# GMT6 modern mode - access Sandwell-Smith gravity remotely

**URL:** <https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/gmt6-modern-mode-access-sandwell-smith-gravity-remotely/139>\
**Category:** Q&A\
**Created:** [December 9, 2019, 5:04pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/gmt6-modern-mode-access-sandwell-smith-gravity-remotely/139 "2019-12-09T17:04:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![arctica](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/arctica/32/4567_2.png) [@arctica](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/arctica)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2019, 5:04pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/gmt6-modern-mode-access-sandwell-smith-gravity-remotely/139/1 "2019-12-09T17:04:45Z")

</div>

Hello all,

Just installed GMT version 6, and a very impressive job indeed! Well done to all the developers.

A quick query regarding remote access of datasets. Is it possible to apply the same methodology as discussed in the examples from the paper, e.g.:  
gmt grdimage @earth\_relief\_01m - by specifying the full URL and not downloading the entire file?

I noticed recently that on the FTP site for the gravity data, there is now an option for grav\_28.1.nc in addition to the standard .img files. Presently, I have used img2grd from the full file downloaded to create a region of interest.

Sorry for the basic query re: version 6, spent a long time in classic GMT mode!

Lester

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Joaquim](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/joaquim/32/16_2.png) [@Joaquim](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/Joaquim)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 1:50am UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/gmt6-modern-mode-access-sandwell-smith-gravity-remotely/139/2 "2019-12-12T01:50:56Z")

</div>

Hi,

I’m afraid it’s not possible to remotely read sub-regions of a netcdf grid. It probably can be done for some other formats via GDAL but for nc I know there are limitations on Windows driver that don’t let it work well.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pwessel](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/pwessel/32/30_2.png) [@pwessel](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/pwessel)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 2:10am UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/gmt6-modern-mode-access-sandwell-smith-gravity-remotely/139/3 "2019-12-12T02:10:14Z")

</div>

Depending on the outcome of certain NSF and NASA proposals this may become much simpler down the road.