ioda2nc, netcdf dimension name

[fearon10]

Hi There,

I'm working with ioda formatted files (version 3 I believe, ncdump of this file is below) where the dimension name "Location" is used rather than "nlocs". However, ioda2nc is looking "nlocs". Perhap ioda2nc does not work ioda version 3 yet and, if that's the case, is there a possible workaround? I tried using nco to rename the "Location" dimension to "nlocs" but the nco utility does not successfully read ioda netcdf.

cmd: /usr/local/bin/ioda2nc scatterometer_ascat.nc4 test.nc -config IODA2NCConfig_default
DEBUG 1: Default Config File: /usr/local/share/met/config/IODA2NCConfig_default
DEBUG 1: User Config File: IODA2NCConfig_default
DEBUG 1: Creating NetCDF File: test.nc
DEBUG 1: Processing IODA File: scatterometer_ascat.nc4
ERROR :
ERROR : get_dim() -> can't find NetCDF dimension "nlocs".
ERROR :

Thank you for the assistance.
Matt

---

ncdump -h scatterometer_ascat.nc4

netcdf scatterometer_ascat {
dimensions:
Location = 6609 ;
variables:
int Location(Location) ;
Location:suggested_chunk_dim = 6609LL ;

// global attributes:
string :_ioda_layout = "ObsGroup" ;
:_ioda_layout_version = 0 ;
string :converter = "def_scatterometer_base.py" ;
string :sensor = "scatterometer_ascat" ;
string :platform = "scatterometer_ascat" ;

group: MetaData {
variables:
int64 dateTime(Location) ;
dateTime:_FillValue = -9223372036854775806LL ;
string dateTime:units = "seconds since 1970-01-01T00:00:00Z" ;
string dateTime:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
int insty(Location) ;
insty:_FillValue = -2147483647 ;
string insty:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
float latitude(Location) ;
latitude:_FillValue = -3.368795e+38f ;
string latitude:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
string latitude:units = "degrees_north" ;
float longitude(Location) ;
longitude:_FillValue = -3.368795e+38f ;
string longitude:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
string longitude:units = "degrees_east" ;
float stationElevation(Location) ;
stationElevation:_FillValue = -3.368795e+38f ;
string stationElevation:units = "m" ;
string stationElevation:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
string stationIdentification(Location) ;
string stationIdentification:_FillValue = "" ;
string stationIdentification:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
} // group MetaData

group: ObsError {
variables:
float windEastward(Location) ;
windEastward:_FillValue = -3.368795e+38f ;
string windEastward:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
string windEastward:units = "m/sec" ;
float windNorthward(Location) ;
windNorthward:_FillValue = -3.368795e+38f ;
string windNorthward:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
string windNorthward:units = "m/sec" ;
} // group ObsError

group: ObsValue {
variables:
float windEastward(Location) ;
windEastward:_FillValue = -3.368795e+38f ;
string windEastward:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
string windEastward:units = "m/sec" ;
float windNorthward(Location) ;
windNorthward:_FillValue = -3.368795e+38f ;
string windNorthward:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
string windNorthward:units = "m/sec" ;
} // group ObsValue

group: PreQC {
variables:
int windEastward(Location) ;
windEastward:_FillValue = -2147483647 ;
string windEastward:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
string windEastward:units = "m/sec" ;
int windNorthward(Location) ;
windNorthward:_FillValue = -2147483647 ;
string windNorthward:coordinates = "longitude latitude" ;
string windNorthward:units = "m/sec" ;
} // group PreQC
}

[j-opatz]

Hello,

And thank you for your question. I did a little digging into the C library on the ioda2nc capability and found your assumption is correct; we currently look for the nlocs variable and if it's unavailable, MET errors out. With the new version of IODA output utilizing Location over nlocs, we'll need to update our support.
I've gone ahead and created this MET issue detailing your discovery and calling for full version 3 IODA output to be supported in the ioda2nc tool.
If there are any other important changes you saw between version 2 and 3 that you want to inform the MET team about, please use that Github issue to let us know so we can provide you with the appropriate support.

[fearon10]

Thank you @j-opatz. I have not found any others changes/issues between version 2 and 3. If I do, I'll share those.