Beta versions
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What is beta software?

Beta software is an updated version of an existing program designed to either fix some particular problem, or to experiment with various new features which may, or may not be in the next version of the program.  
A full release of the program will have been widely tested (through the beta process), and will contain all the files required for running the program such as data files and, where applicable, update Help files.  A beta version, by contrast, may contain just the program and some basic release notes, and none of the other files required for the program to function.  Before using any beta software, you should have a full current version of the program installed, and it should be working correctly.

This beta software:

  • requires the current, released version to be installed and working
  • is updated without notice
  • has no support available
  • has features that may not be in the next released version
  • is not guaranteed to work
  • may have time-limited functionality
  • may crash or give false results
  • requires that you read the release notes
  • .. so use at your own risk!
  • .. and please keep a working backup!
     

How do I use beta software?

As opposed to a full installation, beta software may just contain just an updated executable file, and will therefore need some additional steps in installing.  If you are not comfortable following steps like those listed below, please be patient and wait for the next released version.  Be sure to have the current released version before applying a beta update!

Updating a typical program

  1. Make sure you have the most recent release version of the software installed and working properly.
  2. Visit my Web site, download and save the beta of the MSG Data Manager from the page.
  3. Right-click the saved file, Properties, and click the Unblock button if one is present.
  4. This Zip file contains an updated MsgDataManager.exe program file and an updated MsgDataManager.txt "read-me" file.
  5. Locate your existing installation of the MSG Data Manager.  Most likely this will be (for an English language install):
      C:\Tools\SatSignal\MsgDataManager\
  6. In the case of the MSG Data Manager, this folder will contain files named e.g. WaveletDLL.dll as well as the MSG Data Manager program file.
  7. Stop the MSG Data Manager and close the program down.
  8. Rename the existing executable file:
      MsgDataManager.exe
    to, for example:
      MsgDataManager-old.exe
  9. Copy the new MsgDataManager.exe from the Zip file you downloaded in step 1 to the folder you located in step 3.
  10. If there were more file in the beta download, copy those as well having backed up your working versions.
  11. Restart the MSG Data Manager.

Reverting to the original program

  1. Stop the MSG Data Manager and exit the program.
  2. Rename the new executable file:
      MsgDataManager.exe
    to, for example:
      MsgDataManager-new.exe
  3. Rename the previous executable file you renamed in step 6:
      MsgDataManager-old.exe
    back to:
      MsgDataManager.exe
  4. Copy any other files you backed up to the appropriate directory.
  5. Restart the MSG Data Manager.

The same general procedure is true for all my beta updates.  Please be aware of the limitations of beta software which are listed above.

What are these MD5 signatures?

They are a way you can check if you think your download might be corrupt - very unlikely, but...  Please see: http://www.fourmilab.ch/md5/
 

Current beta-test versions:

As I know that testing by users is far more likely to detect errors that just testing by me alone, I am making programs available here.  Please make a backup of your working version before installing these programs, and please only install them on top of a working version.  You will need a licence for the current release version of the software.

  • BUFR Viewer - 2.0.3.74 - Use Francis Breame's more recent converter, detect AMV files containing '-MSGAMV' in the name.
    MD5 signature: E26A722675F6512C48C8495A0DC67585
      
  • FastWXtrack - 1.1.2.15 - Experimental program for faster DDE tracking and Doppler updates.  Option to force Doppler text to upper-case, add setting of radio mode, freeze updates while mode list is dropped down, layout enhancements, issue with date/time display on Win-10 Creators noted and worked-round, honour Windows themes, reduce the frequency of some displayed data (makes it easier to read the values, but Doppler and pointing still calculated as fast as possible), high-precision DDE option.
    MD5 signature: AA81A4004B45486FDCCA5B74C135ED3A
     
  • GOES ABI Manager - 1.1.1.21 - Accept "-start" for auto-start, "-log" for log page display, add Close button, set defaults for save type and bands, save logging across invocations, add image display, remember form position between runs, add short image filename option, add hand icon to thumbnails, add descriptive hint to thumbnail label, add date & time hint to thumbnails, add right-click GeoSatSignal process to thumbnail and image views, remove gamma-correction for B02 & B03, pressing Esc (escape) or right-click "Quit" closes the image view, prepare for band B01 (blue) data, treat B03 (SWIR) as visible, make the space region for thermal channels white, add Clear Images option (at start of new data), allow image path to have spaces, add choice of NetCDF save path, notify MSG Animator after an image is saved, delete files which failed to process, accommodate M3 and M4 operation (without any notice, as far as I know), accept single files on the command line, add satellite name to window caption.
    MD5 signature: CC70375502DD55E9843BA1F7FA323CA4
     
  • HRPTreader - V3.0.9.814 - Support some COA-format AAPP files.
    MD5 signature: 3BC91693707AFA8BE4C8CF7713B15239
     
  • Map-to-GEO - V2.0.5 2017 - Support PNG input interactively, support TIF input interactively, support NESDIS GOES-E and GOES-W subsets (will look for .TFW file in the same directory, but provide defaults if .TFW is not present, batch operation supported, remapping to EUMETCast GOES-E/W projections), add GOES-16 (as GOES-E) segment (typical output filename: GoesEast04I22530245.bmp).
    MD5 signature: 20AB307DF48EBCC64D9FF341186CD65C
     
  • Metop Manager - 3.0.3.348 - Try to handle "Another copy..." better across restarts, accept -LOG parameter - starts with Event Log tab, handle GAC failures more elegantly.
    MD5 signature: BAE6D5B0B4910723627E9D724E79550A
      
  • MODIS L1 Viewer - 4.0.3.158 - Set up/down text colour to blue for blue channel, prevent one variable not being initialised, more choice in the File, Open dialog, accept "Australian" MODIS file names.
    MD5 signature: B719CB47FAFD930C3AF0B1846248475F
     
  • MSG Animator - V3.1.5.294 - Start support for GEOS-16 test data.  Files to be in the short-name format (e.g. 201711131730-g16-b13.jpg), in the images\FSD\yyyy\mm\dd\ directory  Updated for 15-minute animations.  Mapping is the -75 ° GOES-E location and Land/Sea palettes are available.
    MD5 signature: 38AAD810C8E142B93C718F361348898A
     
  • Sentinel2 to JPEG - V1.4.1.30 -  Right-click on image to invoke Options dialog.  Experimental features: accept two .TIF files for drag-and-drop or command-line, accept Landsat-7 data (blue file name - must end B1.TIF, green file name - must end B2.TIF, red file name - must end B3.TIF, file names must start "LE07" or be 8011 (W) x 6911 (H) images).
    MD5 signature: 765951FF1807A734D37EAA3BE002DAB4
     
  • Solar Outage SNR (for BDADataEx and solar outage periods) - Experimental programs to record and plot SNR values from BDADataEx during the forthcoming solar outage periods.  Set the expected earliest outage start (minus 5 minutes, say) and the latest expected finish (plus 5 minutes).  Check the Device 1 box to add "1" to the signalex.exe command.  Add control of sampling interval, default 5 seconds.  
    The plotting program takes a filename wildcard as its parameter, added choice of smoothing, text and graphical display of actual maximum SNR reduction date and time, accept one predicted maximum time in the log file and display it.
    MD5 signature: 8D9A18102A9F66ABA35D3FEDB74A2476
     
  • SweepGen - 3.8.1.39 - Remove initial set of RHS-trigger, UI enhancements.
    MD5 signature: 098FD313F50FD97945952DA3ED79DB12
     
  • Sea-Ice & SST Viewer - 1.5.5.72 - Update for mixed DMI/NOR sea-ice data.
    MD5 signature: A1B271AD2CC2C0FECA91BEB2F6F42500
      
  • WXtrack - 3.8.45.1065 - Add pass-box for Sentinel 3A in ScanOffsets.ini (treat as being in the "weather satellite" class), in View|Radar plot add Galileo satellites, add count of navigation satellites visible (you will need the Keplers from e.g. CelesTrak - galileo.txt), enlarge View|Radar plot display, provide hints for long satellite names in the Available list, restore SPID half-degree support.  Temporarily: display DDE RX mode in the tracker status box (for debugging).
    MD5 signature: 8CC32A281FD59C620C4DD69F294B15F0s
     
 
If you wish, you can register for free, automatic e-mail notifications from the Watch That Page service when this page is updated.  This is convenient as you won't need to keep checking my Web site to see what new beta versions are available.  Click the button below to register for update notification.  You may need to register with WatchThatPage first.

I recommend Fred van den Bosch's software DownloadPrograms - which will help to keep an eye on the version numbers and updates for you!

 

 
Copyright © David Taylor, Edinburgh   Last modified: 2018 May 29 at 09:32