Introduction:

This directory contains source and documentation for
Version 0.91 of the Java FITS library developed by T.McGlynn.

Included are the following files:

    README		This file
    JavaFits.doc	A Word document describing this library and release.
    fits.jar		A JAR file with class files in the nom.tam.fits package
    fits_src.jar	A JAR file with source files in the nom.tam.fits package.
    fits_test_src.jar   A JAR file with source files for FITS test programs.
    util.jar            A JAR file with class files in the nom.tam.util package.
    util_src.jar        A JAR file with source files for the nom.tam.util package.
    util_test_src.jar   A JAR file with source files for utility test programs.
    image.jar           A JAR file with class files in the nom.tam.image package.
    image_src.jar       A JAR file with source files in the nom.tam.image package.
    
These files should be available at:

    http://members.home.net/mcglynn/java/v0.9
    
        or
	
    http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/heasarc/fits/java/v0.9
    
Javadoc documentatation is available at 
    http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa/gov/docs/heasarc/fits/java

Please send comments and bug reports to 

   Tom McGlynn, mcglynn@home.com or tam@silk.gsfc.nasa.gov
   

Version 0.92

   BinaryTable
      - Fixed bug initializing BinaryTable's read from streams
        (rather than files).
	
Version 0.91

   FitsDate:
      - added getFitsDateString
      
   Header:
      - made several methods public.
      - added checking for initial keywords before write.
      
   BinaryTable:
      - removed TDIM keywords for variable length columns.
      - fixed bug that made BinaryTable(Object[][]) constructor
        unusable.
   
   BinaryTableHDU:
      - fixed usage of THEAP keyword
      
   AsciiTable:
      - use blanks for data filler rather than nulls.
      
   BasicHDU
      - made getDummyHDU public.
      
   HeaderCard
      - fixed padding of string values which
        sometimes had one too many spaces.
	
   image.ImageTiler
      - allow requests for tiles that
        are not fully within the original image.
      
   util.ByteFormatter
      - changed formatter to use 'E' (rather than 'e')
        for exponents since 'e' not legal for
	FITS ASCII tables.
      

Version 0.9

Major enhancments:

   - Support for ASCII tables.
   - Deferred input for images and tables (data is read
     only when user actually requests it).
   - Image subsetting without reading the entire image
   - Reading individual rows and elements of tables without
     reading the entire table.
   - Support for in-place rewriting of headers and data.
   - Transparent support for Strings in ASCII and Binary tables.
   - Transparent support for booleans in binary tables, including
     varying length columns.
   
   - Efficient buffered random access methods.
   - More flexible support for I/O of primitive arrays.
     
Known limitations are:

   - No support for HIERARCH style header cards.
   - Limited support for COMPLEX, varying length columns in binary tables.
   - Lack of deferred input for RandomGroups data.
   - Limitations on the use of TDIM keywords with varying length columns
   - Limited control of the format for floating point data
     in ASCII tables.
   - Limited support for row aliasing in varying length columns.
   
Known extensions of FITS standards are:

   - Support for 8 byte integer images and binary table columns
   - Use of Random groups data in image extensions.



Changes from earlier release:

Note that while this library generally extends the public interface defined
in version 0.6 of this library, some methods have been deleted or renamed. I
hope that most of these should not be noticeable to users but a few, notably
the deletion of the HDU class, and changes in the Header class may require
modification of existing code.  I am not averse to keeping deprecated calls
(or even classes) in the library, but it would be a bit cleaner to leave
them out so I thought to try to release this without worrying too much about
complete backwards compatibility.  Most of the higher level interface for
users is unaffected.

Please let me know if you are using methods which are no longer supported
and would like to have them retained.  A modestly detailed list of changes
is included in the JavaFits.doc documentation.



Contents:

This release comprises three elements:

1. The Java classes themselves are found in three packages:

   nom.tam.util, nom.tam.fits, and nom.tam.image
   
Both class files compiled under Compaq TruUnix JDK 1.2.2-1 and Java source
files are provided.
   
2. A substantial if somewhat disorganized introduction to using these
classes is available as in the JavaFits.doc file in Word 97 format.

3. Test classes are available in the packages

    nom.tam.util.test, nom.tam.fits.test
       
Typically these are simple classes with a single main method which tests
classes in the appropriate libraries.  While they were written as simple
tests of functionality, users may find them to be helpful in understanding
how to use the various classes.



Bugs:

No warrantee is given for any of this software.