User's Guide

NDFOUT

Write LAS image(s) to NLAPS Data Format (NDF) tape(s).

Function:

Convert LAS image(s) on disk to National LANDSAT Archive Production System (NLAPS) Data Format. The new NDF files will be copied to a user specified tape media.

Parameters:

IN
Input image(s). The name(s) of the input LAS image(s).

OUTFILE(--)
Output file. The name of the NDF files to be created.

COMMENT
Description of tape. A text string sent to the operator's terminal describing the tape to be mounted. If a new tape is being created the comment should indicate the type of tape to be used. For example, "please mount a 3480 scratch tape." If there is a specific tape that the images are to be placed on, then the comment should contain the tape library identification number and a short description of the tape. This will allow the operator to ensure that the correct tape is mounted.

BFORM("BSQ")
Band format. The format of the image data on tape. If there is more than one band in the image, the data may be stored in band sequential (BSQ) or band interleaved by line (BIL) format.

  = BSQ: Band sequential
  = BIL: Band interleaved by line.

TTYPE(&$TTYPE)
Tape type. The type of tape media that is being used. The default is defined by the TAE global $TTYPE. The list of valid tape types is defined by the TAE global $TTYPEVAL.

TAPEDENS(&$TPDENS)
Tape density. The density of the tape in bytes per inch. The default is defined by the TAE global $TPDENS. The list of valid densities are defined by the TAE global $TPVAL.

DELFLG("YES")
Delete flag.

  = YES:  Yes, delete the NDF 
          format files.
  = NO:   No, do NOT delete the 
          NDF format files.

Examples:

  1. LAS> ndfout in=[user.mydir]valddr comment="please mount an 8mm tape" ttype="8mm" tapedens="hi"

    The input image VALDDR will be converted to an NDF BSQ format with the root file name being the same as the input image name. The new NDF files will be copied to 8mm HI density tape and once copied, the new NDF files will be deleted from disk.

  2. LAS> ndfout in="image1(:1,2)+image2" outfile=newimage comment="please mount a 3480 tape" bform=bil ttype="3480" tapedens="0" delflg="no"

    Bands 1 and 2 of IMAGE1 together with IMAGE2 will be combined and converted into a NDF BIL format with the file name NEWIMAGE. The NEWIMAGE files will be copied to a 3480 tape with a density set to the hardware default. The NEWIMAGE files will not be deleted from disk.

Description/Algorithm:

LAS2NDF will be used to convert a LAS image(s) to NDF format. Checks will then be performed to determine if volume spanning is required. If volume spanning is required, additional NDF headers with fields correctd for multiple volumes will be created. Next, a project parameter file (.ppf) file will be created with the names of the new NDF format files to write to the user specified tape media (8mm, 3490, 3480). The DITTO tape allocation,deallocation, and copy-file routines will be used to write the files to the tape media. This routine does not create labels for the tapes.

Non-Fatal Error Messages:

    NONE

Fatal Error Messages:

  1. [ndfout-bilsiz] Image too large for tape

    The image could not fit on 1 tape. With the BIL format, the bands cannot be separated into individual files. Try specifing a larger tape type or use the BSQ format.

  2. [ndfout-fatal] Fatal error encountered

    A fatal error was encountered. The message that is displayed preceding this message is the error encountered.

  3. [ndfout-open] Error opening the <XXX> file

    Could not open the input header file or could not open one of the output header files. Make sure the input header file exists and that enough disk spaces exists to create the output header files.

  4. [ndfout-size] Band size too large for tape

    An individual band could not fit on 1 tape. Try specifing a larger tape and re-run.

  5. [ndfout-tpdens] Tape media type and tape density do not match

    Check the tape media and tape density specifications. The 8mm tape media can only have a density of HI or LO, and the 3480/ 3490 tape media can only have a density of 0.

User Notes:

  1. Naming conventions are as follows for the NDF formatted files generated by this function:

     <out>.i<ifile#>   Image data files
     <out>.h<hfile#>   Image NDF header files (volume spanning required)
     <out>.hd       Image NDF header file  (NO volume spanning required)
    
     <ifile#> always begins with 1 and increments through the number
     of bands included with this NDF product, up to a maximum of 7.
    
     <hfile#> always begins with 1 and increments through the number
     of volumes required.
    
  2. The TTYPE specified could require volume spanning, which would slow down the processing time of the module.

  3. Related functions are NDFIN, NDF2LAS, and LAS2NDF

  4. A description of the NDF header format can be found in the National Landsat Archive Production System (NLAPS) Data Format Specification, Ver 1.0, 28 July 1995.