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 Clas‐
              sic  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 con‐
              tents 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

       February 21, 2022

Printed: 2025-07-18                              PnetCDF 1.12.3                                   ncvalidator(1)