[fitsbits] 64-bit integers

[nolan@naic.edu]

> Steve Allen wrote:
> > 
> > How will the inclusion of 64-bit integers as a native type interact
> > with TFORMn = 'P'?  This is the "Array Descriptor" type whose use
> > appears to be intended much like that of a 64-bit pointer.
> > 
> We might eventually need to consider adding a '1Q' data type, to represent
> an array descriptor consisting of a pair of 64-bit integers to handle cases
> where the heap is larger than 2^31 bytes long, but I'm not advocating that
> we do this now.

I wonder why not: a) it's a pain to change the standard, so if you're
going to do it, don't allow 32 bits some places and 64 bits other
places.  b) big datasets with large offsets is already probably the
main usage of 64 bit entities. Not that you necessarily want a heap
entity that big, but it does give you a way to muck around in a big
chunk of data, something I end up doing rather more often than I'd
like.


-Mike Nolan

---------------------------
Mike Nolan <nolan@naic.edu>
+1 787 878 2612x334  Fax: +1 787 878 1861
Arecibo Observatory / Cornell University
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