Section: 4.1.2 Editing Parameter Display Defaults

4.1.2 Editing Parameter Display Defaults

In the previous section we covered how to create new color tables. We saw that for a temperature field there were certain default values for the color table and range that is used. In this section we will discuss how to change this default behavior using the Parameter Defaults Editor.

If you haven't done so already load in some example data and create a display of temperature.

Load in the Sample RUC Data data source.
Create a Color-Shaded Plan View display with a temperature parameter.
Note that the color table used is the Temperature color table and that the range is -90 to 45.

Open up the Parameter Defaults Editor by selecting the Tools→Parameter Defaults Editor menu item.
There should be two tabs shown: User Defaults and System Defaults. The first tab shows the user editable parameter defaults. The second tab shows the system defaults.
Click on the System Defaults tab.
The first column shows the parameter name pattern that is used to match the parameter. More about patterns.
Change the default color table and range for temperature parameters.
- Scroll down to the row that holds the temp parameter.
- Right click on this row and select Copy Row to Users Defaults.
- You should now see the temp row in the User Defaults tab and Parameter Defaults dialog shown.
- Change the default color table by selecting the Color Tables→Workshop→Comfort menu item.
- Change the range to -45 and 45.
- Save your changes by clicking the OK button.
Test out this change.

Remove your displays by selecting the Edit→Remove All Displays menu item.
Create a Color-Shaded Plan View display with a temperature parameter.
You should see the new Comfort color table and range being used.

What about setting defaults for new parameters?
- Create a Color-Filled Contour Plan View using the relative humidity at fixed height above ground.
- Bring up the Contour Properties Editor for the display and change the interval to 10 press OK.
- Change the range to be 0-100
- Change the Color Table to the Basic→Relative humidity
- From the display's File menu choose File→Save→Save as Parameter Defaults
- The Parameter Defaults dialog is shown. Press OK.
- Remove displays and recreate the above display. All should be better now.

Unidata IDV Workshop for version 6.2u2 > Advanced Topics > Configuring the IDV