Tables
======

Tables are essential for writing and reading BUFR messages. Each BUFR has
references to a specific version of a set of tables. They contain information
how to read the data described within the BUFR.

Download a TDCF table archive:

- zip-files (``bufrtables_*.zip``) in this project.
- eg. from `ECMWF eccodes <https://software.ecmwf.int/wiki/display/ECC/ecCodes+Home>`_.
- DWD's `OpenData server <https://opendata.dwd.de/weather/lib/bufr/>`_.
- Or other sources.

If the files ``operator.table`` and/or ``datacat.table`` are not present in the
table directory, there are standard ones in this project's root.
These files are not required for decoding, but optional for human-readable output.

Either set environment variable ``$BUFR_TABLES`` to the base directory, where
the table archives were extracted into, or provide this path to the Bufr
constructor, resp. at command-line.