• Turn this on with def_var_chunking. Set the third parameter (contiguous) to a non-zero value to turn on contintigous storage for this variable. (Pass NULL for the chunksizes.)
• This capability is provided for completeness - there is no need to set contiguous storage, since it is the default choice for fixed-sized variables without filters, and is not allowed for any other variable.
• You must do this before the first enddef on the file (even an implied one, for example when you write some data.)

  
  /* Define chunking for a variable. This must be done after nc_def_var
     and before nc_enddef. */
  EXTERNL int
  nc_def_var_chunking(int ncid, int varid, int contiguous, int
     *chunksizesp);
  

• Matching inquiry function is use to retrieve current setting, though it is transparent to readers of the data.

  /* Inq chunking stuff for a var. */
  EXTERNL int
  nc_inq_var_chunking(int ncid, int varid, int *contiguousp, int *chunksizesp);
  

2009 Unidata NetCDF Workshop for Developers and Data Providers > Chunking and Deflating Data with NetCDF-4