I found that downloading IDV at https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/downloads/idv/current/index.jsp and not using Webstart resolved the startup errors I reported above and now I see the Map View. However, I'm still not able to get any data to render on the map. Would love help still!
@bbuchalter Thanks for registering and downloading. We like it when our users register because we have to report usage metrics back to our NSF sponsors. Are you able to load the catalog (the .xml not .html suffix for the catalog URI) in the IDV dashboard, Data Choosers tab, and see the NCML files available at that resource?
@julienchastang thanks for your reply. I don't believe I'm able to see the NCML files. I've put some screenshots together here in sequence: http://imgur.com/a/4oI3q#0
1. Add the catalog.xml in the Data Choosers
2. Select Image Collection in the Field Selector and click Create Display
3. The error I recieve when I click create display: "Unknown XML root:catalog"
4. The subsequent Image Collection screen which I'm not sure how to use.
Thank you again for continuing to engage with me on this.