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MATLAB Bug Fix for CERES Data Files

Workaround for CERES Products Exhibiting Vdata Error (AVG, ZAVG)

hdftool errors on HDF4 files with Vdata datasets with zero-length names

hdftool incorrectly assumed that any Vdata dataset would have a name with at least one character. However, zero-length names, while rare, are valid.
For more information, see: MATLAB bug report dealing with 0-length Vdata

Please follow the instruction exactly as mentioned for: Windows 32-bit and 64-bit machines | Mac 32-bit and 64-bit machines

for Windows Machines

Windows 32-bit Machines
- tested and verified with Matlab R2008a		 Windows 64-bit Machines
- tested and verified with Matlab R2009a
  1. Type "matlabroot" at Matlab command prompt and copy the path.
    • This directory will be referred to as $matlabroot
  2. Quit Matlab
  3. Go to "$matlabroot/toolbox/matlab/imagesci"
  4. Make a backup copy of the file hdf.mexw32 to hdf.mexw32.old
  5. Place the new hdf.mexw32 file in the same location
  6. Go to "$matlabroot/toolbox/matlab/imagesci/private"
  7. Make a backup copy of the file hdfquickinfo.m to hdfquickinfo.m.old
  8. Copy the new hdfquickinfo.m into the same directory
  9. Restart Matlab
  10. Type "rehash toolboxcache" at Matlab command prompt.
    The changes are not going to be effective without doing this.
  11. Start hdftool and load the CERES HDF files
  1. Type "matlabroot" at Matlab command prompt and copy the path.
    • This directory will be referred to as $matlabroot
  2. Quit Matlab
  3. Go to "$matlabroot/toolbox/matlab/imagesci"
  4. Make a backup copy of the file hdf.mexw64 to hdf.mexw64.old
  5. Place the new hdf.mexw64 file in the same location
  6. Go to "$matlabroot/toolbox/matlab/imagesci/private"
  7. Make a backup copy of the file hdfquickinfo.m to hdfquickinfo.m.old
  8. Copy the new hdfquickinfo.m into the same directory
  9. Restart Matlab
  10. Type "rehash toolboxcache" at Matlab command prompt.
    The changes are not going to be effective without doing this.
  11. Start hdftool and load the CERES HDF files

for Apple Mac Machines

Mac 32-bit Machines
- tested and verified with Matlab R2008b		 Mac 64-bit Machines
- NOT tested and verified yet
  1. Type "matlabroot" at Matlab command prompt and copy the path.
    • This directory will be referred to as $matlabroot
  2. Quit Matlab
  3. Go to "$matlabroot/toolbox/matlab/imagesci/private"
  4. Make a backup copy of the file hdfquickinfo.m to hdfquickinfo.m.old
  5. Copy the new hdfquickinfo.m file into the same directory
  6. Restart Matlab
  7. Type "rehash toolboxcache" at Matlab command prompt.
    The changes are not going to be effective without doing this.
  8. Start hdftool and load the CERES HDF files
  1. Type "matlabroot" at Matlab command prompt and copy the path.
    • This directory will be referred to as $matlabroot
  2. Quit Matlab
  3. Go to "$matlabroot/toolbox/matlab/imagesci/private"
  4. Make a backup copy of the file hdfquickinfo.m to hdfquickinfo.m.old
  5. Copy the new hdfquickinfo.m file into the same directory
  6. Restart Matlab
  7. Type "rehash toolboxcache" at Matlab command prompt.
    The changes are not going to be effective without doing this.
  8. Start hdftool and load the CERES HDF files

Workaround for Customers using MATLAB R2007b

Users may experience problems reading CERES (specifically, FLASHFLUX) data files with MATLAB. The problem with reading CERES data files is a bug in MATLAB R2007b that has been fixed in R2008a. This issue, which arises only with certain HDF files, is related to a bug in the HDFREAD function that cannot read a 'Vdata' dataset that is contained in a 'Vgroup'.

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