view_hdf: A Visualization and Analysis Tool for HDF Files

view_hdf is a visualization and analysis tool for accessing data stored in Hierarchical Data Format (HDF) and HDF-EOS files.

The view_hdf tool can select and subset variables from either Science Data Set (SDS) or vdata structures in any HDF file, render both two- and three-dimensional graphics, and plot geolocated data onto various world map projections. Other features include multiple variable plots, difference plots, and simple statistics. Plots can be saved in PostScript, encapsulated PostScript and GIF or sent directly to a printer. Filtered subsets and statistical results can be written to a file in ASCII format for use in other analysis programs.

The view_hdf tool is written in Interactive Data Language (IDL) and uses a graphical user interface to manipulate the data. It also makes use of a shared library written in C which is accessed from the IDL program. The tool was developed on a UNIX platform and has been ported to SGI IRIX, Sun Solaris, and Windows 2000. It should be portable to most platforms which support IDL, the HDF libraries, and a C compiler.

view_hdf was developed by the CERES Data Management Team at NASA Langley Research Center and is distributed by the NASA Langley Atmospheric Sciences Data Center.

Download Files:

Download the view_hdf Version 4.0.4 package for your computer and operating system:

Overview and Installation: view_hdf Version 4.0.4 README file (10113 bytes).

• UNIX version:
  • tar file (28.2 MB)
  • gzip compressed tar file (12.1 MB)
• PC version:
  • zip file (13.8 MB)

Note: IDL versions prior to 5.2.1 are not supported for this release.

User's Guide and Release Notes:

• view_hdf Version 4.0 User's Guide (PDF, 2.8 MB)
• Release Notes for Version 4.0.4 (PDF, 12.8 KB)

A Portable Document Format (PDF) reader (such as Adobe Acrobat Reader) is required to open and view the PDF documents after they are downloaded to your system.