[Esip-documentation] cdm_data_type defintion

[Bob Simons - NOAA Federal]

Sorry, I wasn't very clear.
1) I think ERDDAP may be the only software using cdm_data_type (which
is weakly defined in ACDD). I'm not aware of other software that uses
it.
2) featureType (which is well defined in CF) is used in many software programs.


On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 3:42 PM, David Neufeld - NOAA Affiliate via
Esip-documentation <esip-documentation at lists.esipfed.org> wrote:
> ncISO uses it as well, and calculates geospatial_bounds differently
> depending on the featureType.
>
> Dave
>
> On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 1:18 PM, Mike McCann via Esip-documentation
> <esip-documentation at lists.esipfed.org> wrote:
>>
>> I think ERDDAP may be the only software which actually uses this attribute
>> in a very specific, programmatic way...
>>
>>
>> The STOQS software also depends on proper values in the featureType
>> attribute (though is sometimes able to infer the appropriate featureType
>> from cdm_data_type attribute in legacy data sets).
>>
>> I concur that "CF might/should expand the use of featureType", and make
>> sure the semantics align with other vocabularies.
>>
>> -Mike
>>
>> --
>> Mike McCann
>> Software Engineer
>> Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
>> 7700 Sandholdt Road
>> Moss Landing, CA 95039-9644
>> Voice: 831.775.1769  Fax: 831.775.1736 http://www.mbari.org
>>
>> On Feb 19, 2015, at 10:33 AM, Bob Simons - NOAA Federal via
>> Esip-documentation <esip-documentation at lists.esipfed.org> wrote:
>>
>> I think cdm_data_type is a troubled attribute.
>> Unidata has released several different lists of CDM data types over the
>> years as CDM progressed. Those all still exist at various URLs on the web
>> and in Unidata code (some of it obsolete).
>> CF has a new(er), closely related featureType attribute
>>
>> http://cfconventions.org/Data/cf-conventions/cf-conventions-1.6/build/cf-conventions.html#idp6280704
>> but it is unfortunately just for Discrete Sampling Geometry types.
>>
>> I think ACDD 1.3 chose to avoid dealing with this in hopes that CF will
>> solve the problem. E.g., CF might/should expand the use of featureType.
>>
>> I think ERDDAP may be the only software which actually uses this attribute
>> in a very specific, programmatic way, which is vocabulary which is a combo
>> of
>> * the values that CF's featureType uses (from just before CF created the
>> featureType attribute), e.g., TimeSeries.
>> * a few other Unidata CDM types, e.g., Grid
>> * "Other"
>>
>> http://coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov/erddap/download/setupDatasetsXml.html#cdm_data_type
>>
>> I'm sorry there isn't a better answer.
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 9:51 AM, Armstrong, Edward M (398G) via
>> Esip-documentation <esip-documentation at lists.esipfed.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi folks
>>>
>>> I’ve come across a request for the proper usage of the ACDD attribute
>>> cdm_data_type.  This has been retained in  ver 1.3.   But what are the
>>> examples of its implementation ? According to:
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/thredds/current/tds/catalog/InvCatalogSpec.html#dataType
>>>
>>> attribute examples could “Grid” ,“Swath”, “Point" etc.  But some popular
>>> implementation embedded in existing examples use a lowercase syntax such as
>>> “swath”
>>>
>>> Which is the proper implementation, upper vs lowercase ?  Or perhaps this
>>> is still nebulous.  I did find this note from Bob Simmons in our recent ACCD
>>> v1.3 discussion on a google doc spreadsheet (but I don’t remember the
>>> consensus  on it):
>>>
>>> cdm_data_type should not be tied to
>>>
>>> http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/thredds/current/tds/catalog/InvCatalogSpec.html#dataType
>>> which is out-of-date and obsolete
>>>
>>> Any insight appreciated.
>>>
>>> -ed
>>>
>>> Ed Armstrong
>>> JPL Physical Oceanography DAAC
>>> 818 519-7607
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Esip-documentation mailing list
>>> Esip-documentation at lists.esipfed.org
>>> http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/esip-documentation
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Bob Simons
>> IT Specialist
>> Environmental Research Division
>> NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center
>> 99 Pacific St., Suite 255A      (New!)
>> Monterey, CA 93940               (New!)
>> Phone: (831)333-9878            (New!)
>> Fax:   (831)648-8440
>> Email: bob.simons at noaa.gov
>>
>> The contents of this message are mine personally and
>> do not necessarily reflect any position of the
>> Government or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
>> <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Esip-documentation mailing list
>> Esip-documentation at lists.esipfed.org
>> http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/esip-documentation
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Esip-documentation mailing list
>> Esip-documentation at lists.esipfed.org
>> http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/esip-documentation
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Esip-documentation mailing list
> Esip-documentation at lists.esipfed.org
> http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/esip-documentation
>



-- 
Sincerely,

Bob Simons
IT Specialist
Environmental Research Division
NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center
99 Pacific St., Suite 255A      (New!)
Monterey, CA 93940               (New!)
Phone: (831)333-9878            (New!)
Fax:   (831)648-8440
Email: bob.simons at noaa.gov

The contents of this message are mine personally and
do not necessarily reflect any position of the
Government or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><