HDF5 version 1.6.10 released on Tue Nov 10 12:11:39 CST 2009
================================================================================

INTRODUCTION
============
This document describes the differences between HDF5-1.6.10 and
HDF5-1.6.9.  
It contains information on the platforms tested and known problems in
HDF5-1.6.9. For more details, check the HISTORY.txt file in 
the HDF5 source.

HDF5 documentation can be found in the distributed release source code
in the subdirectory doc/html/ or on the THG (The HDF Group) FTP server: 

     ftp://ftp.hdfgroup.org/HDF5/docs/

Documentation for the current release in the HDF5 Release 1.6.x series is 
also on the HDF web site:

     http://hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc1.6/

For more information, see the HDF5 home page:

     http://hdfgroup.org/products/hdf5/

If you have any questions or comments, please see the HDF Support page
for a list of available resources:

     http://hdfgroup.org/services/support.html


CONTENTS
========
- New Features
- Support for New Platforms, Languages and Compilers
- Bug Fixes since HDF5-1.6.9
- Documentation
- Platforms Tested
- Supported Configuration Features Summary
- Known Problems


New Features
============
    Configuration:
    -------------------------
    - Changed default Gnu fortran compiler from g95 to gfortran since
      gfortran is more likely installed with gcc now. -AKC 2009/07/19- 

    Library:
    --------
    - The embedded library information is displayed by H5check_version() if a
      version mismatch is detected.  Also changed H5check_version() to
      suppress the warning message totally if $HDF5_DISABLE_VERSION_CHECK is 2
      or higher. (Old behavior treated 3 or higher the same as 1, that is
      print a warning and allows the program to continue. (AKC - 2009/9/28)
    - Embed the content of libhdf5.settings into the hdf5 executables so that
      an "orphaned" executables can display (via the Unix strings command, for
      example) the library settings used to build the executables.
      If a user does not care for the extra library information insert
      in the executables, he may turn it off by --disable-embedded-libinfo
      during configure. (AKC - 2009/9/30)

    Parallel Library:
    -----------------
    - None


    Tools:
    ------
     - h5diff: h5diff treats two INFINITY values different. Fixed by checking 
       (value==expect) before call ABS(...) at h5diff_array.c.  This will 
       make that (INF==INF) is true (INF is treated as an number instead of 
       NaN) (PC -- 2009/07/28)
     - h5diff: add option "--use-system-epsilon" to print difference if 
       (|a-b| > EPSILON).  Change default to use strict equality 
       (PC -- 2009/09/12)


    F90 API:
    --------
    - None

    C++ API:
    --------
    - New member functions DataSet::getInMemDataSize() and
      Attribute::getInMemDataSize() simplify getting the dataset's or
      attribute's data size, in bytes, in memory.  (BMR - 2009/07/26)



Support for New Platforms, Languages and Compilers
==================================================
    - PathScale compilers are recognized and can build the HDF5 library
      properly. AKC - 2009/7/28 -


Bug Fixes since HDF5-1.6.9 Release
==================================
    Library
    -------
    - Fixed a bug where writing and deleting many global heap objects (i.e.
      variable length data) would render the file unreadable.  Previously
      created files exhibiting this problem should now be readable.
      NAF - 2009/10/27 - 1483
    - Fixed incorrect return value for H5Pget_preserve. AKC - 2009/10/08 - 1628
    - Fixed incorrect return value for H5Pget_filter_by_id in H5Ppublic.h.
      NAF - 2009/09/25 - 1620
    - Fixed a bug where properties weren't being compared with the registered
      compare callback. NAF - 2009/09/25 - 1555
    - Fixed a bug where H5Pget_fitler_by_id would succeed when called for a
      filter that wasn't present. NAF - 2009/06/25 - 1250
    - Fixed an issue with committed compound datatypes containing a vlen. Also
      fixed memory leaks involving committed datatypes. NAF - 2009/06/10 - 1593

    Configuration
    -------------
    - The PathScale compiler (v3.2) was mistaken as gcc v4.2.0 but it fails to
      recognize some gcc options. Fixed. (see bug 1301). AKC - 2009/7/28 -

    Performance
    -----------

    Tools
    -----
    - None

    F90 API
    -------
    - None

    C++ API
    -------
    - The parameter 'size' in CommonFG::getLinkval now has default value
      for user's convenience.  (BMR - 2009/10/23)
    - NULL pointer accessing was fixed, bugzilla 1061.  (BMR - 2009/10/05)
    - read/write methods of DataSet and Attribute classes were fixed
      to handle string correctly.  (BMR - 2009/07/26)


Documentation
=============
    HDF5 documentation can be found in the distributed release source 
    code in the subdirectory doc/html/ (start with index.html) or on the 
    THG (The HDF Group) FTP server: 

         ftp://ftp.hdfgroup.org/HDF5/docs/

    Online documentation for the current release in the HDF5 Release 1.6.x 
    series can be found on the THG web site:

         http://hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc1.6/

    A listing of interface changes from release to release can be found
    in the document "HDF5 Software Changes from Release to Release":

         http://hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc1.6/ADGuide/Changes.html


Platforms Tested
================
    AIX 5.3                       xlc 7.0.0.8
                                  xlf 09.01.0000.0008
                                  xlC 7.0.0.8
                                  mpcc_r 7.0.0.8
                                  mpxlf_r 09.01.0000.0008

    FreeBSD 6.3-STABLE i386       gcc 3.4.6 [FreeBSD] 20060305
    (duty)                        g++ 3.4.6 [FreeBSD] 20060305
                                  gcc 4.3.5 20091004
                                  g++ 4.3.5 20091004

    FreeBSD 6.3-STABLE amd64      gcc 3.4.6 [FreeBSD] 20060305
    (liberty)                     g++ 3.4.6 [FreeBSD] 20060305
                                  gcc 4.4.2 20091006
                                  g++ 4.4.2 20091006

    Linux 2.6.18-128.1.6.el5xen   gcc (GCC) 4.1.2 20080704
    #1 SMP i686 i686 i386         G95 (GCC 4.0.3 (g95 0.92!) Jun 24 2009)
    (jam)                         GNU Fortran (GCC) 4.1.2 20080704 
                                  (Red Hat 4.1.2-46)
                                  PGI C, Fortran, C++ 8.0-5 32-bit
                                  PGI C, Fortran, C++ 8.0-1 32-bit
                                  Intel(R) C Compiler for 32-bit
                                      applications, Versions 11.0, 11.1
                                  Intel(R) C++ Compiler for 32-bit
                                      applications, Version 11.0, 11.1
                                  Intel(R) Fortran Compiler for 32-bit
                                      applications, Version 11.0, 11.1
                                  Absoft 32-bit Fortran 95 10.0.7
                                  MPICH mpich2-1.0.8 compiled with

    Linux 2.6.16.46-0.12-debug #1 Intel(R) C++ Version 10.0.025
        SMP ia64 GNU/Linux        Intel(R) Fortran Itanium(R) Version 10.0.025
    (ucar hir1)                   

    Linux 2.6.18-164.el5 #1 SMP   gcc 4.1.2 20080704
    x86_64 GNU/Linux              Intel(R) C, C++, Fortran Compilers for 
    (amani)                       applications running on Intel(R) 64,
                                  Versions 11.1.
                                  PGI C, Fortran, C++ Version 9.0-4
                                         for 64-bit target on x86-64
                                  MPICH mpich2-1.0.8 compiled with
                                  gcc 4.1.2
                                  GNU Fortran (GCC) 4.1.2 20080704
                                  (Red Hat 4.1.2-46)

    Linux 2.6.16.60-0.42.5 #1     Intel(R) C++ Version 10.1.017
    SGI Altix SMP ia64            Intel(R) Fortran Itanium(R) Version 10.1.017
    (cobalt)                      SGI MPI 1.38

    SunOS 5.10 32- and 64-bit     Sun C 5.9 SunOS_sparc 
                                  Patch 124867-11 2009/04/30
    (linew)                       Sun Fortran 95 8.3 SunOS_sparc
                                  Patch 127000-11 2009/10/06
                                  Sun C++ 5.9 SunOS_sparc
                                  Patch 124863-16 2009/09/15

    Intel Xeon Linux 2.6.18-      Intel(R) C++ Version 10.0.026 
    92.1.10.el5_lustre.1.6.6smp-  Intel(R) Fortran Compiler Version 10.0.026
    perfctr #2 SMP                Open MPI 1.2.2
    (abe)                         MVAPICH2-0.9.8p28p2patched-intel-ofed-1.2
                                  compiled with icc v10.0.026 and ifort 10.0.026

    IA-64 Linux 2.4.21-309.tg1    gcc (GCC) 3.2.2
    #1 SMP ia64                   Intel(R) C++ Version 8.1.037
    (NCSA tg-login)               Intel(R) Fortran Compiler Version 8.1.033
                                  mpich-gm-1.2.7p1..16-intel-8.1.037-r1

    Windows XP                    Visual Studio .NET (with Intel Fortran 9.1)
                                  Visual Studio 2005 (with Intel Fortran 9.1)
                                  cygwin (gcc 3.4.4)

    Windows Vista                 Visual studio 2005
	
    Mac OS X Intel 10.5.6         i686-apple-darwin9-gcc-4.0.1 (GCC) 4.0.1
                                  g95 0.91


Supported Configuration Features Summary
========================================
Key:   y   = Tested and supported
       n   = Not supported or not tested in this release
       C   = Cluster
       W   = Workstation
       ( ) = Footnote appears below second table

Platform                              C        F90  F90      C++  zlib  SZIP
                                      parallel      parallel
Solaris2.10 32-bit                    n        y    n        y    y     y
Solaris2.10 64-bit                    n        y    n        n    y     y
WinXP CYGWIN                          n        n    n        y    y     y
WinXP 2005                            n        y    n        y    y     y
WinXP .Net                            n        y    n        y    y     y
WinVista 2005                         n        n    n        y    y     y
Mac OS X 10.5.6                       n        y    n        y    y     y
AIX 5.3 32- and 64-bit                n        y    n        y    y     n
FreeBSD 6.3 32- and 64-bit            n        n    n        y    y     y
RedHat EL5 2.6.18-164 i686 GNU    W   y        y    y        y    y     y
RedHat EL5 2.6.18-164 i686 Intel  W   n        y    n        y    y     n
RedHat EL5 2.6.18-164 i686 PGI    W   n        y    n        y    y     n
RedHat EL5 2.6.16 x86_64 GNU (1)  W   y        y    n        y    y     y
RedHat EL5 2.6.16 x86_64 Intel    W   n        y    n        y    y     n
RedHat EL5 2.6.16 x86_64 PGI      W   n        y    n        y    y     n
RedHat EL 4 2.6.18 Xeon Lustre    C   y        y    y        y    y     y
SuSE Linux 2.4.21 ia64            C   y        y    y        y    y     y
SuSe Linux 2.6.16 SGI Altix ia64  C   y        y    y        y    y     y


Platform                              Shared        Thread-  
                                      libraries(4)  safe     
Solaris2.10 32- and 64-bit            y             y        
WinXP CYGWIN                          y             n        
WinXP 2005                            y             n        
WinXP .Net                            y             n        
WinVista 2005                         y             n        
Mac OS X 10.5.6                       n             n        
AIX 5.3 32- and 64-bit                n             n        
FreeBSD 6.3 32- and 64-bit            y             n        
RedHat EL5 2.6.18-164 i686 GNU    W   y             y        
RedHat EL5 2.6.18-164 i686 Intel  W   y             n        
RedHat EL5 2.6.18-164 i686 PGI    W   n             n        
RedHat EL5 2.6.18-164 x86_64 GNU(1)W  y             y        
RedHat EL5 2.6.18-164 x86_64 IntelW   y             n        
RedHat EL5 2.6.18-164 x86_64 PGI  W   n             n        
RedHat EL4 2.6.18 Xeon Lustre     C   y             n        
SuSE Linux 2.4.21 ia64            C   y             n        
SuSe Linux 2.6.16 SGI Altix ia64  C   n             n        

Compiler versions for each platform are listed in the "Platforms Tested" 
table found elsewhere in this file (RELEASE.txt).  Unless otherwise noted, 
compilers used are the system compilers.

Footnotes:
(1) Fortran compiled with g95.


Known Problems
==============
* Parallel mode in AIX will fail some of the testcheck_version.sh tests where
  it treats "exit(134) the same as if process 0 had received an abort signal.
  This is fixed and will be available in the next release. AKC - 2009/11/3

* Some tests in tools/h5repack may fail in AIX systems when -q32 mode is used.
  The error is due to insufficient memory requested. Request a large amount
  of runtime memory by setting the following environment variable for more
  memory.
     LDR_CNTRL=MAXDATA=0x20000000@DSA
  AKC - 2009/10/31

* The PathScale MPI implementation, accessing a Panasas file system, would
  cause H5Fcreate() with H5F_ACC_EXCL to fail even when the file is not
  existing. This is due to the MPI_File_open() call failing if the amode has
  the MPI_MODE_EXCL bit set. (See bug 1468 for details.) AKC - 2009/8/11
 
* Parallel tests failed with 15, 16, and 32 processes with data inconsistency
  at testphdf5 / dataset_readAll. Parallel tests also failed with 64 processes
  with collective abort of all ranks at testphdf5  / collective irregular simple
  chunk write. CMC - 2009/04/28

* h5repack may not handle committed datatypes correctly. NAF - 2009/4/20 - 1516/
  1466

* When in production mode, any presence of the '-g' flag within CFLAGS is
  stripped out during configuration. This currently cannot be overridden. 
  In order to build with '-g' specified within CFLAGS, use the
  --disable-production configure flag in order to configure in development
  mode. MAM - 2009/03/09.

* A contiguous or chunked dataset created by a sequential version of HDF5 
  might not be able to be modified with a parallel version of the library. 
  Use the H5Pset_alloc_time function with H5D_ALLOC_TIME_EARLY to set up the 
  dataset creation property list to avoid the problem.  EIP - 2005/09/09

* A dataset created or rewritten with the v1.6.3 library or after can't 
  be read with the v1.6.2 library or before when Fletcher32 EDC (a filter) is 
  enabled.  There was a bug in the calculating code of the Fletcher32 
  checksum in the library before v1.6.3.  The checksum value wasn't consistent 
  between big-endian and little-endian systems.  This bug was fixed in 
  Release 1.6.3.  However, after fixing the bug, the checksum value is no 
  longer the same as before on little-endian system.  HDF5 library releases 
  after 1.6.4 can still read datasets created or rewritten with an HDF5 
  library of v1.6.2 or before.  SLU - 2005/7/8

* test/big fails sometimes with the message "Possible overlap with another
  region."  The test selects regions randomly, and this error occurs when
  two regions overlap each other; it is a bug in the test and not in
  HDF5.  Since the error is triggered by a random situation, it will
  usually disappear if the test is re-run.

* Newer SGI MIPSpro compilers (version 7.4.x) support C99 features but 
  have a "guard" statement in stdint.h that will #error and skip the rest
  of the header file if the C99 option is not used explicitly.  Hardsetting
  $CC to c99 will resolve the problem. AKC - 2004/12/13

* On IBM AIX systems, parallel HDF5 mode will fail some tests with error
  messages like "INFO: 0031-XXX ...".  This is from the command poe.
  Set the environment variable MP_INFOLEVEL to 0 to minimize the messages
  and run the tests again.

  The tests may also fail with messages like "The socket name is already
  in use".  HDF5 does not use sockets.  This is due to problems of the 
  poe command trying to set up the debug socket.  Check whether there are 
  many old /tmp/s.pedb.* files staying around.  These are sockets used by 
  the poe command and left behind due to failed commands.  Ask your system 
  administrator to clean them out.  Lastly, request IBM to provide a means 
  to run poe without the debug socket.

* The h5dump tests may fail to match the expected output on some platforms
  (e.g. parallel jobs, Windows) where the error messages directed to
  "stderr" do not appear in the "right order" with output from stdout.
  This is not an error.

* The --enable-static-exec configure flag fails to compile for Solaris
  platforms. This is due to the fact that not all of the system
  libraries on Solaris are available in a static format.

  The --enable-static-exec configure flag also fails to correctly compile
  on the IBM SP2 platform for the serial mode. The parallel mode works fine
  with this option.

  The --enable-static-exec configure flag also fails to correctly compile
  on the HPUX 11.00.

  It is suggested that you don't use this option on these platforms
  during configuration.

* Use the --disable-shared configure flag if building with an Absoft Fortran
  compiler.
