README FILE FOR METAR & TAF WIZARD - VERSION 0.1 (TEST)

Version 0.1 (Test) of the METAR & TAF Wizard is freeware and 
is freely distributable.

In case of questions or problems, send an e-mail to:

	MeteoSoft@compuserve.com

In addition to questions or problems, please let the author know 
(at the above e-mail address) how you like this test version and 
what improvements (other than completing the decoding algorithms) 
can build into the final or future versions. A printing capability 
will be at the top of the list after all the code, headings, and 
remarks have been decoded.

INSTALLATION:

To install the METAR & TAF WIZARD run the SETUP program. You will 
be prompted for any additional information.

This 16-bit program will run on any computer with the Windows 
operating system (3.1 and higher). The windows opened by 
this program may fill the screen differently on various 
computers if the resolution of the monitor is set differently.  
Best results are achieved with the resolution set at 800 x 600
with large fonts selected.

The METAR & TAF WIZARD is a fairly simple Visual Basic program 
that serves two purposes:
   
   1. It is useful for actually decoding METAR observations
      and TAFs.
   2. It demonstrates the versatility of the underlying dynamic
      link library (DLL) MOTFUS16.DLL. The functions in the DLL 
      that perform the actual decoding of the weather data are
      called by the Visual Basic application. The DLL returns 
      the plain language description of the weather data. The 
      calling program (which could be written in any programming
      language that can call a DLL) can then do with the returned 
      information as it sees fit. That means that the DLL can be 
      called from almost any program that needs decoded weather 
      data, be it for immediate display (as the METAR & TAF WIZARD 
      does) or for storage in a database, etc.

The name of the DLL derives thusly:

	MO = METAR Obs
	TF = Terminal Forecast
	US = United States 
	16 = 16-bit (there also is a 32-bit version)
 
Two files with sample data are included. One contains sample
METAR observations and has the file name SMPL_MET.DAT, the 
other contains sample TAFs and its file name is SMPL_TAF.DAT.

To decode real observations and TAFs you will have to
supply the data, of course. Copy the data to a file, name the
file in such a way that you will be able to (1) find/recognize 
it again and (2) be able to distinguish between observations
and TAFs just by looking at the name. One way to do that is to
use the file extension in naming the sample files, i. e., 
".MET" for METAR observations and ".TAF" for terminal 
forecasts (TAFs).

The data has to be in the standard WMO format as supplemented 
by the United States. That means that this program will only
work correctly when decoding data from US stations or from 
stations that follow the US rules. The result when trying 
to decode observations and forecasts for foreign stations may 
produce erroneous results.

Furthermore, the DLL has been written to decode "raw" 
coded data as it is transmitted and collected. Therefore, the 
data has to have the standard communications character '=' at 
the end of each observation and at the end of each TAF (at the 
end of the TAF not at the end of each line of the TAF).  
This is how the DLL can tell when an observation or TAF has 
been completed. Some commercial aviation weather providers 
format the data which they send to their customers. Among 
other things, they strip the '=' off. This DLL will
not work (correctly) with this kind of data. 

Please read the disclaimer under "Help|About" after starting 
the program.

P.S.:  There are a couple of intermediate files created which are
overwritten each time you run the program. If they remain in the
subdirectory in which you are running METAR & TAF WIZARD you can 
delete them, the program automatically recreates them. These files
have the names OBSTRANS.DAT and TAFTRANS.DAT.