__init__ (
        self,
        tstring,
        mydebug=0,
        )

Constructor for the class JDTimeHandler

Each instance is created passing the units attribute of the time variable in the COARDS--Compliant netCDF file

Arguments:

tstring

COARDS--Compliant netCDF time units string

buildcompliantdatestring ( self,  tokens )

Building a compliant date string

The date string should be writen according to a strict grammar, ideally (remeber, no time zone handled...):

YYYY-MM-DD H:M:S

Like in 1956-08-03 00:36:25.6

But users could be lazy and write things like

1985 - 5 - 1 2 : 3: 4.5

Or, even worse...

1985 - 5 -1 2

Thus, we should try to overcome these defects in the set of tokens... and create a fixed-leng date structure that will be easily used by the function that parses it. BTW, I am writing this AFTER 20000101, so, nobody should expect this function prepends 1900 to the year strings. In fact, somebody could be trying to use this functions to represent very ancient dates... (though I have not checked if they work correctly for those years)

getdatefields (
        self,
        tvalue,
        listlen=6,
        )

Get a date from the offset since the origin

Get the fields of a date structure corresponding to the current value of time as defined by the units attribute of the time variable used in the constructor

Arguments:

tvalue

time offset since te origin

Optional argument:

listlen

Precision in the returned date. For example, 1 returns the year, 3 the [year,month,day], etc... Defaults to 6 ([yr,mth,day,hour,min,sec]).

getscalefactorfromunits ( self,  units )

Get the scale factor from units

The scfactor must be such that t*scfactor==(Julian) days

Some time units like month/year are not very clearly defined in terms of days, so, they are not handled, because they should not be used In the case of month, this is clear (How many days are in a month?, 28, 29, 30, 31???)

For years, the same applies, 365, 366, tropical year?... Better not to use those units

gettimevalue (
        self,
        datefields,
        listlen=6,
        )

Returns the scaled offset since origin from the date

match (
        self,
        str,
        strref,
        )

Match strings using plurals and no case