DOWNLOADING, DECOMPRESSING, AND READING WODselect DATA

The WODselect interface allows a user to search World Ocean Database 2005 (WOD05) using a variety of user-specified search criteria. The search criteria will yield a geographic distribution map and cast count and the option to have the data extracted and placed on the NODC FTP site either in the WOD05 native ASCII or comma separated value (".csv") data format. The WOD05 data format description can be found in detail in the WOD05 documentation. After the data have been selected and extracted to the NODC FTP site, the user will receive e-mail notification that their data are ready and a link to retrieve the data selected. The user should be aware that WOD data also are available presorted by 10 ^o geographic squares and by year.

Netscape automatically decompresses the data file during download but maintains the file extension ('gz'). This will cause problems with programs such as "gzip" or "WinZip" because they will try, and fail, to uncompress the already uncompressed file.
Internet Explorer (IE) downloads the file in compressed format and maintains the file extension ('gz').

NETSCAPE USERS: Can download the data file in two ways: (1) hold the "shift" key and click on the link to the data file or (2) right-mouse click on the link and select the "save link as" option. After you download the file simply remove the "gz" file extention. After downloading the file, you can view the data using any ASCII text editor.

MOZILLA USERS: Can download the data file in two ways: (1) hold the "shift" key and click on the link to the data file or (2) right-mouse click on the link and select the "Save Link Target As ..." option.

INTERNET EXPLORER USERS: Can download the data file by copying the link location to your browser and then saving the file in your local working directory.

FAST TRANSFER PROTOCOL (FTP) USERS: Can download data via browser from ftp server using the following URL: ftp://ftp.nodc.noaa.gov/pub/WOD05 or download the data directly via ftp.

ftp ftp.nodc.noaa.gov
login: anonymous
Password: your complete e-mail address
cd pub/WOD05/SELECT/
bin (to set binary transfer type)
get filename.gz (where filename is the name of your data file as decribed in the e-mail)
bye (to exit the ftp access)

Decompressing data:
After downloading the data file, to uncompress the file the user can use any software which can handle zip-archives, such as WinZip, WinRAR, StuffIt, MacZip, UnZip, etc. The WOD05 utilities documentation describe the use of GZIP* tools to uncompress "gz" compressed format for DOS and UNIX users. After downloading and uncompressing the file, you can view the data using any ASCII text editor.

(1) The user can use any of a number of sample programs in FORTRAN and C to read the WOD05 native data format or the user can write his/her own code. The programs provided are designed as examples on how to read the WOD05 data for all types of datasets and convert data into a form useable in Matlab and ArcGIS. The sample programs prompt the user to input a data file to read casts and variables included in these casts to the screen. Note that the user needs to modify the programs to incorporate user specific needs such as single or multiple input data files, output file(s), number of cast, data output format and number of variables. The metadata codes listed within each cast are described in the code tables.

(2) The user can also use the Ocean Data View* (ODV) software package to read the WOD05 native format and display the data. WOD05 data do not upload into versions of ODV prior to 3.1 ODV. The latest version is available from ODV website*. The user will need to open a new ODV collection (or add to an existing ODV collection) and specify "World Ocean Database Variables" in the "Definition of Collection Variables" menu. The detailed instructions are available from WOD05 tutorial (pdf, 0.1 MB). Note that ODV will not be able to read surface only data; originator's quality flags; or plankton biomass and taxonomic data in the OSD file.

Reading WOD comma separated value (".csv") format:
The WOD ".csv" output files are space and comma-separated ASCII values. The ".csv" files can be imported into any software that allows to read "csv" data format such as Microsoft Excel. Please see the WOD05 "csv" data format description.