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Object - Base class for all AST Objects   

Description:
This class is the base class from which all other classes in the AST library are derived. It provides all the basic Object behaviour and Object manipulation facilities required throughout the library. There is no Object constructor, however, as Objects on their own are not useful.

Constructor Function:
None.

Inheritance
The Object base class does not inherit from any other class.

Attributes
All Objects have the following attributes:
  • Class: Object class name
  • ID: Object identification string
  • Nobject: Number of Objects in class
  • RefCount: Count of active Object pointers

Functions
The following functions may be applied to all Objects:
  • astAnnul: Annul a pointer to an Object
  • astBegin: Begin a new AST context
  • astClear: Clear attribute values for an Object
  • astClone: Clone a pointer to an Object
  • astCopy: Copy an Object
  • astDelete: Delete an Object
  • astEnd: End an AST context
  • astExempt: Exempt an Object pointer from AST context handling
  • astExport: Export an Object pointer to an outer context
  • astGet<X>: Get an attribute value for an Object
  • astIsA<Class>: Test class membership
  • astSet: Set attribute values for an Object
  • astSet<X>: Set an attribute value for an Object
  • astShow: Display a textual representation of an Object on standard output
  • astTest: Test if an attribute value is set for an Object
  • astVersion: Return the verson of the AST library being used.



next up previous
Next: PcdMap - Apply 2-dimensional pincushion/barrel distortion
Up: AST Class Descriptions
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AST A Library for Handling World Coordinate Systems in Astronomy
Starlink User Note 211
R.F. Warren-Smith & D.S. Berry
30th April 2003
E-mail:ussc@star.rl.ac.uk

Copyright (C) 2003 Central Laboratory of the Research Councils