---
name: "hdfls"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "hdf4-tools"
version: "4.3.0-1+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/hdfls"
---

# hdfls(1)

list basic information about an HDF file

## NAME

hdfls - list basic information about an HDF file

## SYNOPSIS

**hdfls** \[**-o**\] \[**-l**\] \[**-d**\] \[**-v**\] \[**-g**\] \[**-s**\] \[**-h**\] \[**-t** *n*\] *hdf\_file*

## DESCRIPTION

**hdfls** provides general information about the tags, reference numbers, and if requested, lengths of the data elements.

## OPTIONS

- **-o**

  display the reference numbers in ascending order.

- **-l**

  long format.  Display more information about the file.

- **-d**

  Display offset and length information for each element in the file.

- **-v**

  verbose.  Display annotation and label text, along with the format triggered by the -l flag.

- **-g**

  Group.  List items by group.

- **-s**

  Special elements.  Display detailed information about special elements.

- **-d**

  Display offset and length information for each element in the file.

- **-h**

  Dump DD block information.

- **-t** *n*

  Tag.  Only list information about the specified tag. Must be followed by a tag number.

## EXAMPLES

A file called "aa.hdf" contains three items associated with a raster image; the image dimensions, a palette, and the raster image. To display information about the contents of this file, the following command is used.

hdfls aa.hdf

The following output is displayed:

```
        aa.hdf:
Image Dimensions-8:                     (Raster-8): (tag 200)
        Ref nos: 1
Image Palette-8:                        (Raster-8): (tag 201)
        Ref nos: 3
Raster Image-8:                 (Raster-8): (tag 202)
        Ref nos: 1
```

The following displays the same information with the length of each data element:

hdfls -l aa.hdf

This would result in the following information being displayed:

```
        aa.hdf:
        Image Dimensions-8:             (Raster-8)      : (tag 200)
        Ref no 1                4 bytes
        Image Palette-8:                (Raster-8)      : (tag 201)
        Ref no 3                768 bytes
        Raster Image-8:         (Raster-8)      : (tag 202)
        Ref no 1                120000 bytes
```

## SEE ALSO

[**hdf**(5)](/hdf/5.md)