ArcMap

Reading netCDF data as a table view

Using the Make NetCDF Table View tool from the Multidimension Tools toolbox, you can create a table view from one or more netCDF variables. The output table view can be used in other tools that accept tables as input for further analysis. To save the table view, click the Option button and choose Export in the table or use the Copy Rows or Table To Table tool.

A table view can be created using any variable with at least one dimension. The fields in the table view are populated with the data from the selected variables. The type of the field is determined based on the netCDF data type. The following example shows a variable with one or more dimensions.

dimensions:
	station = 10;  // measurement locations
	pressure = 11;
	time = UNLIMITED;
variables:
	float humidity(time, pressure, station);
		humidity:long_name = "Specific humidity" ;
		humidity:coordinates = "lat lon" ;
	float temperature(time, pressure, station);
		temperature:long_name = "Temperature" ;
		temperature:coordinates = "lat lon" ;
	double time(time);
		time:long_name = "time of measurement" ;
		time:units = "days since 1970-01-01 00:00:00" ;
	float lon(station);
		lon:long_name = "station longitude";
		lon:units = "degrees_east";
	float lat(station);
		lat:long_name = "station latitude" ;
		lat:units = "degrees_north" ;
	float pressure(pressure);
		pressure:long_name = "pressure" ;
		pressure:units = "hPa" ;
  1. Click the Search Window button Search or tab.
  2. Click Tools.
  3. Type Make NetCDF Table View in the text box and click Search Search.
  4. Click Make NetCDF Table View in the returned list to open the tool.
  5. Type the name in the Input netCDF File, or alternatively, click the browse button to navigate to the input file.
  6. Click the Variables drop-down arrow, and choose a variable from the list.

    The drop-down list is updated with the variables that share at least one dimension with the selected variable. Repeat this step to add more variables.

  7. Type the name in the Output Table View, or alternatively, leave the default.
  8. Click the Row Dimensions drop-down arrow, and choose a dimension from the list. Repeat this step to add more dimensions.
  9. To specify a slice other than the default of multidimensional data, click the Dimension Values drop-down arrow, and choose a dimension from the list. The dimension is added to the table. Click the Value drop-down arrow next to the added dimension and choose a value. Repeat this step to specify values for other dimensions.
  10. Click OK.

    An in-memory table view is created. ArcCatalog does not display a table view, but it can be used as input to other geoprocessing tools in the session in which you are working. Once you exit the application, the tables in memory are removed.

Related topics