failure to CLOBBER an netcdf4 file

using netcdf4 format I can't seem to overwrite existing files - works ok with classic. I get the following - any ideas?

nc = netcdf.create('tmp.nc','CLOBBER') ??? Error using ==> netcdflib Library failure "Can't add HDF5 file metadata".

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

James, don't let your function exit prematurely: use try/catch blocks. Or, since you are using a very new version, use onCleanup()

Answer 2

[John]

I cannot reproduce your issue, James, what platform and release are you running.

[James]

Hi John,

Linux 64bit, Centos5, MatlabR2011a

I've played a little more with my code and found the following - I guess it comes down to should the netcdf bits be cleaned up automatically if my function exists prematurely or am I stuck with the fact that I'll just have to delete the file manually if this happens. Hope the following makes sense:

% this code works

netcdf.setDefaultFormat('FORMAT_NETCDF4') ;

mode = netcdf.getConstant('CLOBBER') ;

ncid = netcdf.create('tmp.nc',mode) ;

netcdf.close(ncid)

ncid = netcdf.create('tmp.nc',mode) ;

netcdf.close(ncid)

% it successfully overwrites, but in my case

% the call is in a function so if the function

% exits prematurely before the netcdf.close statement

% I get something similar to the following if

% I try to re-call the function:

%first pass

netcdf.setDefaultFormat('FORMAT_NETCDF4') ;

mode = netcdf.getConstant('CLOBBER') ;

ncid = netcdf.create('tmp.nc',mode) ;

% exit before end

% second call:

ncid = netcdf.create('tmp.nc',mode) ;

% should get HDF5 error here