This presentation is intended to familiarize current HDF users and those considering adopting HDF with the range of technical documentation that we provide. We will discuss documents that are shipped with the product and those that are available from the HDF websites. We will touch on user documentation, supporting technical documents, RFCs and design documents, other papers and presentations, etc.

1. HDF5 Documentation
An overview of the HDF5 document set
Frank Baker
Technical Writer
The HDF Group
2/18/14
HDF and HDF-EOS Workshop X, Landover, MD
(217) 244-7223
fbaker@hdfgroup.
org
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2. Objectives
• To make sure people are aware of various elements of
HDF documentation, particularly HDF5
• To encourage feedback
• How can the docs better serve you?
• Let us know when you see errors.
help@hdfgroup.org
• We’ll come back to this.
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3. HDF Documentation
• HDF4
• C Library APIs and Fortran wrappers
• Tools -- Data management and viewing
• HDF5
• C Library APIs and High-level APIs
• Fortran, C++ and Java wrappers and subroutines
• Tools -- Data management and viewing
Software configuration, build and install
• HDF4 to HDF5 Conversion Library
• HDF Java products
• HDFview
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4. HDF5 Documentation for All Users
Users with all types of needs
can find relevant information:
• Data users
• Application Developers
• Library and driver
developers
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5. HDF5 Data Users
To examine data and browse
HDF5 files:
• HDF5 Tools
• Command-line utilities
• Browsers
• HDFview offers limited
editing features
• Glossary
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6. HDF5 Application Developers
Writing applications for your own
data and for large projects:
•
•
•
•
HDF5 Tutorials
Introduction to HDF5
HDF5 User’s Guide
HDF5 Reference Manual
• HDF5 Tools
• Example programs and HDF5 source
code
• FAQs
• Glossary
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7. HDF5 Application Developers (2)
As projects progress, programs
endure, and applications become
more complex:
• HDF5 Application Developer’s
Guide
• Software Changes from Release to
Release
• HDF5 File Format Specification
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HDF and HDF-EOS Workshop X, Landover, MD
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8. HDF5 Library and I/O Driver Developers
Developing I/O drivers and
working inside the HDF5
Library:
• HDF5 Technical Notes for
Library and Driver Developers
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9. Non-C Interfaces to HDF5
HDF5 Library is written in C.
But Fortran, C++, Java interfaces are also
available.
(And C# is on the way.)
Where would one find that documentation?
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HDF and HDF-EOS Workshop X, Landover, MD
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10. Fortran, C++ and Java Interfaces
All linked from index page:
• Under “HDF5 and Foreign Languages”
• http://hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc/
Fortran
• Embedded with C APIs in HDF5 Reference Manual
• http://hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc/RM/
C++
• Separate reference manual http://hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc/
cpplus_RM/index.html
Java
• Separate subsite
• http://hdfgroup.org/hdf-java-html/
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11. Additional HDF5 Documentation, Features
• Pre-release snapshots
• Routinely-provided snapshots at doc_dev_snapshot/
The current state of a development or release branch
http://hdfgroup.com/HDF5/doc_dev_snapshot/
• 1.8 pre-release series, alphas and betas
http://hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc_1.8pre/
• Requests for Comment (RFCs), generally with substantial
design material
User input is critical!
Participation leads to involvement!
Let us know if you’re interested!
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12. A Walking Tour
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13. Native and Distribution Formats
• Generally HTML
• HDF5 Reference Manual and HDF5 User’s Guide
• Printable “book style” PDF versions generated at major releases
• Core documents set designed to be served from a website
or viewed from a local installation
• All docs except HDF5 Tutorial
• Tarball available for local or behind-the-firewall installation
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14. Credit Where Credit Is Due
Developers participate heavily
in creating and maintaining the documentation
• Core library developers routinely provide
• Initial reference manual entries
• Major chunks of text and examples for the user guides
• RFCs, from which other documentation is often built
• Entire ADGuide and TechNotes documents
• Binh-Minh Ribler: C++ docs, with doxygen
• Peter Cao: HDFview and other Java products, with Java Doc
• And everybody reviews!
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15. Your feedback matters!
• Let us know when you find any problem
• Errors
• Incomplete information
• Areas where more explanation (or the right, targeted
explanation) would have helped you avoid a problem or
otherwise saved you time
• help@hdfgroup.org
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16. Your feedback matters!
• Beyond that…
• Suggestions?
• What gives you the most difficulty?
• What is most helpful?
• What’s missing?
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17. The End
This report is based upon work supported in part by a Cooperative Agreement with NASA under NASA NNG05GC60A.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do
not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
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18. Contact Information
Frank Baker
Senior Technical Writer
The HDF Group
1901 South First Street
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
(217) 244-7223
fbaker@hdfgroup.org
2/18/14
HDF and HDF-EOS Workshop X, Landover, MD
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19. URLs
HDF5 Tools:
hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc/Tools.html
HDF5 Docs Index:
hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc/
<== Ties it all together.
Pre-releases and Snapshots:
hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc_1.8pre/
hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc_dev_snapshot/
RFCs:
hdfgroup.org/RFC/
HDF5 Tutorial:
hdfgroup.org/HDF5/Tutor/index.html
Printable Documents:
hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc/PSandPDF/
Bug Reports and
Enhancement Requests:
help@hdfgroup.org
FAQs:
hdfgroup.org/HDF5-FAQ.html
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20. And back to your feedback…
• Beyond that…
• Suggestions?
• What gives you the most difficulty?
• What is most helpful?
• What’s missing?
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21. index.html -- An Alternative Style
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