Maintain coordinates attribute and added maximal string length to functions

src/cdf_write.c

@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ int cdfDefVar(stream_t *streamptr, int varID)
 
   char coordinates[CDI_MAX_NAME]; coordinates[0] = 0;
 
-  if ( zaxis_is_scalar )
+  if ( zaxis_is_scalar || zaxisInqType(zaxisID) == ZAXIS_CHAR )
     {
       int nczvarID = streamptr->nczvarID[zaxisindex];
       if ( nczvarID != CDI_UNDEFID )

src/cdi.h

@@ -1011,11 +1011,17 @@ void    zaxisPrint(int zaxisID);
 void    zaxisDefLevels(int zaxisID, const double levels[]);
 
 /*      zaxisDefCvals: Define area types of a Z-axis */
-void    zaxisDefCvals(int zaxisID, const char *cvals[]);
+void    zaxisDefCvals(int zaxisID, const char *cvals[], size_t clength);
 
 /*      zaxisInqLevels: Get all levels of a Z-axis */
 int     zaxisInqLevels(int zaxisID, double levels[]);
 
+/*      zaxisInqCLen: Get maximal string length of character Z-axis */
+int     zaxisInqCLen(int zaxisID);
+
+/*      zaxisInqCLevels: Get all string values of a character Z-axis */
+int     zaxisInqCLevels(int zaxisID, char ***clevels);
+
 /*      zaxisDefLevel: Define one level of a Z-axis */
 void    zaxisDefLevel(int zaxisID, int levelID, double levels);
 

src/stream_cdf_i.c

@@ -2853,6 +2853,7 @@ int cdf_define_all_zaxes(stream_t *streamptr, int vlistID, ncdim_t *ncdims, int
 
 	  double *zvar = NULL;
           char **zcvals = NULL;
+          size_t zclength = 0;
 
 	  int zaxisType = CDI_UNDEFID;
 	  if ( zvarid != CDI_UNDEFID ) zaxisType = ncvars[zvarid].zaxistype;
@@ -2880,8 +2881,8 @@ int cdf_define_all_zaxes(stream_t *streamptr, int vlistID, ncdim_t *ncdims, int
                   if ( ncvars[zvarid].ndims == 2 )
                     {
                       zprec = CDI_DATATYPE_UINT8;
-                      size_t strlength = ncdims[ncvars[zvarid].dimids[1]].len;
-                      cdf_load_cvals(zsize*strlength, zvarid, ncvar, &zcvals, zsize);
+                      zclength = ncdims[ncvars[zvarid].dimids[1]].len;
+                      cdf_load_cvals(zsize*zclength, zvarid, ncvar, &zcvals, zsize);
                     }
                 }
 
@@ -2946,7 +2947,7 @@ int cdf_define_all_zaxes(stream_t *streamptr, int vlistID, ncdim_t *ncdims, int
               return CDI_EDIMSIZE;
             }
 
-      	  ncvar->zaxisID = varDefZaxis(vlistID, zaxisType, (int) zsize, zvar, (const char **)zcvals, with_bounds, lbounds, ubounds,
+      	  ncvar->zaxisID = varDefZaxis(vlistID, zaxisType, (int) zsize, zvar, (const char **)zcvals, zclength, with_bounds, lbounds, ubounds,
                                        (int)vctsize, vct, pname, plongname, punits, zprec, 1, 0);
 
           int zaxisID = ncvar->zaxisID;