uk.ac.starlink.fits

Interface FitsTableSerializer

All Known Implementing Classes:

ColFitsTableSerializer, StandardFitsTableSerializer, VariableFitsTableSerializer

public interface FitsTableSerializer

Defines an object which can serialize a table to a FITS HDU.

Since:

27 Jun 2006

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
java.lang.String	getBadValue(int icol) Returns the bad value (text of the TNULLnn card), if any, used for a given column.
int[]	getDimensions(int icol) Returns the dimensions of the items which will be output for a given column.
char	getFormatChar(int icol) Returns the FITS TFORM letter which describes the type of data output for a given column.
CardImage[]	getHeader() Returns header cards suitable for the HDU which will contain the table.
long	getRowCount() Returns the number of rows which will be output.
void	writeData(java.io.DataOutput out) Writes the HDU data for the table to an output stream.

Method Detail

getHeader

CardImage[] getHeader()

Returns header cards suitable for the HDU which will contain the table. Additional metadata and an END marker will be added after these cards, so the returned array must not contain the END card.

Returns:

header cards

writeData

void writeData(java.io.DataOutput out)
        throws java.io.IOException

Writes the HDU data for the table to an output stream.

Parameters:

out - destination stream

Throws:

java.io.IOException

getRowCount

long getRowCount()

Returns the number of rows which will be output.

Returns:

row count

getDimensions

int[] getDimensions(int icol)

Returns the dimensions of the items which will be output for a given column. This will be null only if that column is not being output. Otherwise it will be a zero-element array for a scalar, 1-element array for a vector, etc.

Parameters:

icol - column to query

Returns:

dimensions array for data in column icol or null for a column being skipped

getFormatChar

char getFormatChar(int icol)

Returns the FITS TFORM letter which describes the type of data output for a given column. This is as described by the FITS standard - 'J' for 4-byte integer, 'A' for characters, etc. If the column is not being output, (char)0 will be returned.

Parameters:

icol - column to query

Returns:

format letter for data in column icol, or 0 for a column being skipped

getBadValue

java.lang.String getBadValue(int icol)

Returns the bad value (text of the TNULLnn card), if any, used for a given column.

Parameters:

icol - column to query

Returns:

blank value string, or null if there is none or the column is being skipped