Workflows

CruisePlan has 11 subcommands. Most users need only a handful:

Command

Purpose

Output

bathymetry

Download depth data (one-time setup)

NetCDF files in data/bathymetry/

stations

Interactive station placement on a map

data/stations.yaml

process

Enrich YAML: add depths, validate, generate map

*_enriched.yaml + PNG map

schedule

Generate timeline and output files

HTML, NetCDF, CSV, LaTeX, KML

run

process + schedule in one step

All of the above

map

Generate a map without scheduling

PNG map

enrich

Add depths and coordinates only

*_enriched.yaml

validate

Check configuration only

Validation report

forecast

Generate a real-time workplan from a schedule

Waypoints file or LaTeX table

list

List operations in a schedule file

Terminal output

pangaea

Search PANGAEA for historical station data

Pickle file + map

Note

cruiseplan run is the recommended starting point for most workflows — it chains process and schedule in a single enrichment pass. Use process and schedule separately only when you need to inspect or edit the enriched YAML between steps.

Note

The 11-subcommand structure is under review. A future version may consolidate these into fewer commands with options to select specific outputs.

Three Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Basic Planning

Best for: Simple cruises, first-time users

cruiseplan bathymetry
cruiseplan stations --lat 50 60 --lon -40 -20
cruiseplan process data/stations.yaml
cruiseplan schedule data/{cruise_name}_enriched.yaml

Workflow 2: With Historical Data

Best for: Revisiting survey areas, comparative studies

# Search for historical stations
cruiseplan pangaea "CTD" --lat 50 60 --lon -40 -20 --output historic

# Plan with historical context
cruiseplan stations -p data/historic_stations.pkl --lat 50 60 --lon -40 -20
cruiseplan process data/historic_stations.yaml
cruiseplan schedule data/{cruise_name}_enriched.yaml

Workflow 3: Manual Control

Best for: Complex cruises, custom requirements

cruiseplan stations --lat 50 60 --lon -40 -20

# Edit YAML manually to add custom operations, timing, etc.
# nano data/{cruise_name}_stations.yaml

cruiseplan enrich data/{cruise_name}_stations.yaml      # Add depths
cruiseplan validate data/{cruise_name}_enriched.yaml    # Check config
cruiseplan map data/{cruise_name}_enriched.yaml         # Preview map
cruiseplan schedule data/{cruise_name}_enriched.yaml    # Generate outputs

Interactive Station Picker

When you run cruiseplan stations, an interactive map opens:

  • p: Place point stations (CTD, moorings)

  • l: Draw line transects

  • a: Define area surveys

  • u: Undo last action

  • y: Save and exit

  • Escape: Exit without saving

Tips

  1. Start small: Begin with a few stations to test the workflow

  2. Check outputs: Always review the generated map before final scheduling

  3. Iterative: You can re-run process and schedule as needed

  4. Backup: Save your YAML files - they contain all your planning work

For detailed command options, see CLI Commands.