This archive contains answers to questions sent to Unidata support through mid-2025. Note that the archive is no longer being updated. We provide the archive for reference; many of the answers presented here remain technically correct, even if somewhat outdated. For the most up-to-date information on the use of NSF Unidata software and data services, please consult the Software Documentation first.
> An SCD user asked if we had the h4toh5 > conversion routine. We don't support > HDF5 yet (NCL does do some data conversions, > but uses HDF4). > > You had mentioned merging HDF and netCDF. > Will it include HDF routines such as h4toh5, > and if so, when would that merged product > be available? The short answer is no, h4toh5 is a tool available only with the HDF5 distribution. The HDF5 binary and source distributions come with a tools/ directory containing HDF5 utilities like h4toh5. NetCDF and HDF are only being "merged" in the sense that there will ultimately be a single software release that will support both HDF5 and netCDF library interfaces. It will be possible to ignore either interface and just use the other. But initially, you will have to get HDF5 and build it (or install a binary release), then get netCDF-4 and build it separately. Our version of netCDF-4 depends on code in the next HDF5 release (1.8), which won't be available in release form before September. However we will make a release available in August that uses an HDF5 1.8 beta release. --Russ