ruby-netcdf 0.7.1 → 0.8.0

data/lib/numru/netcdf.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,806 @@
+require 'narray'
+require 'numru/netcdf/version'
+require 'numru/netcdfraw'
+
+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$/i, NC_FORMAT_CLASSIC
+        # classic netcdf ver 3 fmt
+        @@cr_format = 0
+      when NC_64BIT_OFFSET, /^64BIT_OFFSET$/i, NC_FORMAT_64BIT
+        @@cr_format = NC_64BIT_OFFSET
+      when NC_NETCDF4, /^NETCDF4$/i, NC_FORMAT_NETCDF4
+        @@cr_format = NC_NETCDF4
+      when ( NC_NETCDF4 | NC_CLASSIC_MODEL), /^NETCDF4_CLASSIC$/i, NC_FORMAT_NETCDF4_CLASSIC
+        # 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)
+      when "r","rb"                          # read only
+        mode=NC_NOWRITE
+      when "w","w+","wb","w+b"               # overwrite if exits
+        call_create=true
+        mode=NC_CLOBBER
+      when "a","a+","r+","ab","a+b","r+b"    # append if exits
+        if( File.exists?(filename) )
+          mode=NC_WRITE
+        else
+          call_create=true   #(nonexsitent --> create)
+          mode=NC_CLOBBER
+        end
+      else
+        raise NetcdfError, "Mode #{mode} is not supported"
+      end
+      case(share)
+      when false
+        share=0
+      when true
+        share=NC_SHARE
+      else
+        raise NetcdfError, "We can't use the sharing mode you typed"
+      end
+      omode = mode | share
+      if(!call_create)
+        nc_open(filename,omode)
+      else
+        nc_create(filename,omode)
+      end
+    end
+
+    class << NetCDF
+      alias new open
+    end
+
+
+    def NetCDF.create(filename,noclobber=false,share=false)
+      case(noclobber)
+      when false
+        noclobber=NC_CLOBBER
+      when true
+        noclobber=NC_NOCLOBBER
+      else
+        raise NetcdfError,"noclobber (2nd argument) must be true or false"
+      end
+      case(share)
+      when false
+        share=0
+      when true
+        share=NC_SHARE
+      else
+        raise NetcdfError,"share (3rd argument) must be true or false"
+      end
+
+      cmode=noclobber | share | @@cr_format
+      nc_create(filename,cmode)
+    end
+
+    class << NetCDF
+      def clean_tmpfile(path)
+        proc {
+          print "removing ", path, "..." if $DEBUG
+          if File.exist?(path)
+            File.unlink(path)
+          end
+          print "done\n" if $DEBUG
+        }
+      end
+      protected :clean_tmpfile
+    end
+
+    def NetCDF.create_tmp(tmpdir=ENV['TMPDIR']||ENV['TMP']||ENV['TEMP']||'.',
+                          share=false)
+      basename = 'temp'
+      n = 0
+      while true
+        begin
+          tmpname = sprintf('%s/%s%d_%d.nc', tmpdir, basename, $$, n)
+          unless File.exist?(tmpname)
+            netcdf = NetCDF.create(tmpname, true, share)
+            ObjectSpace.define_finalizer(netcdf,
+                                         NetCDF.clean_tmpfile(tmpname))
+            break
+          end
+        rescue
+          raise NetcdfError, "cannot generate tempfile `%s'" % tmpname if n >= Max_Try
+        end
+        n += 1
+      end
+      netcdf
+    end
+
+
+    def put_att(attname,val,atttype=nil)
+      put_attraw(attname,val,atttype)
+    end
+
+    def def_var_with_dim(name, vartype, shape_ul0, dimnames)
+      # Same as def_var but defines dimensions first if needed.
+      # Use zero in shape to define an unlimited dimension.
+      if (shape_ul0.length != dimnames.length ) then
+        raise ArgumentError, 'lengths of shape and dimnames do not agree'
+      end
+      dims = []
+      dimnames.each_index{ |i|
+        dim = self.dim( dimnames[i] )
+        if ( dim != nil ) then
+          # dim exists --> check the length
+          if (shape_ul0[i] != dim.length_ul0 ) then
+            raise ArgumentError, "dimension length do not agree: #{i}th dim: "+\
+                                 "#{shape_ul0[i]} and #{dim.length_ul0}"
+          end
+          dims.push(dim)
+        else
+          # dim does not exist --> define it
+          dims.push( def_dim( dimnames[i], shape_ul0[i] ) )
+        end
+      }
+      def_var(name, vartype, dims)
+    end
+
+    # Iterators:
+    def each_dim
+      num_dim=ndims()
+      for dimid in 0..num_dim-1
+        obj_Dim=id2dim(dimid)
+        yield(obj_Dim)
+      end
+    end
+
+    def each_var
+      num_var=nvars()
+      for varid in 0..num_var-1
+        obj_Var=id2var(varid)
+        yield(obj_Var)
+      end
+    end
+
+    def each_att
+      num_att=natts()
+      for attnum in 0..num_att-1
+        obj_Att=id2att(attnum)
+        yield(obj_Att)
+      end
+    end
+
+    def dims( names=nil )   # return all if names==nil
+      if names == nil
+        dims = (0..ndims()-1).collect{|dimid| id2dim(dimid)}
+      else
+        raise TypeError, "names is not an array" if ! names.is_a?(Array)
+        dims = names.collect{|name| dim(name)}
+        raise ArgumentError, "One or more dimensions do not exist" if dims.include?(nil)
+      end
+      dims
+    end
+
+    def vars( names=nil )   # return all if names==nil
+      if names == nil
+        vars = (0..nvars()-1).collect{ |varid| id2var(varid) }
+      else
+        raise TypeError, "names is not an array" if ! names.is_a?(Array)
+        vars = names.collect{|name| var(name)}
+        raise ArgumentError, "One or more variables do not exist" if vars.include?(nil)
+      end
+      vars
+    end
+
+    def dim_names
+      num_dim=ndims()
+      names=[]
+      for dimid in 0..num_dim-1
+        obj_Dim=id2dim(dimid)
+        names=names+[obj_Dim.name]
+      end
+      return names
+    end
+
+    def var_names
+      num_var=nvars()
+      names=[]
+      for varid in 0..num_var-1
+        obj_Var=id2var(varid)
+        names=names+[obj_Var.name]
+      end
+      return names
+    end
+
+    def att_names
+      num_att=natts()
+      names=[]
+      for attnum in 0..num_att-1
+        obj_Att=id2att(attnum)
+        names=names+[obj_Att.name]
+      end
+      return names
+    end
+
+    def inspect
+      "NetCDF:"+path
+    end
+
+  end
+
+  class NetCDFVar
+
+    class << NetCDFVar
+      def new(file,varname,mode="r",share=false)
+        if(file.is_a?(String))
+          file = NetCDF.open(file,mode,share)
+        elsif(!file.is_a?(NetCDF))
+          raise TypeError, "1st arg must be a NetCDF (file object) or a String (path)"
+        end
+        file.var(varname)
+      end
+
+      alias open new
+    end
+
+    alias :rank :ndims
+
+    def each_att
+      num_att=natts()
+      for attnum in 0..num_att-1
+        obj_Att=id2att(attnum)
+        yield(obj_Att)
+      end
+    end
+
+    def dim_names
+      ary = Array.new()
+      dims.each{|dim| ary.push(dim.name)}
+      ary
+    end
+
+    def att_names
+      num_att=natts()
+      names=[]
+      for attnum in 0..num_att-1
+        obj_Att=id2att(attnum)
+        names=names+[obj_Att.name]
+      end
+      return names
+    end
+
+    def put_att(attname,val,atttype=nil)
+      put_attraw(attname,val,atttype)
+    end
+
+    def shape_ul0
+      sh = []
+      dims.each{|d|
+        if d.unlimited? then
+          sh.push(0)
+        else
+          sh.push(d.length)
+        end
+      }
+      sh
+    end
+
+    def shape_current
+      sh = []
+      dims.each{|d|
+        sh.push(d.length)
+      }
+      sh
+    end
+
+    # The put and get methods in the NetCDFVar class
+
+    def pack(na)
+      sf = att('scale_factor')
+      ao = att('add_offset')
+      if ( sf == nil && ao == nil ) then
+        na
+      else
+        na = NArray.to_na(na) if na.is_a?(Array)
+        if sf
+          csf = sf.get
+          raise NetcdfError,"scale_factor is not a numeric" if csf.is_a?(String)
+          raise NetcdfError, "scale_factor is not unique" if csf.length != 1
+          raise NetcdfError, "zero scale_factor" if csf[0] == 0
+        else
+          csf = nil
+        end
+        if ao
+          cao = ao.get
+          raise NetcdfError, "add_offset is not a numeric" if cao.is_a?(String)
+          raise NetcdfError, "add_offset is not unique" if cao.length != 1
+        else
+          cao = nil
+        end
+        if csf and cao
+          packed = (na - cao) / csf
+        elsif csf
+          packed = na / csf
+        elsif cao
+          packed = na - cao
+        end
+        if self.typecode <= NArray::LINT
+          packed = packed.round
+        end
+        packed
+      end
+    end
+
+    def scaled_put(var,hash=nil)
+      simple_put( pack(var), hash)
+    end
+
+    @@unpack_type = nil
+    class << NetCDFVar
+      def unpack_type
+        @@unpack_type
+      end
+      def unpack_type=(na_type)
+        if [NArray::BYTE, NArray::SINT, NArray::INT,
+            NArray::SFLOAT, NArray::FLOAT, nil].include?(na_type)
+          @@unpack_type = na_type
+        else
+          raise ArgumentError, "Arg must be one of NArray::BYTE, NArray::SINT, NArray::INT, NArray::SFLOAT, NArray::FLOAT"
+        end
+      end
+
+    end
+
+    def unpack(na)
+      sf = att('scale_factor')
+      ao = att('add_offset')
+      if ( sf == nil && ao == nil ) then
+        na
+      else
+        if sf
+          csf = sf.get
+          raise NetcdfError,"scale_factor is not a numeric" if csf.is_a?(String)
+          raise NetcdfError, "scale_factor is not unique" if csf.length != 1
+          raise NetcdfError, "zero scale_factor" if csf[0] == 0
+        else
+          csf =nil
+        end
+        if ao
+          cao = ao.get
+          raise NetcdfError, "add_offset is not a numeric" if cao.is_a?(String)
+          raise NetcdfError, "add_offset is not unique" if cao.length != 1
+        else
+          cao = nil
+        end
+        if csf and cao
+          una = na * csf + cao  # csf & cao are NArray -> coerced to their types
+        elsif csf
+          una = na * csf
+        elsif cao
+          una = na + cao
+        end
+        una = una.to_type(@@unpack_type) if @@unpack_type
+        una
+      end
+    end
+
+    def scaled_get(hash=nil)
+      unpack( simple_get(hash) )
+    end
+
+    def simple_put(var,hash=nil)
+      if hash==nil
+        if self.vartype == "char"
+          put_var_char(var)
+        elsif self.vartype == "byte"
+          put_var_byte(var)
+        elsif self.vartype == "sint"
+          put_var_sint(var)
+        elsif self.vartype == "int"
+          put_var_int(var)
+        elsif self.vartype == "sfloat"
+          put_var_sfloat(var)
+        elsif self.vartype == "float"
+          put_var_float(var)
+        else
+          raise NetcdfError,"variable type isn't supported in netCDF"
+        end
+      elsif hash.key?("index")==true
+        if self.vartype == "char"
+          put_var1_char(var,hash["index"])
+        elsif self.vartype=="byte"
+          put_var1_byte(var,hash["index"])
+        elsif self.vartype=="sint"
+          put_var1_sint(var,hash["index"])
+        elsif self.vartype == "int"
+          put_var1_int(var,hash["index"])
+        elsif self.vartype == "sfloat"
+          put_var1_sfloat(var,hash["index"])
+        elsif self.vartype == "float"
+          put_var1_float(var,hash["index"])
+        else
+          raise NetcdfError,"variable type isn't supported in netCDF"
+        end
+      elsif hash.key?("start")==true
+        if hash.key?("end")==false && hash.key?("stride")==false
+          if self.vartype == "char"
+            put_vars_char(var,hash["start"],nil,nil)
+          elsif self.vartype=="byte"
+            put_vars_byte(var,hash["start"],nil,nil)
+          elsif self.vartype=="sint"
+            put_vars_sint(var,hash["start"],nil,nil)
+          elsif self.vartype=="int"
+            put_vars_int(var,hash["start"],nil,nil)
+          elsif self.vartype=="sfloat"
+            put_vars_sfloat(var,hash["start"],nil,nil)
+          elsif self.vartype=="float"
+            put_vars_float(var,hash["start"],nil,nil)
+          else
+            raise NetcdfError, "variable type isn't supported in netCDF"
+          end
+        elsif hash.key?("end")==true && hash.key?("stride") == false
+          if self.vartype == "char"
+            put_vars_char(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],nil)
+          elsif self.vartype=="byte"
+            put_vars_byte(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],nil)
+          elsif self.vartype=="sint"
+            put_vars_sint(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],nil)
+          elsif self.vartype=="int"
+            put_vars_int(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],nil)
+          elsif self.vartype == "sfloat"
+            put_vars_sfloat(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],nil)
+          elsif self.vartype =="float"
+            put_vars_float(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],nil)
+          else
+            raise NetcdfError, "variable type isn't supported in netCDF"
+          end
+        elsif hash.key?("end")==false && hash.key?("stride")==true
+          if self.vartype == "char"
+            put_vars_char(var,hash["start"],nil,hash["stride"])
+          elsif self.vartype=="byte"
+            put_vars_byte(var,hash["start"],nil,hash["stride"])
+          elsif self.vartype=="sint"
+            put_vars_sint(var,hash["start"],nil,hash["stride"])
+          elsif self.vartype=="int"
+            put_vars_int(var,hash["start"],nil,hash["stride"])
+          elsif self.vartype=="sfloat"
+            put_vars_sfloat(var,hash["start"],nil,hash["stride"])
+          elsif self.vartype=="float"
+            put_vars_float(var,hash["start"],nil,hash["stride"])
+          else
+            raise NetcdfError, "variable type isn't supported in netCDF"
+          end
+        else hash.key?("end")==true && hash.key?("stride")==true
+          if self.vartype == "char"
+            put_vars_char(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],hash["stride"])
+          elsif self.vartype=="byte"
+            put_vars_byte(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],hash["stride"])
+          elsif self.vartype=="sint"
+            put_vars_sint(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],hash["stride"])
+          elsif self.vartype=="int"
+            put_vars_int(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],hash["stride"])
+          elsif self.vartype=="sfloat"
+            put_vars_sfloat(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],hash["stride"])
+          elsif self.vartype=="float"
+            put_vars_float(var,hash["start"],hash["end"],hash["stride"])
+          else
+            raise NetcdfError, "variable type isn't supported in netCDF"
+          end
+        end
+      else
+        raise ArgumentError,"{'start'}=>[ARRAY] or {'index'}=>[ARRAY] is needed"
+      end
+    end
+
+    alias put simple_put
+
+    def simple_get(hash=nil)
+      t_var = self.vartype
+      if hash == nil
+        if t_var == "char"
+          get_var_char
+        elsif t_var == "byte"
+          get_var_byte
+        elsif t_var == "sint"
+          get_var_sint
+        elsif t_var == "int"
+          get_var_int
+        elsif t_var == "sfloat"
+          get_var_sfloat
+        elsif t_var == "float"
+          get_var_float
+        else
+          raise NetcdfError, "variable type #{t_var} isn't supported in netCDF"
+        end
+      elsif hash.key?("index")==true
+        ind = hash["index"]
+        if t_var == "char"
+          get_var1_char(ind)
+        elsif t_var == "byte"
+          get_var1_byte(ind)
+        elsif t_var == "sint"
+          get_var1_sint(ind)
+        elsif t_var == "int"
+          get_var1_int(ind)
+        elsif t_var == "sfloat"
+          get_var1_sfloat(ind)
+        elsif t_var == "float"
+          get_var1_float(ind)
+        else
+          raise NetcdfError,"variable type #{t_var} isn't supported in netCDF"
+        end
+      elsif hash.key?("start")==true
+        h_sta = hash["start"]
+        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
+    end
+
+    alias get simple_get
+
+    def __rubber_expansion( args )
+      if (id = args.index(false))  # substitution into id
+        # false is incuded
+        alen = args.length
+        if args.rindex(false) != id
+          raise ArguemntError,"only one rubber dimension is permitted"
+        elsif alen > rank+1
+          raise ArgumentError, "too many args"
+        end
+        ar = ( id!=0 ? args[0..id-1] : [] )
+        args = ar + [true]*(rank-alen+1) + args[id+1..-1]
+      elsif args.length == 0   # to support empty [], []=
+        args = [true]*rank
+      end
+      args
+    end
+    private :__rubber_expansion
+
+    def [](*a)
+      if a.length == 0
+        return self.get
+      end
+      a = __rubber_expansion(a)
+      first = Array.new
+      last = Array.new
+      stride = Array.new
+      set_stride = false
+      a.each{|i|
+        if(i.is_a?(Integer))
+          first.push(i)
+          last.push(i)
+          stride.push(1)
+        elsif(i.is_a?(Range))
+          first.push(i.first)
+          last.push(i.exclude_end? ? i.last-1 : i.last)
+          stride.push(1)
+        elsif(i.is_a?(Hash))
+          r = (i.to_a[0])[0]
+          s = (i.to_a[0])[1]
+          if ( !( r.is_a?(Range) ) || ! ( s.is_a?(Integer) ) )
+            raise TypeError, "Hash argument must be {a_Range, step}"
+          end
+          first.push(r.first)
+          last.push(r.exclude_end? ? r.last-1 : r.last)
+          stride.push(s)
+          set_stride = true
+        elsif(i.is_a?(TrueClass))
+          first.push(0)
+          last.push(-1)
+          stride.push(1)
+        elsif( i.is_a?(Array) || i.is_a?(NArray))
+          a_new = a.dup
+          at = a.index(i)
+          i = NArray.to_na(i) if i.is_a?(Array)
+          for n in 0..i.length-1
+            a_new[at] = i[n]..i[n]
+            na_tmp = self[*a_new]
+            if n==0 then
+              k = at
+              if at > 0
+                a[0..at-1].each{|x| if x.is_a?(Integer) then k -= 1 end}
+              end
+              shape_tmp = na_tmp.shape
+              shape_tmp[k] = i.length
+              na = na_tmp.class.new(na_tmp.typecode,*shape_tmp)
+              index_tmp = Array.new(shape_tmp.length,true)
+            end
+            index_tmp[k] = n..n
+            na[*index_tmp] = na_tmp
+          end
+          return na
+        else
+          raise TypeError, "argument must be Integer, Range, Hash, TrueClass, Array, or NArray"
+        end
+      }
+
+      if(set_stride)
+        na = self.get({"start"=>first, "end"=>last, "stride"=>stride})
+      else
+        na = self.get({"start"=>first, "end"=>last})
+      end
+      shape = na.shape
+      (a.length-1).downto(0){ |i|
+        shape.delete_at(i) if a[i].is_a?(Integer)
+      }
+      na.reshape!( *shape )
+      na
+    end
+
+    def []=(*a)
+      val = a.pop
+      a = __rubber_expansion(a)
+      first = Array.new
+      last = Array.new
+      stride = Array.new
+      set_stride = false
+      a.each{|i|
+        if(i.is_a?(Integer))
+          first.push(i)
+          last.push(i)
+          stride.push(1)
+        elsif(i.is_a?(Range))
+          first.push(i.first)
+          last.push(i.exclude_end? ? i.last-1 : i.last)
+          stride.push(1)
+        elsif(i.is_a?(Hash))
+          r = (i.to_a[0])[0]
+          s = (i.to_a[0])[1]
+          if ( !( r.is_a?(Range) ) || ! ( s.is_a?(Integer) ) )
+            raise ArgumentError, "Hash argument must be {first..last, step}"
+          end
+          first.push(r.first)
+          last.push(r.exclude_end? ? r.last-1 : r.last)
+          stride.push(s)
+          set_stride = true
+        elsif(i.is_a?(TrueClass))
+          first.push(0)
+          last.push(-1)
+          stride.push(1)
+        elsif(i.is_a?(Array) || i.is_a?(NArray))
+          a_new = a.dup
+          at = a.index(i)
+          i = NArray.to_na(i) if i.is_a?(Array)
+          val = NArray.to_na(val) if val.is_a?(Array)
+          rank_of_subset = a.dup.delete_if{|v| v.is_a?(Integer)}.length
+          if val.rank != rank_of_subset
+            raise "rank of the rhs (#{val.rank}) is not equal to the rank "+
+                  "of the subset specified by #{a.inspect} (#{rank_of_subset})"
+          end
+          k = at
+          a[0..at-1].each{|x| if x.is_a?(Integer) then k -= 1 end}
+          if i.length != val.shape[k]
+            raise "length of the #{k+1}-th dim of rhs is incorrect "+
+                  "(#{i.length} for #{val.shape[k]})"
+          end
+          index_tmp = Array.new(val.rank,true) if !val.is_a?(Numeric) #==>Array-like
+          for n in 0..i.length-1
+            a_new[at] = i[n]..i[n]
+            if !val.is_a?(Numeric) then
+              index_tmp[k] = n..n
+              self[*a_new] = val[*index_tmp]
+            else
+              self[*a_new] = val
+            end
+          end
+          return self
+        else
+          raise TypeError, "argument must be Integer, Range, Hash, TrueClass, Array, or NArray"
+        end
+      }
+
+      if(set_stride)
+        self.put(val, {"start"=>first, "end"=>last, "stride"=>stride})
+      else
+        self.put(val, {"start"=>first, "end"=>last})
+      end
+    end
+
+    def inspect
+      'NetCDFVar:'+file.path+'?var='+name
+    end
+
+  end
+
+  class NetCDFAtt
+
+    def put(val,atttype=nil)
+      putraw(val,atttype)
+    end
+
+    def inspect
+      'NetCDFAtt:'+name
+    end
+  end
+
+  class NetCDFDim
+    def inspect
+      'NetCDFDim:'+name
+    end
+
+    def length_ul0
+      if unlimited?
+        0
+      else
+        length
+      end
+    end
+
+  end
+end