# scipy.io.netcdf_variable

class scipy.io.netcdf_variable(data, typecode, size, shape, dimensions, attributes=None, maskandscale=False)

  A data object for netcdf files.

  `netcdf_variable` objects are constructed by calling the method `netcdf_file.createVariable` on the `netcdf_file` object. `netcdf_variable` objects behave much like array objects defined in numpy, except that their data resides in a file. Data is read by indexing and written by assigning to an indexed subset; the entire array can be accessed by the index `[:]` or (for scalars) by using the methods `getValue` and `assignValue`. `netcdf_variable` objects also have attribute `shape` with the same meaning as for arrays, but the shape cannot be modified. There is another read-only attribute dimensions, whose value is the tuple of dimension names.

  All other attributes correspond to variable attributes defined in the NetCDF file. Variable attributes are created by assigning to an attribute of the `netcdf_variable` object.

  Parameters:
    data array_like

      The data array that holds the values for the variable. Typically, this is initialized as empty, but with the proper shape.

    typecode dtype character code

      Desired data-type for the data array.

    size int

      Desired element size for the data array.

    shape sequence of ints

      The shape of the array. This should match the lengths of the variable’s dimensions.

    dimensions sequence of strings

      The names of the dimensions used by the variable. Must be in the same order of the dimension lengths given by `shape`.

    attributes dict, optional

      Attribute values (any type) keyed by string names. These attributes become attributes for the netcdf_variable object.

    maskandscale bool, optional

      Whether to automatically scale and/or mask data based on attributes. Default is False.

  See also

  `isrec`, `shape`
  Attributes:
    dimensions list of str

      List of names of dimensions used by the variable object.

    isrec, shape

      Properties

  Methods

  `assignValue`(value) | Assign a scalar value to a `netcdf_variable` of length one.
  `getValue`() | Retrieve a scalar value from a `netcdf_variable` of length one.
  `itemsize`() | Return the itemsize of the variable.
  `typecode`() | Return the typecode of the variable.

  __getitem__ |