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hdf5/doxygen/dox/ReferenceManual.dox
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/** \page RM HDF5 Reference Manual
The functions provided by the HDF5 API are grouped into the following
\Emph{modules}:
<table>
<tr><th>Modules</th></tr>
<tr valign="top">
<td>
<table>
<tr valign="top"><td style="border: none;">
\include{doc} core_menu.md
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top"><td style="border: none;">
<!-- High-level library -->
\include{doc} high_level_menu.md
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top"><td style="border: none;">
<!-- Fortran library -->
\include{doc} fortran_menu.md
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top"><td style="border: none;">
<!-- Java library -->
\include{doc} java_menu.md
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="./deprecated.html">Deprecated functions</a></td>
<td>Functions with \ref ASYNC</td>
<td>\ref api-compat-macros</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Mind the gap</th></tr>
<tr><td>
Follow these simple rules and stay out of trouble:
\li \Bold{Handle discipline:} The HDF5 C-API is rife with handles or
identifiers, which you typically obtain by creating new HDF5 items, copying
items, or retrieving facets of items. \Emph{You acquire a handle, you own it!}
(Colin Powell) In other words, you are responsible for releasing the underlying
resources via the matching \Code{H5*close()} call, or deal with the consequences
of resource leakage.
\li \Bold{Closed means closed:} Do not pass identifiers that were previously
\Code{H5*close()}-d to other API functions! It will generate an error.
\li \Bold{Dynamic memory allocation:} The API contains a few functions in which the
HDF5 library dynamically allocates memory on the caller's behalf. The caller owns
this memory and eventually must free it by calling H5free_memory(). (\Bold{Not}
the `free` function \Emph{du jour}!)
\li \Bold{Be careful with that saw:} Do not modify the underlying collection when an
iteration is in progress!
\li \Bold{Use of locations:} Certain API functions, typically called \Code{H5***_by_name}
use a combination of identifiers and path names to refer to HDF5 objects.
If the identifier fully specifies the object in question, pass \Code{'.'} (a dot)
for the name!
Break a leg!
</td>
</tr>
</table>
\cpp_c_api_note
\par Don't like what you see? - You can help to improve this Reference Manual
Complete the survey linked near the top of this page!\n
We treat documentation like code: Fork the
<a href="https://github.com/HDFGroup/hdf5">HDF5 repo</a>, make changes, and create a
<a href="https://github.com/HDFGroup/hdf5/pulls">pull request</a> !\n
See the \ref RMT for general guidance.
*/