory.
  8. ii) Read record of column minimum values.
  9. iii) For each original data record,
  10. (a) Read the row minimum value for this data record.
  11. (b) Read number of bits (NBITS) encoded for this data record.
  12. (c) Determine the type of each encoded record and process it according to its type.
  13. (d) Add back in the respective row and column minimum values before writing the output record.

Several error messages may be encountered during data decompression. Most of these messages relate to errors in file handling (e.g., opening a file, closing a file, reading a file record, writing a file record). Some errors for memory allocation problems are also checked and reported accordingly. These messages have been made as explicit as possible to help in diagnosing the problem. If you are unable to resolve an error, please report the error to the Users Services Office.

DISPLAY Directory

The DISPLAY directory contains the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) IMDISP general purpose, interactive image display program for MS-DOS computers. IMDISP is distributed free of charge, and is available at many anonymous FTP sites on the Internet.

The IMDISP program automatically detects and can display a variety of image formats (e.g., 8, 16 and 32-bit integer FITS format images, GIF and raw raster formats). Displayed images can be saved in several formats. Simple tools for analysis of astronomical spectra are available. IMDISP commands can be executed from an external command file. Cursor movement is controlled via cursor keys or the mouse.

The IMDISP program includes a number of image processing functions such as subsampling, zooming, histogram calculation, histogram display and histogram equalization. In addition, the following image filtering functions are available: convolution, mean and median filters, an edge detection filter, as well as functions to brighten, darken and smear the displayed image. Image arithmetic with multiple image buffers is available, utilizing extended (XMS) or expanded (EMS) memory.

There are 26 buffers available in IMDISP, limited by memory or disk space. The buffers are referenced by name as a single letter, one for each letter of the alphabet (A-Z).

The most current distribution version of IMDISP is available via anonymous FTP at ftp://nssdcftp.gsfc.nasa.gov/miscellaneous/cdrom/software/. Additional information on IMDISP is available from the National Space Science Data Center at http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/shop/Html/cd-rom_faq.html#4.10.

Windows®-based software called PDSWin is also available and may be useful. Information about PDSWin in available at http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/shop/Html/cd-rom_faq.html#4.8 Questions concerning PDSWin may be directed to Mr. Steve Green at sgreen@well.com.

2. Software Access

Software to access the dataset is provided on all Volumes of the FIFE CD-ROMs. Both MS-DOS and Macintosh versions of the software are provided in the software directory on the CD-ROM.