# Unable to fill domain\_cfg.nc due to file size limits...?
**URL:** https://nemo-ocean.discourse.group/t/unable-to-fill-domain-cfg-nc-due-to-file-size-limits/849
**Category:** v4.2.x
**Tags:** tools
**Created:** [20 February 2025 11:58 UTC](https://nemo-ocean.discourse.group/t/unable-to-fill-domain-cfg-nc-due-to-file-size-limits/849 "2025-02-20T11:58:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tmwilder](https://nemo-ocean.discourse.group/u/tmwilder)
#### Post date: [20 February 2025 11:58 UTC](https://nemo-ocean.discourse.group/t/unable-to-fill-domain-cfg-nc-due-to-file-size-limits/849/1 "2025-02-20T11:58:46Z")
I am trying to create a `domain_cfg.nc` file for a high-resolution custom configuration. The domain grid has a size 9000 x 2400 x 31.
Part of the error comes from `src/domain.F90` and is shown in the `ocean.output` file
```auto
cfg_write : create the "domain_cfg.nc" file containing all required configuration information
~~~~~~~~~
iom_nf90_open ~~~ create new file: domain_cfg.nc in WRITE mode
---> domain_cfg.nc OK
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: jpiglo define dimension variables done
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: jpiglo defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: jpiglo written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: jpjglo defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: jpjglo written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: jpkglo defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: jpkglo written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: jperio defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: jperio written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ln_zco defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ln_zco written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ln_zps defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ln_zps written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ln_sco defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ln_sco written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ln_isfcav defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ln_isfcav written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: glamt defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: glamt write dimension variables done
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: glamt written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: glamu defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: glamu written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: glamv defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: glamv written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: glamf defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: glamf written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: gphit defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: gphit written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: gphiu defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: gphiu written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: gphiv defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: gphiv written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: gphif defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: gphif written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e1t defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e1t written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e1u defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e1u written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e1v defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e1v written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e1f defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e1f written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e2t defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e2t written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e2u defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e2u written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e2v defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e2v written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e2f defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e2f written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ff_f defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ff_f written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ff_t defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: ff_t written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3t_1d defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3t_1d written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3w_1d defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3w_1d written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3t_0 defined ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3t_0 written ok
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3u_0 defined ok
===>>> : E R R O R
===========
iom_nf90_check : NetCDF: One or more variable sizes violate format constraints
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3u_0
===>>> : E R R O R
===========
iom_nf90_check : NetCDF: Operation not allowed in define mode
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3u_0
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3u_0 written ok
===>>> : E R R O R
===========
iom_nf90_check : NetCDF: Operation not allowed in define mode
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3v_0
iom_nf90_rp0123d, file: domain_cfg.nc, var: e3v_0 defined ok
```
Using a smaller domain (900 x 240 x 31) is successful.
I have tried adding `key_netcdf4` to `cpp_DOMAINcfg.fcm` and adding the following to the `namelist_cfg`
```auto
!-----------------------------------------------------------------------
&namnc4 ! netcdf4 chunking and compression settings ("key_netcdf4")
!-----------------------------------------------------------------------
nn_nchunks_i = 4 ! number of chunks in i-dimension
nn_nchunks_j = 4 ! number of chunks in j-dimension
nn_nchunks_k = 31 ! number of chunks in k-dimension
!
ln_nc4zip = .true. ! use netcdf4 chunking and compression
!
/
```
which does not work either.
Is there a work around for this or is it a case of just reducing the domain size?
---
### Author:  [@jchanut](https://nemo-ocean.discourse.group/u/jchanut)
#### Post date: [20 February 2025 15:46 UTC](https://nemo-ocean.discourse.group/t/unable-to-fill-domain-cfg-nc-due-to-file-size-limits/849/2 "2025-02-20T15:46:54Z")
Run the tool on several processors ?
---
### Author:  [@Franziska](https://nemo-ocean.discourse.group/u/Franziska)
#### Post date: [21 February 2025 10:16 UTC](https://nemo-ocean.discourse.group/t/unable-to-fill-domain-cfg-nc-due-to-file-size-limits/849/3 "2025-02-21T10:16:58Z")
You could also try to change size constraints using `ulimit`.
This at least solved similiar issues I had with a different tool (REBULD\_NEMO) and large grids.