cf-tools-training

Training material on the CF Data Tools cf-python & cf-plot.

🏁 Go here for the new course (i.e. the new_course directory here)

Note: this repository was previously called 'cf-training' but was renamed to avoid any potential for confusion or name clashing issues with the new repository for training resources relating to the CF Conventions directly, 'cf-convention/cf-training'. (Any URL links to the old name should redirect automatically.)

These are practical materials used for NCAS training workshops, but they are self-contained and permanently available so are also suitable for outside (private) study (in which case see the Setup section below for guidance on setting up the required environment to run the software and the Notebooks).

The format of the courses is a series of Jupyter (formerly known as IPython) Notebooks.

Format and structure

🏁 The latest course (2024+) is contained under the directory new_course and this is the training that should be used now. View the new_course and it's README document, which documents this new training, here.

For purposes of archival, old courses are also stored here under directories named deprecated_*_course, though these should not be used for training as they can't be guaranteed to work under newer versions of the libraries.

Prerequisites

Both libraries are Python-based but don't require any previous Python knowledge to use.

Setup

Environment setup

If you wish to work through these materials in your own time, you will need to set up the following to install cf-python and cf-plot and to run the Jupyter Notebooks on a machine of your choice:

1. Install cf-python and cf-plot with all dependencies: see the installation instructions here which covers the installation of both libraries. Note you will need some of the listed optional dependencies for certain parts of the course e.g. for the regridding component.
2. Install the Jupyter Notebook software if you do not have it already. There are instructions on how to do so on the Jupyter site.

Downloading and working through the course

When you have completed the above, copy this repository to your machine either by downloading the tarball from the GitHub User Interface or by running git clone, e.g:

$ git clone https://github.com/NCAS-CMS/cf-tools-training.git

then navigate to the notebooks directory of the relevant course and start up the notebook server there, e.g:

$ cd full_course/notebooks/
$ jupyter notebook &

This will open a listing of the Notebooks available in the browser. You will be able to open & run the Notebooks at your own pace.