Hi James,
A CF perspective: Per CF the data types must match:
http://cf-pcmdi.llnl.gov/documents/cf-conventions/1.6/cf-conventions.html#missing-data
This is true even if the variable is "compressed" using add_offset and
scale_factor.
Individual applications may be less fussy than the CF spec dictates, but
in general unmatched datatypes should be assumed to produce
unpredictable behavior in applications. Ncgen would be a particularly
significant application, but even ncgen would have to alter the
_FillValue datatype to ensure it matches the variable's datatype, in
order to generate the file.
- Steve
=============================
On 12/14/2011 1:24 PM, Gallagher James wrote:
Does the type of the _FillValue attribute have to match the element type of the
array to which it is bound?
For example, suppose there's an array of Bytes, can the _fillValue be a Short?
I'm asking because a question about DAP2 and promotion of DAP's (unsigned) Byte
to (signed) Int16 has popped up again.
Thanks,
James
--
James Gallagher
jgallagher at opendap.org
406.723.8663
_______________________________________________
netcdfgroup mailing list
netcdfgroup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For list information or to unsubscribe, visit:
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/mailing_lists/
