20031203: How to create an array of string?

David,

>Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2003 12:12:32 -0500
>From: David Han <address@hidden>
>Organization: NASA
>To: Steve Emmerson <address@hidden>
>Subject: Re: 20031203: How to create an array of string?

The above message contained the following:

> I tried exactly what you suggested below prior to sending my 
> question, but it didn't work.  Can you send a little snippet of code 
> that creates a variable, writes and reads an array of string.  Thanks.

You can do that yourself using the ncgen(1) utility and the "test.cdl"
file from my previous email:

    $ ncgen -c test.cdl
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <stdlib.h>
    #include <netcdf.h>

    void
    check_err(const int stat, const int line, const char *file) {
        if (stat != NC_NOERR) {
               (void) fprintf(stderr, "line %d of %s: %s\n", line, file, 
nc_strerror(stat));
            exit(1);
        }
    }

    int
    main() {                    /* create test.nc */

       int  ncid;                       /* netCDF id */

       /* dimension ids */
       int len_dim;
       int n1_dim;

       /* dimension lengths */
       size_t len_len = 15;
       size_t n1_len = 2;

       /* variable ids */
       int strings_id;

       /* rank (number of dimensions) for each variable */
    #  define RANK_strings 2

       /* variable shapes */
       int strings_dims[RANK_strings];

       /* enter define mode */
       int stat = nc_create("test.nc", NC_CLOBBER, &ncid);
       check_err(stat,__LINE__,__FILE__);

       /* define dimensions */
       stat = nc_def_dim(ncid, "len", len_len, &len_dim);
       check_err(stat,__LINE__,__FILE__);
       stat = nc_def_dim(ncid, "n1", n1_len, &n1_dim);
       check_err(stat,__LINE__,__FILE__);

       /* define variables */

       strings_dims[0] = n1_dim;
       strings_dims[1] = len_dim;
       stat = nc_def_var(ncid, "strings", NC_CHAR, RANK_strings, strings_dims, 
&strings_id);
       check_err(stat,__LINE__,__FILE__);

       /* leave define mode */
       stat = nc_enddef (ncid);
       check_err(stat,__LINE__,__FILE__);

       {                        /* store strings */
        static char strings[] = {"a string\000\000\000\000\000\000\000another 
string\000"};
        stat = nc_put_var_text(ncid, strings_id, strings);
        check_err(stat,__LINE__,__FILE__);
       }
       stat = nc_close(ncid);
       check_err(stat,__LINE__,__FILE__);
       return 0;
    }

Regards,
Steve Emmerson