MPLOT98v1.3 User manual

Appendix 2: HDF File and Dataset Attributes

HDF Global (file) and Local (datasets) attributes provide additional information about the file and the file contents. The predefined attributes can be used as a means of compatability with the NETCDF file interface.

Attributes can either be predefined or user defined. Predefined attributes are ones which are set by HDF itself wheras user defined attributes are created by the user. This appendix contains a list of attributes used in OCCAM archive files. To extract attribute information, the correct names must be used in the HDF interface routines along with the correct numerical data type of the attribute.

User defined attributes in OCCAM archive data files.

File Attributes

Name         Data Type (HDF)         Definitions         Default

FMODE        Integer(DFNT_INT32)     0:Modelled
                                     1:Observations         1                                                                             1:Observational      0

FTYPE        Integer(DFNT_INT32)     File Type
                                     1: Levitus             3
                                     2: Restart
                                     3: Snapshot

ROTATION     Integer(DFNT_INT32)     Rotation type          1
                                     1: Non-rotated
                                     2: Rotated

RESOLUTION   Integer(DFNT_INT32)     Resolution
                                     1:1/4 degree         None                                      

MASK_VALUES  Floating point          Four values used     Fill Value
                                     to define land,
                                     submerged land &
                                     ice.
                                                                                                                       
Dataset Attributes

LEVEL        Integer(DFNT_INT32)     Defines level of a   None
                                     2-D dataset.
                                     0 used for  a 
                                     surface field.

T_GRID       Integer(DFNT_INT32)     Model grid type
                                     1: t-point              1
                                     0: u/v point

SLABTYPE     Integer(DFNT_INT32)     Orientation of 2-D data.
                                                                         of data.
                                     0: East-west            2
                                     1: North-South
                                     2: Horizontal

SLABVALUE    floating_point          Co-ordinate value of a 
                                     a 2-D slice of data.