HDF export
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg18771] HDF export
- From: "Roberto Abraham" <abraham at ast.cam.ac.uk>
- Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 01:33:29 -0400
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Hi -- I'm using v.4's Export[] command to export arrays to Hierarchical Data Format (HDF) files. Three cheers to WRI for including in V.4.0 the capability to import and export this important data format. However, the existing implementation of HDF import/export seems a tad rudimentary... or perhaps I'm missing something and am not understanding some features of the Export[] function (which I hope is the case, and hence that's why I'm posting this). A central idea behind the HDF format is that the file should be somewhat "self documenting" in the sense of possibility including an internal description of the nature of the data, or at least through the use of sensible keyword names in the data hierarchy to indicate what sort of data is being stored. However, I can't seem to figure out a way to achieve this in Mathematica. Is there a way to export arrays and store them with specified names? At the moment all I seem to be able to do is create and append HDF files with numeric arrays stored with the pre-defined names "Data-Set1", "Data-Set2", etc., which is a little limiting. Also, the on-line help for the Export[] function says that HDF format is "supported for numerical and textual data" but I can't figure out how to export a text string. Does anyone have any suggestions for how I can name HDF objects or store textual information in the HDF files written by Mathematica? Best regards, Bob Abraham -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roberto Abraham | E-mail: abraham at ast.cam.ac.uk Institute of Astronomy | Tel (direct) +44-(0)-1223-766667 Cambridge University | (secretary) +44-(0)-1223-337548 Madingley Road, Cambridge | FAX +44-(0)-1223-337523 CB3 OHA United Kingdom | Mobile 0467-371014 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so." - Yogi Berra --------------------------------------------------------------------------