Release Notes

CLASS Release 5.2

Release 5.2, released 1 October2009, has the following significant enhancements:

  • Enhanced the home page and the overall site look. We look forward to your comments and suggestions.
    • The new home page, still preserves the drop down menu where all types of data are available, but additionally, we have included at the right most section of the page a new list of data categories that can be expanded or contracted to facilitate finding a data type.
    • We have also included at the right most section of the page, just below the list of data categories a new search box. This search box will search the collection metadata and it is intended to help CLASS users to find the type of data that they are interested in. This new box is not intended to be used to search specific files.
  • We have made system enhancements to allow users to place larger orders (up to six months worth of data). This is restricted functionality and it will be enabled on case by case basis. If you need to have this functionality enabled, please send and email to class.help@noaa.gov describing the reason why you need this new functionality and how are you planning to use the data.
  • Users of MIRS data will notice two new search criteria
  • Subscribers will notice that the same spatial restrictions (an area cannot span more than 78 degrees of longitude) available for online orders will be now enforced for subscription orders.
  • Users accustomed to downloading data using the web server, will notice a new URL, this change will allow for faster delivery of the data and will reduce the load of the main web server.

CLASS Release 5.1

Release 5.1, released 7 April 2009, has the following significant enhancements:

  • Replaced the mapping tool. The new tool has various features that we expect CLASS users will appreciate. This tool will allow us to provide new capabilities in future releases. We look forward to your comments and suggestions.
  • Users of Jason data will now have the capability for selecting delivery of either Jason data, XML formatted metadata files or both. The default will be that both data and metadata are included when a user requests Jason data.
  • Users will receive notification emails, almost immediately upon placing an order. We have streamlined the start order process to improve response time.
  • We have improved our background processes to make data acquisition more reliable, flexible and extensible. As a user you will see less delays on making current data available.
  • Assorted bug fixes.

CLASS Release 5.0.2

CLASS Version 5.0.2, released 14 January 2009 offers encryption when logging on or changing your password. Encryption is provided by Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates. The CLASS certificates are self-signed. These certificates allow encryption but have not been verified by a third-party entity.

  • When accessing the secured portions of the web site, you may be prompted to accept or install the certificates. They may be permanently installed as trusted by your client browser, and warnings would thereafter be automatically bypassed.

CLASS Release 5.0

Release 5.0 released 10 October 2008, has the following significant enhancements for the consumer

  • New Order Now option in the search pages. This feature allows users to place orders with only two clicks. The number of items per order has been also relaxed allowing consumers to submit orders including a larger number of items. We expect that many users will significantly benefit from this improvement.
  • Enhancements to the new Product Search feature. The 'Data search' page has been enhanced to search the Platform, Instrument, Mission, Theme and Keywords fields from the FGDC metadata record. We encourage users to review and use this new feature and provide us with feedback. In future releases CLASS will continue enhancing this feature to facilitate data discovery.
  • Enhancements to the Order Query page allowing consumer easier identification of their status of their orders and better explanation of the different dissemination options
  • Enhancements to our Dissemination subsystem. Although many users will not see an immediate difference; this enhancement positions CLASS to offer additional dissemination services in the future. We encourage our users to provide feedback regarding what additional dissemination services would you like CLASS to implement.
  • Assorted bug fixes