ECOLE NATIONALE
DE LA METEOROLOGIE
42 avenue G. Coriolis
31057 TOULOUSE CEDEX, FRANCE


			    DIDACTICODE
		     COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING 
		    DEALING WITH THE 1993 VERSION 
			OF THE METAR CODE
			     06/02/93




INTRODUCTION :

	To make meteorological code learning easy, a software was developed 
	at the "Ecole Nationale de la Mtorologie", METEO-FRANCE. It aims 
	to teach the METAR code which is to be implemented on the 1st July 
	1993.
	This computed assisted learning (CAL) module is designed at first 
	for initial training. It may satisfy also other needs resulting from 
	the 1993 METAR change.
	This course will be distributed without cost in the french 
	meteorological services, to aeronautic users and in the foreign 
	national meteorological services through the World Meteorological 
	Organisation.



ENVIRONMENT REQUESTED FOR USE OF DIDACODE:

	- a personal computer (IBM or compatible, with MS/DOS operating 
	system) with a mouse (mandatory).
	-  a VGA screen (color screen preferably). There is no compatibility 
	with other graphic adaptors.
	- CALMETAR.EXE (english version: "Computer Assisted Learning") used 		either from the floppy disk or from the hard disk of 
	the computer.



LEARNING SESSION:

	Follow the guide in the course! Instructions are provided as and 
	when required.

	After a short presentation, you get to the heart of the matter with 
	the screen "METAR : Main Menu". Six chapters are proposed. The 
	transition from a chapter to the next one is automatic. If you start 
	at "Generalities", you can end up in "Exercises" without coming back 
	to the main menu. Otherwise, it is possible to bypass some chapters.

	Requests for actions with the mouse appear regularly on the screen. 
	If you ask for help in any exercise, the cursor moves automatically 
	to the correct answer without moving the mouse. You have to click 
	this correct answer before going on.



FLOPPY DISK CONTENT :

	You will find the four following files :
	CALMETAR.EXE : english version of the course,
	README       : present document,
	TAFMET1.NEW  : WordPerfect METAR/TAF code card



INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE :

    To start the course, type :
    CALMETAR + Return    (english version)



IN CASE OF PROBLEM :

	Some possible problems are listed below with their probable origin 
	and suggested solution:

	- impossible to read the floppy disk: check the operating system; 
	if it is not MS/DOS, work with another PC.

	- impossible to start the course:       
	if no mouse, install one and reinitialize the PC,
	if no mouse driver, add the instruction "DEVICE = MOUSE.SYS" in the 
	configuration file and reinitialize the PC.

	- interruption during a session: the available memory is not 
	sufficient. This sofware does not need much memory space and there 
	are probably other applications filling the memory (Windows, ...). 
	Close enough of them.

	- screen shows strange images (overlapping texts, traces remaining 
	after object displacements, ...): the graphic adaptor is probably 
	not VGA. Work with another PC.


								 GOOD LUCK

