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Hi Garret, [Oops, that went out before I was done. Here's the complete version ...] John Caron wrote: > final Variable variable = > file.findVariable("/Chromosomes/Summary.StartIndex"); > > indicates a member variable "StartIndex" of the structure "Summary" > > Garret Wilson wrote: > > I'm not sure I'm following you. Are you saying that the Variable I am > > reading is a member of a Structure? (yes/no) Yes. Opening your dataset in the netCDF-Java ToolsUI [1] "NcDump" tab, I get the following netcdf 20130212_CN021_P3_222k_B02_WD7195FBPAT10231Nat_Nat_Std_CHTNWD_OP3_14.mip222k.oschp { ... group: Chromosomes { variables: Structure { byte Chromosome; :_Unsigned = "true"; int Display_&size; char Display(4); int StartIndex; :_Unsigned = "true"; int MarkerCount; :_Unsigned = "true"; float MinSignal; float MaxSignal; float MedianCnState; float HomFrequency; float HetFrequency; float Mosaicism; float LOH; float MedianSignal; } Summary(24); } ... } > > Are you saying that the API documentation "...this returns only the > > variable's data in the first Structure, so that the Array shape is the > > same as the Variable" applies to the Variable I am trying to read? (yes/no) Yes. Here's a snippet from the netCDF enhanced data model (aka Common Data Model) about Structures that I think is relevant: "A Structure is a type of Variable that contains other Variables, analogous to a struct in C, or a row in a relational database. In general, the data in a Structure are physically stored close together on disk, so that it is efficient to retrieve all of the data in a Structure at the same time. A Variable contained in a Structure is a member Variable, and can only be read in the context of its containing Structure. - http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf-java/CDM/ netCDF has two data models: 1) The netCDF-3 data model ("classic") is made up of files, dimensions, attributes, and variables where the variables were simple multi-dimensional arrays. 2) The netCDF-4 data model ("enhanced") extends the classic model with groups, user defined types including structures, and a few other things. Hope that helps explain how Structures fit into the data model netCDF-Java is working from and how that might affects the API. Ethan [1] netCDF-Java ToolsUI WebStart link: http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf-java/v4.3/webstart/netCDFtools.jnlp More info on netCDF-Java page: http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf-java/documentation.htm Ticket Details =================== Ticket ID: NRW-974703 Department: Support netCDF Java Priority: High Status: Closed