<span class="comment">% each variable listed is checked to see what type of coordinate variable</span>
    <span class="comment">% it is, using rules based on what type of units it finds, etc.</span>

    s=getAttributes(nc_var);
    coords=s.coordinates;
    ind=strfind(coords,<span class="string">' '</span>);

    Y_var=coords(ind(1)+1:ind(2)-1); <span class="comment">% assume here that Y is 2nd</span>
    X_var=coords(ind(2)+1:end);  <span class="comment">% assume here that X is third</span>

 