netcdf foo {  // an example netCDF specification in CDL

types:
  ubyte enum enum_t {Clear = 0, Cumulonimbus = 1, Stratus = 2};
  opaque(11) opaque_t;
  int(*) vlen_t;

dimensions:
  lat = 10 ;
  lon = 5 ;
  time = unlimited ; // (0) currently)

variables:
  int lat(lat) ;
  int lon(lon) ;
  int time(time) ;
  float Z(time, lat, lon) ;
  float t(time, lat, lon) ;
  double p(time,lat,lon);
  long rh(time,lat,lon);
  string country(time,lat,lon);
  ubyte tag;

  // variable attributes
    lat:long_name = "latitude";
    lat:units = "degrees_north";
    lon:long_name = "longitude";
    lon:units = "degrees_east";
    time:units = "seconds since 1992-1-1 00:00:00";

  // typed variable attributes
    string Z:units = "geopotential meters";
    float Z:valid_range = 0., 5000.;
    double p:_FillValue = -9999.;
    long rh:_FillValue = -1;
    vlen_t :globalatt = {17, 18, 19};
data:
  lat   = 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90;
  lon   = -140, -118, -96, -84, -52;

group: g {
  types:
    compound cmpd_t { vlen_t f1; enum_t f2;};
} // group g

group: h {
  variables:
    /g/cmpd_t  compoundvar;
  data:
    compoundvar = { {3,4,5}, Stratus } ;
} // group h

}//foo