1. Check a CDL file for any syntax errors:

    ncgen mslp.cdl 

2. Reverse what ncdump does, converting CDL text file to netCDF:

    ncgen -b mslp.cdl   # Caution, this overwrites mslp.nc if it exists 

    ncgen -o foo.nc mslp.cdl  # To explicitly specify an output file 

    ncgen -k4 -o mslp4.nc mslp.cdl  # Output netCDF-4 classic model file 

3. Generate a C, Fortran, or Java program which, when compiled and run, will create the binary netCDF file corresponding to the CDL text file.

   ncgen -l c mslp.cdl > mslp.c

   generated C code (129 lines)

   ncgen -l f77 mslp.cdl > mslp.f    # currently classic model only

   generated Fortran-77 code (176 lines)

   ncgen -l java mslp.cdl > mslp.java   # currently classic model only

   generated Java code (92 lines)

2012 Unidata NetCDF Workshop > NetCDF Utilities