Data Services Newsletter

Volume 15 : No 3 : Winter 2013

New web application helps users determine the best DMC Tool available

On September 16, 2013 the DMC released a revamped Tools web-application. This online tool allows a user to view all the available tools on the IRIS DMC website in a sortable table, including a description of each tools main functionality, the interface to use the tool, the data type returned, and the data format (see Fig. 1 below). Using checkboxes to the right of the table a user can dynamically update the table of tools to only display those tools that match the checkbox criteria selected.

Figure 1 - Tool Wizard screenshot
Figure 1: Screenshot of the new Tools Wizard. Dynamically subset the list of tools by selecting ( A ) the interface you prefer, ( B ) the data type you prefer and/or ( C ) the data format you prefer. More details in the article text.

Users can choose to check a box (or boxes) in only one of the groups, or mix and match multiple choices across the groups to focus in on a particular set of characteristics for their own tool purposes, or favored method of interaction. The three feature groups are outlined in more detail below.

Feature Group Details

Interface ( A )

This group defines how a user interacts with the tool. Currently the choices are:

  • Email: A tool that can be accessed by sending email
  • Query Form: Submit a data query via a web form
  • Browse: Interactive tool for exploring data
  • API: Programming interface, for use by scripts and other software
  • Monitor: Track the current status of a system or data source

An example of the Tools table when only the Email option is checked is shown in Fig. 2 below.

Figure 2 - Interface type subset
Figure 2: Interface type subset of the Tools table showing all the DMC tools that a user interacts with via Email.

Data Type ( B )

This group defines the types of data that the tool can produce. Currently the choices are:

  • Timeseries: Time-oriented data, such as waveforms
  • Metadata: Information about the sources and characteristics of raw data
  • Events: Earthquakes and other events
  • Products: Data products derived from raw data
  • Data Quality: Information about data quality, such as latency, noise, and gaps in data.

An example of the Tools table when only the Events option is checked is shown in Fig. 3 below.

Figure 3 - Data type subset
Figure 3: Data type subset of the Tools table showing all the DMC tools that can produce Events.

Data Format ( C )

This group defines the file types or protocols that the tool understands. Currently the choices are:

An example of the Tools table when the SeedLink and QuakeML options are checked is shown in Fig. 4 below.

Figure 4 - Data format subset
Figure 4: Data format subset of the Tools table showing all the DMC tools that understand the SeedLink or the QuakeML file types and/or protocols. Note how a user can check more than one option to make more complex queries.

More information

Use the new Tools wizard »

by Adam Clark (IRIS DMC) and Rob Newman (IRIS Data Management Center)

08:27:34 v.01697673