Easy and flexible way towards TDCF codes. It brings bidirectional bridging TDCF <—> TAC, which allows you to generate TDCF observations without an immediate upgrade of the observing hardware/software (i.e. cost reduction).
Instant observations in BUFR by re-creating them from TAC codes with additional metadata. It allows you to continue using current TAC-based legacy consuming systems until they are upgraded or retired as scheduled, as the TDCF data arriving from other RTH/NMC’s will be converted back to their TAC (where possible) for legacy systems. This will reduce the benefit of metadata you will be receiving from others; on the other hand it closes the gap between current and new technology.
Transparent, fully-automated standalone encoding and decoding solution. Easy integration with your present systems will be thanks to Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) as easy as it could be. You can use REST or SOAP web service, file-based input/output (tool watches certain directory, where if you place a file, it will pick it up, convert, and it will place the result in outgoing directory), C++ binding, command line interface or Python binding (to support flexible scripting tool these functions are accessible from Python as API — so other wrappers for processing can be easily created as need). Moreover, when used in conjunction with Moving Weather it is also possible to make use of SQL interface which allows direct compilation of BUFR bulletins out of your observation database, as well as to decode data directly into your SQL tables.
Supporting REST and SOAP calls makes things very simple; for example converting SYNOP (from AWS collecting point) to BUFR is easy by invoking URL such as: http://tdcf.your-met-office.domain/convert?SMGR21+LGAT+++170000+AAXX+17004+++16667+12965+03304+… Where in response to this URL request an equivalent BUFR code will be sent for download. This, of course, works the other way round too: by passing BUFR (as URL-encoded or POST) and obtaining SYNOP as URL response. Network-oriented calls makes it simple to integrate in network environment and even can operate over proxy servers or as secured service (SSL).
Fast and easy expansibility — system is created to be driven by configuration. Conversions are programmed based on the XML functionality: the module features a XSLT-Processor and the conversion programs are actually XSL transformations. Thanks to this it is possible to support new formats just by adding new transformation rules.
Generated data fully conforms to WMO standard and recommendations — with the compliance to WMO IPET-DRC templates on output, the backward compatibility on input, and with configurable formats you can be sure you are producing TDCF messages in accordance with the up-to-date standard. The conversion module is easily upgradable by new templates.
Multi-platform system available for Microsoft Windows, Linux, SUN Solaris (both 32-bit and 64-bit).
Instant input conversion: incoming observations coded in TAC, such as SYNOP, AWS, PILOT, TEMP, SHIP, CLIMAT or others (not limited to Category 1), will be converted to their BUFR equivalents according to the latest WMO templates instantly, and will become available along with the old forms. In your NWS, you will then be able to feed processing systems with format they need.
