Opening netcdf - Only displays one cell

I've downloaded this file:

http://websrv.cs.umt.edu/isis/images/a/a5/Greenland_5km_v1.1.nc

from NASA's SEARISE website - Greenland standard data set at (11mb): http://websrv.cs.umt.edu/isis/index.php/Present_Day_Greenland

When I open it with (or other modes I've tried):

ncid = netcdf.open ('Greenland_5km_dev1.0.nc', 'WRITE');

It doesn't give me an error, but all I get is a variable with one cell, 1,1 with 212 written in it. It should be a grid of data on Greenland, though I'm not exactly sure how it would be displayed since I haven't been able to open it.

Thanks

Answer 1

[Ashish Uthama]

Grant,

To read data, your best bet is to use ncread.

 >> landcover = ncread('Greenland_5km_v1.1.nc','landcover');
 >> whos
  Name             Size              Bytes  Class    Attributes

   landcover      301x561            675444  int32

If your version of MATLAB does not have this function, you could look at using the low-level library APIs like netcdf.getvar (see example).

[Grant]

Thanks. I don't have ncread but I used netcdf.getvar.

data = netcdf.getVar (ncid, 'Greenland_5km_v1.1 (1).nc') ??? Error using ==> getVar at 87 Greenland_5km_v1.1 (1).nc is not allowed as an output netCDF datatype

Do you know why this may be the case?

[Ashish Uthama]

Grant, please do have a look at the example in the link above. Using the low-level library API is a bit more complex (which is why ncread was added in later releases). The API requires a user to know/find the variable index and then use that as a second argument.

If, after you try the example, you need more help, post back.

If you find this interface too complex, you could also consider using snctools.