ATSC 212
Earth & Atmospheric Science Intro Computing Lab

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 Discussion Board.

Access the Vista Discussion board here .   This is where you can post questions and can answer questions from other students.  Log onto this Vista site using your Campus Wide Login (CWL).

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 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), organized by topic.

Using my own laptop in the computer lab

Q: What software do I need on my laptop to do all the lab work.
A: You need KompoZer, FileZilla, and NX Client, in addition to any normal web browser.  The Resources  page has links to all these free programs.

Q: The web-server computer "eidolon" does not allow me to upload my files to it.
A: For security reasons, eidolon accepts access from only known local UBC users (such as the computers built into the lab).  However, if you are using your own laptop, you can make it act like a local UBC user by creating a Virtual Private Network (VPN) between your computer and UBC, which uses encryption to protect your connection.  Some of you might already have a VPN set up so that you can access the UBC library.  If not, UBC IT Services has a VPN web site that tells you how to set up your VPN.  

Web / KompoZer:

Q: When I try to upload my web pages using FileZilla, the remote computer (eidolon) doesn't allow it.
A: If you are trying this from your own laptop or personal computer, see the Q & A just above.

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UNIX/LINUX:

Q: I want to log into the eidolon linux box remotely from home/dorm/cybercafe, but it won't let me.  What can I do?
A: To be able to log into eidolon when you are off campus, set up a VPN, a service provided for free by the UBC IT Services.  

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emacs:

Q: When I try to use my Macintosh as a terminal to the remote linux computer, emacs doesn't work/look right.
A: Since emacs assumes you have a graphical display, you need to do two things.  First, on your Mac, use the X11 program, not the terminal program.  If you can't find the X11 program on your hard disk, you can probably find it on the System CD that came with your Mac or your operating system.
Second, when you ssh to the remote linux box, you need to include the -X option.  For example, type the following in the command line in your X11 window:   

ssh  -X  YourUserID@AddressOfRemoteLinuxBox

Q: Can I run emacs directly on my Macintosh, instead of using it as a terminal to a remote box running emacs.
A: Yes.  There is a GNU Emacs that is available for the Mac.  One version of it is called Aquamacs (you can Google it to find the download site).  

 Q: If I use Emacs on my Mac to write some FORTRAN or other code, how do I get the resulting file from my Mac to the remote linux box.
A: A user-friendly program to do ftp that I like is called CyberDuck (Google it).  Once you have downloaded and installed  Cyberduck on your Mac, then run it, use it to log into the remote linux box, and then drag any files from your Mac window into the Cyberduck window (drag and drop).  

FORTRAN:

Q: My dry adiabats don't have the right slope.  They are too horizontal.
A: Perhaps, for the x-axis, you accidently plotted temperature T, instead of getting the x-coordinate for temperature by using the xst function.  

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PERL:

Q: I keep getting a "syntax error" and can't find the problem.
A: Be sure that you have a semicolon (;) at the end of each statement.  Also, check that all your parentheses match: (), [], <>, {}.

Q: Although the program should print some output in the first lines of the script before it gets to an error later on, nothing appears to print.
A: Although PERL is an interpreter, it first scans ALL of your script a few times, checking for syntax errors, and other errors.  If it finds any of these errors, even later in your program, then your program won't run at all.

Q: My file should produce some output, but it doesn't appear on the screen.  Why?
A: Perhaps your output is being written to a file, instead of to the screen.  If it is written to a file, you can view the contents of that output file by using CAT in unix, or by opening the file using the VI or EMACS text editors.

Q: I can't get the Linux date command to work from inside Perl.
A: Inside Perl, Linux commands must be surrounded by accent marks, not single quotes.  Namely, it should be `date` , not 'date' .   You can usually find the accent mark just above the tab key.

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MySQL:

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Misc:

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Copyright © 2011 by Roland Stull and George Hicks II

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