PDS_VERSION_ID       = PDS3                                                   
LABEL_REVISION_NOTE          = "2003-09-30 Cornell:carcich"                   
RECORD_TYPE          = STREAM                                                 
OBJECT               = TEXT                                                   
  PUBLICATION_DATE   = 2003-09-30                                             
  NOTE               = "                                                      
    DATABASE_README.TXT file for CONTOUR Archive Volume                       
"                                                                             
END_OBJECT                                                                    
END                                                                           
                                                                              
####### File _DATABASE_README.TXT_                                            
                                                                              
/database                                                 September 2002      
                                                                              
This subdirectory contains the IDL procedures, mostly written by Don Lindler, 
(ACC/Goddard) to create and access an IDL database.   These database          
procedures                                                                    
are currently used by the HST-ACS, HST-STIS, HST-WFC3 and SOHO  science       
teams.                                                                        
The LaTex file database.tex in the /text directory describes  the use of the  
database procedures with an emphasis on astronomical  applications.           
Further                                                                       
information on the database software is available  in Chapter 3 and Appendix J
of 'A User's Guide to the GHRS Software' available as a postscript file or as 
.html help from  http://hrssun.gsfc.nasa.gov/daf/sw_docs.html                 
                                                                              
The database procedures require the non-standard system variables             
!PRIV, !TEXTOUT, and !TEXTUNIT.   These can be added to the IDL session       
by using the procedure ASTROLIB.                                              
                                                                              
Sample astronomical catalogs, formatted as IDL databases, are available in the
/zdbase directory.   These include the Yale Bright Star Catalog, the          
RC3 Galaxy catalog, and a catalog of HST observations.                        
                                                                              
Very large (> 15 million entries) databases may require the use of 64 bit     
integers - and at least V5.2 -- internally.     Updated versions of DBINDEX,  
DBINDEX_DBF, DBFIND_SORT, and DBEXT_IND are available in                      
ftp://idlastro.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/v53.                                         
                                                                              
24-Sep-2002:  DBTARGET() - Find database entries within specified radius of   
                     supplied astronomical target name.                       
                                                                              
20-Sep-2002: DBPRINT - New /AdjustFormat will adjust the format length for    
                string items to the maximum length for the entries to be      
                printed.                                                      
                                                                              
                                                                              
23-Jul-2001: DBCREATE, DBFIND, DBFIND_SORT, DBXVAL, DBINDEX_BLK, DBBUILD -    
             Now allow user to specify items with 64 bit or unsigned integer  
             datatypes.                                                       
                                                                              
2-Dec-2000:  DBINDEX, DBEXT_IND - Now allow multiple-valued index items       
             Minor updates to database.tex file                               
                                                                              
17-Nov-2000: DBFIND, DBFIND_ENTRY, DBFIND_SORT, DBSEARCH, IMDBASE - Now       
                have a Count keyword; deprecate use of !ERR                   
                                                                              
11-Oct-2000: DBXVAL - Work for multiple-valued strings                        
                                                                              
08-Aug-2000: DBPRINT - Change a loop index to type LONG (sigh...)             
                                                                              
5-Feb-2000:  DBPRINT - Only byteswap when necessary, for much improved speed. 
                                                                              
1-Nov-1999:  DBINDEX, DBEXT_DBF - Now allow a maximum of 18 instead of 15     
items