[fitsbits] FITS Library Package available

[Donald H. Gudehus]

Hello,

I have created a library of FORTRAN routines to create, read, edit,
plot, and display FITS (Flexible Image Transport System) image files. 
Some of the capabilities of the routines are illustrated in the demo
program "testfits" of which executables are available for Linux on
Intel, and Mac OS X on PPC.  The routines are known to compile on Linux
with the Portland Group F77 compiler, and on the Mac with the Absoft
FORTRAN compiler.  A VMS version will eventually be available as well. 
The output files all pass the FITS verification program at

  fits.gsfc.nasa.gov/fits_verify.html

The routines only consider FITS images, and all data types are
supported.  Image extensions are supported (these are referred to here
as "maps"), and multiple planes are also supported.  Currently, the
output file must be different than the input file if both are open.

The demo program can carry out the following operations:
 1 = Reads all or part of a row (default)
 2 = Plots a cut through a file
 3 = Reads an xy area
 4 = Displays an image on SAOimage (Enhanced version)
 5 = Writes all or part of a row for a new or existing file
 6 = Writes an xy area for a new or existing file
 7 = Performs simple rotations on a file
 8 = Copies one or more maps from one file to another
 9 = Copies a set of maps from one file to a set of planes in another
file
10 = Prints the header
11 = Writes a COMMENT or HISTORY keycard to the header of an existing
file
12 = Updates or creates a keycard with a string value, e.g., AUTHOR,
     CTYPEn, BUNIT, DATE, DATE-OBS, etc.
13 = Updates or creates the BSCALE and BZERO keycards for an existing
file
14 = Replaces a keycard with blanks

The source code, executables, and documentation can be downloaded from
  www.chara.gsu.edu/~gudehus/fits_library_package.html

Donald Gudehus

[s.a.r. mod. note: please note cross-posting and suggested
followup-to. Fully cross-posted followups are unlikely to be
appropriate -- mjh]