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Re: netCDF in HDF Explorer

>To: address@hidden
>From: Pedro Vicente <address@hidden>
>Subject: Re: 20040430: netCDF in HDF Explorer
>Organization: NCSA
>Keywords: 200404291852.i3TIqZtK008257 HDF HDF5 Explorer 

Hi Pedro,

> I maintain a software called HDF Explorer (displays hdf and hdf5), and
> I am interested in displaying netCDF data in it .
> 
> The several SDS datasets are displayed in HDF Explorer as folders in
> a hierarchical tree, its dimensions being sub-folders
> 
> Do you have any suggestion how netCDF objects should be showed ?  I
> did a brief review of the netCDF data model, and of the ncdump
> utility, and I was thinking of displaying the "variables" like the
> SDS's and the global dimensions as icons in the root
> 
> you can download HDF Explorer here
> http://www.space-research.pt/

The "ncbrowse" utility:

  http://www.epic.noaa.gov/java/ncBrowse/

has a way to display netcdf objects similar to what you are proposing:

  http://www.epic.noaa.gov/java/ncBrowse/screen-2_full.gif

providing a tree view of file contents, however dimensions are
displayed in variable folders, even when they are shared.  I think
this is OK, since netCDF has no non-shared variables, and it is easy
to understand a dimension in the context of one of the variables that
uses it.  Don Denbo has lots of users for ncbrowse, and has worked out
an easy-to-use and understand interface to the data model.

There are several other similar visualization packages for netCDF
data that provide similar functionality, such as ncview, Argos,
and Ferret.

Your HDF Explorer looks great.  If it could display netCDF objects, I
think you might have even more users from the netCDF community.

--Russ