Per #1019, update library code to handle the independent writing of p…

…oint observation descriptions. Previously, if units were present then descriptions (usually empty ones) were added. Now, units and descriptions and handled independently.

src/basic/vx_util/observation.cc

@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ Observation::Observation(const string &header_type, const string &station_id,
                          const string &quality_flag,
                          const int var_code, const double pressure_level_hpa,
                          const double height_m, const double value,
-                         const string &var_name, const string &var_units) :
+                         const string &var_name,
+                         const string &var_units,
+                         const string &var_desc) :
   _headerType(header_type),
   _stationId(station_id),
   _validTime(valid_time),
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ Observation::Observation(const string &header_type, const string &station_id,
   _qualityFlag(quality_flag),
   _varName(var_name),
   _varUnits(var_units),
+  _varDesc(var_desc),
   varCode(var_code),
   hdrIndex(0),
   _pressureLevel(pressure_level_hpa),
@@ -150,13 +153,14 @@ _varName     = pyobject_as_string(list[6]);
 
       //////////////////////// 
 
-// TODO: Consider enhancing the Python point observation format
-//       to include specifying units.
-
 _varUnits    = "";
 
       //////////////////////// 
 
+_varDesc     = "";
+
+      //////////////////////// 
+
 _pressureLevel = pyobject_as_double(list[7]);
 
       //////////////////////// 

src/basic/vx_util/observation.h

@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ class Observation
               const int grib_code, const double pressure_level_hpa,
               const double height_m, const double value,
               const std::string &var_name = "",
-              const std::string &var_units = "");
+              const std::string &var_units = "",
+              const std::string &var_desc = "");
 
   Observation(const std::string &header_type, const std::string &station_id,
               const time_t start_time, const time_t end_time,
@@ -55,7 +56,8 @@ class Observation
               const int grib_code, const double pressure_level_hpa,
               const double height_m, const double value,
               const std::string &var_name = "",
-              const std::string &var_units = "");
+              const std::string &var_units = "",
+              const std::string &var_desc = "");
 
 ////////////////////////
 #ifdef ENABLE_PYTHON
@@ -167,6 +169,11 @@ class Observation
     return _varUnits;
   }
 
+  std::string getVarDesc() const
+  {
+    return _varDesc;
+  }
+
   bool hasSameHeader(Observation &other) const;
   bool hasSameHeader(Observation *other) const;
 
@@ -216,6 +223,7 @@ class Observation
   std::string _qualityFlag;
   std::string _varName;
   std::string _varUnits;
+  std::string _varDesc;
   int         varCode;
   long        hdrIndex;
   double      _pressureLevel;

src/libcode/vx_nc_obs/nc_obs_util.cc

@@ -342,16 +342,18 @@ void NetcdfObsVars::create_obs_vars (NcFile *f_out) {
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-void NetcdfObsVars::create_obs_name_vars (NcFile *f_out, const int var_count, const int unit_count) {
+void NetcdfObsVars::create_obs_name_vars (NcFile *f_out, const int var_count,
+                                          const int unit_count, const int desc_count) {
    const string method_name = "  create_other_vars()";
 
    if (var_count > 0) {
       NcDim var_dim = create_var_obs_var(f_out, var_count);
       if (unit_count > 0) {
          unit_var = add_var(f_out, nc_var_unit, ncChar, var_dim, strl2_dim, deflate_level);
-         desc_var = add_var(f_out, nc_var_desc, ncChar, var_dim, strl3_dim, deflate_level);
-
          add_att(&unit_var, "long_name", "variable units");
+      }
+      if (desc_count > 0) {
+         desc_var = add_var(f_out, nc_var_desc, ncChar, var_dim, strl3_dim, deflate_level);
          add_att(&desc_var, "long_name", "variable descriptions");
       }
    }

src/libcode/vx_nc_obs/nc_obs_util.h

@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ struct NetcdfObsVars {
    void create_dimensions(netCDF::NcFile *f_out);
    void create_hdr_vars (netCDF::NcFile *f_out, const int hdr_count);
    void create_obs_vars (netCDF::NcFile *f_out);
-   void create_obs_name_vars (netCDF::NcFile *f_out, const int var_count, const int unit_count);
+   void create_obs_name_vars (netCDF::NcFile *f_out, const int var_count, const int unit_count, const int desc_count);
    void create_table_vars (netCDF::NcFile *f_out, MetPointHeader &hdr_data, NcDataBuffer &data_buffer);
    void create_pb_hdrs (netCDF::NcFile *f_out, const int hdr_count);
    netCDF::NcDim create_var_obs_var (netCDF::NcFile *f_out, int var_count);

src/libcode/vx_nc_obs/nc_point_obs_out.cc

@@ -597,10 +597,11 @@ bool MetNcPointObsOut::write_to_netcdf(StringArray obs_names, StringArray obs_un
       int var_count = obs_names.n_elements();
       if (var_count > 0) {
          int unit_count = obs_units.n();
-         obs_vars.create_obs_name_vars (obs_nc, var_count, unit_count);
+         int desc_count = obs_descs.n();
+         obs_vars.create_obs_name_vars (obs_nc, var_count, unit_count, desc_count);
          obs_vars.write_obs_var_names(obs_names);
-         if( unit_count > 0 ) obs_vars.write_obs_var_units(obs_units);
-         if( obs_descs.n() > 0 ) obs_vars.write_obs_var_descriptions(obs_descs);
+         if(unit_count > 0) obs_vars.write_obs_var_units(obs_units);
+         if(desc_count > 0) obs_vars.write_obs_var_descriptions(obs_descs);
          mlog << Debug(7) << method_name << var_count
               << " variable names were saved\n";
       }

src/libcode/vx_summary/summary_key.cc

@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ SummaryKey::SummaryKey(const string &header_type,
                        const double lat, const double lon, const double elev,
                        const int var_code,
                        const double height, const double pressure_level,
-                       const string &var_name, const string &var_units) :
+                       const string &var_name,
+                       const string &var_units,
+                       const string &var_desc) :
   _headerType(header_type),
   _stationId(station_id),
   _latitude(lat),
@@ -42,7 +44,8 @@ SummaryKey::SummaryKey(const string &header_type,
   _height(height),
   _pressureLevel(pressure_level),
   _varName(var_name),
-  _varUnits(var_units)
+  _varUnits(var_units),
+  _varDesc(var_desc)
 {
 }
 

src/libcode/vx_summary/summary_key.h

@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ class SummaryKey
              const int var_code,
              const double height_m, const double pressure_level,
              const std::string &var_name = "",
-             const std::string &var_units = "");
+             const std::string &var_units = "",
+             const std::string &var_desc = "");
 
   virtual ~SummaryKey();
 
@@ -102,6 +103,11 @@ class SummaryKey
     return _varUnits;
   }
 
+  std::string getVarDesc() const
+  {
+    return _varDesc;
+  }
+
   ///////////////
   // Operators //
   ///////////////
@@ -153,6 +159,10 @@ class SummaryKey
     if (_varUnits != other._varUnits)
       return _varUnits < other._varUnits;
 
+    // Var desc 
+    if (_varDesc != other._varDesc)
+      return _varDesc < other._varDesc;
+
     // Grib code
 
     return _varCode < other._varCode;
@@ -175,6 +185,7 @@ class SummaryKey
   double _pressureLevel;
   std::string _varName;
   std::string _varUnits;
+  std::string _varDesc;
 
 };
 

src/libcode/vx_summary/summary_obs.cc

@@ -142,13 +142,15 @@ bool SummaryObs::summarizeObs(const TimeSummaryInfo &summary_info)
    // Save the summary information
    const char *var_name = 0;
    const char *var_units = 0;
+   const char *var_desc = 0;
 
    //_dataSummarized = true;
    TimeSummaryInfo inputSummaryInfo = summary_info;
 
    // Initialize the list of summary observations
    StringArray summary_vnames;
    StringArray summary_vunits;
+   StringArray summary_vdescs;
    StringArray printted_var_names;
    //vector< Observation > summary_obs;
 
@@ -215,7 +217,8 @@ bool SummaryObs::summarizeObs(const TimeSummaryInfo &summary_info)
                    << "SummaryObs::summarizeObs()  Filtered variable ["
                    << curr_obs->getVarName() << "] (id: "
                    << curr_obs->getVarCode() << ", units: "
-                   << curr_obs->getVarUnits() << ")\n";
+                   << curr_obs->getVarUnits() << ", desc: "
+                   << curr_obs->getVarDesc() << ")\n";
               printted_var_names.add(curr_obs->getVarName().c_str());
            }
         }
@@ -234,14 +237,17 @@ bool SummaryObs::summarizeObs(const TimeSummaryInfo &summary_info)
                                   curr_obs->getHeight(),
                                   curr_obs->getPressureLevel(),
                                   curr_obs->getVarName(),
-                                  curr_obs->getVarUnits());
+                                  curr_obs->getVarUnits(),
+                                  curr_obs->getVarDesc());
 
            // Collect variable names
            var_name  = curr_obs->getVarName().c_str();
            var_units = curr_obs->getVarUnits().c_str();
+           var_desc  = curr_obs->getVarDesc().c_str();
            if (0 < m_strlen(var_name) && !summary_vnames.has(var_name)) {
               summary_vnames.add(var_name);
               summary_vunits.add(var_units);
+              summary_vdescs.add(var_desc);
            }
            // If this is a new key, create a new NumArray
            if (summary_values.find(summary_key) == summary_values.end()) {
@@ -289,7 +295,8 @@ bool SummaryObs::summarizeObs(const TimeSummaryInfo &summary_info)
                       << curr_values->first.getElevation() << ", "
                       << curr_values->first.getVarName() << ", "
                       << curr_values->first.getVarCode() << ", "
-                      << curr_values->first.getVarUnits() << "\n";
+                      << curr_values->first.getVarUnits() << ", "
+                      << curr_values->first.getVarDesc() << "\n";
                  continue;
               }
            }
@@ -310,7 +317,8 @@ bool SummaryObs::summarizeObs(const TimeSummaryInfo &summary_info)
                        curr_values->first.getHeight(),
                        calc->calcSummary(*curr_values->second),
                        curr_values->first.getVarName(),
-                       curr_values->first.getVarUnits()));
+                       curr_values->first.getVarUnits(),
+                       curr_values->first.getVarDesc()));
            summaryCount++;
         } /* endfor - calc */
 
@@ -331,6 +339,7 @@ bool SummaryObs::summarizeObs(const TimeSummaryInfo &summary_info)
       if (!obs_names.has(summary_vnames[idx])) {
          obs_names.add(summary_vnames[idx]);
          obs_units.add(summary_vunits[idx]);
+         obs_descs.add(summary_vdescs[idx]);
       }
    }
 
@@ -511,9 +520,11 @@ bool SummaryObs::addObservationObj(const Observation &obs)
 
    const ConcatString var_name  = obs.getVarName();
    const ConcatString var_units = obs.getVarUnits();
+   const ConcatString var_desc  = obs.getVarDesc();
    if (0 < var_name.length() && !obs_names.has(var_name)) {
       obs_names.add(var_name);
       obs_units.add(var_units);
+      obs_descs.add(var_desc);
    }
    result = true;
    return result;
@@ -529,13 +540,16 @@ bool SummaryObs::addObservation(
       const string &quality_flag,
       const int var_code, const double pressure_level_hpa,
       const double height_m, const double value,
-      const string &var_name, const string &var_units)
+      const string &var_name,
+      const string &var_units,
+      const string &var_desc)
 {
    return addObservationObj(
              Observation(header_type, station_id, valid_time,
                          latitude, longitude, elevation,
                          quality_flag, var_code, pressure_level_hpa,
-                         height_m, value, var_name, var_units));
+                         height_m, value,
+                         var_name, var_units, var_desc));
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

src/libcode/vx_summary/summary_obs.h

@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ class SummaryObs
                        const int var_code, const double pressure_level_hpa,
                        const double height_m, const double value,
                        const std::string &var_name = "",
-                       const std::string &var_units = "");
+                       const std::string &var_units = "",
+                       const std::string &var_desc = "");
    std::vector< Observation > getObservations();
    std::vector< Observation > getSummaries();
    long countHeaders();
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ class SummaryObs
    void setSummaryInfo(const TimeSummaryInfo &summary_info);
    StringArray getObsNames();
    StringArray getObsUnits();
-
+   StringArray getObsDescs();
 
 protected:
 
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ class SummaryObs
   std::vector< Observation > summaries;
   StringArray obs_names;
   StringArray obs_units;
+  StringArray obs_descs;
 
   ///////////////////////
   // Protected methods //
@@ -258,6 +260,7 @@ inline std::vector< Observation > SummaryObs::getObservations() { return observa
 inline std::vector< Observation > SummaryObs::getSummaries()    { return summaries;           }
 inline StringArray           SummaryObs::getObsNames()          { return obs_names;           }
 inline StringArray           SummaryObs::getObsUnits()          { return obs_units;           }
+inline StringArray           SummaryObs::getObsDescs()          { return obs_descs;           }
 inline void                  SummaryObs::setSummaryInfo(const TimeSummaryInfo &summary_info)
                                                                 { summaryInfo = summary_info; }
 inline TimeSummaryInfo       SummaryObs::getSummaryInfo()       { return summaryInfo;         }

src/tools/other/ascii2nc/file_handler.cc

@@ -209,10 +209,12 @@ bool FileHandler::summarizeObs(const TimeSummaryInfo &summary_info)
    _summaryInfo = summary_info;
    StringArray summary_vnames = summary_obs.getObsNames();
    StringArray summary_vunits = summary_obs.getObsUnits();
+   StringArray summary_vdescs = summary_obs.getObsDescs();
    for (int idx=0; idx<summary_vnames.n(); idx++) {
       if (!obs_names.has(summary_vnames[idx])) {
          obs_names.add(summary_vnames[idx]);
          obs_units.add(summary_vunits[idx]);
+         obs_descs.add(summary_vdescs[idx]);
       }
    }
    return result;
@@ -322,9 +324,11 @@ bool FileHandler::_addObservations(const Observation &obs)
    else {
       ConcatString var_name  = obs.getVarName();
       ConcatString var_units = obs.getVarUnits();
+      ConcatString var_desc  = obs.getVarDesc();
       if (var_name.nonempty() && !obs_names.has(var_name)) {
          obs_names.add(var_name);
          obs_units.add(var_units);
+         obs_descs.add(var_desc);
       }
    }
 
@@ -335,8 +339,25 @@ bool FileHandler::_addObservations(const Observation &obs)
 
 bool FileHandler::_writeObservations()
 {
-  StringArray descs;
-  nc_point_obs.write_to_netcdf(obs_names, obs_units, descs);
+  StringArray units_sa;
+  StringArray descs_sa;
+
+  // Do not write all empty strings 
+  if(!obs_units.all_empty()) units_sa = obs_units;
+  if(!obs_descs.all_empty()) descs_sa = obs_descs;
+
+// JHG
+cout << "JHG obs_names...";
+obs_names.dump(cout);
+cout << "\n";
+cout << "JHG units_sa...";
+units_sa.dump(cout);
+cout << "\n";
+cout << "JHG descs_sa...";
+descs_sa.dump(cout);
+cout << "\n";
+
+  nc_point_obs.write_to_netcdf(obs_names, units_sa, descs_sa);
 
   return true;
 }

src/tools/other/ascii2nc/file_handler.h

@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ class FileHandler
   bool  use_var_id;
   StringArray obs_names;
   StringArray obs_units;
+  StringArray obs_descs;
 
   bool do_monitor;
   int start_time, end_time;