User Manual:  Reading the SMP netCDF Files << Previous | Table of Contents | Next >> 5.0 Using ncview to read netCDF files   Ncview is a netCDF visual browser written by David W. Pierce of UCSD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography. It's an excellent way to get a quick and easy, 2-dimensional, look at netCDF format files. Ncview supports simple X-Y plots, movie views of the data, views along various dimensions, access to actual data values and more. It runs on multiple platforms which use the X window display system.   ncview home page at UCSD/SIO   Ncview understands the COARDS and GDT conventions and will therefore provide quick views of the data with little or no user intervention required. This is especially true if the udunits package is also installed. To enable udunits support you must install the udunits package BEFORE configuring ncview in the installation process.     udunits home page at Unidata To open a netCDF data file using ncview, simply type     > ncview 'netCDF_filename' For example:     > ncview cdm_0997-0800.nc Select a variable for display and use the 'playback' controls to advance through the frames one at a time or fast-mode movie-style. The program is very intuitive and includes a most helpful man page.   ncview man page from version 1.92e   example plot from SMP netcdf file A screen shot showing ncview v1.92e controls.