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The name of the import type is "BUFR".
Timeseries data (oceanograpic data)
BUFR files containing timeseries data can be read using the "WMOBUFR" import type. The import functions use the following conventions:
- The name of the location is the string associated with the data item with "fxy" code 0/01/019. Usually this is the human readable name.
- The parameter name is constructed from the "fxy" code as: f-xx-yyy, for instance "0-11-011" is the wind direction at 10 m above sea or ground level. The reason for using this encoding is that it is contained in the file itself, whereas the description "Wind direction (10 m)" is found in an external file.
Note:
Some BUFR files, one example being files produced by the Wavenet measurement system in the UK, contain extra information rendering them unuseful for the library that implements the WMOBUFR import type. Instead use the BUFR type. The files may contain only a single time, though multiple parameters. (If the WMOBUFR library can not properly handle them, then parameters that you know to be present will be missing.)
The names of the parameters are slightly different then: they are formed as an integer number from the "fxy" code - so that fxy = 0 22 70 (significant wave height) becomes "22070" instead of "0-22-070".
Background: BUFR Tables
When using BUFR files, you should at least have a basic understanding of the philosophy of the file format. A BUFR file consists of one or more messages, each containing data and a complete description of these data.
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If you need to define the external ID for the parameters, then consult these tables, as they contain all the information you need.
Since FEWS 2017.01 the bufr tables are no longer allowed in the bin directory. They should be put in the $REGION_HOME$/Modules/bufr directory of FEWS. The BUFR files can be downloaded from http://eumetnet.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/tables-OPERA-20121119.zip
If required the bufr tables directory can be overruled by a global property: BUFR_TABLES.