[fitsbits] Proposed Changes to the FITS Standard

[Preben Grosbol]

On Monday 20 August 2007 07:00, Craig Markwardt wrote:
> Has EXTEND ever been optional for files with extensions?

At the time when extensions were introduced, most readers would
not even think of looking for them.  Thus, it was important that users
could look on their primary header and see (and then complain) that
there were extension data available in the file which were not detected
by the local reader.

Now that extensions are common and most readers would check, I see
little problem in making EXTEND optional.  The ESO readers, I know of,
all would scan the full file no matter what.

Preben