HDF Newsletter #20

April 2, 1996


Contents


Release HDF4.0r1 patch 01

HDF4.0r1 patch 01 is on the NCSA ftp server. Changes include:


A bug has been fixed in the SDS interface. Now the record number will be updated for UNliMITED dimensions when ncsync (ncsnc) is called to write data to hdf files.

A bug has been fixed in the UNliMITED dimension record to improve backward compatibility.

An option to generate binary output has been added to dumprig and dumpsds in hdp, the HDF dumper. It is in beta test stage.

Parameter 'class' in vffndcls() has been changed to 'vgclass' to avoid conflicts with the C++ reserved word 'class'.

All definitions for the names and classes of vdatas and vgroups that are created by the GR or SD interfaces and are used in hdf files have been moved to hdf/src/hlimits.h. These names and classes are reserved by HDF. Users' applications should not name their vdatas/vgroups using these reserved words. Pre-defined attribute names are included in hlimits.h as well. A list of these reserved names (and classes) is attached to the end of this newsletter: list of HDF reserved names and classes

Other bug fixes.

Patch files are located in:

For HDF 4.0r1 patch 01, the entire source distribution, including the patch, is located in:/HDF/HDF4.0r1/patches/patchedsrc/

The READMEs in these directories explain how to apply the patch.

HDF4.0r1 patch 01 has been tested on the Macintosh PowerPC and 68K, HPUX, IRIX5.3, IRIX6.1_64, IRIX6.1_32, SunOS4.1.4, Solaris 2.5, and Dec Alpha OpenVMS. Precompiled executables for these UNIX (except IRIX6.1_32) and OpenVMS platforms in /HDF/HDF4.0r1/bin/ on the NCSA ftp server, have been updated to HDF4.0r1 patch 01. Due to limited resources we do not plan to update the executables for other platforms. If any user has problems compiling patch 01 on other platforms please contact hdfhelp@ncsa.uiuc.edu. We will try our best to work with you.


Known problems in HDF 4.0r1 patch 01


list of HDF reserved names and classes

By GR interface

Vdata/vgroup names and classes:
"RIG0.0" -- name of the Vgroup containing all the images in GR
"RI0.0" -- name of a Vgroup containing information about one image in GR
"RIATTR0.0N" -- name of a Vdata containing an attribute in GR
"RIATTR0.0C" -- class of a Vdata containing an attribute
Attribute names:
"FillValue" -- name of an attribute containing the fill value

By SD interface

Vdata/vgroup names and classes:
"Attr0.0" -- class of a Vdata containing SD interface attribute
"Var0.0" -- class of a Vgroup representing an SD NDG
"Dim0.0" -- class of a Vgroup representing an SD dimension
"UDim0.0" -- class of a Vgroup representing an SD UNliMITED dimension
"DimVal0.0" -- class of a Vdata containing an SD dimension size and fake values
"DimVal0.1" -- class of a Vdata containing an SD dimension size
"CDF0.0" -- class of a Vgroup representing all SD SDSs in a file
"Data0.0" -- defined but not used yet
"VALUES" -- field name of a vdata which contains values of an SD attribute
Attribute names:
"_FillValue" -- user defined fill value
"long_name" -- data/dimension label string
"units" -- data/dimension unit string
"format" -- data/dimension format string
"coordsys" -- data coordsys string
"valid_range" -- valid range of data values
"scale_factor" -- data calibration factor
"scale_factor_err" -- data calibration factor error
"add_offset" -- calibration offset
"add_offset_err" -- calibration offset error
"calibrated_nt" -- data type of uncalibrated data