NAME

       ncvalidator - validates a classic netCDF file against CDF file formats

SYNOPSIS

       ncvalidator [-x] [-t] [-q] [-h] file

DESCRIPTION

       ncvalidator  checks  the header of a netCDF file for whether it conforms the classic CDF file formats. If
       the input file is a valid NetCDF file, then a message of successful validation is printed on command-line
       output,  for  example,  File  "testfile.nc" is a valid NetCDF file.  Otherwise, a NetCDF error message is
       printed.

OPTIONS

       -x     Repair the null-byte padding in file header. The null-byte  padding  is  required  by  the  NetCDF
              Classic  Format  Specifications.  PnetCDF enforces this requirement, but NetCDF has never enforced
              it. This option checks the header for locations where null bytes are expected  and  replaces  them
              with  null  bytes  if  non-null  bytes  are  found.  The  repaired file is then conformed with the
              specification and allows both PnetCDF and NetCDF libraries to  read  the  file  without  reporting
              error  code NC_ENOTNC or NC_ENULLPAD. Noted that this repair is done in place and users might want
              to backup the input file first. Once the file is  repaired,  one  may  run  ncmpidiff  command  to
              compare the contents of two files.

       -t     Turn  on  tracing mode, printing the progress of all successful metadata validation. When an error
              is detected, the tracing stops at the location of the error found.

       -q     Quiet mode - print nothing on the command-line output. When in quiet mode, users should check exit
              status. See below in "EXIT STATUS".

       -h     Print the available command-line options

EXIT STATUS

       An  exit  status  of 0 means the file is conform with the classic CDF file format, and 1 means otherwise.
       Note on VMS-based system, the exit status values are reversed.

SEE ALSO

       ncmpidump(1), pnetcdf(3)

DATE

       PNETCDF_RELEASE_DATE