Problem Using DODS URL

[Mark A Ohrenschall <Mark.A.Ohrenschall@xxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

I'm not having any problem using a local netCDF file, but when I try accessing the same file via a DODS server I get a complaint (and a very long pause) about too many values in a missing_value attribute. My ferret session and a ncdump -h follows:

[mao@panther coastal_relief]$ ferret
        NOAA/PMEL TMAP
        FERRET v5.40
        Linux 2.4.3-12smp - 02/19/02
        22-May-03 10:20

yes? use gulf4.nc
yes? show data
     currently SET data sets:
    1> ./gulf4.nc  (default)
 name     title                             I         J         K         L
 DEPTH    Depth                            1:20401   1:8401    ...       ...

yes? cancel data/all
yes? use http://panther.ngdc.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/dods/nph-dods/dods/gulf4.nc
 *** NOTE: too many values in attribute "missing_value" in netCDF file variable:
yes? show data
     currently SET data sets:
    1> http:/  (default)
 name     title                             I         J         K         L

yes? quit
[mao@panther coastal_relief]$ ncdump -h gulf4.nc
netcdf gulf4 {
dimensions:
        longitude = 20401 ;
        latitude = 8401 ;
variables:
        double longitude(longitude) ;
                longitude:units = "degrees_east" ;
        double latitude(latitude) ;
                latitude:units = "degrees_north" ;
        float depth(latitude, longitude) ;
                depth:missing_value = -1.e+34f ;
                depth:_FillValue = -1.e+34f ;
                depth:history = "From gulf1.nc" ;
                depth:long_name = "Depth" ;

// global attributes:
                :history = "Mon May 12 10:26:32 2003: ncatted -a long_name,depth,a,c,Depth gulf4.nc\n",
    "Fri May  9 17:19:29 2003: ncatted -a point_spacing,,d,, -a long_name,,d,, gulf4.nc\n",
    "Fri May  9 16:57:59 2003: ncatted -a Conventions,,d,c,COARDS -a Conventions,global,a,c,COARDS gulf4.nc\n",
    "Fri May  9 16:55:09 2003: ncatted -a Conventions,,a,c,COARDS -a units,longitude,o,c,degrees_east -a units,latitude,o,c,degrees_north gulf4.nc\n",
    "Fri May  9 16:51:51 2003: ncatted -a units,longitude,a,s,degrees_east -a units,latitude,a,s,degrees_north gulf4.nc\n",
    "Fri May  9 16:47:53 2003: ncrename -O -v XAX,longitude -v YAX,latitude gulf4.nc\n",
    "Fri May  9 16:42:05 2003: ncrename -O -d XAX,longitude -d YAX,latitude -v MY_GRID,depth gulf4.nc\n",
    "FERRET V5.40   09-May-03" ;
                :Conventions = "COARDS" ;
}
[mao@panther coastal_relief]$
Any idea what the problem is? (I'm able to use the same DODS URL just fine
-- albeit with constraints -- with IDV, but the constrained DODS URL produces
the same ferret error.)

Cheers,

Mark