Routines (alphabetical) > Routines: C > CDF Routines > CDF_ATTDELETE

# CDF_ATTDELETE

The CDF_ATTDELETE procedure deletes an attribute from the specified CDF file. Note that the attribute’s entries are also deleted, and that the attributes that numerically follow the deleted attribute within the CDF file are automatically renumbered.

## Examples

cid = CDF_CREATE('DEMOattdelete')

attr1_id = CDF_ATTCREATE(cid, 'GLOBAL_ATTR1', /GLOBAL_SCOPE)

attr2_id = CDF_ATTCREATE(cid, 'GLOBAL_ATTR2', /GLOBAL_SCOPE)

attr3_id = CDF_ATTCREATE(cid, 'VAR_ATTR1', /VARIABLE_SCOPE)

attr4_id = CDF_ATTCREATE(cid, 'VAR_ATTR2', /VARIABLE_SCOPE)

; Check the number of attributes:

info = CDF_INQUIRE(cid)

HELP, info.natts

; Delete the first and third attributes:

CDF_ATTDELETE, cid, 'GLOBAL_ATTR1'

; The attribute numbers are zero-based and automatically

; renumbered

CDF_ATTDELETE, cid, 1

; Select the new first attribute:

CDF_ATTINQ, cid, 0, name, scope, MaxEntry, MaxZentry

HELP, name, scope

CDF_DELETE, cid

#### IDL Output

<Expression> LONG = 4

NAME STRING = 'GLOBAL_ATTR2'

SCOPE STRING = 'GLOBAL_SCOPE'

## Syntax

CDF_ATTDELETE, Id, Attribute [, EntryNum] [, /ZVARIABLE]

## Arguments

### ID

The CDF ID of the file containing the Attribute to be deleted, returned from a previous call to CDF_OPEN or CDF_CREATE.

### Attribute

A string containing the name or zero-based attribute number of the attribute to be deleted.

### EntryNum

The entry number to delete. If EntryNum is not specified, the entire attribute is deleted. If the attribute is variable in scope, this is either the name or number of the variable the attribute is to be associated with. If the attribute is global in scope, this is the actual gEntry. It is the user’s responsibility to keep track of valid gEntry numbers. Normally, gEntry numbers will begin with 0 or 1 and will increase up to MAXGENTRY (as reported in the GET_ATTR_INFO structure returned by CDF_CONTROL), but this is not required.

## Keywords

### ZVARIABLE

If EntryNum is a variable ID (as opposed to a variable name) and the variable is a zVariable, set this flag to indicate that the variable ID is a zVariable ID. The default is to assume that EntryNum is an rVariable ID. Note: the attribute must have a scope of VARIABLE_SCOPE.

## Version History

4.0.1b | Introduced

## See Also

CDF_ATTCREATE, CDF_ATTGET, CDF_ATTEXISTS, CDF_ATTINQ, CDF_ATTPUT, CDF_ATTRENAME