National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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                        RELEASE NOTES FOR HEASOFT 6.10
                              September 28, 2010
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The HEASoft 6.10 release is primarily driven by updates to the Swift and
Suzaku mission software, but also includes updates to several packages
which have been revised to mirror the current development versions in
use at the HEASARC.

As before, configuration-related changes thoughout the package means that
users who already have HEASoft v6.x.x installed will need to completely
replace their software installation; there is no clean way to simply
overlay this new release or to update an existing installation.

********************************************************************************
                                    CFITSIO
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   - Modified the file template reading routine (ngp_line_from_file in 
     grparser.c) so that it ignores any carriage return characters (\r)
     in the line, that might be present, e.g. if the file was created on a 
     Windows machine that uses \r\n as end of line characters.

   - Modified the ffoptplt routine in cfileio.c to check if the PCOUNT
     keyword in the template file has a non-zero value, and if so, resets
     it to zero in the newly created file.

Version 3.25 - 9 June 2010

   - Fixed bug that was introduced in version 3.13 that broke the ability
     to reverse an image section along the y-axis with an image section
     specifier like this: myimage.fits[*,-*].  This bug caused the output
     image to be filled with zeros.

   - Fixed typo in the definition of the ftgprh Fortran wrapper routine
     in f77_wrap3.c.

   - Modified the cfitsio.pc.in configuration file to make the lib path
     a variable instead of hard coding the path.   The provides more
     flexibility for projects such as suse and fedora when building CFITSIO.

   - Fixed bug in imcomp_compress_tile in imcompress.c which caused
     null pixel values to be written incorrectly in the rare case where 
     the floating-point tile of pixels could not be quantized into integers.

   - Modified imcompress.c to add a new specialized routine to uncompress
     an input image and then write it to a output image on a tile by tile basis.
     This appears to be faster than the old method of uncompressing the
     whole image into memory before writing it out.  It also supports
     large images with more than 2**31 pixels.

   - Made trivial changes to 2 statements in drvrfile.c to suppress 
     nuisance compiler warnings.

   - Some compilers define CLOCKS_PER_SEC as a double instead of an integer,
     so added an explicted integer type conversion to 2 statements in
     imcompress.c that used this macro.
     
   - Removed debugging printf statements in drvrnet.c (15 July)


CFITSIO Perl Module (Astro-FITS-CFITSIO):

- Fix supplied by P. Ratzlaff: Use fits_get_col_display_width to get column
  width (instead of previous method involving NAXIS2).  This fixes a problem
  originally identified while running the uvotsource task (Swift).

********************************************************************************
                                      APE
********************************************************************************

2010-09-28 Ape 2.7
  Changes Made:
    * Add ape_session interface, which parallels the ape_trad
      interface. This supports having multiple parameter files
      open simultaneously and independently.
    * Add some Fortran-accessible wrappers for ape_trad functions.
    * Add ape_trad_get_int and ape_trad_set_int for access to
      parameters treated as integers.
    * Internal code only: reenable handling of parameters as
      vectors of strings.

********************************************************************************
                                     HEASP
********************************************************************************

- Fixed error in generating the EBOUNDS extension.

********************************************************************************
                                    PGPLOT
********************************************************************************

- Fixed buffer over-run in GIF/PPM/WD driver filename handlers.

********************************************************************************
                                    QDP/PLT
********************************************************************************

- Latest updates from A. Tennant:

  2010-07-13 - Fix plotting bug when SKip ON reduces the number of groups.
  2010-07-13 - Fix format for WHead with IMAge MIN less than zero.
  2010-06-30 - If FPNUM finds an error, it now returns NO (was 0.0).
  2010-06-03 - Fix another image related WH bug.
  2010-06-01 - SCR (for indices 0-15) is remembered.
  2010-05-28 - Several fixes to WH command.
  2010-05-26 - Another XAX/SKIP bug fixed.
  2010-05-20 - Fix 20 year old error in example fig04.pco.
  2010-04-23 - CURFIT would randomly pick 0.001 as a stopping condition.
  2010-03-29 - Xaxis # refers to vectors not groups (software and doc).
  2010-03-25 - New SEt/SHow to change maximum length of lines written with WD.
  2010-03-24 - Fix potential infinite loop in spline/akima components.
  2009-07-02 - When FIT plots final model, it no longer redraws the labels.
  2009-03-10 - Increase MXLAB to 200.

- (xanlib): Increased size of internal character strings. This fixes a bug
  in plotting caused by PLT command strings being longer than those used in
  the LDBUF1 routine in this file.

********************************************************************************
                                   ATTITUDE
********************************************************************************

- aspcorr: Changed default star identification filtering to
  BASE_COUNT_RANGE.  Recognize the defer.angle starid option.

- prefilter: Fixed bogus results generated when using g95 on Darwin.
  Attempted to address discrepancy between platforms for COR_SAX parameter.

- tristarid: The tool now keeps track of two sorts of ambiguous matches:
  those which are slightly better or worse in terms of distance relative
  to the primary group; and those which do not yield a unique mapping
  between observed and reference objects.  During the match filtering
  process, if ambiguities are resolved, additional matches are asserted.

  Note: It has been found effective to include a direct matching step of
  reference objects to detections especially in crowded fields.  This is
  effected by inserting a line like

        filter.direct.arcsec => 6

  in the catspec file.

- libcoord: Corrected index lookup of y-offsets for distortion map.

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                                   CALTOOLS
********************************************************************************

- c_caldbflag: Increase length of parameter strings to fix seg fault.

- udcif: Fix "End of record" error caused by long directory paths.

********************************************************************************
                                    FUTILS
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- fcalc: Increase size of naxes array to prevent corrupted cfitsio calls
  under 64-bit Linux.

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                                    HEAGEN
********************************************************************************

- rebingausslc: Fixed bug in writing of TIMEDEL column (when using variable
  sized bins). Fixed bug when user specifies tstart or tstop but not both.

********************************************************************************
                                    HEASARC
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- extractor: 

  Fixed a bug when extracting spectra from large regions in ROSAT PSPC
  observations. The BACKSCAL keyword was being set to a uniform value
  regardless of the region size beyond a certain size region. Fixed by
  moving from real to double precision when accumulating the region area.

  Switched to defining an event as good if the middle of its frame time
  lies within the GTI. This is consistent with extractor behavior before
  it started checking for TIMEPIXR if the keyword were 0.5.

  Added support for the TIMEPIXR keyword in event files. If the input
  event files have no TIMEPIXR keyword then use the value given by the
  tpixrpar parameter (which defaults to 0.0).  Use value from parameter
  if it is to something non-negative even if there is a TIMEPIXR keyword
  in the event file.

- gtisum: Fixed bug in iterator initialization that crashed when GTI has
  lots of rows.

********************************************************************************
                                   HEATOOLS
********************************************************************************

- ftimgcalc: 
  * Output extension name must be explicitly set using the 'resultname'
    parameter
  * Major capability to process one image at a time without loading
    all inputs into memory at the same time
  * Input images can now have different header keywords, which are
    preserved (previously the first image's keywords were applied to
    all of the following images)

- ftimgcreate: Improved handling of 'naxes' parameter: reject illegal
  (non-numeric) naxes values, unless naxes="none", in which case create a
  null image (NAXIS=0).

********************************************************************************
                                    XRONOS
********************************************************************************

- lcmath: Initialize timing keyword related variables in lcmathmake.f.
  Correct background error estimation in the case of no ERROR column.
  Fix applied correction determination for background.  Fixed
  uninitialized variable that was causing NULL output light curves
  when no FRACEXP column exists in background light curve.

********************************************************************************
                                    XSELECT
********************************************************************************

- xselect: Added the timepixr keyword to the xselect.mdb and set this
  to 0.5 for ASCASIS0 and SIS1. This keyword should only be used in the
  xselect.mdb in the case where the TIMEPIXR keyword is not included in
  event files and it needs to be set to something other than 0.0.

- xsl_suzaku_xis_makeresp: Fixed error in reading command line arguments.
  Checked the input filename for number of bins to determine which speed
  option to use. This fixes is a bug where the response matrix and spectrum
  would be incompatible if the spectrum was not rebinned in the save
  spectrum command.

- xselect.mdb: Reverted to non-wildcard keywords.

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                                     XSPEC
********************************************************************************

This release includes Xspec 12.6.0q.  

Please see the Xspec Issues/Patches web page for updates beyond v12.6.0q:

  http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/xanadu/xspec/issues/issues.html


********************************************************************************
                                     XSTAR
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- v2.2.1bc:
   * Fix zeroing error of variable xilevt in func
   * Modifications which allow the use of old data files
   * Updates to atomic database

- v2.2.1b:
   * More accurate evaluation of voigt function (greater wavelength
     range) for line absorption
   * Assorted bug fixes

- v2.2.1a:
   * Fixes to invert.f to allow iterative runs

- v2.2.1
   * Include lte level population in fits output files
   * Force evaluation of photoionization integrals even when heating sum
     stops changing.  Include smaller Boltzmann factors in milne sum
   * Include printout of local blackbody in opacity printout (lprint=2)
   * Fixed sign error in spline routine used by Burgess Tully routine
   * More accurate evaluation of Planck function
   * Turn off recombination to excited levels for data type 59


========================== MISSION-SPECIFIC SOFTWARE: ==========================


********************************************************************************
                                     RXTE
********************************************************************************

- axBary: Improved error message when tdc.dat is missing or outdated.

- faxbary: Tightened code to prevent rare crashes.

- hxtback: Properly handles HEXTE cluster B position telemetry anomalies
  (ClstrPosition indicated 'on-source' when in fact it was 'off-source'):
    # 2009-12-14 @ 16:12 to 2010-01-22 @ 18:16
    # 2010-01-23 @ 05:45 to 2010-03-29 @ 17:42

- proc2pcu: Improved accessibility of documentation; added to 'fhelp xte'
  output.

- saextrct: Fixed bug causing crashes during Standard-1 light curve
  extraction on 64-bit platforms.

- sebitmask: Fixed segmentation fault on 64-bit platforms.

********************************************************************************
                                    SUZAKU
********************************************************************************

Suzaku software Version 17 - Changes since HEASoft v6.9:

----------------
 Suzaku general:
----------------

- aepipeline:
       - Updated XIS discriminator/threshold configuration list to reflect
         current production pipeline.

--------------------
 HXD specific tools:
--------------------

- hxdpinxblc/hxdpinxbpi:
       - Ignore missing or NULL pointing keywords in background data.

- hxdgsoxblc:
       - Ignore missing or NULL pointing keywords in background data.
       - Ensure that all input data was processed with compatible versions of
         hxdpi and hxdgrade.

- hxdgsoxbpi:
       - Ignore missing or NULL pointing keywords in background data.
       - Ensure that all input data was processed with compatible versions of
         hxdpi and hxdgrade.
       - Use the correct grouping file, based on the version of hxdpi/hxdgrade
         used to process the input data.
       - Set RESPFILE keyword to point to correct response matrix file for the
         input event file.

********************************************************************************
                                     SWIFT
********************************************************************************

Software changes since Build 25.2:

Swift/BAT

batbinevt
  * Timestamp TIMEPIXR keyword is now respected: times are measured
    with respect to the bin centers
  * Bug fix to handle 2D DPI type files more correctly

batcelldetect
  * Allow NITER=0 (now works according to the documentation)
  * Bug fix in how CONTAM_RATE was computed
  * Bug fix for input flux & bkgvar images, both with NULL values
  * New output catalog columns BKG_FIT and BKG_CELL reports both
    methods of flux calculation independently
  * Background level used for RATE and CENT_RATE are now the same

batdrmgen
  * Initialize dangling pointers

batfftimage
  * Allow oversampling by more than 4x

batgrbproduct
  * Internal change to allow test data sets to be processed

batoccultmap
  * Fix bug where round-off errors can lead to small negative
    fractional exposures; which can be magnified at later processing
    stages.

batsurvey
  * Now preserves the IMAGE_ID value in the output catalog
  * Better documentation of the SNR column result
  * Some internal simplifications
  * When computing TOTSNR, no longer subtracts background since
    batcelldetect already subtracts background
  * New task batsurvey-catmux which can separate one snapshot catalog
    into many output files by source ID.
  * Bug fix in batsurvey-detmask and batsurvey-aspect if input file
    name contained the string 'none' or 'NONE'

battblocks
  * Bug fix: the '1 sec' peak flux is now actually 1 second, even if
    the burst is shorter than 1 second or if time bins are coarser
    than 1 second

batupdatephakw
  * Bug fix to cope with change in spec regarding HDUCLAS3 and
    HDUCLAS4 for 'TYPE:II' spectra

Swift/UVOT

uvotsource, uvotmaghist, uvotproduct, uvotevtlc
  * Apply detector sensitivity correction by default (sensfile=CALDB).
    (The detector sensitivity calibration is a new CALDB product.)

uvotsource, uvotmaghist, uvotproduct, uvotevtlc
  * Apply large scale sensitivity correction by default (lssfile=CALDB).
    Previous releases defaulted to lssfile=NONE.

uvotsource, uvotmaghist, uvotproduct, uvotevtlc
  * Added subpixel parameter allowing user-control of the level of sub-
    pixelling.  Since HEASoft 6.6, 8x8 sub-pixelling has been the default.

uvotdetect
  * Added POS_ERR column giving the 90% confidence interval (radius).
  * Added zero points, coincidence loss, detector sensitivity parameters.
  * Added CORR_RATE / CORR_RATE_ERR columns for the count rate with all
    requested corrections.
  * Allow supplying a quality flag image to ignore pixels by specifying
    the parameter expfile=FLAG:<flagfile>.

uvotflagqual
  * The infile parameter now corresponds to a raw image.
  * It is no longer necessary to provide a source list because the tool
    performs source detection.
  * The tool processes each extension of the input file.
  * Halo rings are flagged.
  * The flagging algorithms have been calibrated.

uvotimsum
  * Output from the tool has been corrected so that it is once again valid
    uvotimsum input (broken in HEASoft 6.9).

uvotpict
  * Updated the ds9 grid file for use with recent versions of ds9 (5+). The
    grid file controls the appearance of labels and axes.

uvotproduct
  * Save regions as extensions in the magnitude history (outfile) following
    ASC-FITS-REGION-1.0: McDowell, Rots: FITS REGION Binary Table Design.

uvotskycorr
  * Allow specifying quality file(s) to be used during source detection
    (new parameter flagfile).
  * Added starid options for source detection.  By default, detections with
    flags (e.g., blended, truncated) are ignored, but this can be disabled
    option det.flagless=0.  The default detection thresholds are 2.5,
    4, 8, but the user can now override this by specifying det.thresh.
    The thresholds given by det.thresh are comma-delimited and attempted
    right to left until sufficient detections are found.  The number of
    matches which constitute can be specified with det.min (default 16).

    Note the changes to the star matching tool tristarid.  By default,
    uvotskycorr will now try to resolve deferred matches.  To disable that
    set the starid option defer.angle=-1.

uvotskylss [New tool]
  * Given a FITS file containing UVOT (raw or sky) images, create a FITS
    file containing corresponding raw LSS maps.  If an attitude file is
    provided, project the raw LSS maps onto the sky.  If requested, sum
    the sky LSS maps.

Swift/XRT

xrtmkarf
  * Added creation of arf for extended sources (PC data mode only)
  * Modified off-axis angle computation
  * New input parameters 'extended', 'boxsize', 'offaxis' and 'cleanup'

xrtproducts
  * Handle creation of arf for extended sources (PC data mode only)
  * New input parameters 'extended' 'arfboxsize'
  * Sets to 0.1 the default binsize value for WT data mode in SETTLING

xrtinstrmap
  * Create instrument map also for data in SETTLING mode (WT data mode only)
  * Exclude WT window's borders in instrument map

xrtlccorr
  * Create exposure map and correct light curve also for data in SETTLING
    mode (WT data mode only)

xrtflagpix
  * Flags as BAD events on WT window's borders

xrtexpomap
  * Changed default value of 'vigflag' input parameter (from "yes" to "no")

xrtgrblc
  * Fixed divide-by-zero bugs that occur under rare conditions

xrtpipeline
  * Create exposure map and correct light curve also for data in SETTLING
    mode (WT data mode only)
  * Changed default value of 'vigflag' input parameter (from "yes" to "no")
  * New input parameter 'stattfile' to use the UVOT derived attitude file
    for data in SETTLING mode
  * New input parameter 'stwtbinsize' for xrtproducts task call (WT
    SETTLING data)
  * New input parameters 'extended' 'arfboxsize' for xrtproducts task call
  * Changed default value of  'createexpomap' (from "no" to "yes"),
    'useexpomap' (from "no" to "yes") and 'correctlc' (from "no" to "yes")
    input parameters

Web page maintained by: Bryan K. Irby