All of these are the same. The software goes by different names based on its usage. "FX-Connect" is most commonly used by users who want to use the system as a personal workstation to access meteorological data; "FX-Collaborate" describes a system that can be used to give remote weather briefings or to coordinate with remote users; while "FXC" is the generic name that describes the system regardless of its application.

FX-Net is a separate software development managed by GSD to provide a low cost solution to users who need access to AWIPS data but do not have the resources to purchase a full AWIPS system. FXC is an exploratory development to investigate various new workstation and engineering concepts that may help define future AWIPS enhancements.
 

The FXC server (only)  requires AWIPS software to be installed on the machine in order to generate some of the FXC displays. All version of AWIPS after OB3 are compatible with current releases of FXC. FXC clients are 100% Java and do not require any AWIPS code to run on Windows or Linux machine (Note: Due to a superior implementation of the Java VM on Windows, FXC appears to perform slightly better on Windows systems).

Yes. For several applications such as creating graphics for Web pages or preparing briefing slides, it is desirable to start a client and server on the same machine with a single icon. In this situation, only the FXC client is visible and the server is transparent to the user. To start FXC in this mode, execute the "BriefingTool" script instead of run-FXCollaborate in the FXC/fsl/linux directory. It may be desirable to enable the auto-connect feature using the management feature in the FXCinstall script.
 

Clients and servers should be on the same side of the AWIPS firewall. The FXC server requires access to the AWIPS database in order to create the real-time displays and, if it is inside the firewall can obtain this directly from the DS. Alternatively, if the server is outside the AWIPS firewall then a separate database should be created by splitting the SBN signal at the demodulator and decoding the data on a separate Linux box (some NWS sites have already done this to support outside users). Specific ports on the AWIPS firewall cannot be opened to permit TCP/IP communications between server and clients on different sides of the firewall. Currently, the firewall does not present a problem to FXC users who want to generate Web pages within the AWIPS firewall and send them to the NWS Regional Web servers. 
 

Yes. AWIPS workstations have sufficient memory and processing power to run D2D and FXC concurrently. However, it is always possible to interfere with D2D performance if the workstation is already running near capacity due to background applications.  Note: FXC was designed to capture the contents of the large D2D pane running on the same workstation for inclusion in briefings and manual product generation.
 

FXC 4.4.2B - It is possible to view contours of a single field (no verlays) by displaying the desired parameter on FXC and then selecting "Edit as Graphic" from the popup menu over the product legend. To change the color of the contours select all of the contours (depress and hold RIGHT mouse and draw a box over all contours) and then select the desired color from the popup menu. Make sure grouping is enabled (icon with three dots in a square). Other graphic annotations can be added.

FXC 4.4.2B - FXC has the ability to draw unique graphics on each frame and capture these in an animated GIF image. All of these graphics have to be on the same geographic scale unless all maps are turned off and an arbitray background image (e.g. topo) is manually loaded into each frame (data overlays will not work). The animation rate of the GIF can be reduced to allow each graphic to be viewed for a longer period of time by specifying the -Dfxc.loopdelay.multiplier in the run-FXCollaborate script (or clientServerSynch)

FXC provides a color table editor that can be used to create custom color tables (from the Menubar: Options > Color Table Editing > New... ). You will be asked to select an existing color table as a starting point for the new table. Refer to the User Guide for more detailed instructions.

It is also possible to incorporate an AWIPS color table by performing an ncdmp on the color table file and copying the textual data into FXC/fsl/support/MakeColor.java file, compiling, and executing it. The resulting file [name].lut can replace an existing one (or it can be added to the existing color table files) in FXC/fsl/data/color. This  provides a starting point for a user-defined color table.

The trick to creating crisp JPEG or PNG files is to avoid rescaling of the FXC display. The fuzziness or aliasing is caused by the rescaling (enlarging or reducing) of the image, not by the JPEG or PNG encoding. With version 4.0.0 the option to create a PNG file from a scaled background buffer (not the screen) was implemented to avoid the rescaling problem, but this can result in text not being displayed as desired. The background buffer works well for images that only have line annotations.

The java VM implementation for some linux desktops causes a detached toolbar to be restored in a very small window when FXC is restarted. Unfortunately, this cannot be corrected by the application. To make the toolbar usable again, right click on the small toolbar window and select "close". This will reattach the toolbar to the main window. It can then be detached and dragged to the desired location.

The FXCinstall script includes an option to change the default color table for an image. The color table can be an existing one or a user-defined one. FXC will use this new default from then on each time it is started.

There is no selector or menu item to change the drawing layer of existing objects. However, objects that are underneath other objects can be raised to the top. To raise an object to the top requires four steps:
1. Right click on object (e.g polygon) that is obscuring the object below it and select "Hollow" "Fill Style".
2. Right click on the object to be raised and select "Remove"
3. Select "undo" on the toolbar (this moves it to the top)
4. Right click on object (e.g polygon) that was obscuring the object below it and select appropriate "Fill Style".
(Note: Make sure object grouping is disabled)

There is no diect support for rotating text. However, it is possible to write text at an angle by using the "contour" object from the drawing tool pull-down menu. Draw a short straight line contour at the angle that you desire and label the contour. By clicking the right mouse button on the contour you can change the color of the short contour line to match the background. You can also change the font size by right clicking on the text label.

FXC provides 12 map overlay colors that the user can choose from by clicking the right mouse button over the map legend. The color of each map overlay can be changed from the FXC menu. Select "Options" > "Set Display Colors" > (click on desired map overlay) > "Change". This will let you change the name and color of the map overlay. FXC will record this in the fxc.state file and remember it the next time you start FXC. Note, that the "Option" menu also allows you to change the window background color and graphic overlay colors.

Maps can be added to the menu by using the FXCinstall script (after 6/12/07). In order for the script to create the maps (using the proper AWIPS scales) the machine must be able to run AWIPS D2D. Typically, the raw map data is available either directly from the AWIPS data base or provided by the user in the form of an ESRI shapefile.The FXCinstall script uses Option 9 (2) to create a map from the AWIPS data base and Option 9 (1) to create a map from the shapefile. The ability to create maps from shapefiles is limited and some files may not convert. The shapefile must be stored in /awips/fxa/data/localizationDataSets/LLL/userFile1.shp, -.shx, -.dbf.

To increase or decrease the number of color choices available for maps requires a minor modification to the code. It cannot be done by merely editing tables.

Requires FXC version 4.4.2 or later. Using ArcGIS, load the desired topography (or other) map to the screen with an area slightly larger than the one desired (e.g. WFO scale). Next, click with the right mouse button on "Layers", and then select "Data Frame Properties". In the dialog box enter the standard meridian and the two parallels (see: FXC/fsl/data/Localizationd.txt). After remapping the image "export" at the highest resolution as a GIF image file. The GIF image is then sectorized with gimp, or similar tool, using landmarks. Make sure the image is square (even if you need to distort it by a few pixels)!! Once the image is cropped and saved, use the FXCinstall script Management option 9 (3) (after 1/20/08) to add the map to the menu.