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package uk.ac.rdg.resc.edal.dataset;

import java.io.IOException;

import uk.ac.rdg.resc.edal.exceptions.DataReadingException;
import uk.ac.rdg.resc.edal.util.Array4D;

/**
 * Low-level interface to multidimensional grids, used by
 * {@link DataReadingStrategy}.
 * 
 * TODO axis order issues: should we define that the returned Array must have
 * the x axis varying fastest, irrespective of the ordering of the underlying
 * data grid? GG: Yes, probably...
 * 
 * @author Jon
 * @author Guy
 */
public interface GridDataSource extends DataSource {

    /**
     * Read an {@link Array4D} of data from the underlying data source
     * 
     * @param variableId
     *            The variable ID to read
     * @param tmin
     *            The minimum time index in the underlying data
     * @param tmax
     *            The maximum time index in the underlying data
     * @param zmin
     *            The minimum z index in the underlying data
     * @param zmax
     *            The maximum z index in the underlying data
     * @param ymin
     *            The minimum y index in the underlying data
     * @param ymax
     *            The maximum y index in the underlying data
     * @param xmin
     *            The minimum x index in the underlying data
     * @param xmax
     *            The maximum x index in the underlying data
     * @return An {@link Array4D} containing the data which was read
     * @throws IOException
     *             If there is an IO problem accessing the data
     * @throws DataReadingException
     *             If there is another issue reading the data
     */
    public Array4D<Number> read(String variableId, int tmin, int tmax, int zmin, int zmax,
            int ymin, int ymax, int xmin, int xmax) throws IOException, DataReadingException;
}
