Update BUFR Master Table Version number

[Dave Offiler]

The BUFR Master Table Version number is currently (and always has been) hard-coded as 12 - being the first version of the BUFR tables to include the approved GPSRO template (November 2005).

The value is defined on line 1520 (VerMasTable parameter) in subroutine EncodeBUFR in file ropp_io/tools/ropp2bufr.f90

Version 13 tables have been in use from November 2007, so this ought to be encoded into the GPSRO BUFR messages. This can be done by (a) changing the value from 12 to 13 explicitly, or (b) change the value from 12 to -99, an letting the BUFR library routine set the current default (v18.x, and updated with each release of the MetDB library).

As it is planned to port to to using the ECMWF BUFR library for ROPP-4, the implementation of this change should be reviewed with this new interfacing in mind for ROPP-4. Either approach would work for a minor update to ROPP-3 (MetDB BUFR library v18.x).

Since no harm is done by having somewhat older version numbers as long as the template hasn't changed, this is not a priority. Also, as there could be a new set of tables for 2009, it might be wise to wait until after November before any products are disseminated on the GTS (or whenever the MetDB BUFR tables are updated).

[Dave Offiler]

Value for VerMasTable in ropp2bufr changed from 12 to -99, meaning use the default value defined in the (MetBD) BUFR library, which is 13 in v18.2.

Committed as part of changeset [2222].

Two points to note:

1) A default (-99) may not be appropriate for the ECMWF BUFR library, so may need explicitly setting to 13 if the tool is ported to using this library.

2) Stan Kellett informs me that version 14 is expected to be published shortly, ready for new tables being used from November 2009. However, not all centres may have the new tables immediately, so while tempting to release ROPP-4 with '14', it may be better to wait until ROPP-5 to use the very latest version. It should be noted that unless something has changed in the BUFR template which would affect RO data, it is not necessary to change table version number just because a new table has been published.

Leaving this ticket open to revisit (1) for 4.0 and (2) for 5.0.

[Dave Offiler]

Advice from both Stan (MetDB team) and Milan (ECMWF) is that the Master Table Version needn't (and indeed shouldn't) be updated with each new version of the tables unless the data is directly affected by a changed Table B element or Table B sequence. Hence coding -99 to use the current default is not appropriate - nor is this supported for the ECMWF library. Hence the value should be fixed, and 13 seems an appropriate value, being the latest full set of tables (November 2007). (While Table A and several Common Code Tables - and therefore the TABLEA & CODEFIG files - have been updated at October/November 2008, the main Table B & D have are still at v13).

ropp2bufr.f90 changed to hard code value '13' (as part of changeset [2268] which also addressed related Section 1 values - See also Ticket #186.