1HDF(1)                      General Commands Manual                     HDF(1)
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NAME

6       hdf - Hierarchical Data Format library
7

SYNOPSIS

9       -lmfhdf -ldf -ljpeg -lz [ -lsz ]
10       {HDFLIBDIR}/libmfhdf.a {HDFLIBDIR}/libdf.a {JPEGLIBDIR}/libjpeg.a
11       {GZIPLIBDIR}/libz.a [{SZIPLIBDIR}/libsz.a]
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13

DESCRIPTION

15       HDF is a multi-object file format that facilitates the transfer of var‐
16       ious types of scientific data between machines and  operating  systems.
17       See http://www.hdfgroup.org/release4/platforms.html for a list of plat‐
18       forms currently supported.
19
20       HDF allows self-definitions of data content and easy extensibility  for
21       future  enhancements  or compatibility with other standard formats. HDF
22       includes Fortran and C calling interfaces, and utilities for manipulat‐
23       ing, viewing, and analyzing data in HDF files. The HDF library contains
24       interfaces for storing and retrieving compressed or uncompressed  8-bit
25       and  24-bit  raster  images  with  palettes,  n-Dimensional  scientific
26       datasets and binary tables. An interface is also included  that  allows
27       arbitrary grouping of other HDF objects.
28
29
30   HDF Raster Images
31       HDF  supports  the  storing  of  both  8-bit  and 24-bit raster images.
32       Beside storing information about the dimensions and palette of a raster
33       image,  HDF supports raster image compression.  In previous versions of
34       HDF (DF interfaces,) Run-length encoding and  Imcomp  compression  were
35       both  supported.   The  currently supported compression methods include
36       simple RLE, N-bit, Skipping huffman, Gzip, Szip, and JPEG.  Although no
37       longer  support  Imcomp  compression,  the library can read images with
38       Imcomp compression.
39
40
41   HDF Scientific Data Sets
42       Scientific Data Sets (SDSs) are useful for storing n-Dimensional  grid‐
43       ded  data.   The actual data in the dataset can be of any of the "stan‐
44       dard" number types: 8, 16 and 32bit signed and unsigned integers and 32
45       and  64bit  floating  point  values.   In addition, a certain amount of
46       meta-data can be stored with an SDS including:
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48         o The coordinate system to use when interpreting or displaying the data.
49         o Scales to be used for each dimension.
50         o Labels for each dimension and the dataset as a whole.
51         o Units for each dimension and the data.
52         o The valid max and min values for the data.
53         o Calibration information for the data.
54         o Fill or missing value information.
55         o Ability of having more than one file open at a time.
56         o A more general framework for meta-data within the SDS data-model
57           (allowing 'name = value' style meta-data.)
58         o Support for an "unlimited dimension" in the SDS data-model, making
59           it possible to append planes to an array along one dimension.
60
61   HDF Annotations
62       Any object in an HDF file can  have  annotations  associated  with  it.
63       There are a number of types of annotations:
64
65         o Labels are assumed to be short strings giving the "name" of a
66           data object.
67         o Descriptions are longer text segments that are useful for giving
68           more indepth information about a data object
69         o File annotations are assumed to apply to all of the objects in a
70           single file.
71
72   HDF Vset Interfaces
73       The  Vset  module provides interfaces to two basic HDF building blocks.
74       Vgroups are generic grouping elements  allowing  a  user  to  associate
75       related  objects  within  an  HDF  file.   As Vgroups can contain other
76       Vgroups, it is possible to build a hierarchical file.  Vdatas are  data
77       structures  made  up  of  fields  and  records.  Data is organized into
78       "fields" within each Vdata.  Each  field  is  identified  by  a  unique
79       "fieldname".   The  type  of  each field may be any of the basic number
80       types that HDF supports.  Fields of different types  may  exist  within
81       the same Vdata.
82
83       By combining Vdatas in Vgroups it is possible to represent higher level
84       data constructs: mesh data, multi-variate  datasets,  sparse  matrices,
85       finite-element  data,  spreadsheets,  splines, non-Cartesian coordinate
86       data, etc.
87
88
89   HDF and netCDF
90       Starting with HDF version 3.3, netCDF v.2.3.2 of Unidata  is  supported
91       with the SD multifile interface. SD and netCDF interfaces can read both
92       netCDF files and multi-dimensional arrays  (SDS)  stored  in  the  HDF4
93       files  transparently.  For more information, see Chapter 3, "Scientific
94       Data Sets", of the HDF User's Guide.
95
96       To disable netCDF interfaces in the HDF library, configure the  library
97       using --disable-netcdf flag and rebuild it.
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99
100   EXAMPLES
101       All  HDF  routines  require  the header "hdf.h" to be included in the C
102       source file, unless if the  SD  routines  are  used,  then  the  header
103       "mfhdf.h" should be included instead.
104
105       Fortran   programs   should   use   "dffunc.inc"  for  all  interfaces,
106       "mffunc.inc" for the SD interfaces, and  "hdf.inc"  for  non-SD  inter‐
107       faces.
108
109       To compile a program that makes HDF calls on most Unix platforms.
110
111          (FORTRAN):
112          {HDFLIBDIR}/bin/h4fc myprog.f
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114          (C):
115          {HDFLIBDIR}/bin/h4cc myprog.c
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117
118

DOCUMENTATION

120       The HDF web site is located at http://www.hdfgroup.org/.
121
122       For the vast majority of users, the "HDF User's Guide" and "HDF Refer‐
123       ence Manual" should be sufficient.
124
125       These documents can be viewed or downloaded at
126       http://www.hdfgroup.org/products/hdf4/.
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128
129

VENDOR

131       The HDF Group
132       1800 South Oak Street, Suite 203
133       Champaign, IL 61820
134       USA
135       www.hdfgroup.org
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137

VERSION

139       4.2.14
140

LICENSE & SOURCE AVAILABILITY

142       Copyright by The HDF Group.
143       Copyright by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
144
145       All rights reserved.
146
147       This file is part of HDF.  The full HDF copyright notice, including
148       terms governing use, modification, and redistribution, is contained in
149       the COPYING file, which can be found at the root of the source code
150       distribution tree, or in https://support.hdf
151       group.org/ftp/HDF/releases/.
152       If you do not have access to either file, you may request a copy from
153       help@hdfgroup.org.
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155

CONTACT & HELP

157       The HDF Group
158       Email: help@hdfgroup.org
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160

FILES

162       /usr/local/lib/hdf/{libmfhdf.a,libdf.a,libjpeg.a,libz.a [,libsz.a]}
163                                     hdf libraries
164       /usr/local/bin                Location of most hdf utilities
165       /usr/local/include/hdf        Location of include file hdf.h, mfhdf.h,
166                                     and others
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171THG HDF 4.2.14                     June 2018                            HDF(1)
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