HDF4 library for Debian ----------------------- The library is documented in libhdf4g-doc with the old-style HTML pages for 4.1r3. A modern an better documentation can be downloaded from ftp://ftp.hdfgroup.org/HDF/Documentation/ for every successive release as PDF files. In respect with the upstream release that distributes only static libraries, Debian HDF4 libraries (both C and Fortran) are installed as both shared and static libraries. The preferred mode of use is the shared form. Note that upstream supports currently only C shared libraries edition with the same SONAME used. Upstream changes in the library are documented in the release files here available: ftp://ftp.hdfgroup.org/HDF/prev-releases/ReleaseFiles HDF4 libraries provide a partial NetCDF support embedded, which is only partially compatible with the original one. Therefore, the libraries are distributed in Debian in two different flavors: the standard (traditional) one, with embedded NetCDF functions and Fortran support, and the -alt one with a non-colliding namespace for the NetCDF functions - thanks to the use of an sd_ prefix - that lacks Fortran support. The -alt flavor can be used for creating binaries that link both HDF4 and NetCDF libraries without collisions or malfunctions. -- Francesco Paolo Lovergine Sat Jun 21 00:11:15 CEST 2008