Automatic CDF Validation Software (ACVS)

The Automatic CDF Validation Software (ACVS) will validate that all required ISTP global and variable attributes are present and filled in correctly - as much as can be done via software.

The ACVS can be run on both a skeleton table or a complete CDF. However, to run the ACVS on a skeleton table, you must create a CDF version of the skeleton table with CDFskeleton.

To run ACVS on the VAX

add cdf_validation :== ncf_spds_staff:[spds.emily.makecdf]cdf_validation.exe to your login.com file.
type cdf_validation at the prompt.

All missing, undefined, or incorrectly defined global and variable attributes are listed in a user message file called CVS_MSG_FILE.DAT. A description of the review criteria used to by the ACVS to generate the user message file and an example of the user message file can be found below.

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The following description of the ACVS software was written by G. Blackwell, Goddard Space Flight Center

Review Criteria

The ACVS reads a CDF file containing r-variables and/or z-variables and checks the following information:

#header:
The ACVS reports all data encoding and format found to be incorrectly defined.
#GLOBALattributes:
The ACVS reports if any of the following GAs is missing, undefined, or incorrectly defined:
Project, Discipline, Source_name, Data_type, Descriptor, Data_version, TITLE, TEXT, MODS, ADID_ref, and Logical_file_id.
Results are reported in the following format:
```
GA               missing                   attribute name
                 undefined                      "
                 incorrectly defined            "         
```
Optional or other GAs are also reported.
#VARIABLEattributes:
The ACVS reports if any of the following VAs is missing:
FIELDNAM, VALIDMIN, VALIDMAX, SCALEMIN, SCALEMAX, LABLAXIS and LABL_PTR_1, LABL_PTR_2, LABL_PTR_3, LABL_PTR_4, LABL_PTR_5, UNITS and UNIT_PTR, FORMAT and FORM_PTR, DEPEND_0, DEPEND_1, DEPEND_2, DEPEND_3, DEPEND_4, DEPEND_5, DICT_KEY, VAR_TYPE, FILLVAL, and CATDESC.
Results are reported in the following format:
```
VA               missing                   attribute name
```
Optional or other VAs are also reported.
#variables:
The ACVS reports if any of the following required variables is missing:
Epoch and Time_PB5.
Results are reported in the following format:
```
req. variable    missing                   variable name
```
For each variable in the CDF file, the VAs listed in c above (plus DELTA_PLUS_VAR and DELTA_MINUS_VAR if they are present) should be defined.
Results are reported in the following format:
```
variable name  missing                    attribute name
               undefined                       "
               incorrectly defined             "
```
(Note: If LABLAXIS is defined, LABL_PTR_1 should not be, if UNITS is defined, UNIT_PTR should not be, if FORMAT is defined, FORM_PTR should not be, or vice versa).
The ACVS also checks and reports on the following items:
For integer or real variables -
- The values of FIELDNAM, LABLAXIS, UNITS, FORMAT, and CATDESC do not exceed the maximum number of characters.
- For Epoch and Time_PB5, the year field of VALIDMAX is 2020, the year field of SCALEMAX is 2020 or earlier. The values of SCALEMIN and SCALEMAX are within (+/-) 10% of the range of VALIDMIN and VALIDMAX.
- The value of VAR_TYPE is data, support_data, or ignore_data for the record variance (RV) variables. The value of VAR_TYPE is support_data for non-record variance (NRV) variables.
- The value of FILLVAL follows the ISTP standards.
- The value of DICT_KEY follows the ISTP standards.
- LABL_PTR_1, LABL_PTR_2, LABL_PTR_3, LABL_PTR_4, and LABL_PTR_5 point to the NRV variables which exist in a data set. The variables have the same number of elements and dimension variances (DVs) as the parents. The values of an array of the variables pointed to by the above-mentioned VAs do not exceed the maximum number of characters.
- UNIT_PTR points to an NRV variable which exists in a data set.
- FORM_PTR points to an NRV variable which exists in a data set.
- DEPEND_0 points to the Epoch variable unless the variable is Epoch.
- DEPEND_1, DEPEND_2, DEPEND_3, DEPEND_4, and DEPEND_5 point to the NRV variables which exist in a data set. The variables have the same number of elements and DVs as the parent.
- If DELTA_PLUS_VAR is present, its value points to an NRV variable which exists in a data set, and has the same data type and DVs as the parent.
- If DELTA_MINUS_VAR is present, its value points to an NRV variable which exists in a data set, and has the same data type and DVs as the parent.
For character variables -
- The value of FIELDNAM does not exceed the maximum number of characters.
- The value of VAR_TYPE is support_data for the RV variable and is metadata for the NRV variable.
- The value of DICT_KEY follows the ISTP standards.
In addition, the ACVS generates a summary at the end of report that lists the following accounting information:
Required Global Attributes Present n Out of 11
Required Global Attributes Defined n
Required Variable Attributes Present n Out of 25
Required Variables Present n Out of 2
% complete variables n
```
(Note: n = actual numbers
       complete = all VAs are present and defined
       % complete = no. of complete variables / total no. of variables)
```

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Example of User Message File

The following output listing shows the contents of a user message file generated by the ACVS.

 CDF NAME: POLAR_HYDRAPLASMA                                               

 NO. OF VARIABLES:  30
 NO. OF ATTRIBUTES: 33

 GLOBAL ATTRIBUTES: 

 SOURCE_NAME SHOULD HAVE A VALUE OF 
 SOURCE NAME>LONG SOURCE NAME
 EX. GEOTAIL>Geomagnetic Tail
 CORRECT DESCRIPTOR: HYD 

 Incorrectly Defined: Discipline
 Incorrectly Defined: Source_name
 Incorrectly Defined: Descriptor
 Incorrectly Defined: ADID_ref

 VARIABLE ATTRIBUTES: 

 Not Needed: DEPEND_2

 VARIABLES:


 Epoch                                                           

 MISSING: CATDESC
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: VAR_TYPE

 Time_PB5                                                        

 MISSING: CATDESC
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: VAR_TYPE

 GAP_FLAG                                                        

 UNDEFINED: UNITS
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 MASTER_FLAG                                                     

 UNDEFINED: UNITS
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 INSTR_MODE                                                      

 UNDEFINED: UNITS
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 MIN_EL_DD                                                       

 LABLAXIS: TOO MANY CHARACTERS
 DEPEND_1: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: LABLAXIS

 MAX_EL_DD                                                       

 LABLAXIS: TOO MANY CHARACTERS
 DEPEND_1: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: LABLAXIS

 MIN_ION_DD                                                      

 LABLAXIS: TOO MANY CHARACTERS
 DEPEND_1: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: LABLAXIS

 MAX_ION_DD                                                      

 LABLAXIS: TOO MANY CHARACTERS
 DEPEND_1: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: LABLAXIS

 MIN_EL_PPA                                                      

 LABLAXIS: TOO MANY CHARACTERS
 DEPEND_1: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: LABLAXIS

 MAX_EL_PPA                                                      

 LABLAXIS: TOO MANY CHARACTERS
 DEPEND_1: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: LABLAXIS

 MIN_ION_PPA                                                     

 LABLAXIS: TOO MANY CHARACTERS
 DEPEND_1: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: LABLAXIS

 MAX_ION_PPA                                                     

 LABLAXIS: TOO MANY CHARACTERS
 DEPEND_1: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: LABLAXIS

 DQF                                                             

 UNDEFINED: UNITS
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 Tinterval                                                       

 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 Event_Time                                                      

 SCALEMIN/SCALEMAX: OUT OF RANGE
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 SC_pos_gsm                                                      

 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: DEPEND_1

 MEAN_EL_ENGY                                                    

 DEPEND_2: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: DEPEND_1

 FOM_MEAN_EL_ENGY                                                

 MEAN_EL_ENGY INCONSISTENT DIMENSION VARIANCE: FOM_MEAN_EL_ENGY
 DEPEND_1: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 MEAN_ION_ENGY                                                   

 DEPEND_2: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: DEPEND_1

 FOM_MEAN_ION_ENGY                                               

 MEAN_ION_ENGY INCONSISTENT DIMENSION VARIANCE: FOM_MEAN_ION_ENGY
 DEPEND_1: NOT NEEDED
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 BEAM_VOID_INDEX                                                 

 UNDEFINED: UNITS
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 SOURCE_INDEX                                                    

 UNDEFINED: UNITS
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 LOSS_INDEX                                                      

 UNDEFINED: UNITS
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 SOURCE_ENGY                                                     

 LABLAXIS: TOO MANY CHARACTERS
 FILLVAL : INCONSISTENT DATA TYPE
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: LABLAXIS

 LOSS_ENGY                                                       

 LABLAXIS: TOO MANY CHARACTERS
 FILLVAL : INCONSISTENT DATA TYPE
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY
 INCORRECTLY DEFINED: LABLAXIS

 label_time                                                      

 MISSING: CATDESC
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 unit_time                                                       

 MISSING: CATDESC
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 format_time                                                     

 MISSING: CATDESC
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 label_pos_GSM                                                   

 MISSING: CATDESC
 UNDEFINED: DICT_KEY

 SUMMARY:  
 -------------------------------------
 Required Global Attributes Present 11  Out of 11
 Required Global Attributes Defined  7
 Required Variable Attributes Present 17  Out of 25
 Required Variables Present  2  Out of 2
 Percent Complete Variables  13

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Author and Curator

Mona Kessel, kessel@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov, (301)286-6595
Code 632, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA

Karen C. Horrocks, horrocks@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov, (301)286-0191
Hughes STX/NSSDC, Code 632, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA

NASA Official: R.E. McGuire, Head, Space Physics Data Facility (Code 632, NASA/GSFC)
Robert.E.McGuire@gsfc.nasa.gov, (301)286-7794. Last Updated: 26 Aug 1996, KCH

Automatic CDF Validation Software (ACVS)

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Review Criteria

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Example of User Message File

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NASA Official: R.E. McGuire, Head, Space Physics Data Facility (Code 632, NASA/GSFC) Robert.E.McGuire@gsfc.nasa.gov, (301)286-7794. Last Updated: 26 Aug 1996, KCH

NASA Official: R.E. McGuire, Head, Space Physics Data Facility (Code 632, NASA/GSFC)
Robert.E.McGuire@gsfc.nasa.gov, (301)286-7794. Last Updated: 26 Aug 1996, KCH