[CF-metadata] global attribute interpretation

From: Hedley, Mark <mark.hedley>
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2013 13:06:37 +0000

I would appreciate community views on the interpretation of global attributes from a NetCDF file.

Scenario:
  - My file has multiple data variables and a list of global attributes.
  - I am loading one data variable and the associated information from one file.

Question:
  - The global attributes apply to the file. In general, do they apply to each data variable within the file?

To properly describe my data variable should I fetch the globals and assign them to my 'in memory' representation of my data variable?

The global attributes 'history', 'conventions' and 'title' are described by CF differently to other globals: applying to the file but not valid data variable attributes;
  - Should my loaded data variable be aware of these attributes?

thank you
mark
Received on Mon Mar 04 2013 - 06:06:37 GMT