Appendix B Parameter Definitions
anynul - set to TRUE (=1) if any returned values are undefined, else FALSE
array - array of numerical data values to read or write
ascii - encoded checksum string
binspec - the input table binning specifier
bitpix - bits per pixel. The following symbolic mnemonics are predefined:
BYTE_IMG = 8 (unsigned char)
SHORT_IMG = 16 (signed short integer)
LONG_IMG = 32 (signed long integer)
LONGLONG_IMG = 64 (signed long 64-bit integer)
FLOAT_IMG = -32 (float)
DOUBLE_IMG = -64 (double).
Two additional values, USHORT_IMG and ULONG_IMG are also available
for creating unsigned integer images. These are equivalent to
creating a signed integer image with BZERO offset keyword values
of 32768 or 2147483648, respectively, which is the convention that
FITS uses to store unsigned integers.
card - header record to be read or written (80 char max, null-terminated)
casesen - CASESEN (=1) for case-sensitive string matching, else CASEINSEN (=0)
cmopt - grouping table "compact" option parameter. Allowed values are:
OPT_CMT_MBR and OPT_CMT_MBR_DEL.
colname - name of the column (null-terminated)
colnum - column number (first column = 1)
colspec - the input file column specification; used to delete, create, or rename
table columns
comment - the keyword comment field (72 char max, null-terminated)
complm - should the checksum be complemented?
comptype - compression algorithm to use: GZIP_1, RICE_1, HCOMPRESS_1, or PLIO_1
coordtype- type of coordinate projection (-SIN, -TAN, -ARC, -NCP,
-GLS, -MER, or -AIT)
cpopt - grouping table copy option parameter. Allowed values are:
OPT_GCP_GPT, OPT_GCP_MBR, OPT_GCP_ALL, OPT_MCP_ADD, OPT_MCP_NADD,
OPT_MCP_REPL, amd OPT_MCP_MOV.
create_col- If TRUE, then insert a new column in the table, otherwise
overwrite the existing column.
current - if TRUE, then the current HDU will be copied
dataok - was the data unit verification successful (=1) or
not (= -1). Equals zero if the DATASUM keyword is not present.
datasum - 32-bit 1's complement checksum for the data unit
dataend - address (in bytes) of the end of the HDU
datastart- address (in bytes) of the start of the data unit
datatype - specifies the data type of the value. Allowed value are: TSTRING,
TLOGICAL, TBYTE, TSBYTE, TSHORT, TUSHORT, TINT, TUINT, TLONG, TULONG,
TFLOAT, TDOUBLE, TCOMPLEX, and TDBLCOMPLEX
datestr - FITS date/time string: 'YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.ddd', 'YYYY-MM-dd',
or 'dd/mm/yy'
day - calendar day (UTC) (1-31)
decimals - number of decimal places to be displayed
deltasize - increment for allocating more memory
dim1 - declared size of the first dimension of the image or cube array
dim2 - declared size of the second dimension of the data cube array
dispwidth - display width of a column = length of string that will be read
dtype - data type of the keyword ('C', 'L', 'I', 'F' or 'X')
C = character string
L = logical
I = integer
F = floating point number
X = complex, e.g., "(1.23, -4.56)"
err_msg - error message on the internal stack (80 chars max)
err_text - error message string corresponding to error number (30 chars max)
exact - TRUE (=1) if the strings match exactly;
FALSE (=0) if wildcards are used
exclist - array of pointers to keyword names to be excluded from search
exists - flag indicating whether the file or compressed file exists on disk
expr - boolean or arithmetic expression
extend - TRUE (=1) if FITS file may have extensions, else FALSE (=0)
extname - value of the EXTNAME keyword (null-terminated)
extspec - the extension or HDU specifier; a number or name, version, and type
extver - value of the EXTVER keyword = integer version number
filename - full name of the FITS file, including optional HDU and filtering specs
filetype - type of file (file://, ftp://, http://, etc.)
filter - the input file filtering specifier
firstchar- starting byte in the row (first byte of row = 1)
firstfailed - member HDU ID (if positive) or grouping table GRPIDn index
value (if negative) that failed grouping table verification.
firstelem- first element in a vector (ignored for ASCII tables)
firstrow - starting row number (first row of table = 1)
following- if TRUE, any HDUs following the current HDU will be copied
fpixel - coordinate of the first pixel to be read or written in the
FITS array. The array must be of length NAXIS and have values such
that fpixel[0] is in the range 1 to NAXIS1, fpixel[1] is in the
range 1 to NAXIS2, etc.
fptr - pointer to a 'fitsfile' structure describing the FITS file.
frac - factional part of the keyword value
gcount - number of groups in the primary array (usually = 1)
gfptr - fitsfile* pointer to a grouping table HDU.
group - GRPIDn/GRPLCn index value identifying a grouping table HDU, or
data group number (=0 for non-grouped data)
grouptype - Grouping table parameter that specifies the columns to be
created in a grouping table HDU. Allowed values are: GT_ID_ALL_URI,
GT_ID_REF, GT_ID_POS, GT_ID_ALL, GT_ID_REF_URI, and GT_ID_POS_URI.
grpname - value to use for the GRPNAME keyword value.
hdunum - sequence number of the HDU (Primary array = 1)
hduok - was the HDU verification successful (=1) or
not (= -1). Equals zero if the CHECKSUM keyword is not present.
hdusum - 32 bit 1's complement checksum for the entire CHDU
hdutype - HDU type: IMAGE_HDU (0), ASCII_TBL (1), BINARY_TBL (2), ANY_HDU (-1)
header - returned character string containing all the keyword records
headstart- starting address (in bytes) of the CHDU
heapsize - size of the binary table heap, in bytes
history - the HISTORY keyword comment string (70 char max, null-terminated)
hour - hour within day (UTC) (0 - 23)
inc - sampling interval for pixels in each FITS dimension
inclist - array of pointers to matching keyword names
incolnum - input column number; range = 1 to TFIELDS
infile - the input filename, including path if specified
infptr - pointer to a 'fitsfile' structure describing the input FITS file.
intval - integer part of the keyword value
iomode - file access mode: either READONLY (=0) or READWRITE (=1)
keyname - name of a keyword (8 char max, null-terminated)
keynum - position of keyword in header (1st keyword = 1)
keyroot - root string for the keyword name (5 char max, null-terminated)
keysexist- number of existing keyword records in the CHU
keytype - header record type: -1=delete; 0=append or replace;
1=append; 2=this is the END keyword
longstr - arbitrarily long string keyword value (null-terminated)
lpixel - coordinate of the last pixel to be read or written in the
FITS array. The array must be of length NAXIS and have values such
that lpixel[0] is in the range 1 to NAXIS1, lpixel[1] is in the
range 1 to NAXIS2, etc.
match - TRUE (=1) if the 2 strings match, else FALSE (=0)
maxdim - maximum number of values to return
member - row number of a grouping table member HDU.
memptr - pointer to the a FITS file in memory
mem_realloc - pointer to a function for reallocating more memory
memsize - size of the memory block allocated for the FITS file
mfptr - fitsfile* pointer to a grouping table member HDU.
mgopt - grouping table merge option parameter. Allowed values are:
OPT_MRG_COPY, and OPT_MRG_MOV.
minute - minute within hour (UTC) (0 - 59)
month - calendar month (UTC) (1 - 12)
morekeys - space in the header for this many more keywords
n_good_rows - number of rows evaluating to TRUE
namelist - string containing a comma or space delimited list of names
naxes - size of each dimension in the FITS array
naxis - number of dimensions in the FITS array
naxis1 - length of the X/first axis of the FITS array
naxis2 - length of the Y/second axis of the FITS array
naxis3 - length of the Z/third axis of the FITS array
nbytes - number of bytes or characters to read or write
nchars - number of characters to read or write
nelements- number of data elements to read or write
newfptr - returned pointer to the reopened file
newveclen- new value for the column vector repeat parameter
nexc - number of names in the exclusion list (may = 0)
nfound - number of keywords found (highest keyword number)
nkeys - number of keywords in the sequence
ninc - number of names in the inclusion list
nmembers - Number of grouping table members (NAXIS2 value).
nmove - number of HDUs to move (+ or -), relative to current position
nocomments - if equal to TRUE, then no commentary keywords will be copied
noisebits- number of bits to ignore when compressing floating point images
nrows - number of rows in the table
nstart - first integer value
nullarray- set to TRUE (=1) if corresponding data element is undefined
nulval - numerical value to represent undefined pixels
nulstr - character string used to represent undefined values in ASCII table
numval - numerical data value, of the appropriate data type
offset - byte offset in the heap or data unit to the first element of the vector
openfptr - pointer to a currently open FITS file
overlap - number of bytes in the binary table heap pointed to by more than 1
descriptor
outcolnum- output column number; range = 1 to TFIELDS + 1
outfile - and optional output filename; the input file will be copied to this prior
to opening the file
outfptr - pointer to a 'fitsfile' structure describing the output FITS file.
pcount - value of the PCOUNT keyword = size of binary table heap
previous - if TRUE, any previous HDUs in the input file will be copied.
repeat - length of column vector (e.g. 12J); == 1 for ASCII table
rmopt - grouping table remove option parameter. Allowed values are:
OPT_RM_GPT, OPT_RM_ENTRY, OPT_RM_MBR, and OPT_RM_ALL.
rootname - root filename, minus any extension or filtering specifications
rot - celestial coordinate rotation angle (degrees)
rowlen - length of a table row, in characters or bytes
rowlist - sorted list of row numbers to be deleted from the table
rownum - number of the row (first row = 1)
rowrange - list of rows or row ranges: '3,6-8,12,56-80' or '500-'
row_status - array of True/False results for each row that was evaluated
scale - linear scaling factor; true value = (FITS value) * scale + zero
second - second within minute (0 - 60.9999999999) (leap second!)
section - section of image to be copied (e.g. 21:80,101:200)
simple - TRUE (=1) if FITS file conforms to the Standard, else FALSE (=0)
space - number of blank spaces to leave between ASCII table columns
status - returned error status code (0 = OK)
sum - 32 bit unsigned checksum value
tbcol - byte position in row to start of column (1st col has tbcol = 1)
tdisp - Fortran style display format for the table column
tdimstr - the value of the TDIMn keyword
templt - template string used in comparison (null-terminated)
tfields - number of fields (columns) in the table
tfopt - grouping table member transfer option parameter. Allowed values are:
OPT_MCP_ADD, and OPT_MCP_MOV.
tform - format of the column (null-terminated); allowed values are:
ASCII tables: Iw, Aw, Fww.dd, Eww.dd, or Dww.dd
Binary tables: rL, rX, rB, rI, rJ, rA, rAw, rE, rD, rC, rM
where 'w'=width of the field, 'd'=no. of decimals, 'r'=repeat count.
Variable length array columns are denoted by a '1P' before the data type
character (e.g., '1PJ'). When creating a binary table, 2 addition tform
data type codes are recognized by CFITSIO: 'rU' and 'rV' for unsigned
16-bit and unsigned 32-bit integer, respectively.
theap - zero indexed byte offset of starting address of the heap
relative to the beginning of the binary table data
tilesize - array of length NAXIS that specifies the dimensions of
the image compression tiles
ttype - label or name for table column (null-terminated)
tunit - physical unit for table column (null-terminated)
typechar - symbolic code of the table column data type
typecode - data type code of the table column. The negative of
the value indicates a variable length array column.
Datatype typecode Mnemonic
bit, X 1 TBIT
byte, B 11 TBYTE
logical, L 14 TLOGICAL
ASCII character, A 16 TSTRING
short integer, I 21 TSHORT
integer, J 41 TINT32BIT (same as TLONG)
long long integer, K 81 TLONGLONG
real, E 42 TFLOAT
double precision, D 82 TDOUBLE
complex, C 83 TCOMPLEX
double complex, M 163 TDBLCOMPLEX
unit - the physical unit string (e.g., 'km/s') for a keyword
unused - number of unused bytes in the binary table heap
urltype - the file type of the FITS file (file://, ftp://, mem://, etc.)
validheap- returned value = FALSE if any of the variable length array
address are outside the valid range of addresses in the heap
value - the keyword value string (70 char max, null-terminated)
version - current version number of the CFITSIO library
width - width of the character string field
xcol - number of the column containing the X coordinate values
xinc - X axis coordinate increment at reference pixel (deg)
xpix - X axis pixel location
xpos - X axis celestial coordinate (usually RA) (deg)
xrefpix - X axis reference pixel array location
xrefval - X axis coordinate value at the reference pixel (deg)
ycol - number of the column containing the X coordinate values
year - calendar year (e.g. 1999, 2000, etc)
yinc - Y axis coordinate increment at reference pixel (deg)
ypix - y axis pixel location
ypos - y axis celestial coordinate (usually DEC) (deg)
yrefpix - Y axis reference pixel array location
yrefval - Y axis coordinate value at the reference pixel (deg)
zero - scaling offset; true value = (FITS value) * scale + zero