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/*
 * Copyright 1998-2014 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research/Unidata
 *
 *   Portions of this software were developed by the Unidata Program at the
 *   University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.
 *
 *   Access and use of this software shall impose the following obligations
 *   and understandings on the user. The user is granted the right, without
 *   any fee or cost, to use, copy, modify, alter, enhance and distribute
 *   this software, and any derivative works thereof, and its supporting
 *   documentation for any purpose whatsoever, provided that this entire
 *   notice appears in all copies of the software, derivative works and
 *   supporting documentation.  Further, UCAR requests that the user credit
 *   UCAR/Unidata in any publications that result from the use of this
 *   software or in any product that includes this software. The names UCAR
 *   and/or Unidata, however, may not be used in any advertising or publicity
 *   to endorse or promote any products or commercial entity unless specific
 *   written permission is obtained from UCAR/Unidata. The user also
 *   understands that UCAR/Unidata is not obligated to provide the user with
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 *
 *   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY UCAR/UNIDATA "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR
 *   IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
 *   WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
 *   DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL UCAR/UNIDATA BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL,
 *   INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING
 *   FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT,
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 *   WITH THE ACCESS, USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 */
package ucar.nc2;

import ucar.ma2.DataType;

import java.util.List;

/**
 * A lightweight abstractions of a Variable.
 *
 * @author caron
 * @see ucar.nc2.ft.FeatureDataset
 */
public interface VariableSimpleIF extends Comparable {

  /**
   * Name of the data Variable.
   * Not that this is technically ambiguous v-a-v short or full name;
   * however, since this is a Variable interface, one must assume
   * that it is intended to be getFullName().
   *
   * @return name of the data Variable
   * @deprecated use getFullName or getShortName
   */

    @Deprecated
    public String getName();

  /**
   * full, backslash escaped name of the data Variable
   * @return full, backslash escaped name of the data Variable
   */
  public String getFullName();

  /**
   * short name of the data Variable
   * @return short name of the data Variable
   */
  public String getShortName();

  /**
   * description of the Variable
   * @return description of the Variable, or null if none.
   */
  public String getDescription();

  /**
   * Units of the Variable. These should be udunits compatible if possible
   * @return Units of the Variable, or null if none.
   */
  public String getUnitsString();

  /**
   * Variable rank
   * @return Variable rank
   */
  public int getRank();

  /**
   * Variable shape
   * @return Variable shape
   */
  public int[] getShape();

  /**
   * Dimension List. empty for a scalar variable.
   * @return List of ucar.nc2.Dimension
   */
  public List getDimensions();

  /**
   * Variable's data type
   * @return Variable's data type
   */
  public DataType getDataType();

  /**
   * Attributes for the variable.
   * @return List of type ucar.nc2.Attribute
   */
  public List getAttributes();

  /**
   * find the attribute for the variable with the given name, ignoring case.
   * @param name attribute name
   * @return the attribute for the variable with the given name, or null if not found.
   */
  public ucar.nc2.Attribute findAttributeIgnoreCase(String name);

}