RAOB FAQs:
General

Common Questions & Problems

Can I display sounding data for any height or level?
Yes. When viewing the plotted diagram, press the SpaceBar to display several options of alphanumeric data. The SUMMARY data screen is the default screen. Other data display options are available with Tabs. Click on the INTERVAL Tab (which then becomes the default data display screen). You now can display temperature and wind data for any pressure or height interval. Heights can also be displayed in either feet or meters and either MSL or AGL.
Why is the sounding's DTG Month & Year displayed incorrectly?
Note that this issue only applies to the use of standard WMO coded data (i.e., TTAA, TTBB, etc). By design, WMO coded data does not contain Month and Year data, and it only contains the soundings day and hour information. The month and year data can only be obtained from the datafiles creation date (i.e., when the data was saved to the user's computer system). RAOB can be configured to display the datafiles month and year information (i.e., the file's local creation date) by selecting the Add Month and Year to sounding title display, otherwise RAOB will only display the data's Day and Hour information. This option can be found on the RAOB Program Configuration Options page (F9), Tab 1, Diagram Options. You should disable this option if the datafiles creation month and year date no longer reflect the soundings ascent date.
Windows installation problem - on some systems.
Problem: Installation error message ...OLE_Obj Error for SPIN32.OCX ...
This problem sometimes happens with Windows systems. This problem can be fixed by entering the following system command for each error.
From the RUN option under the Windows START Button, run the following line (which may need to be done while logged in as "administrator") for each "OLE" error ... Regsvr32 c:\system32\SPIN32.OCX
If this does not work, then first unregister the DLL ... Regsvr32 /u c:\system32\SPIN32.OCX
Program Re-installation problem - on some systems.
Problem: RAOB will not run properly following a re-installation or installation of an upgraded program.
Solution: Be sure to use the Windows Uninstall procedure before the re-installation. If problem still exists, then first "uninstall" RAOB, and then manually delete the RAOB program subdirectory (for example: C:\RAOB52) in order to completely eliminate any residual program files which may have been created from the prior RAOB program.
Error 7 (Out of memory)
This sometimes happens when installing Microsoft products, such as Microsoft 365 or an upgrade to Office 2019.  The problem occurs when Microsoft deletes the mscomctl.ocx and/or comctl32.ocx files which RAOB uses.  The solution is to restore the mscomctl.ocx and/or comctl32.ocx files to this folder: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\.  Files can obtained from ERS or this link.
Error 70 (Path Write error)
This sometimes happens during the program upgrade and/or update process via the Internet when running the upgrade/update directly from the Internet. Instead, download the upgrade or update utility file to your PC and then run the upgrade/update utility.
Run-Time Error 75 (Administrator)
RAOB must be installed by someone with complete Administrative rights, or installed with the User Account Control (UAC) turned off. Follow the steps below to turn off the UAC.
  1. Open the Control Panel
  2. Type "user account" in the Search Box
  3. Select "Turn User Account Control (UAC) on or off."
  4. Uncheck the UAC box at bottom, then reboot.
Following program installation, you may experience a missing file problem. To correct this problem, follow the steps in the above FAQ, "Windows installation problem - on some systems", by changing the "SPIN32.OCX" filename to the filename indicated in the error message, such as "THREED32.OCX" for example. If you do not find the missing file on your system, you can find it on the RAOB installation CD under the "system32" folder.
Run-Time Error 75 (User)
Activate RAOB as an Administrator, then select Options, then select Program Options, and select the "System Configuration" tab. In the "Configuration Files" section, un-check the "RAOB creates..." option and then check the "Manually identify..." option, and then choose a path which has read/access for intended user(s).
Run-Time Error 91
The RAOB Desktop Shortcut icon has an error. To fix this, right-click on the Shortcut icon, click on the Properties option, then fill the "Start in" field with the location of the RAOB.EXE program file. For example: "C:\Program Files\RAOB56"

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Run-Time Error 339
This problem sometimes happens with Windows systems.
  1. Be sure that all users have full system rights to the RAOB program directory and sub-directories.
  2. From the RUN option under the Windows START Button, run the following line (which may need to be done while logged in as "administrator") ... Regsvr32 c:\system32\MSCOMCT 2.OCX
If this does not work, then first unregister the DLL ... Regsvr32 /u c:\system32\MSCOMCT2.OCX
Run-Time Error 380
This can be caused by having only True Type fonts enabled.
Goto Start - Settings - Control Panel - Fonts - Tools - Folder Options - and then select the True Type Fonts tab.
In this tab display is a check box entitled "Show only True Type fonts in the programs on my computer". Unchecking this solves the problem.
Run-Time Error 713
This is a new Windows Vista problem.
Solution: From the RUN option under the Windows START Button, run the following line (which may need to be done while logged in as "administrator") ... Regsvr32 c:\system32\MSSTDFMT.DLL
If this does not work, then first unregister the DLL ... Regsvr32 /u c:\system32\MSSTDFMT.DLL
Run-Time Error -2147024770 (8007007e)
This problem sometimes happens with Windows 2000 and XP systems. From the RUN option under the Windows START Button, run the following line (which may need to be done while logged in as "administrator") ... Regsvr32 dx7vb.dll
Menu Pop-Up Blocker Problem
When you have Windows XP SP2 installed and are testing the menu local on your computer with Internet Explorer the Internet Explorer pop-up blocker might be activated and block the menu. This does not happen on the internet or intranet. This has nothing to do with pop-ups but is caused by a default setting of Internet Explorer that disables scripting on local files. The menu is not a pop-up.
To change this setting in Internet Explorer choose Tools – Internet options and the tab Advanced. Under security enable "Allow active content to run in files on My Computer".
Startup Error (sometimes with 1706)
This problem happens when RAOB is first installed for a user that does not have full administrative rights, and the "other" program referenced in the "error" message has not yet been used by the user. The solution is to first activate the "other" program (which presets the system registry) which then eliminates program conflicts. This problem usually happens if the computer system contains Microsoft Office 2000 programs.
Data download problem
Automatic data download via the Internet can fail for 2 reasons...
  1. Your Internet service is down. Verify with your web browser.
  2. The URL is bad or the URL source has a problem. Verify by manually copying the URL into your web browser. You can find the Data URL from the Download Data panel's EDIT button.
12007: Name not resolved - MSInet error
This problem happens when your computer's Firewall prevents RAOB from accessing the Internet. You must unblock the RAOB program from your Firewall settings.
Is there a MAC version of RAOB?
No. We may offer one in the future.
As an alternative, if you own a Dual-Core MAC computer, you have the ability to partition your drive and install Microsoft Windows. From there, you can run RAOB. For more information, see Apple's site if you are running Leopard or try VMWare Fusion or Parallels to run Windows on other versions of MAC OS including Leopard.

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Grid Column reversal problem with DeCoded Data Editor.
This is a Microsoft problem with the GRID32.OCX file. The problem is due to an old OCX file with this bug. Do the following to correct this problem.
  1. Find the GRID32.OCX file on your system.
  2. Rename this GRID32.OCX something else (just in case you need to recover this file).
  3. Un-install your RAOB program - including manual removal of the entire RAOB program directory.
  4. Re-install RAOB from the distribution CD-ROM.
Why can't I use the CAPE button on the Analyses Toolbar?
RAOB's Analyses Toolbar CAPE button will only be enabled for those soundings that have the necessary thermodynamic properties which support CAPE. If the displayed sounding does not support CAPE, then the toolbar's CAPE button will be temporarily disabled and greyed out.
Why can't I use Zoom on the Tephigram diagram?
Since the Tephigram's coordinate system requires much more complex program code, the zoom feature is not currently available in RAOB. If Zoom is activated while using the Tephigram screen, RAOB automatically converts the diagram to the Emagram screen until the Zoom mode is ended.
Why does the Interactive Mode work so slow?
There are three main reasons. If none of these are the case, then please contact ERS for assistance.
  1. Your computer processor speed is relatively slow. You need at least 1,000 MHz of speed.
  2. You have many graphic analyses overlays displayed on the sounding diagram - remove some or all.
  3. Change your DCAPE processing option to the faster (and less accurate option) - press F9, then Tab 3.
Why does RAOB lock-up when trying to read NCDC TD63 data files?
There are characters in the datafile which RAOB cannot decode. You must load the datafile into a text editor and then save the file as a "text only" document.
Why does RAOB sometimes lock-up on some Windows 98?
Your windows environment probably does not have the "harrow.cur" cursor file. If you cannot find or locate it on your system, contact ERS.
Why does the UAC sometimes need to be turned off during initialization?
Most Vista and Windows-7 system will require that the computer's UAC (Use Account Control) be turned off for the initial run of RAOB during entry of the Continuation Code. The Continuation Code only needs to be entered once. After the initial run, the UAC can be turned back on. This requirement is not unique to RAOB, but is common with certain programs compiled from Visual Basic 6 (VB6). If you have complete administrative control of your computer you may not need to turn off the UAC. RAOB will display a message if the UAC needs to be turned off. This message will state the need for administrative authority. This message will only be displayed if RAOB fails its initialization test, which is only performed on the RAOB program folder (directory). This test establishes essential files and keys needed to properly management data files and configuration settings. Failure to complete this initialization process can result in abnormal data processing results, loss of configuration settings, and improper file management.  More information.
Why does the Help file not display?
First try activating RAOB by calling it directly from its program folder. If the Help file works, then the RAOB desktop icon needs to be deleted and re-created. If that does not work then try activating the RAOB.CHM Help file directly from the RAOB program folder and inform ERS of the results of your tests.
RAOB will not load when accessed from desktop icon.
After installation, RAOB may not load when accessed from the desktop icon and the hourglass may appear stuck. This can be caused by some antivirus programs (such as AVAST) or other free software packages.
Norton's 'Data Protector' blocks RAOB installation.
The Norton security software can prevent RAOB installation. If its 'Data Protector' flags an installation file, just add subject file to the Norton 'Exclusion List' and allow the installation to continue.
Norton Ordianl Error 582 blocks RAOB installation.
The Norton security software sometimes prevents RAOB installation depending on software configuration options. Just identify RAOB as an exception. The RAOB Program development systems always use Norton software.
VIS32X.EXE error. The application was unable to start correctly (0xo0000022).
Primary problem is that the installer does not have the permissions it needs to start the installation. Use this NeoSmart source for additional technical information.
Administrator privileges access on Windows 10.
If you are unable to obtain full Administrator privileges, use the Task Manager function.

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