Routines (alphabetical) > Routines: W > WRITE_WAVE

# WRITE_WAVE

The WRITE_WAVE procedure writes a three dimensional IDL array to a `.wave` or `.bwave` file for use with the Wavefront Advanced Data Visualizer. Note that this routine only writes one scalar field for each Wavefront file that it creates.

This routine is written in the IDL language. Its source code can be found in the file `write_wave.pro` in the `lib` subdirectory of the IDL distribution.

## Syntax

WRITE_WAVE, File, Array [, /BIN] [, DATANAME=string] [, MESHNAME=string] [, /NOMESHDEF] [, /VECTOR]

## Arguments

### File

A scalar string containing the full path name of the Wavefront file to write.

### Array

A 3D array to be written to the file.

## Keywords

### BIN

Set this keyword to create a binary file. By default, text files are created.

### DATANAME

Set this keyword to the name of the data inside of the Wavefront file. If not specified, the name used is “idldata”.

### MESHNAME

Set this keyword to the name of the mesh used in the Wavefront file. If not specified, the name used is “idlmesh”.

### NOMESHDEF

Set this keyword to omit the mesh definition from the Wavefront file.

### VECTOR

Set this keyword to write the variable as a vector. The data is written as an array of 3-space vectors. The array may contain any number of dimensions but must have a leading dimension of 3. If the leading array dimension is not 3, this keyword is ignored.

## Version History

Pre-4.0 | Introduced

## See Also

READ_WAVE