GRIB API installation

GRIB API installation is based on the standard configure utility. It is tested on several platforms and with several compilers. However for some platforms modifications to the installation engine may be required. If you encounter any problem during the installation procedure please send an e-mail with your problem to Softw.nosp@m.are..nosp@m.Suppo.nosp@m.rt@e.nosp@m.cmwf..nosp@m.int.

The only required package for a standard installation is jasper which enables the jpeg2000 packing/unpacking algorithm. It is possible to build GRIB API without jasper, by using the –disable-jpeg configure option, but to install a fully functional library, its download is recommended.

Standard installation

1. Download GRIB API from ECMWF web site.
2. Unpack distribution:

   > gunzip grib_api-X.X.X.tar.gz
   > tar xf grib_api-X.X.X.tar

3. Create the directory where to install GRIB API say grib_api_dir

   > mkdir grib_api_dir

4. Run the configure in the grib_api-X.X.X

   > cd grib_api-X.X.X
   > ./configure --prefix=grib_api_dir 

   Please give the full path of grib_api_dir to the prefix option.
5. make, check and install

   > make
   ...
   > make check
   ...
   > make install
   ...

Parameter files installation

The following instructions are valid only if you have already installed GRIB API and you need to update the current parameter files. The parameter files should work with any version of GRIB API.

To install the parameter files, then please unpack the downloaded archive in the definition files folder of your GRIB API installation, i.e.:

> cd definitions
> gunzip grib_api_parameters-vX.tar.gz
> tar xf grib_api_parameters-vX.tar

This process will overwrite any changes you might have done to the parameter files, so please do make a backup of the definition files folder before installing the downloaded GRIB API parameter files.

Definition files installation

The following instructions are valid only if you have already installed GRIB API and you need to update the definition files compatible with the same library version you have already installed. Please note that using the definition files with a version of the library different from the one indicated as compatible will cause some problems in decoding/encoding.

1. Download GRIB API definition files from ECMWF web site.
2. Unpack distribution:

   > gunzip grib_def-X.X.X.X.tar.gz
   > tar xf grib_def-X.X.X.X.tar

3. Run the installation script from the grib_def-X.X.X.X directory:

   ./installDefinitions.sh grib_api_dir def_files_dir

   where grib_api_dir is the path to a working installation of GRIB API and def_files_dir is the directory where you want to install the new version of the defintion files.