Each variable in a CDF has a unique name. This applies to rVariables and
zVariables together (i.e., an rVariable cannot have the same name as a
zVariable).
Variable names are case sensitive
regardless of the operating system being used and may consist
of up to CDF_VAR_NAME_LEN
printable characters (including blanks). Trailing blanks,
however, are
ignored when the CDF library compares variable names. "LAT" and
"LAT " are considered to be the same name, so they cannot
both exist in the same CDF. This was done because
Version 1 of CDF padded variable names on the right with blanks out to eight
characters.
When a Version 1 CDF was converted to a Version 2 CDF these trailing blanks
remained in the variable names. To allow CDF Version 2 applications to read
such a CDF
without having to be concerned with the trailing blanks, the trailing blanks
are ignored by the CDF library when comparing variable names.
The trailing blanks are returned as part of the name, however, when a
variable is inquired by an application program.