@davidhassell Sorry for the delay I just came back from vacation. > My original comments about backwards compatibility weren't strictly right, I > realise. Allowing a domain variable reference _instead_ of the usual data > variable attributes would not be a CF backward compatibility issue (though it > would be a little tough on software writers), but it would fall foul of > principle 10.
I think you meant that allowing a domain variable reference **_in addition_** to the usual data variable attributes would not be a CF backward compatibility issue, whereas replacing the usual attributes by a reference to a domain variable would break backward compatibility. Allowing a domain variable reference from a data variable is not strictly necessary for our use case, so I do not consider this to be a blocking point. However, I still think it should be discussed because I am not sure rule 10 applies here: >there is a strong preference against introducing any new capability to the >conventions when there is already some method **that can adequately serve the >same purpose** For me the reference to the domain variable does not serve the same purpose as the usual data variable attributes because this reference is meant to identify the domain uniquely, and this information is not provided by the usual attributes, so I would consider the reference as additional information, not a replacement/competitor. Being able to clearly identify the domain of a data variable, and therefore the data variables that share a domain, is definitely an operation that could be made simpler and this goal could be achieved very easily by a domain variable reference. If the reference is an issue due to its nature, then one could simply replace it by a unique identifier string, but if domain variables are available then it would be a shame not to use them for that purpose too. -- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: https://github.com/cf-convention/cf-conventions/issues/301#issuecomment-717935674 This list forwards relevant notifications from Github. It is distinct from cf-metad...@cgd.ucar.edu, although if you do nothing, a subscription to the UCAR list will result in a subscription to this list. To unsubscribe from this list only, send a message to cf-metadata-unsubscribe-requ...@listserv.llnl.gov.
