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NetCDF User's Guide

An Interface for Data Access

Version 2.4

February 1996

• 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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