			       Unidata netCDF
				Version 2.3.2
				 June 1993

The Unidata network Common Data Form (netCDF) is an interface for scientific
data access and a freely-distributed software library that provides an
implementation of the interface.  The netCDF library also defines a
machine-independent format for representing scientific data.  Together, the
interface, library, and format support the creation, access, and sharing of
scientific data.  The current netCDF software provides common C and FORTRAN
interfaces for applications and data.  It has been tested on various common
platforms, including several versions of UNIX, VMS, MSDOS, and OS/2.

NetCDF files are self-describing, network-transparent, directly accessible,
and extendible.  `Self-describing' means that a netCDF file includes
information about the data it contains.  `Network-transparent' means that a
netCDF file is represented in a form that can be accessed by computers with
different ways of storing integers, characters, and floating-point numbers.
`Direct-access' means that a small subset of a large dataset may be accessed
efficiently, without first reading through all the preceding data.
`Extendible' means that data can be appended to a netCDF dataset without
copying it or redefining its structure.

NetCDF is useful for supporting access to diverse kinds of scientific
data in heterogeneous networking environments and for writing application
software that does not depend on application-specific formats.  A variety
of analysis and display packages have been developed to analyze and
display data in netCDF form.

You can obtain a copy of the latest version of netCDF software using
anonymous FTP from

	host: unidata.ucar.edu
        file: pub/netcdf/netcdf.tar.Z

Included in this distribution are: the C source for the netCDF data
access library, sources for the FORTRAN jacket library for various
systems, documentation for the netCDF library and utilities in the form
of a netCDF User's Guide, source for the netCDF utilities ncdump and
ncgen, a directory of test programs to verify the correct implementation
of the netCDF library in new environments, and a directory of XDR
(eXternal Data Representation) source code for environments that do not
support XDR.

Other files available for anonymous FTP from the pub/netcdf/ directory of
unidata.ucar.edu include

 README                 general information about netCDF

 FAQ			Frequently Asked Questions (with answers) about
			netCDF.

 utilities.txt          a list of software packages currently available or
                        under development for manipulating and displaying
                        netCDF data

 guide.ps.Z             a compressed PostScript file of the NetCDF User's
                        Guide.  This is included in the netcdf.tar.Z
                        distribution, so you don't need both.

 ncprogs.ps             a draft PostScript document describing an initial
                        set of netCDF operator and utility programs under
			development
                        
 ncprogs.txt            an ASCII version of ncprogs.ps

 conventions.info       a draft document of some proposed netCDF conventions

 cdl/                   a directory containing some examples of CDL files
                        (an ASCII representation for netCDF files).

 msdos/                 a directory containing executables and binaries for
                        netCDF under MSDOS 5.0.  These can also be built
                        from the sources in netcdf.tar.Z, if you have the
                        necessary Microsoft compilers.

 mac/			a directory containing notes and Macintosh MPW
			makefiles for porting netCDF to an Apple Macintosh.
			These were contributed by Chuck Denham, U.S.
			Geological Survey.

Current netCDF plans include the design and implementation of a
C++ interface, implementation of netCDF operator and utility programs,
and transparent support for packed netCDF data.

A mailing list, netcdfgroup@unidata.ucar.edu, exists for discussion of
the netCDF interface and announcements about netCDF bugs, fixes, and
enhancements.  To subscribe, send a request to

        netcdfgroup-adm@unidata.ucar.edu

An archive of past postings to the netcdfgroup mailing list is available
for anonymous FTP from the file mail-archives/netcdfgroup of
unidata.ucar.edu.

A recent paper that provides a good introduction to the use of netCDF
appeared in

  Jenter, H. L. and R. P. Signell, 1992. "NetCDF: A Freely-Available
  Software-Solution to Data-Access Problems for Numerical Modelers".
  Proceedings of the American Society of Civil Engineers Conference on
  Estuarine and Coastal Modeling. Tampa, Florida.

This paper is available via anonymous FTP from

        host: crusty.er.usgs.gov
        file: pub/netcdf.asce.ps

Specific questions about netCDF that are not of interest to the
netcdfgroup mailing list may be sent to support@unidata.ucar.edu.
