If the data is 'blocked' such that you write array a, followed by array b, etc. then DX format objects can point to "data file filename,x" where x is the byte offset into the file. If text output, it's easiest to write each block to its own file, then set x to 0 in all cases. Or if you write binary output, your output program can keep track of the offsets and write the DX header file appropriately. One DX header file can point to many different 'data' files or many different offsets into the same file (or a combination).

If the data is 'columnized', DX format is less useful cause you'd have to do many annoying restructuring ops in the net. General format excels there, I admit.

Maybe you can use Stack to raise the dimensionality of your flat object. Just a thought (read the Stack doco).

On May 23, 2005, at 11:24 AM, Matthew Bogosian wrote:

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Hmmm...I was hoping that wasn't the case. I'm exporting data from the source to multiple different "analysis" programs (one of which is OpenDX), and I was hoping to keep the base file as generic as possible. Does the DX data format have a provision for raw data that exists elsewhere?

-- Matt


On May 20, 2005, at 14:13, Chris Pelkie wrote:

Re dimensions question: if you were to Construct a grid 2x1, you would get a 1-D line; if you specified 3-vector origin, you'd nevertheless have 3-D positions. 2x2 would give a 2-D quad. Ergo, I x J x K x 1 yields 3-D not 4-D connections.

You should be looking at the DX data format (methinks you're outgrowing the general format with the sophistication of your data objects). You could then attach an attribute (for example) to a field to flag the fact that the 4th dimension is only 1 thick in those cases where it is, and have an Attribute fetch that value to throw a Switch in the net to properly deal with that instance vs. a "fat" 4th dimension instance. There's no way to add such 'advanced' capability to general files (or if there is, I don't care, cause I wouldn't waste time trying to force it to do what DX format does so much more elegantly).

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