Re: netcdf4.0 alpha passes nco regression tests & benchmarks

• To: netcdfgroup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, support-dods@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, dods@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Charlie Zender" <zender@xxxxxxx>
• Subject: Re: netcdf4.0 alpha passes nco regression tests & benchmarks
• From: Ed Hartnett <ed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2005 11:37:24 -0600

"James Gallagher" <jgallagher@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

>
> Great news. What is the time frame for 4.0 beta?
>
> James

We have to wait for HDF5 to finish several features in their cvs
branch before we release netCDF-4 beta. Shortly after they release
these features in a development snapshot, we will release a beta. We
expect this to happen in November.

The issue has to do with netCDF-4 artifacts in the HDF5 file. Once
HDF5 1.8.0 comes out, then netCDF-4 will be able to write HDF5 files
with no special netCDF-4 artifacts. 

In other words, HDF5 1.8.0 will have all the features needed to
represent the netCDF-4 data model, and netCDF-4 HDF5 files will not
need any extra, hidden, metadata.

Until HDF5 has that capability, I can't create netCDF-4 files without
some extra metadata which the netCDF-4 library maintains in the
file. We don't want to support these metadata structures forever, so
we don't want anyone creating netCDF-4 files for "real world" use,
until we can eliminate these special artifacts.

For developers of netCDF-4, the thing to do is to download the next
alpha release, which I will put out (and announce) this month. That
alpha release will use very few netCDF-4 artifacts in the file, and
will be very close to the beta.

The alpha releases can be used to start programing for some of the new
features, like groups and compound types, but should not be used to
store any real data.

Thanks,

Ed



-- 
Ed Hartnett  -- ed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx