Generalize virtualfile_to_gmtgrid to virtualfile_to_data so it works for both grid and dataset

Author: seisman

doc/api/index.rst

@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ conversion of Python variables to GMT virtual files:
     clib.Session.virtualfile_from_grid
     clib.Session.virtualfile_from_gmtgrid
     clib.Session.virtualfile_from_xrgrid
-    clib.Session.virtualfile_to_gmtgrid
+    clib.Session.virtualfile_to_data
 
 Low level access (these are mostly used by the :mod:`pygmt.clib` package):
 

pygmt/clib/session.py

@@ -1648,29 +1648,37 @@ def read_virtualfile(self, vfname):
         return c_read_virtualfile(self.session_pointer, vfname.encode())
 
     @contextmanager
-    def virtualfile_from_gmtgrid(self, grid_pointer):
+    def virtualfile_to_data(self, kind):
         """
-        Create a virtual file for reading a GMT_GRID object.
+        Create a virtual file for writing a GMT data container.
 
-        Parameter
-        ---------
-        grid_pointer : ctp.POINTER(GMT_GRID)
-            Pointer to a GMT_GRID object.
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        kind : str
+            The kind of data container to create. Choose from "grid" or
+            "dataset".
 
         Yields
         ------
         vfile : str
             Name of the virtual file.
         """
-        family = "GMT_IS_GRID"
-        geometry = "GMT_IS_SURFACE"
-        with self.open_virtual_file(family, geometry, "GMT_IN", grid_pointer) as vfile:
+        family, geometry = {
+            "grid": ("GMT_IS_GRID", "GMT_IS_SURFACE"),
+            "dataset": ("GMT_IS_DATASET", "GMT_IS_PLP"),
+        }[kind]
+        with self.open_virtual_file(family, geometry, "GMT_OUT", None) as vfile:
             yield vfile
 
     @contextmanager
-    def virtualfile_to_gmtgrid(self):
+    def virtualfile_from_gmtgrid(self, grid_pointer):
         """
-        Create a virtual file for writing a GMT_GRID object.
+        Create a virtual file for reading a GMT_GRID object.
+
+        Parameter
+        ---------
+        grid_pointer : ctp.POINTER(GMT_GRID)
+            Pointer to a GMT_GRID object.
 
         Yields
         ------
@@ -1679,7 +1687,7 @@ def virtualfile_to_gmtgrid(self):
         """
         family = "GMT_IS_GRID"
         geometry = "GMT_IS_SURFACE"
-        with self.open_virtual_file(family, geometry, "GMT_OUT", None) as vfile:
+        with self.open_virtual_file(family, geometry, "GMT_IN", grid_pointer) as vfile:
             yield vfile
 
     @contextmanager

pygmt/datatypes.py

@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class GMT_GRID(ctp.Structure):
 
     >>> with Session() as lib:
     ...     # create a virtual file for output
-    ...     with lib.virtualfile_to_gmtgrid() as vfile:
+    ...     with lib.virtualfile_to_data(kind="grid") as vfile:
     ...         # read in a grid file and output to the virtual file
     ...         lib.call_module("read", f"@static_earth_relief.nc {vfile} -Tg")
     ...         # read the data in the virtual file and cast the data into a pointer to GMT_GRID

pygmt/src/grdcut.py

@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def grdcut(grid, outgrid=None, **kwargs):
     with Session() as lib:
         with lib.virtualfile_from_data(
             check_kind="raster", data=grid
-        ) as infile, lib.virtualfile_to_gmtgrid() as outfile:
+        ) as infile, lib.virtualfile_to_data(kind="grid") as outfile:
             kwargs["G"] = f"{outfile}"
             lib.call_module(
                 module="grdcut", args=build_arg_string(kwargs, infile=infile)