Mathematica Import/Export Format

HDF (.hdf)

MIME type: application/x-hdf
HDF data format Version 4.
General-purpose format for representing multidimensional datasets.
Used for storage, management, and exchange of scientific data.
HDF is an acronym for Hierarchical Data Format.
Developed by the U.S. National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA).
Binary file format.
Incompatible with with HDF Version 5.

Import and Export support the scientific dataset (SD) data model of the HDF format.

IMPORT AND EXPORT

Import["file.hdf"] imports an HDF file, returning the names of the datasets stored in the file.

Export["file.hdf", expr] exports a multidimensional array to an HDF file.

Import["file.hdf"] returns a list of strings representing the names of all datasets contained in the file.

Export["file.hdf", {expr₁, ...}, {"Datasets", {"/dataset1", ...}}] creates an HDF file, storing the arrays {expr₁, ...} as separate datasets.

Import["file.hdf", elem] imports the specified element from an HDF file.

Import["file.hdf", {elem, sub_a, sub_b, ...}] imports a subelement.

Import["file.hdf", {{elem₁, elem₂, ...}}] imports multiple elements.

The import format can be specified with Import["file", "HDF"] or Import["file", {"HDF", elem, ...}].

Export["file.hdf", expr, elem] creates an HDF file by treating expr as specifying element elem.

Export["file.hdf", {expr₁, expr₂, ...}, {{elem₁, elem₂, ...}}] treats each expr_i as specifying the corresponding elem_i.

Export["file.hdf", expr, opt₁->val₁, ...] exports expr with the specified option elements taken to have the specified values.

Export["file.hdf", {elem₁->expr₁, elem₂->expr₂, ...}, "Rules"] uses rules to specify the elements to be exported.

See the reference pages for full general information on Import and Export.

ImportString and ExportString support the HDF format.

ELEMENTS

General Import elements:

	"Elements"	list of elements and options available in this file
	"Rules"	full list of rules for each element and option
	"Options"	list of rules for options, properties and settings

Data representation elements:

	"Data"	all datasets imported as a list of arrays
	"Datasets"	names of all datasets

Import by default uses the "Datasets" element for the HDF format.

Specifying and selecting datasets:

	"Datasets", n	n dataset
	"Datasets", dataset	named dataset

Meta-information elements:

	"DataFormat"	type used to represent each dataset
	"Dimensions"	data dimensions of each dataset

The following values can be given for "DataFormat":

	"Integer8"	8-bit integers
	"Integer16"	16-bit integers
	"Integer32"	32-bit integers
	"UnsignedInteger8"	8-bit unsigned integers
	"UnsignedInteger16"	16-bit unsigned integers
	"UnsignedInteger32"	32-bit unsigned integers
	"Real32"	IEEE single-precision numbers
	"Real64"	IEEE double-precision numbers