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Flight Path Tutorial: Step Six
How to Select Data Types
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Data Layers and the valid times at which data sets are available are shown in the scrollable window below the time slider in the main window.
Data Layers are organized into groups. Background Grids are gridded, colored, data sets, derived from forecast models: temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, icing probability, and turbulence probability. Data Overlays are icons which can be drawn over grids: wind barbs, METAR observations, pilot reports, AIRMETs and SIGMETs, and TAFs. Map Overlays are static topographic grid and line features which give geographic context to the data: topography, state outlines, country and coast outlines, rivers, roads, and counties. Data Layer groups can be hidden or expanded by clicking the circle to the left of their name.
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Data Layer Visibility
Data Layers are made visible by clicking the checkbox to the left of their name. Only one Background Grids layer can be visible as a grid at any given time. Turning on a grid automatically turns off all other grids. Background Grids layers, however, can also be drawn as unfilled contours. See the section on How to Configure Data Layers for more information on displaying contours over a grid. When a Data Layer is visible, the information in the Available Data Sets area to its right is shown in color. When a Data Layer is not visible, this information is greyed out.
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Available Data Sets
The Available Data Sets area shows the available valid times for each Data Layer. Model-derived data is represented by a circle below the time at which the data set is valid. Continuously updated data, such as METARs and pilot reports, are represented by a single circle with "wings." The width of the wings indicates the temporal extent of the available data. For these data sets, only the most recent reports are available, regardless of the selected time. Static data such as topography and state outlines are represented by the text Static Data. For Model-derived data, the selected data set is the latest data set which is valid on or before the currently selected time. This data set is indicated by a larger circle than for the unselected available data sets. As shown above, some Data Layers may be showing data sets whose valid times are different than others.
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Layer Order Configuration
Data Layers are drawn one on top of another like sheets of acetate. Any
information which a Data Layer draws can obscure information from a Data Layer below it. Generally,
gridded data layers are drawn first, followed by contours and wind barbs, topography, data overlays
such as METARs, and finally, map overlays such as state boundaries. When a gridded data set is enabled as a contour, its Data Layer is automatically moved up so that the contours are drawn over any other gridded data set. In some cases, it may be required to manually change the Data Layer drawing order. Left click the Configure->Layer Order menu item in either the Flight Path Tool or Vertical Cross Sections window to change the order that data layers are drawn. The Data Layer Order Manager dialog box will appear. Left click and drag visible data layers up or down in the list to change the order the layers are drawn. The names of visible layers are drawn in black font, while the names of invisible layers are greyed out, and layers can be made Visible or Not Visible by selecting the appropriate button. The inner buttons move the selected layer one step, while the outer buttons move the
layer to the top or bottom.
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