Unfortunately, I don't really have an official "Getting Started" type document that I can point you to. However, if you want to get started using the IDL workbench, the following articles might be helpful: http://www.harrisgeospati...cleID/5295/5295.aspx http://www.harrisgeospati...cleID/5300/5300.aspx This articles are pretty old and the information is also available int he IDL Help (http://www.harrisgeospati...orkbenchGuide.html). However, I think these articles are still useful because the information is still accurate and in one place. As for the IDL language itself, I would start by studying the following documentation pages: -------------------------- Arrays and Data Types: -------------------------- http://www.harrisgeospati...creating_arrays.html https://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/IDL_Data_Types.html http://www.harrisgeospati...ubscript_ranges.html https://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/understanding_array_subs.html ---------------------- Function/Procedures/SAV files: ---------------------- http://www.harrisgeospati...l_program_types.html -------------------------- Visualizing Data -------------------------- Function Graphics (new): http://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/PLOT.html http://www.harrisgeospati...om/docs/SURFACE.html http://www.harrisgeospati...com/docs/PLOT3D.html http://www.harrisgeospati...ocs/scatterplot.html http://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/IMAGE.html Direct Graphics (old): http://www.harrisgeospati.../PLOT_Procedure.html http://www.harrisgeospati...RFACE_Procedure.html http://www.harrisgeospati...cs/TV_Procedure.html ------------------------- Reading and writing files ------------------------- http://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/OPEN.html http://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/READU.html http://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/READ.html http://www.harrisgeospati...com/docs/WRITEU.html http://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/PRINT.html http://www.harrisgeospati...m/docs/FREE_LUN.html http://www.harrisgeospati...docs/READ_IMAGE.html http://www.harrisgeospatial.com/docs/WRITE_PNG.html There are also many resources from IDL users around the web that are also very useful. I hope that this information helps. - David Harris GS