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5.1 User Defined Types Introduction

NetCDF-4 has added support for four different user defined data types.

compound type
Like a C struct, a compound type is a collection of types, including other user defined types, in one package.
variable length array type
The variable length array may be used to store ragged arrays.
opaque type
This type has only a size per element, and no other type information.
enum type
Like an enumeration in C, this type lets you assign text values to integer values, and store the integer values.

Users may construct user defined type with the various NF_DEF_* functions described in this section. They may learn about user defined types by using the NF_INQ_ functions defined in this section.

Once types are constructed, define variables of the new type with NF_DEF_VAR (see NF_DEF_VAR). Write to them with NF_PUT_VAR1, NF_PUT_VAR, NF_PUT_VARA, or NF_PUT_VARS (see Variables). Read data of user-defined type with NF_GET_VAR1, NF_GET_VAR, NF_GET_VARA, or NF_GET_VARS (see Variables).

Create attributes of the new type with NF_PUT_ATT (see NF_PUT_ATT_ type). Read attributes of the new type with NF_GET_ATT (see NF_GET_ATT_ type).