The HDFView, developed by The HDF Group (formerly of NCSA at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), is a Java-based tool for browsing and editing HDF4 and HDF5 files. It allows users to browse through any HDF4 and HDF5 file; starting with a tree view of all top-level objects in an HDF file's hierarchy. HDFView allows a user to descend through the hierarchy and navigate among the file's data objects. The content of a data object is loaded only when the object is selected, providing interactive and efficient access to HDF4 and HDF5 files. HDFView editing features allow a user to create, delete, and modify the value of HDF objects and attributes. With HDF-EOS plug-in installed the HDFView functionality is extended for browsing any HDFEOS file; starting with a tree view of all top-level objects in an HDF file's hierarchy, such as Grid, Swath and Point data. HDFView with plug-in allows a user to descend through the hierarchy and navigate among the file's geo and data objects. With the extended tool users are also allowed to create, delete, and modify the value of HDF-EOS objects and attributes.
The previous software for browsing products of EOS satellite measurements called EOSView and HE5View were expensive to maintain and were in need of additional capability for new missions. The graphics capability was obsolete. A cross-platform capability was also needed. The alternate software, Java EOS Browser (JEB), is cross-platform, but only has rudimentary browsing capability.The HDFView tool works on Windows, Linux, OS X, and Unix and can access both HDF4 and HDF5 files, but does not have specific functionality for EOS products. By integrating HDF-EOS into this tool, we have taken an important step in providing users with the ability to manipulate both types of data in a single application.The plug-in mirrors other Java plug-ins for the HDFView tool.
HDF-EOS plugin can be integerated into HDFView manually by copying plug-in files into certain HDFView directory and setting some parameters ( see HDF(EOS)View Set up). Automatic installation of plug-in into HDFView is also possible by running installation scripts ( see HDF(EOS)View Installation). The plug-in is currently Supported in SUN, Linux, MacIntel and Windows.