Welcome to the OMEX II Project
 Data Set CD-ROM

Introduction

The OMEX II CD-ROM contains a large quantity of data collected during the project, together with extensive metadata. The question that you will inevitably be asking yourself on encountering this file is 'How do I get started?’ Hopefully you will find the information to get you going in the next couple of pages.

This package contains three CD-ROMs.  Each disc includes a full copy of the PDF and HTML documentation. This may be accessed by opening the entry point file (MANUAL.PDF) in the root directory.  The disc directories and their contents are listed below.  Note that some directories of the same name have different contents on different discs.

Disc 1

BATHYMETRY		OMEX II swath bathymetry data files
DBJET	Access 7 (Office95) version of the OMEX II database
GEB_CON	Contour vector files used by the Explorer programs
MANUAL	Users’ Guide and image data PDF and HTML files 
MOORINGS	Moored instrument time series data files
SWARE	Software installation files
UNDERWAY	Surface underway data files
UOR	UOR tow ASCII data files
UPWELLING INDEX	NOAA Galicia upwelling index data files
XMANUAL	Acrobat index files for the Users’ Guide

Disc 2

DBJET	Access2000 version of the OMEX II database
DBKIT	OMEX II database ASCII ‘kit-form’ files
MANUAL	Users’ Guide and image data PDF and HTML files 
XMANUAL	Acrobat index files for the Users’ Guide

Disc 3

DBJET			Access97 version of the OMEX II database
MANUAL			Users’ Guide and image data PDF and HTML files 
MOORINGS			STABLE lander burst recorded data files
XMANUAL	Acrobat index files for the Users’ Guide
	
From this, it may be seen that the OMEX II Data Set has three major components: the OMEX II database, the underway data set and the moored instrument data set.  In addition, there are three smaller data components (swath bathymetry data, UOR time series and the upwelling index data) plus the Users’ Guide.
 
The OMEX II database is a relational database containing all the data collected during OMEX II except the moored instrument and underway data.  Windows users have two pathways into the data: the Database Explorer software or the forms included in the Access database files. These deliver data in different formats.  As a general rule, Access is better suited for reconnoitring the database and the Explorer Software is better suited for extracting subsets of the data from the database. Users of non-Windows platforms should either load the ASCII version of the data into their own relational database management system or work from the ASCII files in whatever way is found to be most convenient.  Extensive documentation on the contents of these files and a compatible database structure is included in the Users’ Guide.

The moored instrument data set contains time series data from the moored instruments deployed during OMEX II in either ASCII or a binary format known as QXF (a subset of NetCDF).  By far the easiest way of getting to these data is to use the Mooring Explorer program.  If you don’t have a Windows system you will have to find other means. Information to help you to do this is included in the Users’ Guide.  The high frequency current measurements recorded in burst mode by the STABLE lander are also included as compressed ASCII files.  Once again, details on how to access the data are included in the Users’ Guide.

The underway data set contains navigation, bathymetry, surface hydrography and meteorological data that were logged continuously throughout some of the OMEX II cruises.  Again, the easiest way to get at these data is through an interface program, the Underway Explorer.  The data are in a binary format so users without a Windows system will have some programming to do.  The necessary format specification is in the Users’ Guide.

Information on how to access the swath bathymetry, UOR and upwelling index data sets is provided in the relevant sections of the Users’ Guide.

The Users’ Guide is a large document containing several hundred pages.  Whilst it is obviously not designed to be read in its entirety, IT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED.  The Acrobat reader software will allow you to quickly find what you want, through bookmarks, hot links or its lexicographic index.  Reading the data documentation is particularly important, as vital information on data quality is included.  The Users’ Guide includes image data (such as satellite images, core x-rays and seafloor photographs) in addition to the metadata.

Software Installation

Previous BODC products have included installations of the Adobe Acrobat reader software for a range of platforms, together with additional software installations specific to platforms running Windows.  However, the level of distribution support now provided by Adobe (http://www.adobe.com) makes this unnecessary and consequently the installation system on the OMEX II CD-ROM is limited to Windows.  Users of other platforms should totally ignore it.

The BODC software installer (INSTALL.EXE) may be found in the root directory of CD-ROM Disc 1.  After a brief animation, the program offers a choice of three software installations.

		Adobe Acrobat Reader with Search (4.00)
		Microsoft Access (v7) Runtime
 		BODC Explorer Software (4.00)

Whilst not believed to be essential, it is recommended that the installations be done in the order given above.

All users who do not have either version 3 or later of the Acrobat Reader software or the full Acrobat system on their PC need to install the Reader from the CD-ROM.  Once installed, it should be used to open the file MANUAL.PDF that may be found in the root directory of all three discs.

Windows users who do not have Access installed on their PC might like to take advantage of the copy of Run-time Access included on the CD-ROM. This is a stripped down version of the program that allows the OMEX II Database to be interrogated and data in databases to be modified or extended (providing a copy has been made on hard disk). However, it does not allow any changes to be made to the database design. 

NB
 If you wish to use the BODC Database Explorer or Moorings Explorer programs and you do not have Access 7 installed on your machine, you MUST install Run-time Access. This applies even if you already have Access97 or a later version installed.

The BODC Explorer Software installation configures the Database, Underway and Moorings Explorer programs for the OMEX II Project Data Set. If previous versions of the software are installed then these will remain untouched and additional shortcuts will be created in the BODC group for the new software version. Any projects previously installed from other BODC CD-ROM products will be accessible to the upgraded software.

User Support

BODC personnel will do their utmost to assist you if you have any problems installing the software or using the CD-ROM. Please direct any queries by e-mail to enquiries@bodc.ac.uk. This group mailbox is checked virtually every working day. Alternatively, fax queries to +44-151-652-3950.

Copyright Acknowledgements

Acrobat (R) Reader copyright (C) 1987-1999 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Microsoft, Windows, Access and Office are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

All other company and product names herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

BODC is entitled to distribute Runtime Access with our database applications through a Microsoft Developers' Kit licence. However, recipients of the software are not licensed to distribute it further. Please respect this.