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Changes Introduced in V1.3

The following describes the most significant changes which occurred in the NDF_ system between versions V1.2 and V1.3 (not the current version):

1.
New facilities have been added for handling NDF history information (see §[*]).
2.
New facilities have been added to allow the automatic reading and writing of data files written in a variety of ``foreign'' (i.e. non-NDF) formats. These are described in a separate document (SSN/20).

3.
A new routine NDF_OPEN has been added to provide a general means of accessing NDF datasets by name, locator, or a combination of both. It is modelled on the Fortran OPEN statement (see §[*]) and provides flexible NDF access for programmers who do not wish to use the ADAM parameter system.

4.
The symbolic constant DAT__ROOT provided by HDS is now supported by all NDF_ routines which accept HDS locators (see §[*]). Use of this constant in place of an HDS locator indicates that the associated component name is in fact the full name of the HDS object (or NDF). This allows access to HDS objects by name as an alternative to using locators. The name of a foreign format data file may also be supplied using this mechanism (SSN/20).

5.
All routines that accept the names of pre-existing NDF datasets now support subscripting, and will return an appropriate NDF section.

6.
A new selective copy routine NDF_SCOPY has been added (see §[*]) which performs component propagation in a similar manner to NDF_PROP but does not depend on the ADAM parameter system.

7.
The two sets of routines NDF_XGT0x and NDF_XPT0x (where ``x'' is I, R, D, L or C) will now accept compound component names when reading or writing the values of objects in NDF extensions. This allows direct access to values stored within nested structures or arrays in extensions (see §§[*] & [*]). The routine NDF_XIARY has also been similarly enhanced.

8.
The routine NDF_TUNE has been extended to support new tuning parameters, most of which are associated with the facilities for accessing foreign data formats (see above).

9.
Tuning parameters now acquire their default values from environment variables (see §[*]).

10.
Due to changes in the underlying data system (HDS), locators to data objects may now be annulled freely without risk of affecting the operation of the NDF_ library.

11.
There is no longer any need to call the routine HDS_START in standalone programs which use the NDF_ library (previously this was required), although doing so will do no harm.

12.
Instructions for compiling and linking NDF applications on UNIX have been added to the documentation.

13.
On UNIX systems where shareable libraries are supported, these are now installed in a separate .../share directory (rather than alongside the non-shareable libraries in the .../lib directory). You should include the appropriate .../share directory (normally /star/share on Starlink systems) in your library search path if you wish to use shareable libraries on UNIX.

14.
The routine NDF_XNUMB now returns a guaranteed value of zero if it is called with STATUS set, or if it should fail for any reason.

15.
A number of new error codes associated with the NDF history component and with access to foreign data formats have been added to the include file NDF_ERR.

16.
The routine NDF_IMPRT has been documented as obsolete. Its function is now performed by NDF_FIND by specifying a blank second argument.

17.
The routine NDF_TRACE has been documented as obsolete. Its function is now performed by NDF_TUNE via the tuning parameter `TRACE'.



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Starlink User Note 33
R.F. Warren-Smith
11th January 2000
E-mail:rfws@star.rl.ac.uk

Copyright © 2000 Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils