NetCDF User's Guide
An Interface for Data Access
Version 2.4
February 1996
Russ Rew, Glenn Davis, Steve Emmerson, and Harvey Davies
Unidata Program Center
Foreword
Summary
Introduction
The NetCDF Interface
NetCDF is Not a Database Management System
File Format
What about Performance?
Is NetCDF a Good Archive Format?
Creating Self-Describing Data conforming to Conventions
Background and Evolution of the NetCDF Interface
What's New Since the Previous Release?
Limitations of NetCDF
Future Plans for NetCDF
References
Components of a NetCDF File
The NetCDF Data Model
Naming Conventions
network Common Data Form Language (CDL)
Dimensions
Variables
Coordinate Variables
Attributes
Differences between Attributes and Variables
Data
NetCDF Data Types
Data Access
Forms of Data Access
An Example of Array-Section Access
More on General Array Section Access
Record-Oriented Access
Data Structures
Use of the NetCDF Library
Creating a NetCDF File
Reading a NetCDF File with Known Names
Reading a netCDF File with Unknown Names
Adding New Dimensions, Variables, Attributes
Error Handling
Compiling and Linking with the NetCDF Library
Files
NetCDF Library Interface Descriptions
Create a NetCDF file: nccreate and NCCRE
Open a NetCDF File for Access: ncopen and NCOPN
Put Open NetCDF File into Define Mode: ncredef and NCREDF
Leave Define Mode: ncendef and NCENDF
Close an Open NetCDF File: ncclose and NCCLOS
Inquire about an Open NetCDF File: ncinquire and NCINQ
Synchronize an Open NetCDF File to Disk: ncsync and NCSNC
Back Out of Recent Definitions: ncabort and NCABOR
Set Fill Mode for Writes: ncsetfill and NCSFIL
Dimensions
Create a Dimension: ncdimdef and NCDDEF
Get a Dimension ID from Its Name: ncdimid and NCDID
Inquire about a Dimension: ncdiminq and NCDINQ
Rename a Dimension: ncdimrename and NCDREN
Variables
Language Types Corresponding to NetCDF Data Types
Create a Variable: ncvardef and NCVDEF
Get a Variable ID from Its Name: ncvarid and NCVID
Get Information about a Variable from Its ID: ncvarinq and NCVINQ
Write a Single Data Value: ncvarput1, NCVPT1, and NCVP1C
Write an Array of Values: ncvarput and NCVPT(C)
Write a Subsampled Or Mapped Array of Values: ncvarputg, NCVPTG, and NCVPGC
Put a Record: ncrecput
Read a Single Data Value: ncvarget1, NCVGT1, and NCVG1C
Read an Array of Values: ncvarget and NCVGT(C)
Read a Subsampled Or Mapped Array of Values: ncvargetg, NCVGTG and NCVGGC
Get a Record: ncrecget
Reading and Writing Character String Values
C Interface
FORTRAN Interface
Fill Values
Rename a Variable: ncvarrename and NCVREN
Get Number of Bytes for a Data Type: nctypelen and NCTLEN
Get Information About Record Variables: ncrecinq
Attributes
Attribute Conventions
Create an Attribute: ncattput, NCAPT, and NCAPTC
Get Information about an Attribute: ncattinq and NCAINQ
Get Attribute's Values: ncattget and NCAGT(C)
Copy Attribute from One NetCDF to Another: ncattcopy and NCACPY
Get Name of Attribute from Its Number: ncattname and NCANAM
Rename an Attribute: ncattrename and NCAREN
Delete an Attribute: ncattdel and NCADEL
NetCDF File Structure and Performance
Parts of a NetCDF File
The XDR Layer
General XDR Considerations
UNICOS Optimization
NetCDF Utilities
CDL Syntax
CDL Data Types
CDL Notation for Data Constants
ncgen
Examples
ncdump
Examples
Answers to Some Frequently Asked Questions
What Is netCDF?
How do I get the netCDF software package?
Is there any access to netCDF information on the World Wide Web?
What has changed since the previous release?
Is there a mailing list for netCDF discussions and questions?
Who else uses netCDF?
What is the physical format for a netCDF files?
What does netCDF run on?
What other software is available for netCDF data?
What other formats are available for array-oriented data?
Why do netCDF calls just exit on errors instead of returning an error indicator?
How do I make a bug report?
How do I search through past problem reports?
How does the C++ interface differ from the C interface?
How does the FORTRAN interface differ from the C interface?
How does the Perl interface differ from the C interface?
Units
File Format Specification
The Format in Detail
Computing File Offsets
Examples
Summary of C Interface
Summary of FORTRAN Interface
Function and Variable Index
General Index
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