reshape and get x axis data onto z axis

[Rob Scott <rscott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear ferret

I have a netCDF file with a three dimensional field on the x, y, z
axes.
I would like to use zaxreplace on the x axis data. (I believe this
amazing function is currently only supported on the z-axis.)

I've managed to use RESHAPE to get the z axis data onto the t-axis, but
when I try to use RESHAPE to get the x-axis data onto the 
now vacant z-axis, it messes up the data. Am I trying to do the
impossible? 

The manual states:

"For any axis X,Y,Z, or T if the axis is
the same in the input and output grids then the region from argument 1
will be preserved in the output. 
This implies that when the above technique is used on multi-dimensional
input, only the axes which differ between the input and output grids are
affected by the RESHAPE operation."


Hence I've attempted to "let ferret know" that I want to
move the x-data over to the z-axis, and leave y and t alone, by defining
my output grid to have only one dimension in the x-direction,
In particular:

DEFINE AXIS/x=1:1:1
xaxis_normal                                                                                      
! my attempt to make this a normal axis
DEFINE AXIS/z=1:5:1
zaxis_new                                                                                           
! (the old x - axis)
DEFINE GRID/LIKE=old_grid/ x= xaxis_normal/ z=zaxis_new  
output_grid                
! I need to use LIKE to get the y-axis correct because it's
irregular.

LET dummie = x[output_grid] * y[output_grid]  * z[output_grid] 
*t[output_grid] 

LET new_var = RESHAPE(old_var,dummie]


But now 
old_var[i=1]     
.NE.       new_var[k=1]

Thanks for any advice,
Rob

Rob Scott
Research Associate
Institute for Geophysics
University of Texas at Austin
4412 Spicewood Springs Rd.
Building 600
Austin, TX
78759

Office: +1-512-471-0375