This document outlines the goals and status updates from Workshop III of the HDF-EOS workshop in September 2000. The goals of Workshop IV were to share progress on tools that support HDF and HDF-EOS, lessons learned from applying it to science products, and gather community feedback. It provides the status of 12 action items from Workshop III, such as the development of a metadata validator tool and recommendations for attributes in HDF-EOS files. It also discusses the transition to HDF-EOS version 3 with HDF5 and a schedule for migration and new applications.

1. HDF-EOS Workshop IV
September 19-21, 2000
Richard E. Ullman
ESDIS Information Architect
NASA/ GSFC, Code 423

2. Workshop IV Goals
– Show where we are in application of HDF5 to the
HDF-EOS “profile”.
– Share progress in development of tools, both
commercial and government sponsored that
recognize HDF and the HDF-EOS profile of HDF.
– Share lessons learned by the Terra Science data
producers and others in applying HDF and HDFEOS to their particular science products.
– Collect feedback from HDF-EOS community to
help guide our continuing efforts.
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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3. Workshop III Action Status
1. Develop a metadata validator tool to compare
metadata to the ECS data model and to the
collection descriptor.
STATUS: RITSS has developed a stand-alone
command line tool called “metcheck” for use
by data producers
– Alpha today.
– Beta in the next month or so.
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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4. Workshop III Action Status
2. Publish metadata policy statements. For
example, the policy for deciding when
changes to collection level metadata require
creation of a new collection.
STATUS: A data provider and DAAC issue
supported by ECS, not an HDF-EOS issue.
– Becoming better understood through experience
– A Data Provider’s “Software IRD” in development.
– ECS science office is best source for answering
questions.
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV Page 4

5. Workshop III Action Status
3. Provide a link from the HDF-EOS site to the
UAH subsetter.
STATUS: Done
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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6. Workshop III Action Status
4. Investigate Polar bounding box selection
errors in HDF-EOS. Either correct code or
correct documentation.
STATUS: Done
– Some confusion attributed to user
misunderstanding.
– Code bug found that affected certain selections.
Bug fixed.
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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7. Workshop III Action Status
5. Update HDF-EOS web site with
presentations, attendance list, etc.
STATUS: Always ongoing.
– Complete for WS III
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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8. Workshop III Action Status
6. Provide a web site to showcase tools.
STATUS: Always ongoing.
Links from http:/hdfeos.nasa.gov/ home page:
– “How Do I View HDF-EOS Files?”
http://hdfeos.gsfc.nasa.gov/hdfeos/viewingHDFEO
S.html
– “HDF-EOS Software Information Page/ Review
Listed Software and Add New Software” URL
under construction.
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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9. Workshop III Action Status
7. Develop a set of suggested attributes (units,
scale factors, axis labels)
STATUS: DRAFT COMPLETE
– The EOS Aura Data Systems Working Group has
led this effort
– Cheryl Craig will present status later in this
workshop.
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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10. Workshop III Action Status
8. Provide a tool to extract information from bit
fields.
STATUS: No ACTION
– So far, we have not noted sufficient interest in this
proposed functionality to make implementation a
priority.
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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11. Workshop III Action Status
9. Provide better error messages from HDFEOS. Make the bug tracking and fixing
process more open.
STATUS: Always ongoing
– HDF-EOS library development team will be
implementing some improvements in
documentation of error codes and implementation
in the next revision of HDF-EOS.
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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12. Workshop III Action Status
10. Provide standard definition of HDF4 items
using HDF5. That is, how do we use HDF5 to
make the identical HDF4 item?
STATUS:IN PROGRESS
– NCSA (Mike Folk) has produced a paper
describing this translation. Bob McGrath will
present details later this morning.
– A revision of the document will be forthcoming.
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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13. Workshop III Action Status
11. Poll teams about the occurrence of hybrid
HDF-EOS/HDF products. What HDF4
primitives are used?
STATUS: COMPLETE
– Nearly all HDF-EOS products defined to date also
contain other HDF object within them.
– Transition to HDF-EOS v3 will require attention of
the data providers and is likely to take several
years.
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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14. Workshop III Action Status
12. Provide a clear schedule and strategy for
HDF-EOS using HDF5 with recommendations
for data migration and for new application
development.
STATUS: This Workshop will answer
– HDF-EOS 3 is available in Beta today.
– We will explain the design and API in the course of
this workshop.
– Stable release in late winter.
Ullman
HDF-EOS Workshop IV
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