In order to export IDFS data to the netCDF format utilizing the exportIDFS program, netCDF must be installed on the local machine. For the purposes of utilizing netCDF for the exportIDFS program, retrieving pre-built binary releases is sufficient. If netCDF software is needed for applications other than the exportIDFS program, the user is advised to retrieve the source code bundle and compile the code on the local machine. The user can retrieve the netCDF software directly from the netCDF home page.
The user can go directly to the NetCDF Binaries page and select from the list of available platforms.
The following example works for a linux operating system, using the 'tcsh' shell. If the user is using the Korn, Bash, posixSHELL or Bourne shell, the user is reminded to use the "export" command in place of the "setenv" command throughout the example section provided below. linux_2.2-i686 was selected from the list of pre-built binary releases. Note that the pre-built binary release file package.tar.Z has been placed in the directory ~user/netCDF. The generic name package.tar.Z is used since the file is labeled as the most current revision released. At the time of this write-up, the file that was retrieved was entitled netcdf-3.5.0.tar.Z.
On the netCDF home page, click on the link labeled Frequently Asked Questions about netCDF. Find the Platforms and Portability heading. Click on the link labeled Is netCDF available for Windows 95/98 or Windows NT? The information displayed indicates that pre-built binaries are available for retrieval by selecting the here link. Once the file has been retrieved, the user should unzip the contents of the file to extract the necessary files and directories.
The following example works under Windows utilizing a Cygwin terminal window. Note that the pre-built binary file has been placed in the directory D:/netCDF. At the time of this write-up, the file that was retrieved was entitled netcdf-3.5.0.win32bin.ZIP
On the netCDF home page, click on the link labeled Frequently Asked Questions about netCDF. Click on the link labeled How do I get the netCDF software package? The user should click on the netcdf.tar.Z link to retrieve the netCDF bundle.
While installing the software onto a MAC OS X system, a few hiccups were encountered, which were ironed out with help from the netCDF Support group. The user is advised to follow the instructions provided by netCDF, and if any problems arise, e-mail the netCDF help desk. The individuals are very responsive and have a much more in-depth experience base from which to draw upon in answering any netCDF related questions. The e-mail address can be found at the bottom of the netCDF home page.