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# scipy.io.netcdf_variable

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

  A data object for the `netcdf` module.

  `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.