Change log

5.3

Bug fixes

• parseAll() threw when parsing long string user-defined keywords
• Row count-based Column constructors accept int in addition to long
• Typo: Position::emtpy() renamed as Position::empty()

Breaking changes (with backward compatibility aliases)

• Column::entry() deprecated and renamed as field() (name was wrong wrt. the FITS standard)
• Snake-cased functions names for better integration with the standard library and Linx
  • Pascal-cased names are kept but deprecated
  • Data classes due to be replaced with Linx in version 6 are unchanged
• Renamed Seq suffix as n (e.g. parseSeq() is now parse_n()) following standard library convention
• Renamed BintableColumns::rename() as update_name() to emphasize the write operation

New features

• MefFile supports backward indexing (e.g. const auto& hdu = f[-2])
• HDUs, including the Primary, can be removed with MefFile::remove()
• Strategies enable and automatically perform predefined or user-defined actions, like compression or checksum validation
  • Added methods MefFile::strategy() and classes Strategy, CompressionAction and Action
  • Action ValidateChecksums automatically validates and possibly updates checksums
  • Action CiteEleFits adds a citation in the Primary (enabled by default)
  • Compression actions specify image HDU compression
• Image HDU compression
  • Added compression data classes Quantization, Gzip, Rice...
  • Added compression actions Compress and CompressAuto
  • Implemented compression benchmark
  • Program EleFitsReadStructure prints the compression type (algorithm and losslessness)
  • New program EleFitsCompress compresses FITS files according to the desired strategy

Cleaning

• Previously deprecated MefFile members were removed

Considered features for 6.0

• Make EleFits header only
• Rely on the Linx library for data classes (e.g. replace Fits::Raster with Linx::Raster)
• Refactor HduCategory and KeywordCategory for cleaner API and better performance
• Remove Euclid namespace

5.2

Dependency change

• Updated to Elements 6.2.1 and C++17

New features

• Structured bindings are supported

5.1

Bug fixes

• BintableColumns::initSeq() was ill-formed for non-tuple sequences
• Fixed BintableColumns::readSegmentSeq() with unresolved bound (-1)
• Calling BintableColumns::init() while having accessed another HDU edited the wrong HDU

Dependency change

• Updated to Elements 6.1.1

5.0 (breaking)

Bug fixes

• Function shapeSize() was wrong for N = 0
• Method readSize() of ImageHdu and ImageRaster was wrong for N != 2

Dependency change

• Updated to Elements 6.0.1

Breaking changes

• Raster<T, N> becomes Raster<T, N, TContainer> to work with any contiguous container (with PtrRaster<T, N> = Raster<T, N, T*> and VecRaster<T, N> = Raster<T, N, vector<T>>)
• ColumnInfo<T> becomes ColumnInfo<T, N> and variable repeatCount becomes method repeatCount() to support multidimensional entries
• Column<T> becomes Column<T, N, TContainer> to support multidimensional entries and to work with any contiguous container (with PtrColumn<T, N> = Column<T, N, T*> and VecColumn<T, N> = Column<T, N, vector<T>>)
• PtrColumn(info, elementCount, data) becomes PtrColumn(info, rowCount, data) for homogeneity with VecColumn

Refactoring

• Raster, Column and Position inherit DataContainer (see below)
• PtrRaster, VecRaster, PtrColumn and VecColumn are now mere aliases
• Methods which took a Raster& or Column& as parameter now accept any type which fullfills Raster or Column requirements
• All DataContainers fulfill the standard ContiguousContainer requirements (e.g are iterable)
• All DataContainers have vector space arithmetic (e.g. support +, -, *, /)
• DataContainer::apply() and DataContainer::generate() enable arbitrary element-wise transforms, including with other DataContainers as arguments
• ColumnInfo has a member shape in lieu of repeatCount to support multidimensional entries
• Column::entry() returns a view as a PtrRaster for multidimensional columns
• Column::elementCount() is deprecated and replaced with standard size()
• MefFile method names have been standardized (old names are kept for backward compatibility but deprecated)
• VecRaster::vector() and VecColumn::vector() are deprecated (use container() instead, which performs no copy)
• Named and Indexed are deprecated (use maker function as())

Other new features

• Header units and data units can be accessed directly from a MefFile (e.g. access<ImageRaster>(1) is a shortcut for access<ImageHdu>(1).raster())
• Multi-dimensional columns are supported
• Empty binary table HDUs can be created
• FileMode::Write added to edit an existing file or create a new one
• Added BintableColumns::readSeq() overloads for homogeneous sequences (returns std::vector<VecColumn<T>>)
• Record and DataContainers support operator<<()
• New method FitsFile::handoverToCfitsio() returns the CFITSIO's fitsfile*
• New "Game of Life" example demonstrates the use of slicing

Optimization and cleaning

• Access to raster and column elements is notably faster
• Many similar code blocks have been merged (e.g. through mixins)
• Several overloads have been merged (e.g. with ColumnKey and TypedKey)
• Legal notices have been reviewed
• Formatting has been reviewed
• This change log was added to Doxygen pages

4.0 (breaking)

Dependency change

• Update to Elements 5.14.0

Renaming

• Project
  • EL_FitsIO -> EleFits
• Modules:
  • EL_CfitsioWrapper -> EleCfitsioWrapper
  • EL_FitsUtils -> EleFitsUtils
  • EL_FitsData -> EleFitsData
  • EL_FitsFile -> EleFits
  • EL_FitsIO_Examples -> EleFitsExamples
  • EL_FitsIO_Validation -> EleFitsValidation
• Programs:
  • According to module renaming, with additional underscores removed
• Namespace:
  • FitsIO -> Fits
• Macros:
  • EL_FITSIO prefix -> ELEFITS

Other breaking changes

• SifFile::header() returns a Header instead of an Hdu
• Raster.shape and Column.info become Raster.shape() and Column.info()
• Raster.data(), Column.data() and Column.elementCount() are not virtual anymore: they call private virtual dataImpl() and Column.elementCountImpl() according to the NVI idiom
• Deprecated items are removed, most notably methods of Hdu, ImageHdu and BintableHdu which were moved to Header, ImageRaster and BintableColumns

3.2

Bug fixes

• Column unit is written when appending a new column

Refactoring (backward compatible)

• RecordHdu is renamed as Hdu
• New handlers Header, ImageRaster and BintableColumns are responsible for reading and writing header and data units
• Introduction of classes VariantValue to prepare migration from boost::any to boost::variant variant
• FileMode replaces FitsFile::Permission, SifFile::Permission and MefFile::Permission
• Class HduCategory replaces enum HduType
• RecordVector is renamed as RecordVec
• FitsIOError is renamed as FitsError

New features

• HDU access
  • Named HDU access methods support EXTVER keyword and use HDU type to disambiguate name-version couples
  • Iterators, filters and selectors are provided to iterate over selected HDUs (e.g. with range loops)
  • HDUs are categorized more precisely with HduCategory (e.g. Primary vs. Ext, Data vs. Metadata) than with HduType
• All HDUs
  • RecordMode controls the behavior of record writing methods
  • HDU checksums can be computed and verified
  • RecordSeq is a shortcut for RecordVec<VariantValue>
• Image HDUs
  • Image regions can be read and written, classes Region and FileMemRegions are introduced
  • Image data can be read in place
  • Position has arithmetics operators
  • makeRaster allows bypassing template parameters to build Rasters
• Binary table HDUs
  • Binary table column segments can be read and written, classes Segment and FileMemSegments are introduced
  • Rows can be appended in Binary table HDUs
  • Vectors of Columns can be read and written, in addition to tuples
  • Binary table data can be read in place

Deprecated

• RecordHdu is a deprecated alias to Hdu
• Methods of Hdu, ImageHdu and BintableHdu to read and write records, rasters and columns are deprecated: They should be replaced with analogous methods of Header, ImageRaster and BintableColumns
• Explicit use of boost::any: should be replaced with VariantValue
• FitsFile::Permission is a deprecated alias to FileMode
• HduType is a deprecated alias to HduCategory
• VecRefRaster and VecRefColumn
• RecordVector is a deprecated alias to RecordVec
• FitsIOError is a deprecated alias to FitsError

Cleaning

• Raster is refactored, and the value type can be const-qualified for read-only data
• Position is a proper class, instead of a compile-time conditional alias
• KeywordCategory is merged into StandardKeyword (named KeywordCategory analogously to HduCategory)
• Nested Cfitsio namespaces are renamed to disambiguate documentation
• Benchmark output is clearer
• Fuctions seqForeach() and seqTransform() loop transparently over various sequences (vector, tuple, array...), which simplifies top-level signatures

3.1

Bug fixes

• String columns are correctly read when reading multiple columns
• Bitpix of compressed images is correctly parsed by EL_FitsIO_ReadStructure

New features

• New method MefFile::access(string) checks that extactly one HDU with given name exists
• Binary table columns can be read by index
• Binary table column names can be read and updated
• Column values can be accessed directly with operator()
• Raster and Column values can be accessed with backward (negative) indices through at methods
• Classes Named and Indexed improve readability and safety to read records and columns
• Raster and Column define a Value type, Raster define a Dim constant
• Method RecordHdu.as() casts to another HDU handler
• Exceptions thrown all derive from FitsIOError
• Keywords can be filtered in RecordHdu::readKeywords() using new enum KeywordCategory

Cleaning

• FitsFile::open() is protected again, FitsFile::reopen() is more robust
• HDU handlers cannot be created on their own
• Error messages contain more informations
• Benchmark is made more complete, extensible and more automated
• Major documentation update

3.0 (breaking)

Breaking changes

• HDU indices are 0-based

2.2

Dependency changes

• Update to Elements 5.12.0 and C++14

Bug fixes

• Records of any are properly cast to records of complex (when valid)

New features

• Rasters with variable dimension (n = -1) can be read and written
• Reaccessing an HDU doesn't prevent anymore using previous references to it
• Program EL_FitsIO_PrintStructure lists HDU characteristics and keywords
• File FindEL_FitsIO.cmake added to link against the library outside of EDEN
• Class FitsIOError is used to throw all exceptions
• Function version() returns the version of EL_FitsIO

Cleaning

• Internal optimizations

2.1 (breaking)

API changes

• Naming homogeneization:
  • ColumnInfo::repeat() -> ColumnInfo::repeatCount()

Bug fixes

• Column units are correctly read
• No more memory error when columns of different sizes are written

New features

• Check whether a record has a long keyword (> 8 characters) or a long string value (> 68 characters)
• Get the type of an HDU
• Read the full header as a string
• Check whether a record or column exists
• Provide a fallback value when a record is not found
• Read binary table or image dimensions
• Write a COMMENT or HISTORY record
• Check whether a SifFile or MefFile is open
• Program EL_FitsIO_PrintSupportedTypes prints supported types for each data class!
• HDUNAME keyword support for extension name

Cleaning

• FitsFile::open() throws an error if already open
• Fixture classes better organized
• Comprehensive testing of the supported types
• Reviewed documentation
• Cleaned variadic template patterns
• Cleaned boost::any patterns

Known bugs/issues

• unsigned long records larger than the greatest long cannot be read (CFITSIO bug), although they can be written
• Boolean columns are not supported

2.0 (breaking)

Bug fixes

• Records with comments of the form [foo] bar are correctly written.

API changes

• pascalCase functions and methods
• Reading and writing operations are made explicit in method naming:
  • ImageHdu::resize() -> ImageHdu::updateShape()
  • MefFile::hduNames() -> MefFile::readHduNames()
  • RecordHdu::keywords() -> RecordHdu::readKeywords()
  • RecordHdu::name() -> RecordHdu::readName()
  • RecordHdu::rename() -> RecordHdu::updateName()
• Naming homogeneization:
  • Column::nelements() -> Column::elementCount()
  • Column::rows() -> Column::rowCount()

New features

• Records can be written as tuples in addition to parameter packs
• Records of any can be read and written
• New helper method Record<T>::cast<U>() where T and U can be any
• Vectors of homogeneous records can be read and written
• New helper class RecordVector to find homogeneous records by keyword
• Method RecordHdu::parseAllRecords() parses a whole header unit
• Minor additions:
  • ImageHdu::readShape()

Cleaning

• Format with clang-format
• Inline definitions in dedicated source files

Known bugs/issues

• unsigned long records larger than the greatest long cannot be read (CFITSIO bug), although they can be written
• Boolean columns are not supported
• Columns are assumed to have consistent sizes

1.9

API changes

• Indices and lengths as longs instead size_t`s

New features

• Records can be created from const char* values in addition string`

Safety

• Test CFITSIO bug in reading unsigned long records (see known bugs)
• Explicitly cast every conversion

Cleaning

• Doc review

Known bugs/issues

• unsigned long records larger than the greatest long cannot be read (CFITSIO bug), although they can be written
• Boolean columns are not supported
• Columns are assumed to have consistent sizes

1.4

Bug fixes

• Fix row-wise reading and writing of string columns
• Fix memory issue with multiple closing of a FitsFile

Safety

• Better manage memory
• Nullify file pointer at closing
• Remove useless template specialization
• Better test type management

Performance

• Precompilation of main template functions to make user code compile faster
• Rely on stack where possible

Cleaning

• Fix CFITSIO include
• Overall code quality review

Known bugs/issues

• Boolean columns are not supported
• Columns are assumed to have consistent sizes
• const char* is not supported; string should be used instead

1.2

Bug fixes

• Record units are correctly handled
• signed char and unsigned int's are correctly handled
• Empty string records can be read
• Appending extensions in pre-existing MEF works

New features

File handlers:

• Get the number of HDUs in a MEF file (fixes flawed behavior of CFITSIO)
• List HDU names
• Get the file name

Records:

• List record keywords
• Store records directly in user-defined structure when parsing
• Write brace-initialized records

Binary tables:

• Row-wise binary table reading and writing (huge performance improvement, not available in CFITSIO)
• Append new columns in a binary table

Known bugs

• Boolean columns are not working

1.0

Initial features

• Opening, creation, closing of MEF and SIF files
• Access to HDUs, creation of binary table and image extensions
• Reading and writing of records
• Reading and writing of binary table data
• Reading and writing of image data

Missing features which could be added

• Binary tables cannot be modified (e.g. add or remove columns or rows)
• Binary tables cannot be preprocessed (sorted or filtered)
• HDUs cannot be removed
• Images cannot be (de)compressed
• Tables cannot be read by rows
• Images and tables cannot be copied

Missing features which will probably not be added

• Iterators are not supported
• Row selection is not supported

Known bugs

• Boolean columns are not working (requires discussions with CFITSIO devs)
• Units are not consistently handled in records