GetData Files

GetData 0.8.4 is known to compile and pass the test suite on the following
systems (including C++ and Fortran bindings):

Linux:
* x86, x86_64, ARM under (variously) Debian, Slackware, Ubuntu, RHEL
MacOS X:
* x86 and x86_64, using Xcode 3.2/gcc 4.2, under MacOS X Snow Leopard
Cygwin:
* x86_64, using gcc 4.3
Win32:
* x86_64, using mingw/gcc 4.5, under MSys
* X86_64, using MSVC 10
OpenBSD:
* x86, using gcc 4.2

The Python bindings have been tested with Python 2.4 through Python 2.7.
The IDL bindings have been tested with IDL 6.0 and IDL 7.1.
The Perl bindings have been tested with Perl 5.8 through Perl 5.16.
The MATLAB bindings have been tested with MATLAB R2009b and MATLAB R2012a.

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Four packages are available:
* getdata-0.8.4.tar.bz2/.gz: the full source code to the library, with
    bindings.  This package uses the GNU autotools build system, and is
    designed for POSIX systems (UNIX, Linux, BSD, MacOS X, Cygwin, MSys,
    &c.)
* getdata_win-0.8.4.zip: a reduced source code package, with the CMake
    build system designed to be built on Microsoft Windows, either using
    the free MinGW compiler, or else Microsoft's Visual C++ compiler.
    (The full source package above can also be built using MinGW, if the
    MSys shell is used to run the build system.)  Currently, the only
    bindings provided by this package are the C++ bindings, and the
    package lacks support for compressed dirfiles, the Legacy API, and a
    few other features.  This build is used in native Microsoft Windows
    builds of kst2.
* idl_getdata-0.8.4.tar.bz2/.gz: the Interactive Data Language (IDL)
    bindings, packaged separately with an autotools build system, designed
    to be built against an already installed version of GetData.  Due to
    licensing restrictions, pre-built packages rarely come with these
    bindings, and this package allows end-users to add support for IDL
* matlab_getdata-0.8.4.tar.bz2/.gz: the MATLAB bindings, packaged separately
    with an autotools build system, designed to be built against an already
    installed version of GetData.  Due to licensing restrictions, pre-built
    packages rarely come with these bindings, and this package allows end-users
    to add support for MATLAB without having to recompile the whole GetData
    package.

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New in version 0.8.4rc2:

  Dirfile Changes:

  * CLARIFICATION: Inconsistant behaviour in the library, coupled with
    contradictory statements in the Dirfile Standards, has resulted in confusion
    over the meaning of the final, optional, parameter in a MPLEX definition.
    To be clear: this parameter is simply the expected period between successive
    occurances of the "count" value in the index vector.  (It is used by GetData
    only to figure out a resonable length for the MPLEX lookback.)  The 
    following clarifications and corrections have been made to the definition
    of the MPLEX field type in dirfile-format(5):

    - The final, optional parameter has been renamed from "max" to "period".

    - This parameter indicates not the maximal range of the index vector, as 
      previously stated, but the expected number of samples between successive
      occurances of the specified "count" value in the index vector; as before,
      it should be regarded as a hint, and does not place any actual restriction
      on the contents of the index vector.

    - The incorrect requirement that the "count" parameter be non-negative has
      been deleted.

    - The incorrect requirement that "count" be less than or equal to "max", if
      "max" is present and non-zero, has been deleted.

    - The meaning of an omitted or zero "period", indicating that the spacing of
      "count" in the index vector is unknown or non-uniform, is now explicitly
      stated.

    - Different MPLEX fields using the same index vector may specify different
      periods.
    
    See also the related library bug fixes below.

  Library Changes:

  * The count_max member of the gd_entry_t object has been renamed period.  The
    corresponding dummy argument in various function prototypes has been
    similarly renamed.

  * BUG FIX: The library no longer incorrectly rejects negative count_val MPLEX
    parameters.  Furthermore, a count_val of -1 in gd_alter_entry or
    gd_[m]alter_mplex calls is not a special value: it just sets count_val to
    -1.

  * BUG FIX: The library no longer incorrectly rejects MPLEX fields where
    count_val is greater than the period (formerly called count_max).

  * BUG FIX: The default MPLEX period, if none is specified, is 2*count_val + 1,
    not simply 2 * count_val, when count_val is greater than 5.

  * BUG FIX: Trying to position an I/O pointer to before sample zero with
    gd_seek() now properly fails.  Previously it would allow it, causing bizarre
    things to happen later.

  * BUG FIX: Using gd_tell to get the I/O pointer position of a derived field
    with exactly two input fields (MULTIPLY, DIVIDE, MPLEX, WINDOW) now properly
    reports an error in the "multiposition" case (ie. when the two inputs are
    ultimately reading from different locations in the same RAW field).

  * BUG FIX: Trying to read sample zero of a gzipped RAW field the second time
    now works as expected.  Previously, the request to reposition the I/O
    pointer back to zero would be ignored by the gzip framework.  Reported by
    Alexandra Rahlin.

  * BUG FIX: The field code of a reference field declared in a subfragment
    included with affixes is no longer corrupted by spurious application of the
    affixes when the subfragment's metadata are (re-)written.  Reported by Seth.

  Bindings Changes:

  * C++: The Entry and MplexEntry member functions CountMax and SetCountMax have
    been renamed to Period and SetPeriod for consistency with the changes listed
    above.  CountMax and SetCountMax are still avaialbe as aliases, but are
    marked deprecated.

  * IDL BUG FIX: GD_ENTRY structures representing MPLEX fields are now properly
    interpreted.  Previously, the underlying gd_entry_t object was being
    incorrectly initialised.

  * PYTHON BUG FIX: Numpy arrays returned by dirfile.getdata() are now the
    correct length.  Previously they would always be the length requested (or
    the length of the dirfile, if no length was explicitly given) even if fewer
    samples were returned.  Extra elements would contain uninitialised memory.