Re: [idvusers] Error opening AWIPS NetCDF grid

Matt-

Matthew Foster wrote:
I think a big part of the problem with AWIPS NetCDF is that AWIPS predates the CF convention by quite a bit (it looks like CF 1.0 came out in 2003) and even predates COARDS (1995?). There was probably some other convention around when AWIPS (WFO-Advanced) was under development, but I don't know what that would be.

Someone can correct me, but I believe that the AWIPS convention grew out of the NetCDF Users Working Group (NUWG) convention (http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf/NUWG/) and as Matt points out, predated the CF conventions. However, FSL (now GSD), modified that to work in their environment (AWIPS) and I think the merging of the various vertical dimensions was one of the modifications.

I could be mistaken in my timeline. Feel free to correct me if I have it wrong.

I think the take away message from this discussion should be to use a convention when writing your netCDF files and make sure that convention is documented so that data consumers (e.g. the IDV) can write readers for it. Unidata is actively involved in the development of the CF conventions and we suggest using that as a starting point. As Tom points out, we are in the process of working with SSEC and NCDC to develop a CF standard for storing satellite imagery. There is also a proposal for storing point observations.

The IDV/netCDF-Java teams have done a lot of work to support various conventions (and non-conventions) in these packages. We also are willing to work with data providers to help them conform to existing conventions.


Don
*************************************************************
Don Murray                               UCAR Unidata Program
dmurray@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                        P.O. Box 3000
(303) 497-8628                              Boulder, CO 80307
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/staff/donm
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