Hi Erik, This has been the subject of a lot of discussion and for EUMETSAT it's also an important concern. Last year at the Advancing netCDF-CF workshop, there was a session devoted to it: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bz54loClKyEKY1BnNjhyTTBIbEE
Charlie Zender has led the effort on a draft extension for using groups in CF, which I think is very important. You can find it here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KK6IZ2ZmpaUTVgrw-GlFd6almppjvGz6D7nxVTO3BtI/edit I haven't seen a lot of motion on this recently, but I'm hoping that we can generate some more momentum at the upcoming netCDF-CF workshop in June. My suggestion: Check out the proposals and get involved, or at least indicate your support if they're in line with your requirements. It sounds like your setup would essentially be using an intuitive "scoping" mechanism to make higher-level metadata "visible" "from" groups lower down the tree, goes in the direction of work done so far.. Best regards, Daniel > -----Original Message----- > From: CF-metadata [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf > Of Erik Quaeghebeur > Sent: 26 March 2018 11:14 > To: [email protected] > Subject: [CF-metadata] CF conventions and netCDF4 groups > > Dear list, > > > I have not come across any mention of netCDF4 groups (and other netCDF4 > features) in the CF conventions. I was wondering if there are nevertheless > standard ways to use groups. > > For example, I have repackaged some statistics data (csv files) from met > masts in netCDF4. I've been trying to apply the CF conventions, but bump > into issues, e.g., of duplication. > > Currently, the structure I use is: > > root level: > * time dimension/variable > * per-instrument-type groups > > instrument level: > * height (of instrument) dimension/variable > * instrument metadata attributes (not covered by CF conventions) > * signal groups (some instruments measure more than one signal) > > signal level: > * signal specific metadata, e.g., units (covered by CF conventions, but for > variables) > * signal statistics variables > > statistics variables: > * data > * some statistic-specific attributes like cell_methods > * should I duplicate the signal metadata such as unit here? > > The group structure is helpful, because its structure improves self- > descriptiveness, I feel. I guess the structure is also a form of metadata. But > perhaps it is considered out-of-scope for the CF conventions? > > > Best, > > Erik > > -- > https://ac.erikquaeghebeur.name > _______________________________________________ > CF-metadata mailing list > [email protected] > http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata Any email message from EUMETSAT is sent in good faith but shall neither be binding nor construed as constituting a commitment by EUMETSAT, except where provided for in a written agreement or contract or if explicitly stated in the email. Please note that any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the sender and do not necessarily represent those of EUMETSAT. This message and any attachments are intended for the sole use of the addressee(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorised use, disclosure, dissemination or distribution (in whole or in part) of its contents is not permitted. If you received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete it from your system. _______________________________________________ CF-metadata mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata
