Newsletter #9

                           June 15, 1993

Contents:

            Status of HDF documentation

               . Current HDF Documentation

               . Next generation of HDF documentation

            Get HDF documentation from NCSA ftp server

            Order hard-copies of HDF documentation

            Documentation for HDF 3.3 Beta

**************************************************************

1. Status of HDF documentation.

  . Current HDF Documentation

   "HDF Calling Interfaces and Utilities" was designed for users 
    who use HDF to store or manipulate their data. It describes 
    the type of data each interface deals with and  all the 
    routines contained in each interface. HDF command-line 
    utilities are also described in this manual. It has been 
    updated to HDF3.2.

   "HDF Specifications" was designed for those who need detailed 
    information about HDF, such as HDF application program interface 
    developers. It describes the basic structure, components, and 
    software layers of HDF; specifies supported HDF tags and discusses
    the portability of HDF. It has been updated to HDF3.2.
    The current version is a draft and is now undergoing editing.  We
    expect a final version to be ready by mid-July.
 
    We are working on the documentation for HDF3.2 Vset interface. 
    Currently, users may use "HDF Vset 2.0", "vset2.1.extra.doc" and 
    the Vset section of HDF3.2 MigrationNotes as temporary reference
    for HDF Vset. 
    
    "HDF Vset 2.0" was designed for users who use HDF Vset to store 
     and manipulate their data. It describes the organization of data 
     within vdatas, vgroups and vsets, routines that manipulate vdatas 
     and vgroups, and vset utilities that manipulate vsets.

    "Vset2.1.extra.doc" describes routines added in Vset2.1 and not covered 
    by "HDF Vset 2.0". 

    The "MigrationNotes" of HDF3.2 addesses differences between HDF3.2 and
    HDF3.1, and explains how to migrate existing application programs  from
    HDF3.1 to HDF3.2.

  . Next generation of HDF documentation

    The next generation of HDF documentation is planned to have the following
    volumes: 
    
    Getting Started -- Overview of HDF with simple examples. Its draft is 
     completed and is titled as "Getting Started With NCSA HDF".

    User's Guide -- Full coverage of all HDF routines and command-line utilities

    Reference Manual -- An alphabetical listing of all HDF routines and 
                        command-line utilities

    HDF Specifications -- Same as the current HDF Specifications

2. Getting HDF documentation from NCSA ftp server.

    On the NCSA anonymous ftp server users can find the drafts for 
    "HDF Specifications", "HDF Calling Interfaces and Utilities", 
    and  "Getting Started with NCSA HDF", as well as the documentation
    for HDF Vset. They are in different subdirectories within the 
    directory Documentation/ (on ftp). There is a README file in each
    subdirectory, which explains briefly what is contained in that 
    subdirectory and related information. 

    The following is a list showing where (which subdirectory) each 
    documentation resides in on NCSA ftp:


       Documentation                   subdirectory
     -------------------           --------------------

    HDF Specifications             Documentation/HDF.Specs/
       (Draft)

    HDF Calling Interfaces         Documentation/HDF3.2/
     and Utilities (Draft)

    HDF Vset 2.0                   Documentation/HDF.Vset2.1/

    vset2.1.extra.doc              Documentation/HDF.Vset2.1/

    Getting Started with           Documentation/HDF_getting_started/
      NCSA HDF (Draft)

    MigrationNotes                 HDF/HDF3.2r4/unpacked/

    "HDF Specifications", "HDF Calling Interfaces" and "HDF Vset 2.0" were
    written using MicroSoft Word. In each subdirectory the *.sit.hqx file 
    is the MS Word version of the documentation and is stuffed using 
    Stuffit.1.5. The *.asc.tar file is the text version of the MS Word file. 
    It is missing all figures and formatting , so it is not very  readable. 

    "Getting Started" was created using FrameMaker. This document is
    available only in postscript  form. 

    MigrationNotes and vset2.1.extra.doc are text files. 

3. Order hard-copies of HDF documentation.

    NCSA accepts orders for hard copies of HDF Specs, HDF Calling Interfaces, 
    HDF Vset 2.0 and Getting Started.  Interested users should contact the 
    office of NCSA Documentation Orders at:

    (217)244-4130
    docorder@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Internet)
    docorder@ncsagate  (BITNET)
  or
    Attention: Documentation Orders
    NCSA
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    605 Springfield Ave.
    Champaign, IL 61820


    Before the new documentation is officially published,  NCSA supplies drafts
    of the documentation only. Don't be surprised if you see the big sign "DRAFT"
    on the top page when you receive the new documentation!

    MigrationNotes is contained in HDF3.2 releases. Users having difficulties
    in geting these two files should contact softdev@ncsa.uiuc.edu.

 
4. Documentation for HDF 3.3 Beta

    The README file in HDF/HDF3.3-Beta/ and README files in its subdirectories
    explain the differences between HDF3.2r4 and HDF3.3.Beta. Those README files
    and HDF3.2 documentation supply most necessary information to HDF3.3 users.