[Numpy-discussion] Request for porting pycdf to NumPy

[Konrad Hinsen]

On Feb 9, 2007, at 18:33, Christopher Barker wrote:

> hmmm, this page from unidata:
>
> http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf/software.html#Python
>
> Indicates 4-6 different Python netcfd interfaces!

...

> I think it would be ideal if Unidata could be persuaded to adopt an
> maintain one as the official version to save this extra work an
> confusion. Maybe there is some hope of this for netcdf4.

It would certainly be nice to have an "official" Python interface  
maintained by somebody else, but I don't expect this to happen any  
time soon. Moreover, the existing interfaces have different  
characteristics that are partially incompatible but each appeal to  
some users.

My own netCDF interface (part of ScientificPython) was designed to  
satisfy two major criteria:

1) Be as Pythonic as possible by implementing common object  
interfaces: arrays, dictionaries, and object attributes. netCDF  
variables are seen as "arrays on disk".

2) Provide netCDF access from Python as well as from Python extension  
modules written in C (or nowadays Pyrex).

However, I can understand the needs of those with different  
priorities, e.g. those who want an API that resembles the C API for  
netCDF. Fortunately, there is something for everybody.

Konrad.
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Konrad Hinsen
Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS Orléans
Synchrotron Soleil - Division Expériences
Saint Aubin - BP 48
91192 Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France
Tel. +33-1 69 35 97 15
E-Mail: hinsen at cnrs-orleans.fr
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