v0.3 changelog and adjusted README.

Author: pp-mo

.readthedocs.yml

@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@ build:
     # Content here largely copied from Iris
     #  see : https://github.com/SciTools/iris/pull/4855
     post_checkout:
-      # The SciTools/iris repository is shallow i.e., has a .git/shallow,
-      # therefore complete the repository with a full history in order
+      # In case the repository is shallow, complete with a full history in order
       # to allow setuptools-scm to correctly auto-discover the version.
       - git fetch --unshallow
       - git fetch --all

README.md

@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 
 Generic NetCDF data in Python.
 
+Represents raw netCDF data in Python, with no structural assumptions or interpretations,
+and provides facilities to inspect and manipulate it with complete freedom.
+
+### Also
 Provides fast data exchange between analysis packages, and full control of storage
 formatting.
 
@@ -70,7 +74,7 @@ enable_lockshare(iris=True)
 ncdata = from_nc4(input_path)
 for var in ncdata.variables.values():
     if "coords" in var.attributes:
-      var.attributes.rename("coords", "coordinates")
+        var.attributes.rename("coords", "coordinates")
 cubes = to_iris(ncdata)
 ```
 
@@ -93,20 +97,21 @@ ncdata = from_nc4("file1.nc")
 keys = ["air_", "surface"]
 
 # Explicitly add dimension names, to include all the dimension variables
-keys += + list(ncdata.dimensions)
+keys += list(ncdata.dimensions)
 
 # Identify the wanted variables
 select_vars = [
     var
     for var in ncdata.variables.values()
-    if any(key in var.name for key in keys)
+    if any(var.name.startswith(key) for key in keys)
 ]
 
 # Add any referenced coordinate variables
-for var in list(select_vars):
-    var = ncdata.variables[varname]
-    for coordname in var.attributes.get("coordinates", "").split(" "):
-        select_vars.append(ncdata.variables[coordname])
+for var in select_vars:
+    coordnames = var.avals.get("coordinates")
+    if coordnames:
+        for coordname in coordnames.split(" "):
+            select_vars.append(ncdata.variables[coordname])
 
 # Replace variables with only the wanted ones
 ncdata.variables.clear()
@@ -115,11 +120,3 @@ ncdata.variables.addall(select_vars)
 # Save
 to_nc4(ncdata, "pruned.nc")
 ```
-
-
-# Older References in Iris
-  * Iris issue : https://github.com/SciTools/iris/issues/4994
-  * planning presentation : https://github.com/SciTools/iris/files/10499677/Xarray-Iris.bridge.proposal.--.NcData.pdf
-  * in-Iris code workings : https://github.com/pp-mo/iris/pull/75
-
-

docs/change_log.rst

@@ -25,6 +25,55 @@ Summary of key features by release number.
 
 .. towncrier release notes start
 
+v0.3.0
+~~~~~~
+Added handy utilities; made attribute access easier; reworked documentation.
+
+Features
+^^^^^^^^
+
+- Added the ability to extract a sub-region by indexing/slicing over dimensions.
+  The :class:`ncdata.NcData` objects can be indexed with the ``[]`` operation, or over
+  specifed dimensions with the :meth:`~ncdata.NcData.slicer` method.
+  This is based on the new :meth:`~ncdata.utils.index_by_dimensions()` utility method
+  and :class:`~ncdata.utils.Slicer` class.
+  See: :ref:`utils_indexing` (`ISSUE#68 <https://github.com/pp-mo/ncdata/pull/68>`_)
+- Added the :func:`~ncdata.utils.rename_dimension` utility.
+  This provides a "safe" dimension rename, which also replaces
+  the name in all variables which use it. (`ISSUE#87 <https://github.com/pp-mo/ncdata/pull/87>`_)
+- Added the ".avals" property as an easier way of managing attributes:
+  This provides a simple "name: value" map, bypassing the NcAttribute objects and converting values to and from simple Python equivalents.
+  This effectively replaces the older 'set_attrval' and 'get_attrval', which will eventually be removed.
+  See: :ref:`attributes_and_avals` (`ISSUE#117 <https://github.com/pp-mo/ncdata/pull/117>`_)
+- Make :meth:`~ncdata.iris.to_iris` use the full iris load processing,
+  instead of :meth:`iris.fileformats.netcdf.loader.load_cubes`.
+  This means you can use load controls such as callbacks and constraints. (`ISSUE#131 <https://github.com/pp-mo/ncdata/pull/131>`_)
+- Provide exact == and !=  for datasets and variables, by just calling the difference utilities.
+  This can be inefficient, but is simple to understand and generally useful.
+  See: :ref:`equality_testing` (`ISSUE#166 <https://github.com/pp-mo/ncdata/pull/166>`_)
+
+
+Documentation changes
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+- Added a `userguide page <userdocs/user_guide/utilities.html>`_ summarising all the utility features in :mod:`ncdata.utils`. (`ISSUE#161 <https://github.com/pp-mo/ncdata/pull/161>`_)
+- Made all docs examples into doctests; add doctest CI action. (`ISSUE#136 <https://github.com/pp-mo/ncdata/pull/136>`_)
+
+
+Bug Fixes
+^^^^^^^^^
+
+- Fixed a bug in dataset comparison, where variables with missing or unbroadcastable data arrays could cause errors rather than generating difference messages. (`ISSUE#153 <https://github.com/pp-mo/ncdata/pull/153>`_)
+
+
+Developer and Internal changes
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+- Switch to towncrier for whats-new management. (`ISSUE#116 <https://github.com/pp-mo/ncdata/pull/116>`_)
+- Added regular linkcheck gha. (`ISSUE#123 <https://github.com/pp-mo/ncdata/pull/123>`_)
+- @valeriupredoi added test for Zarr conversion to Iris cubes. (`ISSUE#145 <https://github.com/pp-mo/ncdata/pull/145>`_)
+
+
 v0.2.0
 ~~~~~~
 Overhauled data manipulation APIs.  Expanded and improved documentation.