ruby-netcdf 0.6.6.1 → 0.7.1

data/doc/Ref_man_jp.rd

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 =begin
 =RubyNetCDF ��ե���󥹥ޥ˥奢��
 
+RubyNetCDF version : 0.7.1
+
 * ((<�᥽�åɥ���ǥå���>))
 
 ---------------------------------------------
@@ -23,6 +25,8 @@ NumPy
 ((<NArrayMiss|URL:http://ruby.gfd-dennou.org/products/narray_miss/>)) 
 ��ɬ�פǤ��롣�ܤ�����((<����ˡ>))�򸫤衣
 
+���� NetCDF-4 �Υ��ݡ��Ȥ���ʬŪ�Ǥ���(�������ǡ�����ǥ�ϥ��ݡ��Ȥ��Ƥʤ�)��
+
 ===����
 
 RubyNetCDF �ϰʲ��Σ��ĤΥ��饹���鹽������롣
@@ -146,6 +150,9 @@ RubyNetCDF
 * ((<���饹 NetCDF>))
 
   ���饹�᥽�å�
+    * ((<NetCDF.nc4?>)) ��󥯤��줿 NetCDF �� version 4 ���ɤ����֤�
+    * ((<NetCDF.creation_format=>)) NetCDF.create�Ǻ����ե�����ե����ޥåȤ����ꤹ�� (NetCDF-4 ����).
+    * ((<NetCDF.creation_format>))  NetCDF.create�Ǻ����ե�����ե����ޥåȤ�������֤�. (NetCDF-4 ����).
     * ((<NetCDF.open>))     �ե����륪���ץ�ʥ��饹�᥽�åɡ�mode="w" �ǥե����뤬¸�ߤ��ʤ���п�������
     * ((<NetCDF.new>))     NetCDF.open�᥽�åɤΥ����ꥢ���Ǥ���
     * ((<NetCDF.create>))     NetCDF�ե��������ʥ��饹�᥽�å�)
@@ -199,6 +206,10 @@ RubyNetCDF
 
 
   ���󥹥��󥹥᥽�å�
+    * ((<deflate>)) ���� (deflation) ������. (netCDF-4 only)
+    * ((<deflate_params>)) ���ߤΰ���������礻. (netCDF-4 only)
+    * ((<endian=>)) ����ǥ���������� (netCDF-4 only)
+    * ((<endian>)) ����ǥ�����������֤�. (netCDF-4 only)
     * ((<dim>))     �����ѿ��ˤ����� dim_num ����(0���������)�μ��������碌�롣
     * ((<dims>))     �����ѿ���������������ˤ�����֤�
     * ((<shape_ul0>))     �ѿ��η����֤�. â��̵���¼�����Ĺ���ϥ���.
@@ -254,7 +265,36 @@ RubyNetCDF
 ---------------------------------------------
 
 =���饹 NetCDF
+===���
+* NC_NOWRITE, NC_WRITE, NC_SHARE, NC_CLOBBER, NC_NOCLOBBER, NC_64BIT_OFFSET, NC_NETCDF4, NC_CLASSIC_MODEL, NCVERSION, SUPPORT_BIGMEM : ������ NumRu::NetCDF::NC_NOWRITE �ʤɥ����������롣
+
 ===���饹�᥽�å�
+---NetCDF.nc4?
+     ���Υ饤�֥�꤬ NetCDF version 4 ��Ȥ��褦�ˤʤäƤ����
+     �ʥ�󥯤���Ƥ� NetCDF �饤�֥�꤬ver 4�ʤ��true ��
+     �����Ǥʤ���� (NetCDF 3�ʤ�) false ���֤���
+
+---NetCDF.creation_format=(cmode)
+     (���Υ᥽�åɤ� NetCDF-4 ���Ȥ��Ƥ�Ȥ��Τ߻��Ѳ�ǽ�������Ǥʤ����
+     �㳰��ȯ������). NetCDF.create �Ǻ����ե�����Υե����ޥåȤ���ꤹ��.
+     �������� "classic".
+
+     ����
+     * cmode : �ʲ��Τ����줫��
+       * 0, nil, or NetCDF::NC_CLASSIC_MODEL : classic format
+         (��������� NetCDF-3 �Υե����ޥå�). ���줬�������.
+       * NetCDF::NC_64BIT_OFFSET : classic �������ѿ��Υ��������礭�������
+       * NetCDF::NC_NETCDF4 : HDF5 �١����� NetCDF-4 ���ե����ޥå�
+       * ( NetCDF::NC_NETCDF4 | NetCDF::NC_CLASSIC_MODEL) [�����
+         NetCDF::NC_NETCDF4 �� NetCDF::NC_CLASSIC_MODEL �� bit "or"]: 
+         NetCDF-4 ���ե����ޥåȤ������������ǡ�����ǥ�ϻȤ��ʤ��褦����.
+
+
+---NetCDF.creation_format
+     (���Υ᥽�åɤ� NetCDF-4 ���Ȥ��Ƥ�Ȥ��Τ߻��Ѳ�ǽ�������Ǥʤ����
+     �㳰��ȯ������). 
+     NetCDF.create �Ǻ����ե�����Υե����ޥåȤθ��ߤ�������֤�.
+
 ---NetCDF.open(filename, mode="r", share=false)
      �ե����륪���ץ�ʥ��饹�᥽�åɡ�mode="w" �ǥե����뤬¸�ߤ��ʤ���п�������
 
@@ -757,6 +797,61 @@ RubyNetCDF
        NArray::SFLOAT, or NArray::FLOAT
 
 ===���󥹥��󥹥᥽�å�
+---deflate(deflate_level, shuffle=false)
+     (���Υ᥽�åɤ� NetCDF-4 ���Ȥ��Ƥ�Ȥ��Τ߻��Ѳ�ǽ�������Ǥʤ����
+     �㳰��ȯ������). 
+     (�������������줿)�ѿ�������(deflate)�����褦�ˤ���. ���Υ᥽�åɤϡ�
+     �ѿ������ (NetCDF#((<def_var>))) �����塤NetCDF#((<enddef>))
+     ��Ƥ����˸ƤФʤ���Фʤ�ʤ�.
+
+     ����
+     * deflate_level (Integer) :: 0 to 9. (0: no compression; 9:
+       highest compression; recommended: 1 or 2).
+     * shuffle (optional; true or false; default: false) if true,
+       turn on the shuffle filter. 
+       * ((<URL:http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf/papers/AMS_2008.pdf>)):
+         ``The shuffle algorithm changes the byte order in the data stream;
+	 when used with integers that are all close together, this
+	 results in a better compression ratio. There is no benefit
+	 from using the shuffle filter without also using
+	 compression.''
+       * Note: shuffle is effective for float variables too (tested by horinouchi).
+
+     �����
+     * self
+
+---deflate_params
+     (���Υ᥽�åɤ� NetCDF-4 ���Ȥ��Ƥ�Ȥ��Τ߻��Ѳ�ǽ�������Ǥʤ����
+     �㳰��ȯ������). 
+     ���ߤΰ���(deflation)�ѥ�᥿�����֤���
+
+     �����
+     * [shuffle, deflate, deflate_level] (a 3-element Array).
+       shuffle �� deflate �� true �ޤ��� false. deflate_level ������(0-9).
+
+---endian=(endian)
+     (���Υ᥽�åɤ� NetCDF-4 ���Ȥ��Ƥ�Ȥ��Τ߻��Ѳ�ǽ�������Ǥʤ����
+     �㳰��ȯ������). 
+     ����ǥ���������ꤹ�롣���ѥ����ߥ󥰤� ((<deflate>)) ��Ʊ����
+
+     Arguments
+     * endian : ���Τ����줫:
+       NetCDF::NC_ENDIAN_NATIVE (=0) (default), 
+       NetCDF::NC_ENDIAN_LITTLE (=1), or NetCDF::NC_ENDIAN_BIG (=2).
+
+     Return value
+     * self
+
+---endian
+     (���Υ᥽�åɤ� NetCDF-4 ���Ȥ��Ƥ�Ȥ��Τ߻��Ѳ�ǽ�������Ǥʤ����
+     �㳰��ȯ������). 
+     ���ߤΥ���ǥ�����������֤�.
+
+     Return value
+     * ���Τ����줫:
+       NetCDF::NC_ENDIAN_NATIVE (=0) (default), 
+       NetCDF::NC_ENDIAN_LITTLE (=1), or NetCDF::NC_ENDIAN_BIG (=2).
+
 ---dim(dim_num)
      �����ѿ��ˤ����� dim_num ����(0���������)�μ��������碌�롣
 

data/doc/to_html

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/csh
-nkf -e Ref_man_jp.rd | rd2  | \
+nkf -m Ref_man_jp.rd | rd2 --out-code=utf-8 | \
       sed -e 's/<dt>/<dt><h4>/' -e 's/<\/dt>/<\/h4><\/dt>/' \
-      >! Ref_man_jp.html
+      > Ref_man_jp.html
 rd2 Ref_man.rd  | \
       sed -e 's/<dt>/<dt><h4>/' -e 's/<\/dt>/<\/h4><\/dt>/' \
-      >! Ref_man.html
+      > Ref_man.html

data/extconf.rb

@@ -1,14 +1,30 @@
-require "rubygems" unless defined?(Gem)
 require "mkmf"
+require "rubygems" unless defined?(Gem)
 
-hoge = Gem::GemPathSearcher.new.find("narray")
-narray_fullname = hoge.full_name
-narray_installpath = hoge.installation_path
-narray_include = "#{narray_installpath}/gems/#{narray_fullname}/"
-narray_lib = "#{narray_installpath}/gems/#{narray_fullname}/"
+ar = ARGV.grep( /^--with-netcdf-version=/ )
+if ar.length > 0
+  ncversion = ar[0].sub(/^--with-netcdf-version=/,"")
+else
+  ncversion = nil
+end
 
-dir_config('narray',narray_include,narray_lib)
-dir_config('netcdf','/usr/local')
+if Gem.respond_to?(:find_files)
+  require "rbconfig"
+  so = RbConfig::CONFIG["DLEXT"]
+  narray_include = File.expand_path(File.dirname(Gem.find_files("narray.h")[0]))
+  narray_lib = File.expand_path(File.dirname(Gem.find_files("narray." + so)[0]))
+else
+  gem_home=(`gem environment GEM_HOME`).chomp
+  narray_dir = Dir.glob("#{gem_home}/gems/narray-*").sort[-1]
+  if narray_dir
+    narray_include = narray_lib = narray_dir
+  else
+    narray_include = narray_lib = [ $sitearchdir, $vendorarchdir]
+  end
+end
+dir_config('narray', narray_include, narray_lib)
+
+dir_config('netcdf', '/usr/local')
 
 if ( ! ( have_header("narray.h") && have_header("narray_config.h") ) ) then
 print <<EOS
@@ -22,66 +38,26 @@ EOS
    exit(-1)
 end
 
-if xsystem("ncdap-config --libs")
-  libncdods = "nc-dap"
-  cflags = `ncdap-config --cflags`.gsub(/\n/, " ")
-  libs = `ncdap-config --libs`.gsub(/\n/, " ")
-  prefix_dods = `ncdap-config --prefix`.gsub(/\n/, "")
-elsif xsystem("opendap-config --libs")
-  libncdods = "nc-dods"
-  cflags = `opendap-config --cflags`.gsub(/\n/, " ")
-  libs = `opendap-config --libs-nc`.gsub(/\n/, " ")
-  prefix_dods = `opendap-config --prefix`.gsub(/\n/, "")
+unless  ncversion 
+  # configure netcdf version
+  if xsystem("nc-config --version")
+    ncversion = `nc-config --version`.chomp!.sub!(/^n.* /i,"") # rm "netCDF "
+    ncversion.sub!(/^([^\.]+\.[^\.]+\.[^\.]+).+$/,'\1') # e.g. 4.2.1.1 -> 4.2.1
+  else
+    ncversion = "3.0.0"   # assume version 3 (only for compilation)
+      # For compilation, there is no difference among subversions of netcdf 3
+  end
 end
 
-if File.directory?("/usr/include/netcdf")  #-- for Vine linux
-  cflags = "-I/usr/include/netcdf"
-  libs = "-L/usr/lib"
-  $CFLAGS += ' ' + cflags
-  $LOCAL_LIBS += ' ' + libs
+ncver0 = ncversion[0..0]  # "3" or "4"
+ncver = ncversion.gsub(/\./,'')
+unless /^\d\d\d$/ =~ ncver   # 3 digits
+  raise("Invalid netcdf version: #{ncversion}. Use --with-netcdf-version=") 
 end
- 
-if (enable_config('opendap',true) && ( xsystem("opendap-config --libs") ||
-                                       xsystem("ncdap-config --libs") ) )
-
-  dir_config(libncdods,prefix_dods)
+$CFLAGS += ' -DNCVER='+ncver
 
-  if (!have_library(libncdods))
-    print <<-EOS
-    ** ERROR ** Library not found: nc-dods (OPeNDAP/DODS-enabled NetCDF lib)
-    Install it, or run extconf.rb with option --disable-opendap.
-                                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-    EOS
-    exit(-1)
-  else
-    print <<-EOS
-    ** Message **  Compiling with OPeNDAP/DODS-enabled NetCDF library.
- 
-    This is because the command opendap-config is found in your system.
-    If you want to use the ordinary (non-DODS) version of NetCDF,
-    run extconf.rb with option --disable-opendap.
-                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-    EOS
-  end
-
-  $CFLAGS += ' '+cflags
-  $LOCAL_LIBS += ' ' + libs
-
-  # non portable treatments: should be improved (by Horinouchi)
-  CONFIG['LDSHARED'].sub!(/gcc/,'g++')
-  $LIBS.sub!(/-lc\s/,'') ; $LIBS.sub!(/-lc$/,'')
-  print <<-EOS
-    ** Warning **  non-portable treatments are made, 
-    which was sucessfull redhat linux 9:
-     * gcc was replaced with g++ in CONFIG['LDSHARED']
-     * -lc library was removed if in $LIBS 
-
-  EOS
-  #  p '@@@'
-  #  ary = []
-  #  CONFIG.each{|k,v| ary.push([k,v])}
-  #  ary.sort.each{|x| p x}
-else
+case ncver0
+when "4"
   if xsystem("nc-config --libs") # for NetCDF 4
     cflags = `nc-config --cflags`.gsub(/\n/, " ")
     libs = `nc-config --libs`.gsub(/\n/, " ")
@@ -91,23 +67,82 @@ else
     $CFLAGS += ' ' + cflags
     $LOCAL_LIBS += ' ' + libs
   end
-  if ( ! ( have_header("netcdf.h") && have_library("netcdf") ) )then
-    print <<-EOS
-    ** configure error **  
-       Header netcdf.h or the compiled netcdf library is not found. 
-       If you have the library installed under /netcdfdir (that is, netcdf.h is
-       in /netcdfdir/include and the library in /netcdfdir/lib/),
-       try the following:
+when "3"
+  # for NetCDF 3, which needs external libraries for OpenDAP
+  if xsystem("ncdap-config --libs")
+    libncdods = "nc-dap"
+    cflags = `ncdap-config --cflags`.gsub(/\n/, " ")
+    libs = `ncdap-config --libs`.gsub(/\n/, " ")
+    prefix_dods = `ncdap-config --prefix`.gsub(/\n/, "")
+  elsif xsystem("opendap-config --libs")
+    libncdods = "nc-dods"
+    cflags = `opendap-config --cflags`.gsub(/\n/, " ")
+    libs = `opendap-config --libs-nc`.gsub(/\n/, " ")
+    prefix_dods = `opendap-config --prefix`.gsub(/\n/, "")
+  end
+  if (enable_config('opendap',true) && ( xsystem("opendap-config --libs") ||
+                                         xsystem("ncdap-config --libs") ) )
+
+    dir_config(libncdods,prefix_dods)
+
+    if (!have_library(libncdods))
+      print <<-EOS
+      ** ERROR ** Library not found: nc-dods (OPeNDAP/DODS-enabled NetCDF lib)
+      Install it, or run extconf.rb with option --disable-opendap.
+                                                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+      EOS
+      exit(-1)
+    else
+      print <<-EOS
+      ** Message **  Compiling with OPeNDAP/DODS-enabled NetCDF library.
+
+      This is because the command opendap-config is found in your system.
+      If you want to use the ordinary (non-DODS) version of NetCDF,
+      run extconf.rb with option --disable-opendap.
+                                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+      EOS
+    end
+
+    $CFLAGS += ' '+cflags
+    $LOCAL_LIBS += ' ' + libs
 
-       % ruby extconf.rb --with-netcdf-dir=/netcdfdir
+    # non portable treatments: should be improved (by Horinouchi)
+    CONFIG['LDSHARED'].sub!(/gcc/,'g++')
+    $LIBS.sub!(/-lc\s/,'') ; $LIBS.sub!(/-lc$/,'')
+    print <<-EOS
+      ** Warning **  non-portable treatments are made, 
+      which was sucessfull redhat linux 9:
+       * gcc was replaced with g++ in CONFIG['LDSHARED']
+       * -lc library was removed if in $LIBS 
 
-       Alternatively, you can specify the two directory separately
-       with --with-netcdf-include and --with-netcdf-lib.
     EOS
-    exit(-1)
+    #  p '@@@'
+    #  ary = []
+    #  CONFIG.each{|k,v| ary.push([k,v])}
+    #  ary.sort.each{|x| p x}
+  else
+    if ( ! ( have_header("netcdf.h") && have_library("netcdf") ) )then
+      print <<-EOS
+      ** configure error **  
+         Header netcdf.h or the compiled netcdf library is not found. 
+         If you have the library installed under /netcdfdir (that is, netcdf.h is
+         in /netcdfdir/include and the library in /netcdfdir/lib/),
+         try the following:
+
+         % ruby extconf.rb --with-netcdf-dir=/netcdfdir
+
+         Alternatively, you can specify the two directory separately
+         with --with-netcdf-include and --with-netcdf-lib.
+      EOS
+      exit(-1)
+    end
   end
+else
+  raise "Netcdf version #{ncver0} is not supported"
 end
 
+
+
 if /cygwin|mingw/ =~ RUBY_PLATFORM
    have_library("narray") || raise("ERROR: narray library is not found")
 end
@@ -128,9 +163,9 @@ oldmkfl.each_line{ |line|
       newmkfl.puts("")         
       newmkfl.puts("test: all")            # insert the "test" target
       newmkfl.puts("\t\t@cd test && ruby test.rb && echo 'test did not fail :-p (please ignore the warnings)' && cd ..") 
-   when /lib\/netcdf/
-      line = line.chomp! + "/"
-      newmkfl.puts(line)
+#   when /lib\/netcdf/
+#      line = line.chomp! + "/"
+#      newmkfl.puts(line)
    else
       newmkfl.puts(line)
    end

data/lib/netcdf.rb

@@ -1,12 +1,67 @@
 require 'narray'
 require 'numru/netcdfraw'
 
-# NetCDF$B%/%i%9$K4X$7$F(B
+if NArray.const_defined?(:SUPPORT_BIGMEM) && NArray::SUPPORT_BIGMEM
+  unless NumRu::NetCDF::SUPPORT_BIGMEM
+    raise "Ruby-NetCDF was compiled with NArray with big memory supoort " +
+          "(NArray-bigmem). However the NArray loaded is not NArray-bigmem."
+  end
+else
+  if NumRu::NetCDF::SUPPORT_BIGMEM
+    raise "Ruby-NetCDF was compiled with NArray without big memory support. " +
+          "However the NArray loaded is with the support (NArray-bigmem)."
+  end
+end
+
 module NumRu
   class NetCDF
 
     Max_Try = 100
 
+    NCVERSION = NetCDF.libvers
+
+    if NCVERSION[0..0] >= "4"
+      @@nc4 = true
+    else
+      @@nc4 = false
+    end
+    def NetCDF.nc4?
+      @@nc4
+    end
+
+    @@cr_format = 0
+
+    def NetCDF.creation_format=(cmode)
+      raise("This method is available only for NetCDF >= 4") unless @@nc4
+      case cmode
+      when  0, nil, NC_CLASSIC_MODEL, /^CLASSIC$/i  # classic netcdf ver 3 fmt
+        @@cr_format = 0
+      when NC_64BIT_OFFSET, /^64BIT_OFFSET$/i
+        @@cr_format = NC_64BIT_OFFSET
+      when NC_NETCDF4, /^NETCDF4$/i
+        @@cr_format = NC_NETCDF4
+      when ( NC_NETCDF4 | NC_CLASSIC_MODEL), /^NETCDF4_CLASSIC$/i
+        # NetCDF4 but disabling new data models
+        @@cr_format = NC_NETCDF4 | NC_CLASSIC_MODEL
+      else
+        raise ArgumentError, "Unsupported creation mode: #{cmod.to_s}"
+      end
+    end
+
+    def NetCDF.creation_format
+      raise("This method is available only for NetCDF >= 4") unless @@nc4
+      case @@cr_format
+      when 0
+        "TRADITIONAL"
+      when NC_64BIT_OFFSET
+        "64BIT_OFFSET"
+      when NC_NETCDF4
+        "NETCDF4"
+      when NC_NETCDF4 | NC_CLASSIC_MODEL
+        "NETCDF4_CLASSIC"
+      end
+    end
+
     def NetCDF.open(filename,mode="r",share=false)
        call_create=false   # false-> nc_open; true->nc_create
        case(mode)
@@ -64,7 +119,7 @@ module NumRu
 	raise NetcdfError,"share (3rd argument) must be true or false"
       end
       
-      cmode=noclobber | share
+      cmode=noclobber | share | @@cr_format
       nc_create(filename,cmode)
     end
     
@@ -218,7 +273,6 @@ module NumRu
     
   end
   
-  #NetCDFVar class $B$K4X$7$F(B
   class NetCDFVar
     
     class << NetCDFVar
@@ -522,77 +576,39 @@ module NumRu
        end
      elsif hash.key?("start")==true
        h_sta = hash["start"]
-       endq = hash.key?("end")
-       strq = hash.key?("stride")
-       if endq == false && strq == false
-	 if t_var == "char"
-	   get_vars_char(h_sta,nil,nil)
-	 elsif t_var == "byte"
-	   get_vars_byte(h_sta,nil,nil)
-	 elsif t_var == "sint" 
-	   get_vars_sint(h_sta,nil,nil)
-	 elsif t_var == "int"
-	   get_vars_int(h_sta,nil,nil)
-	 elsif t_var == "sfloat"
-	   get_vars_sfloat(h_sta,nil,nil)
-	 elsif t_var == "float"
-	   get_vars_float(h_sta,nil,nil)
-	 else 
-	   raise NetcdfError, "varialbe type #{t_var} isn't supported in netCDF"
-	 end
-       elsif endq == true && strq == false
-	 h_end = hash["end"]
- 	 if t_var == "char"
-	   get_vars_char(h_sta,h_end,nil)
- 	 elsif t_var == "byte"
-	   get_vars_byte(h_sta,h_end,nil)
-	 elsif t_var == "sint"
-	   get_vars_sint(h_sta,h_end,nil)
-	 elsif t_var == "int"
-	   get_vars_int(h_sta,h_end,nil)
-	 elsif t_var == "sfloat"
-	   get_vars_sfloat(h_sta,h_end,nil)
-	 elsif t_var == "float"
-	   get_vars_float(h_sta,h_end,nil)
-	 else
-	   raise NetcdfError, "variable type #{t_var} isn't supported in netCDF"
-	 end
-       elsif endq == false && strq == true
-	 h_str = hash["stride"]
- 	 if t_var == "char"
-	   get_vars_char(h_sta,nil,h_str)
- 	 elsif t_var == "byte"
-	   get_vars_byte(h_sta,nil,h_str)
-	 elsif t_var == "sint"
-	   get_vars_sint(h_sta,nil,h_str)
-	 elsif t_var == "int"
-	   get_vars_int(h_sta,nil,h_str)
-	 elsif t_var == "sfloat"
-	   get_vars_sfloat(h_sta,nil,h_str)
-	 elsif t_var == "float"
-	   get_vars_float(h_sta,nil,h_str)
-	 else
-	   raise NetcdfError, "variable type #{t_var} isn't supported in netCDF"
-	 end
-       else endq == true && strq == true
-	 h_end = hash["end"]
-	 h_str = hash["stride"]
-	 if t_var == "char"
-	   get_vars_char(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
-	 elsif t_var == "byte"
-	   get_vars_byte(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
-	 elsif t_var == "sint"
-	   get_vars_sint(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
-	 elsif t_var == "int"
-	   get_vars_int(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
-	 elsif t_var == "sfloat"
-	   get_vars_sfloat(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
-	 elsif t_var == "float"
-	   get_vars_float(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
-	 else
-	   raise NetcdfError, "variable type #{t_var} isn't supported in netCDF"
-	 end
+       h_end = hash["end"]     # can be nill
+       h_str = hash["stride"]  # can be nill
+       if NetCDF.nc4? && h_str && ((xstr=h_str[0]) != 1)
+         # Tentative treatment for the very slow netcdf-4 reading with step.
+         # Reading with step is generally slow with NetCDF 4, but it is
+         # particularly so for the first dimension.
+         # Ref: http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/mailing_lists/archives/netcdfgroup/2013/msg00311.html
+         h_str[0] = 1 
+         nc4remedy = true
+       else
+         nc4remedy = false
+       end
+       if t_var == "char"
+         v = get_vars_char(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
+       elsif t_var == "byte"
+         v = get_vars_byte(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
+       elsif t_var == "sint"
+         v = get_vars_sint(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
+       elsif t_var == "int"
+         v = get_vars_int(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
+       elsif t_var == "sfloat"
+         v = get_vars_sfloat(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
+       elsif t_var == "float"
+         v = get_vars_float(h_sta,h_end,h_str)
+       else
+         raise NetcdfError, "variable type #{t_var} isn't supported in netCDF"
+       end
+       if nc4remedy
+         idx = []
+         (0...v.shape[0]).step(xstr){|k| idx.push(k)}
+         v = v[idx,false]
        end
+       v
      else
        raise ArgumentError,"{'start'}=>{ARRAY} or {'index'}=>{ARRAY} is needed"
      end