Re: [Java-dev] XML Standards

• To: Robb Kambic <rkambic@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Subject: Re: [Java-dev] XML Standards
• From: Aaron Braeckel <braeckel@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Fri, 23 Dec 2005 11:03:10 -0700

Here is an example of what we have been using, we have a queryable
service.  Here's the current result from the request
http://weather.aero/dataserver/httpparam?dataSource=metars&requestType=retrieve&format=xml&stationString=KDEN&hoursBeforeNow=1:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<response version="1.0">
  <request_index>26467</request_index>
  <data_source name="metars" />
  <request type="retrieve" />
  <errors />
  <warnings />
  <time_taken_ms>43</time_taken_ms>
  <data num_results="1">
    <METAR>
      <raw_text>KDEN 231653Z 27020G28KT 10SM FEW080 SCT120 BKN160 11/M05
A2993 RMK AO2 PK WND 27028/1650 SLP097 ACSL DSNT S T01061050</raw_text>
      <station_id>KDEN</station_id>
      <observation_time>1135356780</observation_time>
      <latitude>39.83</latitude>
      <longitude>-104.65</longitude>
      <temp_c>10.6</temp_c>
      <dewpoint_c>-5.0</dewpoint_c>
      <wind_dir_degrees>270</wind_dir_degrees>
      <wind_speed_kt>20</wind_speed_kt>
      <wind_gust_kt>28</wind_gust_kt>
      <visibility_mi>10.0</visibility_mi>
      <altim_mb>1013.6</altim_mb>
      <slp_mb>1009.7</slp_mb>
      <sensor_status_indicators>
        <auto_station>true</auto_station>
      </sensor_status_indicators>
      <conditions>
        <cloud_condition sky_cover="FEW" cloud_base_ft="8000" />
        <cloud_condition sky_cover="SCT" cloud_base_ft="12000" />
        <cloud_condition sky_cover="BKN" cloud_base_ft="16000" />
      </conditions>
      <metar_type>METAR</metar_type>
      <elevation_m>1640.0</elevation_m>
    </METAR>
  </data>
</response>

If you are interested, you can take a look at what we're doing at
http://weather.aero/tutorials/dataserver/DataServer.php.

We are trying to bring our formats in line with the rest of the
community, but the community itself is so fragmented that I have yet to
find a real standard.  We have the option of providing data in multiple
formats, but I feel that that would fragment groups even further.  I
would prefer to adopt a single standard and try to unify what people are
using.  Our format was modeled in form after what the NWS is publishing,
but their format is for human-readable purposes (RSS) and ours is for
bare data access so our content differs.  I have been talking with Bob
Bunge from the NWS, and I am waiting to hear his opinion on the WMO
format.

So if you know of any other widely-adopted formats, I'd be happy to hear
about them.  Another format I came across was the Navy's OMF.
http://www.metnet.navy.mil/Metcast/XML/OMF.html  I haven't looked into
that one in enough detail to comment on it.

Thanks,
Aaron

Robb Kambic wrote:
> Aaron,
> 
> wow, this seems to be the metadata standard that the WMO approved. The
> metadata overhead is large considering the small amount of data in the
> reports. the <contentInfo> implies that the data should be included and
> all the elements <featureAttribute> does not cover all of the 140+ METAR
> fields that can exist in a report.
> 
> I don't favor this at all, maybe if the metadata was used like a THREDDS
> catalog metadata, and all the files(reports) are represented as urls. The
> idea is that the metadata would only be represented once and all the
> reports would be in a directory under it. But this is almost another
> topic.
> 
> I did create a java METAR decoder that produces XML in the following
> format. This method only produces parameters for the fields in the report.
> 
> robb...
> 
> <reports>
> <station name="KDTN">
>         <parameter name="Date" value="2005-12-23T12:15:00"/>
>         <parameter name="Report" value="KDTN 231215Z AUTO 16005KT 3SM VCTS
> +RA BR OVC026 23/23 A2991 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW AND W P0006"/>
>         <parameter name="Report_Type" value="METAR"/>
>         <parameter name="AUTOS" value="1"/>
>         <parameter name="Wind_Direction" value="160"/>
>         <parameter name="Wind_Speed_KT" value="05"/>
>         <parameter name="Visibility_SM" value="3"/>
>         <parameter name="Weather" value="VCTS +RA BR"/>
>         <parameter name="Cloud_Layer_1_Type" value="OVC"/>
>         <parameter name="Cloud_Layer_1_Height_Feet" value="2600"/>
>         <parameter name="Cloud_Layer_1_Height_Meters" value="780"/>
>         <parameter name="Temperature" value="23"/>
>         <parameter name="DewPoint" value="23"/>
>         <parameter name="Inches_Altimeter" value="29.91"/>
>         <parameter name="Automatic_Report" value="AO2"/>
>         <parameter name="Hourly_Precipitation" value="0.06"/>
>         <parameter name="Plain_Language_remarks" value="LTG DSNT SW AND
> W"/>
> </station>
> <station name="KDNV">
>         <parameter name="Date" value="2005-12-23T12:15:00"/>
>         <parameter name="Report" value="KDNV 231215Z AUTO 04006KT 5SM BR
> CLR 23/21 A2991 RMK AO2"/>
>         <parameter name="Report_Type" value="METAR"/>
>         <parameter name="AUTOS" value="1"/>
>         <parameter name="Wind_Direction" value="040"/>
>         <parameter name="Wind_Speed_KT" value="06"/>
>         <parameter name="Visibility_SM" value="5"/>
>         <parameter name="Weather" value="BR"/>
>         <parameter name="Cloud_Type" value="1"/>
>         <parameter name="Temperature" value="23"/>
>         <parameter name="DewPoint" value="21"/>
>         <parameter name="Inches_Altimeter" value="29.91"/>
>         <parameter name="Automatic_Report" value="AO2"/>
> </station>
> </reports>

• References:
  • Re: [Java-dev] XML Standards
    • From: Robb Kambic