Opposite of drop_variables option in open_dataset()

[bartvstratum]

Not so much an issue but more a feature request. xarray.open_dataset() has the drop_variables option, perhaps the opposite could also be useful, e.g. include_variables or read_variables (i.e.; only read the variables which are listed and ignore the others).

I often work with large NetCDF files (>100 variables) out of which I only want to read a few; it is easier to list those few variables than to create a list with the hundred(s) of variables which I don't want.

[snowman2]

I second this request. I have had this same need before where I don't always know what variables I don't want, but I do know the variables that I do want.

[shoyer]

I'm reluctant to add yet another keyword argument to open_dataset, but we're started refactoring xarray's internal system for decoding metadata netCDF files (#1752), and with any luck that would provide a natural way to custom this.

[stale]

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