Re: netCDF file reader for GrADS?

> To: address@hidden
> Subject: Re: netCDF file reader for GrADS?

Hi Hoop,

> I thought I would update you on our conversation of this Subject: from early
> this year.  I've updated cdcncdump; the original version was so lame that
> it required the time variable to have the name "time".  It now checks for
> a unit attribute, and checks if the that attribute value is scannable by
> udunits, and, in addition, passes the utIsTime and utHasOrigin checks.  The
> first one so matching is used as the time coordinate.
> 
> Also, the SDF interface in GrADS will be undergoing a significant enhancement
> before the production release (which, BTW, will probably have a number
> beginning with 1.7 rather than 1.6).  Actually, it's a supplement, rather
> than an enhancement.  I've added a new interface, called XDF.  It reads
> a data descriptor file to supplement the internal metadata of an netCDF/
> HDF-SDS file.  As I've grown fond of saying lately, netCDF allows one to
> create Self-Describing Files, but does not require it.  So now, GrADS will
> soon be accepting eXternally-Describing Files.  I've successfully looked
> at EOSDIS HDF-SDS files with this technique.  In addition to being a
> mechanism for supplying missing (according to COARDS conventions) metadata,
> it can also be used to substitute alternative metadata.  Just thought you'd
> like to be kept informed....

Thanks for the information.  I'm adding this to our support replies, so
someone looking for information about a GrADS interface might be able to
find it.

--Russ

_____________________________________________________________________

Russ Rew                                         UCAR Unidata Program
address@hidden                     http://www.unidata.ucar.edu