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The netcdf-java library does indeed ignore that rule. We should revisit the manual and clarify things i guess. On Wed, Apr 15, 2015 at 9:33 AM, Russ Rew <russ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hi Phil, > > I think that's a misinterpretation of the Users Guide attribute > conventions. Under the description for _FillValue, the Guide states: > > The fill value ... is normally outside the valid range and therefore > treated as missing when read by generic applications. It is legal (but not > recommended) for the fill value to be within the valid range. > > > The last sentence implies that the valid range is not determined by the > _Fill_Value. > > I think it's intended that the rule about _Fill_Value under the > description for valid_range only applies in case none of valid_min, > valid_max, or valid_range are specified, so it wouldn't apply to your > example: > > If neither valid_min, valid_max nor valid_range is defined then generic > applications should define a valid range as follows. ... > > > However, I suspect that the rule is confusing enough that writers of > generic clients might just ignore it, even in that case. > > --Russ > > On Wed, Apr 15, 2015 at 8:55 AM, Bentley, Philip < > philip.bentley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >> Hi folks, >> >> I was hoping someone can clarify for me the correct use of the valid_min, >> valid_max and valid_range attributes by *well-behaved* netCDF clients. >> >> Given the netCDF file shown below (in CDL form), and considering the >> rules for handling the aforementioned attributes, as defined in Appendix A >> of the NetCDF user guide (see >> http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf/docs/attribute_conventions.html), >> I *think* I'd expect conforming netCDF clients to represent the data for >> each of the variables var1..var3 as an array with values (_, -272, 0, 100, >> 9999, _), where _ signifies missing data values. >> >> --- >> netcdf mditest { >> >> dimensions: >> dim1 = 6; >> >> variables: >> float var1(dim1); >> var1:long_name = "var1"; >> var1:units = "1"; >> var1:valid_min = -273.0f; >> var1:valid_max = 1.0e5f; >> >> float var2(dim1); >> var2:long_name = "var2"; >> var2:units = "1"; >> var2:valid_min = -273.0f; >> var2:_FillValue = 1.0e5f; // constrains valid_max >> >> float var3(dim1); >> var3:long_name = "var3"; >> var3:units = "1"; >> var3:_FillValue = -273.0f; // constrains valid_min >> var3:valid_max = 1.0e5f; >> >> // global attributes >> :Conventions = "CF-1.0"; >> >> data: >> var1 = -300, -272, 0, 100, 9999, 1e6 ; >> var2 = -300, -272, 0, 100, 9999, 1e6 ; >> var3 = -300, -272, 0, 100, 9999, 1e6 ; >> } >> --- >> >> However, having tried several different netCDF clients - some C, some >> Java, some Python - none of them appear to adhere consistently to the >> aforementioned rules for handling the valid min/max/range attributes. The >> python-based clients, in particular, only seem to honour the _FillValue >> attribute, reflecting, I believe, the current behaviour of the >> netcdf4-python module. >> >> Am I perhaps misinterpreting the nc attribute-handling conventions? >> >> Regards, >> >> -- >> Phil Bentley PhD, Climate Science IT Apps Group >> Met Office Hadley Centre, FitzRoy Road, Exeter, EX1 3PB, United Kingdom >> Tel: +44 (0)1392 886881 >> Email: philip.bentley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Web: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> netcdfgroup mailing list >> netcdfgroup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >> For list information or to unsubscribe, visit: >> http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/mailing_lists/ >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > netcdfgroup mailing list > netcdfgroup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > For list information or to unsubscribe, visit: > http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/mailing_lists/ >
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