GLIMS Affiliates: This question pertains to the method of transferring data from Regional Centers to NSIDC. There's been some discussion about it on the glims_database list, but it needs a wider audience. I apologize to those who don't care about this level of detail. The GLIMS database is designed and implemented. We are close to having a good framework for transferring complex spatial data and metadata from Regional Centers to NSIDC. However, one final design issue needs to be resolved before we can start pouring glaciological data into the large empty container we've created here. THE QUESTION: Shall we use ESRI shapefiles for transferring all scalar data and metadata (dropping the Parameter Value Language (.pvl) file) and velocity vector data (dropping another text file (.vec) format) from RCs to NSIDC? For reference, see http://spot.colorado.edu/~braup/glims_database/data_transfer_specification.t... sections 2 and 3, and 7. We would still use a text file, in Endnote export format, for literature references. We'd like to have this decided soon, and we'd like to get feedback from more than the one person that suggested the idea in the first place. Without further feedback, we'll probably go with the shapefile solution, given that most RCs use GIS tools (see http://spot.colorado.edu/~braup/glims_algor/glims_sw_tool_survey.html), and the fact that we're using shapefiles already. Please cast your vote. (If it's not clear what this is all about, let me know.) Bruce -- Bruce Raup National Snow and Ice Data Center Phone: 303-492-8814 University of Colorado, 449 UCB Fax: 303-492-2468 Boulder, CO 80309-0449 braup@nsidc.org