[Gdal-dev] about HDF and netCDF support

[Frank Warmerdam]

Eduardo Patto Kanegae wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I was compiling GDAL/OGR and analysing some configure options, when I 
> found that
> GDAL support HDF and netCDF formats.
> 
> Sorry, my ignorance, but what are these formats for?
> 
> I looked at them websites and seems that both are FREE formats,
 >
> but didn't understands their real purpose...or what kind of applications 
> and data must use these formats.

Eduardo,

Like many file formats they can have a variety of applications and they are
both quite general purpose formats.  However, a brief answer closing over
complexities might be something like:

HDF - Primariliy used by NASA for distribution of various satellite data
products.  It is a complex and featureful format.

netCDF - Primarily in GDAL so we can easily export data in a form directly
usable in the GMT package.  The format is actually very general (not just
for raster data) but we only produce and consume a very specific profile
used in GMT for raster data.

Best regards,

-- 
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