function var = netcdf_getvar(file, varname)
% function var = netcdf_getvar(file, varname)
%
% simple 'convenience' function to load a variable's data out of
% the NetCDF file into a MATLAB variable.
% returns a variable of whatever size/type was stored in the file.

ncID = netcdf.open(file, 'NC_NOWRITE');
varID = netcdf.inqVarID(ncID, varname);
var = netcdf.getVar(ncID, varID);
netcdf.close(ncID);