A CDF object with which entries of metadata are associated.
The byte ordering in which the most significant byte (MSB) is stored in the lowest memory location.
The method used by the CDF library to improve performance when accessing a file. An attempt is made to keep commonly accessed blocks of the file in memory rather than repeatedly reading them from disk.
This term is used in more than one way...
The directory of software consisting of the CDF library, include files, and toolkit.
The software library that is used to access a CDF.
A set of utility programs which ease the creation, modification, and verification of CDFs.
A completion status code indicating unqualified success.
An include file used in C applications.
An include file used in Fortran applications.
An include file used in Microsoft Fortran applications.
The variable majority where the first index of a multidimensional array of values increments the fastest.
The way that values along a dimension having a variance of NOVARY are made to appear as if they do actually exist (only one value is actually physically stored). This also applies to records beyond the last record actually stored. The conceptual view of a variable consists of ``virtual'' records and values (in addition to the physical records and values actually stored).
When the Internal Interface is used, current objects/states are those items affected when an operation is performed. For example, a current CDF is selected and then any operation performed involving a CDF is performed on that CDF (until a different current CDF is selected).
For a variable or attribute entry the data type and number of elements of that data.
For a variable or attribute entry, the type of data being stored (e.g., integer, floating-point, character).
The integer/floating-point representation of data values passed to an application by the CDF library as they are read from a CDF. This is independent of the way the data values are physically stored in the CDF.
The number of dimensions and the dimension sizes for the rVariables or a zVariable.
The integer/floating-point representation of the data values physically stored in a CDF.
A CDF object in which metadata is stored. An entry is associated with an attribute.
A variable of the NSSDC Standard used to store ``time'' values. The CDF_EPOCH data type is used with this variable.
A status code indicating that a fatal condition was encountered. The operation was aborted.
The number of records actually allocated for a variable in a single-file CDF when a new record is written. More records may be allocated than are actually needed in order to keep a variable's records as contiguous as possible (with the assumption that the records will eventually be written by an application).
In reference to a CDF, the way in which files are used to store the CDF's control/data/metadata. This may be single-file or multi-file.
A variable record consisting of values exactly as physically stored in the CDF.
A global scoped attribute.
An entry for a gAttribute.
Global scope indicates that an attribute describes some property of the entire CDF.
The decoding of the computer currently being used.
The encoding of the computer currently being used.
A variable access method in which multiple records/values are read/written for a variable.
A set of functions callable from within IDL (Interactive Data Language) that allow access to CDFs. The CDF distribution contains an IDL interface in addition to the CDF interface built into IDL by Research Systems, Inc. (RSI --- the distributors of IDL).
The floating-point representation of XDR.
A file, included by a C or Fortran application, that contains constants recognized by the CDF library pertaining to various aspects of CDF objects/states.
The method used in a single-file CDF to keep track of where each variable's records are located.
A status code indicating success but providing some additional information that may be of interest.
A set of routines in the CDF library callable from C and Fortran applications that provide all types of access to CDFs.
When the Internal Interface is used, an object or state on which an operation is performed.
The CDF library on UNIX systems.
The CDF library on MS-DOS systems.
The CDF library on VMS and OpenVMS systems.
The byte ordering in which the least significant byte (LSB) is stored in the lowest memory location.
The order in which the values of a multidimensional array are stored. This may be either row-major or column-major.
The property of a variable that specifies whether or not that variable's values increment or decrement (or neither) along a dimension or from record to record.
A CDF format. Multi-file CDFs consist of one file for control/metadata and one file per variable of data.
A variable access method in which one full-physical record is read/written for each of one or more variables.
The encoding that uses the XDR representation.
A record/dimension variance indicating that the values do not change from record to record or along a dimension.
Non-record variant variable. A variable whose values do not change from record to record (a record variance of NOVARY).
National Space Science Data Center.
A set of guidelines for creating a CDF containing attributes expected by NSSDC tools.
For a variable the number of instances of the data type at each value. For an attribute entry the number of instances of the data type for that entry.
When the Internal Interface is used, an item that exists and may be accessed/manipulated (e.g., a CDF or variable).
When the Internal Interface is used, an action performed on an item (e.g., creating or writing).
A value written to a variable by the CDF library in those cases where a physical record must be written but not all of its values have been specified by an application. For example, when a single value is written to a new record, all of the other values are written using the pad value.
A variable record actually stored in a CDF.
A variable value actually stored in a CDF.
A mode of the CDF library in which modifications to a CDF are not allowed.
An entry for a vAttribute corresponding to an rVariable.
The variable majority where the last index of a multidimensional array of values increments the fastest.
Record variant variable. A variable whose values change from record to record (a record variance of VARY).
``R'' variable. A CDF object in which data values are stored. All rVariables have the same dimensionality.
The intended use for an attribute. This may be global scope or variable scope.
A variable access method in which values are read/written in the physical order in which they are stored in the CDF.
A CDF format. Single-file CDFs are entirely contained within one file.
A variable access method in which exactly one value is read/written for a variable.
A CDF consisting of only control, metadata (attributes and attribute entries), and NRV variable values.
A text file containing the control, metadata, and NRV variable values of a skeleton CDF. A skeleton table is read by the SkeletonCDF toolkit program, which then creates the corresponding skeleton CDF. The SkeletonTable toolkit program can be used to create a skeleton table from a CDF.
A set of routines in the CDF library callable from C and Fortran applications that provide access to a commonly used subset of the capabilities of the Internal Interface. This interface was defined with the release of CDF V2.0 and has not changed since. New features since that time are available only through the Internal Interface (e.g., zVariables and zMode).
When the Internal Interface is used, a property pertaining to an object (e.g., a CDF's format or variable's data specification).
The result of a CDF function/subroutine call. CDF_OK indicates unqualified success.
A function/subroutine that acts upon a status code received from the CDF library.
Variable scope indicates that an attribute describes some property of each variable.
The property of a variable that specifies whether or not its values change from record to record.
The property of a variable that specifies whether or not the values along a dimension change or stay the same.
A record/dimension variance indicating that the values change from record to record or along a dimension.
A variable scoped attribute.
A variable record that is not actually stored in a CDF but does appear in the conceptual view of the CDF. Virtual records would be those records beyond the first record of an NRV variable and those records beyond the last record actually written to an RV variable.
A variable value this is not actually stored in a CDF but does appear in the conceptual view of the CDF. Virtual values would be those values beyond the first value of a dimension whose variance is NOVARY.
A status code indicating that the operation did complete but probably not as expected.
External Data Representation. An integer/floating-point representation using big-endian byte ordering and the IEEE 754 floating-point representation.
An entry for a vAttribute corresponding to a zVariable.
A mode of the CDF library in which rVariables are made to appear as zVariables (and rEntries appear as zEntries).
``Z'' variable. A CDF object in which data values are stored. zVariables can have dimensionalities that are different than those of the rVariables (and each other).
[
-0.0 to 0.0 mode, 30
allocated records, 45
assumed scope, 57
attributes, 11, 56
creating, 56
deleting, 57
entries, 11, 57
accessing, 58
data specification, 58
data type, 58
number of elements, 58
deleting, 58
gEntries, 11, 58
numbering, 58
rEntries, 11, 57
zEntries, 11, 57
gAttributes, 11, 57
naming, 41, 56
case sensitivity, 56
trailing blanks, 56
numbering, 56, 67
assigning, 56
scopes, 57
assumed, 57
converting, 57
correcting, 57
occurring, 57
global, 57
purpose, 57
restrictions, 57
variable, 57
vAttributes, 11, 57
big-endian, 37
caching scheme, files, 31
CATDESC attribute, 60
CDF
defined, 1
CDF distribution, 81
CDF library, 2, 27
caching scheme, 31
selecting, 68, 73, 77, 85, 92, 98, 103
interfaces, 13, 27
limits, 31
open CDFs, 31
modes, 29
-0.0 to 0.0, 30
decoding, 38
performance considerations, 39
read-only, 29, 101
zMode, 29, 67, 73, 77, 84, 102
example, 29
selecting, 30
zMode/1, 29
zMode/2, 29
CDF toolkit, 12, 61
command line syntax, 61
default settings, 62--63
executable names, 62, 66, 70, 80, 82, 87
Macintosh user interface, 62
CDF_ATTR_NAME_LEN, 56
CDF_EPOCH, 40
CDF_error, 135
CDF_VAR_NAME_LEN, 43
CDFbrowse, 89
CDFcompare, 65
executing, 65
output, 69
CDFconvert, 35, 38, 69
executing, 69
output, 74
CDFdir, 64
executing, 64
output, 65
CDFedit, 101
executing, 101
interaction with, 104
window types, 104
CDFerror, 135
CDFinquire, 80
executing, 80
output, 81
CDFlist, 90
executing, 90
interaction with, 93
CDFs
accessing, 29, 32
browsing, 101
closing, 33
comparing, 65
converting, 69
copyright notice, 0
creating, 32
deleting, 33, 72, 88
encoding, 5, 35
changing, 35, 69
equivalent, 36
host, 36
network, 36
performance considerations, 38
files
directory listing, 64
extensions, 34
filtering, 90
format, 2, 34
changing, 34, 69
default, 34
multi-file, 34
performance considerations, 35
single-file, 34
inquiring, 82
limits, 41
listing, 90
modifying, 29, 76--77, 101
naming, 33, 41, 88
trailing blanks, 33
wildcards, 61
opening, 32
skeleton, 71
statistics for, 74
subsetting, 90
updating, 74
verifying, 65
CDFstats, 74
executing, 75
output, 78
CDFwalk, 96
executing, 96
interaction with, 99
computers, supported, 143
conceptual view, 2
data specification
attribute entry, 58
variable, 47
data types, 39
character, 40, 47
EPOCH, 40
equivalent, 41, 47
floating point, 40
-0.0, 40, 68, 73, 77, 85, 88, 103
inquiring size, 39
integer, 39
non-character, 47
number of elements, 40
decoding, CDF, 38
definitions file, 62
dimensionality, variable, 43
dimensions
limit, 41
encoding, CDF, 35
EPOCH, 40
syntax, 40
EPOCH variable, 60
examples
C applications
program, 14
conceptual view, 9
data set, flat, 8
Fortran applications
program, 22
physical view, 10
skeleton table, 20, 120
extend records, variable, 46
FIELDNAM attribute, 59
FILLVAL attribute, 60, 74, 88
FORMAT attribute, 60, 76, 85, 102
format, CDF, 34
host decoding, 38
host encoding, 36
hyper access, variable, 51
IDL
CDF's interface, 28, 125
IEEE 754, 30, 37, 40
indexing, variable records, 34
initial records, 46
interfaces, 13, 27
IDL, 28, 125
Internal, 14, 27
Standard, 13, 27
Internal Interface, 14, 27
limits, 31, 41
dimensions, 41
open CDFs, 31
variable names, 41
little-endian, 37
majority
variable, 49
MODS attribute, 60
MONOTON attribute, 60, 74
multi-file format, 34
multiple variable access, 53
network encoding, 36
NSSDC Standard, 59
operating systems, supported, 143
pad values, variable, 55
performance considerations
decoding, 39
encoding, 38
format, 35
majority, 50
CDFbrowse, 101
read-only mode, 29
release notes, 143
SCALEMAX attribute, 60, 74
SCALEMIN attribute, 60, 74
scope, attribute, 57
sequential access, variable, 52
single-file format, 34
skeleton CDF, 87
skeleton table, 34, 82, 86
creating, 82, 89
example, 120
file extension, 89
format, 107
SkeletonCDF, 34--35, 82, 86, 107
executing, 87
SkeletonTable, 82, 89
executing, 82
output, 86
SkeletonTable, 107
Standard Interface, 13, 27
standards
NSSDC, 59
attributes, 59
variables, 60
status codes, 135
constants, 135
displaying, 68, 73, 77, 85, 88, 103
error, 135
explanation text, 135
inquiring, 135
informational, 135
interpreting, 135
warning, 135
TEXT attribute, 60
TITLE attribute, 59
trailing blanks
attribute names, 56
CDF pathnames, 33
variable names, 43
UNITS attribute, 60
VALIDMAX attribute, 59, 74
VALIDMIN attribute, 59, 74
variables, 2, 7, 42
accessing, 6, 42
hyper values, 51
dimension counts, 51
dimension indices, starting, 51
dimension intervals, 51
example, 51
reading, 49
record count, 51
record interval, 51
record number, starting, 51
writing, 49
multiple variable, 53
record numbers, 54
variable count, 54
variable list, 54
sequential values, 49, 52
current value, 53
example, 53
single values, 50
dimension indices, 50
record number, 50
arrays, 43, 49
closing, 42
creating, 42
data specification, 47
changing, 47
data type, 47
number of elements, 47
selecting, 47
deleting, 43
dimensionality, 42--43
fill values, 60, 74
majority, 49
changing, 50, 69
example, 49
selecting, 50
naming, 41, 43
case sensitivity, 43
trailing blanks, 43
non-record-variant (NRV), 48
numbering, 43, 67
assigning, 43
opening, 42
pad values, 44, 48, 52, 55, 60, 88
default, 46, 56
specifying, 56
when used, 55
record-variant (RV), 48
records, 44
allocated, 45--46
contiguous, 46
extend, 46
indexing, 34
initial, 46
maximum, 44
numbering, 45
physical, 44, 48
virtual, 44, 48
rVariables, 7, 42
subarrays, 43, 48
values
monotonicity, 60, 74
virtual, 48
variances, 8, 51
changing, 48
dimensional, 48
example, 48
record, 44, 48
example, 44
selecting, 48
zVariables, 10, 42
variance
dimensional, 48
record, 48
wildcard characters, 61
XDR, 36
zMode, 29