uk.ac.starlink.fits
Interface FitsTableSerializer

All Known Implementing Classes:
ColFitsTableSerializer, StandardFitsTableSerializer

public interface FitsTableSerializer

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

Since:
27 Jun 2006

Method Summary
 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.
 Header getHeader()
          Returns a header suitable for the HDU which will contain the table.
 long getRowCount()
          Returns the number of rows which will be output.
 void writeData(DataOutput out)
          Writes the HDU data for the table to an output stream.
 

Method Detail

getHeader

public Header getHeader()
                 throws HeaderCardException
Returns a header suitable for the HDU which will contain the table.

Returns:
header object
HeaderCardException

writeData

public void writeData(DataOutput out)
               throws IOException
Writes the HDU data for the table to an output stream.

Parameters:
out - destination stream
IOException

getRowCount

public long getRowCount()
Returns the number of rows which will be output.

Returns:
row count

getDimensions

public 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

public 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

public 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

Copyright © 2004 CLRC: Central Laboratory of the Research Councils. All rights reserved.