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Date: Thu, 01 Oct 1998 13:49:06 -0400
From: William Pence <pence at tetra.gsfc.nasa.gov>
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Subject: CFITSIO v2.0
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**** CFITSIO 2.0 (Beta) Release ****

The beta 2.0 version of the CFITSIO library for reading and writing FITS files
is now in final testing prior to the full official release later this month. 
Any feedback from users about any problems, or suggestions for more
enhancements, would be greatly appreciated at this time.  This release is
intended to be fully backward compatible with the previous v1.42 release, but it
also contains many major new features, including:

1.  CFITSIO can now read IRAF format image files (.imh files) as well as FITS
files. Thus, any program that uses CFITSIO to do image analysis of FITS images
will be able to directly read IRAF images as well.

2.  Any FITS file on the internet can be directly accessed by providing the full
FTP or HTTP URL to CFITSIO's open_file routine.

3.  Input FITS files can be filtered or modified at run-time based on a
user-supplied expression that is appended to the name of the input file.  This
allows users, at run time, to 

  a) select a subset of the rows in a table which satisfy an 
     arbitrarily complex boolean expression

  b) create new table columns whose values are calculated 
     as a function of other columns and/or keywords in the table

  c) create a virtual FITS image by binning/histogramming
     the values in one or more table columns.  This is most often 
     used to create an image by binning a list of X and Y coordinates
     for each event in a table.

These file filtering routines use new extremely fast, state-of-the-art
algorithms. Effective file I/O throughput rates of 5 - 10 MB/s are typical on
current generation workstations or PCs.

4.  A Fortran-callable interface is provided, so CFITSIO routines may be easily
called from Fortran programs as well as from C.

5.  The Users Guide has been greatly improved.


This beta version of CFITSIO v2.0 is available via a link on the FITSIO Home
Page at:

     http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/fitsio

A html version of the new CFITSIO 2.0 User's Guide may also be viewed on line
from that site.

____________________________________________________________________
Dr. William Pence                          pence at tetra.gsfc.nasa.gov
NASA/GSFC Code 662         HEASARC         +1-301-286-4599 (voice)     
Greenbelt MD 20771                         +1-301-286-1684 (fax)



From owner-fitsbits at kochab.cv.nrao.edu  Fri Oct  9 11:26:26 1998
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To: fitsbits at fits.cv.nrao.edu
Date: Fri, 09 Oct 1998 05:14:48 GMT
From: dmunro at sfu.ca (Duncan Munro)
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Organization: Simon Fraser University
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Subject: Fitsblink 2.11 port to XFree86-OS/2
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.astro.fits
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I have ported Fitsblink 2.11 to Xfree86-OS/2. It is an Fits image
viewerand astrometry program. It can pattern-match a fits image with
theHubble GSC to determine the precise location of the image. It also
has an interface for Telescope and CCD camera control, but this is
untested. 

I have uploaded Fitsblink as fblink.zip to hobbes.nmsu.edu. it is now
in the incoming directory and the proposed placement is:  

/pub/os2/apps/astro:

It also requires Xforms.88  from :

http://borneo.gmd.de/~veit/os2/xf86ported.html

and CFitsio142.zip from:

ftp://legacy.gsfc.nasa.gov/software/fitsio/c/

Cfitsio142.zip must be compiled. If this is a problem for anyone I can
upload the compiled version to hobbes as well
thanks

Duncan Munro
dmunro at sfu.ca


From owner-fitsbits at kochab.cv.nrao.edu  Tue Oct 27 10:28:41 1998
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From: bob at ipac.caltech.edu
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To: fitsbits at fits.cv.nrao.edu
Subject: JavaFitsio ?
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Is there a Java package available (or in work) for reading/writing
FITS files similar to CFITSIO ?  --  Thanks

From owner-fitsbits at kochab.cv.nrao.edu  Tue Oct 27 11:23:38 1998
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Date: Tue, 27 Oct 1998 10:57:25 -0500
From: Tom McGlynn <tam at silk.gsfc.nasa.gov>
Organization: NASA/GSFC
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To: bob at ipac.caltech.edu
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Subject: Re: JavaFitsio ?
References: <199810270016.QAA03379 at shatner>
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I've written a set of Java FITS classes which read and write
all FITS types except ASCII tables.  They are available
at http://members.home.net/mcglynn/java/.  Images and binary tables
(including variable length records) can be read and written.

The two files doc.zip and fits.zip contain the source the nom.tam.fits
and nom.tam.util packages.  The individual files are also visible
in the appropriate subdirectories.

Javadoc documentation is available.  A good starting point is
   http://members.home.net/mcglynn/java/doc/tree.html

These are only modestly tested but have successfully read a fair
number of files formats.

E.g., to read a primary array one might do something like:
...
  Fits myFits = new Fits(filename);
  BasicHDU[] HDUs = myFits.read();
  
  int[][] data = (int[][]) HDUs[0].getData().getData();
...

	Tom McGlynn
	tam at silk.gsfc.nasa.gov

bob at ipac.caltech.edu wrote:
> 
> Is there a Java package available (or in work) for reading/writing
> FITS files similar to CFITSIO ?  --  Thanks

From owner-fitsbits at kochab.cv.nrao.edu  Thu Oct 29 13:43:27 1998
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	Thu, 29 Oct 1998 13:09:31 -0500
To: fitsbits at fits.cv.nrao.edu
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1998 17:53:45 GMT
From: sunhouse at eurobell.co.uk (Tanya Jordan)
Message-ID: <3638aab1.12491900 at news.eurobell.co.uk>
Organization: Eurobell Internet Services
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Subject: A Basic Question (I hope)
Newsgroups: sci.astro.fits
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Hi all

I wonder is there someone out that thay can tell me what is required
(if it is available for the  Windows '95 OS) to turn my masterpieces
(wry smile) into "FITS" format.I have looked at every FAQ I can
find,but unless the subject is totally beyond my comprehension that I
missed it:I have not been able to find anything that says "You need
such and such software" or something along those lines.I am fully
aware that the possability excists that I have the wrong machine to be
able to do it.So any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

TJ

From owner-fitsbits at kochab.cv.nrao.edu  Thu Oct 29 17:49:10 1998
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From: bob at ipac.caltech.edu
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Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1998 14:30:46 -0800
Message-Id: <199810292230.OAA05573 at shatner>
To: fitsbits at fits.cv.nrao.edu
Subject: A question on keywords for 3-D images
Sender: owner-fitsbits at kochab.cv.nrao.edu
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Hello,

The SIRTF project is designing the format of its output products.  One
of the products, for example, may contain 32-planes of 2-D data, all
with the same geometry.  This would normally be a straightforward
problem, just use a 3-D image, but there is a hitch ...

There is a set of at least 100 header keywords that have different
values for each of the 2-D planes.

There are a number of workable solutions to this and we could just
pick one and go with it.  However, a standard solution would be
preferable since it would be better understood and it could be used
directly in existing software.


Here are two of the options being considered:

 1) Append plane number to keywords

   Use a 3-D image and append the plane number to the keyword names,
   such as SIGMA01, SIGMA02, SIGMA03.  Is there any *STANDARD* way to
   do this (especially one that existing software uses) ?  Also, each
   plane may want to have its own BSCALE and BZERO. Is it possible to
   specify these values for the individual planes?


 2) Use FITS image extension

   Each extension would contain a 2D image and its own set of
   keywords.  Going to this form loses the 3-D nature of the data with
   each 2-D image looking like an independent image rather than being
   part of a 3-D cube.  Also, there is a concern is that many FITS
   readers and standard software may not be able to deal with files in
   this form.  It may not be supported well in IRAF, CFITSIO, etc. for
   3-D operations.

Thanks for any help,
 Bob Narron

From owner-fitsbits at kochab.cv.nrao.edu  Thu Oct 29 21:02:08 1998
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Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1998 18:51:47 -0500
From: Tom McGlynn <tam at silk.gsfc.nasa.gov>
Organization: NASA/GSFC -- USRA
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Subject: Re: A question on keywords for 3-D images
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This sounds like an application for a binary table but
it's not clear whether it should have 32 rows or 32 columns.

If you use the 32 row approach, then each row would have
a field for the 2-D array and additional fields for your
variable 'keyword' information.  You could describe the
geometry of the images using a single set of of keywords.
E.g., you'd have something like
...
    NAXIS2 = 32   / Not trying to make the syntax here perfect!
...
    TTYPE1 = 'DATA '
    TTYPE2 = 'PARAM1'
    TTYPE3 = 'PARAM2'
...
    TFORM1 = '10000F'
    TDIM1  = '(100,100)'  / For a 100x100 image
    TFORM2 = 'F'          / If the parameter is a real...
...
in the header.

If you use the 32 column approach, then the table would only
have a single row with each field being one of your images.
You'd have the advantage of have separate scaling keywords
to scale each image, but at least in principle you'd need
to include geometry keywords for each of the fields.
You'd use field keywords encoding the 'keyword'
information.  This approach may be especially attractive if
the type of the information may be different for some of the
32 planes, e.g., perhaps some planes are binary masks, some
integers and some reals.   

Some fragments of the header might be like:
...
   TFIELDS = 32
...
   TTYPE1  = 'DATA_PLANE1'
   TTYPE2  = 'DATA_PLANE2'
...
   TFORM1  = '10000F'
   TDISP1  = '(100,100)'
   TFORM2  = '10000I'
   TDISP2  = '(100,100)'
...
   PONE1   = 'Value for first param for plane 1'
   PONE2   = 'Value for first param for plane 2'
   PTWO1   = 'Value for second param for plane 1'
...


Either of these formats is reasonably standard, so I wouldn't
anticipate problems with any but the simplest FITS readers.

		Regards,
		Tom McGlynn

bob at ipac.caltech.edu wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> The SIRTF project is designing the format of its output products.  One
> of the products, for example, may contain 32-planes of 2-D data, all
> with the same geometry.  This would normally be a straightforward
> problem, just use a 3-D image, but there is a hitch ...
> 
> There is a set of at least 100 header keywords that have different
> values for each of the 2-D planes.
> 
> There are a number of workable solutions to this and we could just
> pick one and go with it.  However, a standard solution would be
> preferable since it would be better understood and it could be used
> directly in existing software.
> 
> Here are two of the options being considered:
> 
>  1) Append plane number to keywords
> 
>    Use a 3-D image and append the plane number to the keyword names,
>    such as SIGMA01, SIGMA02, SIGMA03.  Is there any *STANDARD* way to
>    do this (especially one that existing software uses) ?  Also, each
>    plane may want to have its own BSCALE and BZERO. Is it possible to
>    specify these values for the individual planes?
> 
>  2) Use FITS image extension
> 
>    Each extension would contain a 2D image and its own set of
>    keywords.  Going to this form loses the 3-D nature of the data with
>    each 2-D image looking like an independent image rather than being
>    part of a 3-D cube.  Also, there is a concern is that many FITS
>    readers and standard software may not be able to deal with files in
>    this form.  It may not be supported well in IRAF, CFITSIO, etc. for
>    3-D operations.
> 
> Thanks for any help,
>  Bob Narron

From owner-fitsbits at kochab.cv.nrao.edu  Fri Oct 30 10:01:27 1998
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Subject: Re: A question on keywords for 3-D images
In-Reply-To: <199810292230.OAA05573 at shatner> from "bob at ipac.caltech.edu" at "Oct 29, 98 02:30:46 pm"
To: bob at ipac.caltech.edu
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 09:20:32 -0500 (EST)
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I tend to agree with Tom McGlynn's first solution: make a binary table
with 32 rows.  One column will contain the 2-D arrays in its fields,
the other columns the variable parameters.

The geometry of the 2-D images can be specified through the iCTYPnnn,
etc., keywords.  I would suggest solving the BSCALE/BZERO problem by
storing the data as floats (E, not F) or doubles (D).

If the 2-D images are really big, and you need the parameters for
browsing, you may want to consider putting the image data into the
heap - that should be transparent to most FITS readers.

This format is similar to what we plan to use for the AXAF PSF files:
columns for parameters like energy and off-axis coordinates, and one
column with the data.  The data column contains vectors holding either
a 1-D radial PSFs or 2-D PSF images.  Depending on the size of those
vectors, they may be physically included in the body of the table or
located in the heap.

Hope this helps,

  - Arnold Rots

bob at ipac.caltech.edu wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> The SIRTF project is designing the format of its output products.  One
> of the products, for example, may contain 32-planes of 2-D data, all
> with the same geometry.  This would normally be a straightforward
> problem, just use a 3-D image, but there is a hitch ...
> 
> There is a set of at least 100 header keywords that have different
> values for each of the 2-D planes.
> 
> There are a number of workable solutions to this and we could just
> pick one and go with it.  However, a standard solution would be
> preferable since it would be better understood and it could be used
> directly in existing software.
> 
> 
> Here are two of the options being considered:
> 
>  1) Append plane number to keywords
> 
>    Use a 3-D image and append the plane number to the keyword names,
>    such as SIGMA01, SIGMA02, SIGMA03.  Is there any *STANDARD* way to
>    do this (especially one that existing software uses) ?  Also, each
>    plane may want to have its own BSCALE and BZERO. Is it possible to
>    specify these values for the individual planes?
> 
> 
>  2) Use FITS image extension
> 
>    Each extension would contain a 2D image and its own set of
>    keywords.  Going to this form loses the 3-D nature of the data with
>    each 2-D image looking like an independent image rather than being
>    part of a 3-D cube.  Also, there is a concern is that many FITS
>    readers and standard software may not be able to deal with files in
>    this form.  It may not be supported well in IRAF, CFITSIO, etc. for
>    3-D operations.
> 
> Thanks for any help,
>  Bob Narron

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arnold H. Rots                                         AXAF Science Center
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory                tel:  +1 617 496 7701
60 Garden Street, MS 81                              fax:  +1 617 495 7356
Cambridge, MA 02138                             arots at head-cfa.harvard.edu
USA                                     http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~arots/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------