instrument_example.py

from wodpy import wod

def find_instrument_code(profile, varcode):
    '''
    given a wodpy profile and a variable code varcode as defined in table 3 of [reference 1],
    return the instrument code from [reference 2] associated with this measurement, if it is available;
    if not, return None.
    [reference 1]: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/woa/WOD/DOC/wodreadme.pdf
    [reference 2]: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/woa/WOD/CODES/PDF/v_5_instrument.pdf
    '''

    for var in profile.primary_header['variables']:
        # pick out the variable of interest, for example varcode==1 is temperature.
        if var['Variable code'] == varcode:
            for meta in var['metadata']:
                # pick out metadata index 5, which corresponds to v_5_instrument
                if meta['Variable-specific code'] == 5:
                    return meta['Value']

    # if no instrument is found, return None.
    return None


fid = open("data/quota_subset.dat")
profile = wod.WodProfile(fid)
print(find_instrument_code(profile, 1))