Can I use EPIC without using a database like Ingres or mSQL?
EPIC uses either an Ingres or mSQL database. The mSQL data base is available at no cost to academic and non-profit institutions. The function of the database for EPIC is to provide an index to the data files containing oceanograhic data. Interaction with the data base consists of (1) ‘loader programs’ which read EPIC formatted data files, extract metadata, and enter that metadata into the database along with the Unix path and data file name, and (2) a ‘select’ program, which prompts the user for selection criteria such as geographic range and time range, and then searches the database to locate the data files meeting the selection criteria. This is returned as an ascii file containing a list of data file names, which is used as input by all EPIC programs to locate the data sets on which they will operate. EPIC can easily be used without a database. To use EPIC programs, you simply construct an ascii file contaiing a list of Unix path and data file names for input to the EPIC routine. U
