The HDF5 dataspace is a required component of an HDF5 dataset or attribute definition. The dataspace defines the size and shape of the dataset or attribute raw data, i.e., the number of dimensions and the size of each dimension of the multideminesional array in which the raw data is represented. The dataspace must be defined when the dataset or attribute is created.

The dataspace is also used during dataset I/O operations, defining the elements of the dataset that participate in the I/O operation.

This chapter explains the dataspace object and its use in dataset and attribute creation and data transfer. It also describes selection operations on a dataspace used to implement subsetting, subsampling, and scatter-gather access to datasets.

The rest of this chapter is structured as follows:

• Section 2, "Dataspace Functions," provides a categorized list of dataspace functions, also known as the H5S APIs.
• Section 3,"Definition of Dataspace Objects and the Dataspace Programming Model," describes dataspace objects and the programming model, including the creation and use of dataspaces.
• Section 4, "Dataspaces and Data Transfer," describes the use of dataspaces in data transfer.
• Section 5, "Dataspace Selection Operations and Data Transfer," describes selection operations on dataspaces and their usage in data transfer.
• Section 6, "References to Dataset Regions," briefly discusses references to dataset regions.
• Section 7, "Sample Programs," contains the full programs from which several of the code samples in this chapter were derived.

This section provides a reference list of dataspace functions, the H5S APIs, with brief descriptions. The functions are presented in several functional catagories:

• dataspace management functions
• dataspace query functions
• dataspace selection functions
• hyperslab selections
• point selections

Sections 3 through 6 will provide examples and explanations of how to use these functions.

Dataspace management functions

Dataspace query functions

Dataspace selection functions: Hyperslabs

Dataspace selection functions: Points

This section introduces the notion of the HDF5 dataspace object and a programming model for creating and working with dataspaces.

3.1 Dataspace Objects

An HDF5 dataspace is a required component of an HDF5 dataset or attribute. A dataspace defines the size and the shape of a dataset’s or an attribute’s raw data. Currently, HDF5 supports the following types of the dataspaces:

• scalar dataspaces
• simple dataspaces
• null dataspaces

A scalar dataspace, H5S_SCALAR, represents just one element, a scalar. Note that the datatype of this one element may be very complex, e.g., a compound structure with members being of any allowed HDF5 datatype, including multidimensional arrays, strings, and nested compound structures. By convention, the rank of a scalar dataspace is always 0 (zero); think of it geometrically as a single, dimensionless point, though that point may be complex.

A simple dataspace, H5S_SIMPLE, is a multidimensional array of elements. The dimensionality of the dataspace (or the rank of the array) is fixed and is defined at creation time. The size of each dimension can grow during the life time of the dataspace from the current size up to the maximum size. Both the current size and the maximum size are specified at creation time. The sizes of dimensions at any particular time in the life of a dataspace are called the current dimensions, or the dataspace extent. They can be queried along with the maximum sizes.

A null dataspace, H5S_NULL, contains no data elements. Note that no selections can be applied to a null dataset as there is nothing to select.

As shown in the UML diagram in Figure 1, an HDF5 simple dataspace object has three attributes: the rank or number of dimensions; the current sizes, expressed as an array of length rank with each element of the array denoting the current size of the corresponding dimension; and the maximum sizes, expressed as an array of length rank with each element of the array denoting the maximum size of the corresponding dimension.

Simple dataspace   rank:int   current_size:hsize_t[rank]     maximum_size:hsize_t[rank]

Figure 1: A simple dataspace is defined by its rank, the current size of each dimension, and the maximum size of each dimension.

The size of a current dimension cannot be greater than the maximum size, which can be unlimited, specified as H5S_UNLIMITED. Note that while the HDF5 file format and library impose no maximum size on an unlimited dimension, practically speaking its size will always be limited to the biggest integer available on the particular system being used.

Dataspace rank is restricted to 32, the standard limit in C on the rank of an array, in the current implementation of the HDF5 Library. The HDF5 file format, on the other hand, allows any rank up to the maximum integer value on the system, so the library restriction can be raised in the future if higher dimensionality is required.

Note that most of the time Fortran applications calling HDF5 will work with dataspaces of rank less than or equal to seven, since seven is the maximum number of dimensions in a Fortran array. But dataspace rank is not limited to seven for Fortran applications.

The current dimensions of a dataspace, also referred to as the dataspace extent, define the bounding box for dataset elements that can participate in I/O operations.

3.2 Programming Model

The programming model for creating and working with HDF5 dataspaces can be summarized as follows:

1. Create a dataspace.
2. Use the dataspace to create a dataset in the file or to describe a data array in memory.
3. Modify the dataspace to define dataset elements that will participate in I/O operations.
4. Use the modified dataspace while reading/writing dataset raw data or to create a region reference.
5. Close the dataspace when no longer needed.

The rest of this section will address steps 1, 2, and 5 of the programming model; steps 3 and 4 will be discussed in later sections of this chapter.

Creating a dataspace

A dataspace can be created by calling the H5Screate function (h5screate_f in Fortran). Since the definition of a simple dataspace requires the specification of dimensionality (or rank) and initial and maximum dimension sizes, the HDF5 Library provides a convenience API, H5Screate_simple (h5screate_simple_f) to create a simple dataspace in one step.

The following examples illustrate the usage of these APIs.

Creating a scalar dataspace

A scalar dataspace is created with the H5Screate or the h5screate_f function:

In C:

          hid_t space_id;
          . . .
          space_id = H5Screate(H5S_SCALAR);
  

In Fortran:

          INTEGER(HID_T) :: space_id
          . . .
          CALL h5screate_f(H5S_SCALAR_F, space_id, error)
  

Creating a null dataspace

A null dataspace is created with the H5Screate or the h5screate_f function:

In C:

          hid_t space_id;
          . . .
          space_id = H5Screate(H5S_NULL);
  

In Fortran: (H5S_NULL not yet implemented in Fortran.)

          INTEGER(HID_T) :: space_id
          . . .
          CALL h5screate_f(H5S_NULL_F, space_id, error)
  

Creating a simple dataspace

Let’s assume that an application wants to store a two-dimensional array of data, A(20,100). During the life of the application, the first dimension of the array can grow up to 30; there is no restriction on the size of the second dimension. The following steps are used to declare a dataspace for the dataset in which the array data will be stored.

In C:

          hid_t space_id;
          int rank = 2;
          hsize_t current_dims[2] = {20, 100};
          hsize_t max_dims[2] = {30, H5S_UNLIMITED};
          . . .
          space_id = H5Screate(H5S_SIMPLE);
          H5Sset_extent_simple(space_id,rank,current_dims,max_dims);
  

In Fortran:

          INTEGER(HID_T) :: space_id
          INTEGER :: rank = 2
          INTEGER(HSIZE_T) :: current dims = /( 20, 100)/
          INTEGER(HSIZE_T) :: max_dims = /(30, H5S_UNLIMITED_F)/
          INTEGER error 
          . . .
          CALL h5screate_f(H5S_SIMPLE_F, space_id, error)
          CALL h5sset_extent_simple_f(space_id, rank, current_dims, max_dims, error)
  

Alternatively, the convenience APIs H5Screate_simple/h5screate_simple_f can replace the H5Screate/h5screate_f and H5Sset_extent_simple/h5sset_extent_simple_f calls.

In C:

          space_id = H5Screate_simple(rank, current_dims, max_dims);
  

In Fortran:

          CALL h5screate_simple_f(space_id, rank, current_dims, error, max_dims)
  

In this example (see Figure 2), a dataspace with current dimensions of 20 by 100 is created. The first dimension can be extended only up to 30. The second dimension, however, is declared unlimited; it can be extended up to the largest available integer value on the system. Recall that any dimension can be declared unlimited, and if a dataset uses a dataspace with any unlimited dimension, chunking has to be used (see the “Data Transfer” section in the “Datasets” chapter).

Figure 2: Create a simple dataspace with a 10x100 array

Maximum dimensions can be the same as current dimensions. In such a case, the sizes of dimensions cannot be changed during the life of the dataspace object. In C, NULL can be used to indicate to the H5Screate_simple and H5Sset_extent_simple functions that the maximum sizes of all dimensions are the same as the current sizes. In Fortran, the maximum size parameter is optional for h5screate_simple_f and can be omitted when the sizes are the same.

In C:

          space_id = H5Screate_simple(rank, current_dims, NULL);
  

In Fortran:

          CALL h5screate_f(space_id, rank, current_dims, error)
  

C versus Fortran Dataspaces

Dataspace dimensions are numbered from 1 to rank. HDF5 uses C storage conventions, assuming that the last listed dimension is the fastest-changing dimension and the first-listed dimension is the slowest changing. The HDF5 file format storage layout specification adheres to the C convention and the HDF5 Library adheres to the same convention when storing dataspace dimensions in the file. This affects how C programs and tools interpret data written from Fortran programs and vice versa. The example below illustrates the issue.

When a Fortran application describes a dataspace to store an array as A(20,100), it specifies the value of the first dimension to be 20 and the second to be 100. Since Fortran stores data by columns, the first-listed dimension with the value 20 is the fastest-changing dimension and the last-listed dimension with the value 100 is the slowest-changing. In order to adhere to the HDF5 storage convention, the HDF5 Fortran wrapper transposes dimensions, so the first dimension becomes the last. The dataspace dimensions stored in the file will be 100,20 instead of 20,100 in order to correctly describe the fortran data that is stored in 100 columns, each containing 20 elements.

When a Fortran application reads the data back, the HDF5 Fortran wrapper transposes the dimensions once more, returning the first dimension to be 20 and the second to be 100, describing correctly the sizes of the array that should be used to read data in the Fortran array A(20,100).

When a C application reads data back, the dimensions will come out as 100 and 20, correctly describing the size of the array to read data into, since the data was written as 100 records of 20 elements each. Therefore C tools such as h5dump and h5ls always display transposed dimensions and values for the data written by a Fortran application.

Consider the following simple example of equivalent C 3x5 and Fortran 5x3 arrays. As illustrated in Figure 3, a C applications will store a 3x5 2-dimensional array as three 5-element rows. In order to store the same data in the same order, a Fortran application must view the array as as a 5x3 array with three 5-element columns. The dataspace of this dataset, as written from Fortran, will therefore be described as 5x3 in the application but stored and described in the file according to the C convention as a 3x5 array. This ensures that C and Fortran applications will always read the data in the order in which it was written. The HDF5 Fortran interface handles this transposition automatically.

In C (from h5_write.c):

          #define NX     3                      /* dataset dimensions */
          #define NY     5
          . . .
          int         data[NX][NY];          /* data to write */
          . . .
          /*
           * Data  and output buffer initialization.
           */
          for (j = 0; j < NX; j++) {
             for (i = 0; i < NY; i++)
                 data[j][i] = i + 1 + j*NY;
          }
          /*
           *  1  2  3  4  5
           *  6  7  8  9 10
           * 11 12 13 14 15
           */
          . . .
          dims[0] = NX;
          dims[1] = NY;
          dataspace = H5Screate_simple(RANK, dims, NULL);
  

In Fortran (from h5_write.f90):

          INTEGER, PARAMETER :: NX = 3
          INTEGER, PARAMETER :: NY = 5
          . . .
          INTEGER(HSIZE_T), DIMENSION(2) :: dims = (/3,5/) ! Dataset dimensions
          ---
          INTEGER     ::    data(NX,NY)
          . . .
          !
          ! Initialize data
          !
            do i = 1, NX
               do j = 1, NY
                  data(i,j) = j + (i-1)*NY
               enddo
            enddo
          !
          ! Data
          !
          !  1  2  3  4  5
          !  6  7  8  9 10
          ! 11 12 13 14 15
          . . .
          CALL h5screate_simple_f(rank, dims, dspace_id, error)
  

In Fortran (from h5_write_tr.f90):

          INTEGER, PARAMETER :: NX = 3
          INTEGER, PARAMETER :: NY = 5
          . . .
          INTEGER(HSIZE_T), DIMENSION(2) :: dims = (/NY, NX/) ! Dataset dimensions
          . . .
          !
          ! Initialize data
          !
            do i = 1, NY
               do j = 1, NX
                  data(i,j) = i + (j-1)*NY
               enddo
            enddo
          !
          ! Data
          !
          !  1  6  11
          !  2  7  12
          !  3  8  13
          !  4  9  14
          !  5 10  15
          . . .
          CALL h5screate_simple_f(rank, dims, dspace_id, error)
  

A dataset stored by a C program in a 3x5 array: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15   The same dataset stored by a Fortran program in a 5x3 array: 1 6 11 2 7 12 3 8 13 4 9 14 5 10 15   The left-hand dataset above as written to an HDF5 file from C or the right-hand dataset as written from Fortran: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 The left-hand dataset above as written to an HDF5 file from Fortran: 1 6 11 2 7 12 3 8 13 4 9 14 5 10 15

Figure 3: The HDF5 Library stores arrays along the fastest-changing dimension, an approach often referred to as being “in C order.” C, C++, and Java work with arrays in row-major order, i.e., the row, or the last dimension, is the fastest-changing dimension. Fortran, on the other hands, handles arrays in column-major order, making the column, or the first dimension, the fastest-changing dimension. Therefore, the C and Fortran arrays illustrated in the top portion of this figure are stored identically in an HDF5 file. This ensures that data written by any language can be meaningfully read, interpreted, and manipulated by any other.

Finding dataspace charateristics

The HDF5 Library provides several APIs designed to query the characteristics of a dataspace.

The function H5Sis_simple (h5sis_simple_f) returns information about the type of a dataspace. This function is rarely used and currently supports only simple and scalar dataspaces.

To find out the dimensionality, or rank, of a dataspace, use H5Sget_simple_extent_ndims (h5sget_simple_extent_ndims_f). H5Sget_simple_extent_dims can also be used to find out the rank. See the example below. Both functions return 0 for the value of rank the dataspace is scalar.

To query the sizes of the current and maximum dimensions, use H5Sget_simple_extent_dims (h5sget_simple_extent_dims_f).

The following example illsutrates querying the rank and dimensions of a dataspace using these functions.

In C:

          hid_t space_id;
          int rank;
          hsize_t  *current_dims;
          hsize_t  *max_dims;
          ---------

          rank=H5Sget_simple_extent_ndims(space_id); 
              (or rank=H5Sget_simple_extent_dims(space_id, NULL, NULL);)
          current_dims= (hsize_t)malloc(rank*sizeof(hsize_t));
          max_dims=(hsize_t)malloc(rank*sizeof(hsize_t));
          H5Sget_simple_extent_dims(space_id, current_dims, max_dims);
          Print values here for the previous example
  

The dataspace object is also used to control data transfer when data is read or written. The dataspace of the dataset (attribute) defines the stored form of the array data, the order of the elements as explained above. When reading from the file, the dataspace of the dataset defines the layout of the source data, a similar description is needed for the destination storage. A dataspace object is used to define the organization of the data (rows, columns, etc.) in memory. If the program requests a different order for memory than the storage order, the data will be rearranged by the HDF5 Library during the H5Dread operation. Similarly, when writing data, the memory dataspace defines the source data, which is converted to the dataset dataspace when stored by the H5Dwrite call.

Figure 4a shows a simple example of a read operation in which the data is stored as a 3 by 4 array in the file (Figure 4b), but the program wants it to be a 4 by 3 array in memory. This is accomplished by setting the memory dataspace to describe the desired memory layout, as in Figure 4c. The HDF5 Library will transform the data to the correct arrangement during the read operation.

Figure 4

Figure 5

Both the source and destination are stored as contiguous blocks of storage, with the elements in the order specified by the dataspace. Figure 5 shows one way the elements might be organized. In Figure 5a, the elements are stored as 3 blocks of 4 elements. The destination is an array of 12 elements in memory (Figure 5c). As the figure suggests, the transfer reads the disk blocks into a memory buffer (Figure 5b), and then writes the elements to the correct locations in memory. A similar process occurs in reverse when data is written to disk.

Data selection

In addition to rearranging data, the transfer may select the data elements from the source and destination.

Data selection is implemented by creating a dataspace object that describes the selected elements (within the hyper rectangle) rather than the whole array. Two dataspace objects with selections can be used in data transfers to read selected elements from the source and write selected elements to the destination. When data is transferred using the dataspace object, only the selected elements will be transferred.

This can be used to implement partial I/O, including:

• Sub-setting - reading part of a large dataset
• Sampling - reading selected elements (e.g., every second element) of a dataset
• Scatter-gather - read non-contiguous elements into contiguous locations (gather) or read contiguous elements into non-contiguous locations (scatter) or both.

To use selections, the following steps are followed:

1. get or define the dataspace for the source and destination.
2. specify one or more selections for source and destination dataspaces.
3. transfer data using the dataspaces with selections

A selection is created by applying one or more selections to a dataspace. A selection may override any other selections (H5T_SELECT_SET) or may be 'Ored' with previous selections on the same dataspace (H5T_SELECT_OR). In the latter case, the resulting selection is the union of the selection and all previously selected selections. Arbitrary sets of points from a dataspace can be selected by specifying an appropriate set of selections.

Two selections are used in data transfer, so the source and destination must be compatible, as described below.

There are two forms of selection, hyperslab and point. A selection must be either a point selection or a set of hyperslab selections. Selections cannot be mixed.

Hyperslab selection

A hyperslab is a selection of elements from a hyper rectangle. An HDF5 hyperslab is a rectangular pattern defined by four arrays (Table 1). The start defines the origin of the hyperslab in the original dataspace. The stride is the number of elements to increment between selected elements. A stride of '1' is every element, a stride of '2' is every second element, etc. Note that there may be a different stride for each dimension of the dataspace. The default stride is 1.

The count is the number of elements in the hyperslab selection. When the stride is 1, the selection is a hyper rectangle with a corner at start and size count[0] by count[1] by …. When stride is greater than one, the hyperslab bounded by start and the corners defined by stride[n] * count[n].

The block is a count on the number of repetitions of the hyperslab. The default block size is '1', which is one hyperslab. A block of 2 would be two hyperslabs in that dimension, with the second starting at start[n]+ (count[n] * stride[n]) + 1.

A hyperslab can be used to access a sub-set of a large dataset. Figure 6 shows an example of a hyperslab that reads a rectangle from the middle of a larger two dimensional array. The destination is the same shape as the source.

Figure 6

Hyperslabs can be combined to select complex regions of the source and destination. Figure 7 shows an example of a transfer from one non-rectangular region into another non-rectangular region. The source is defined as the union of two hyperslabs, and the destination is the union of three hyperslabs.

Figure 7

Hyperslabs may also be used to collect or scatter data from regular patterns. Figure 8 shows an example where the source is a repeating pattern of blocks, and the destination is a single, one dimensional array.

Figure 8

Select points

The second type of selection is an array of points, i.e., coordinates. Essentially, this selection is a list of all the points to include. Figure 9 shows an example of a transfer of seven elements from a two dimensional dataspace to a three dimensional dataspace using a point selection to specify the points.

Figure 9

Rules for Defining Selections

A selection must have the same number of dimensions (rank) as the dataspace it is applied to, although it may select from only a small region, e.g., a plane from a 3D dataspace. Selections do not affect the extent of the dataspace, the selection may be larger than the dataspace. The boundaries of selections are reconciled with the extent at the time of the data transfer.

Data Transfer with Selections

A data transfer (read or write) with selections is the same as any read or write, except the source and destination dataspace have compatible selections.

During the data transfer, the following steps are executed by the library.

1. The source and destination dataspaces are checked to assure that the selections are compatible.

2. The data is transferred, element by element.

Selections have an iteration order for the points selected, which can be any permutation of the dimensions involved (defaulting to 'C' array order) or a specific order for the selected points, for selections composed of single array elements with H5Sselect_elements.

The elements of the selections are transferred in row-major, or C order. That is, it is assumed that the first dimension varies slowest, the second next slowest, and so forth. For hyperslab selections, the order can be any permutation of the dimensions involved (defaulting to 'C' array order). When multiple hyperslabs are combined, the hyperslabs are coalesced into contiguous reads and writes

In the case of point selections, the points are read and written in the order specified.

Programming Model

Selecting hyperslabs

Suppose we want to read a 3x4 hyperslab from a dataset in a file beginning at the element <1,2> in the dataset, and read it into a 7x7x3 array in memory (Figure 10). In order to do this, we must create a dataspace that describes the overall rank and dimensions of the dataset in the file, as well as the position and size of the hyperslab that we are extracting from that dataset.

Figure 10

The code in Figure 11 illustrates the selection of the hyperslab in the file dataspace. Figure 12 shows de definition of the destination dataspace in memory. Since the in-memory dataspace has three dimensions, the hyperslab is an array with three dimensions, with the last dimension being 1: <3,4,1>. Figure 13 shows the read using the source and destination dataspaces with selections.

/* 
* get the file dataspace.
*/
dataspace = H5Dget_space(dataset);    /* dataspace identifier */

/* 
* Define hyperslab in the dataset. 
*/
offset[0] = 1;
offset[1] = 2;
count[0]  = 3;
count[1]  = 4;
status = H5Sselect_hyperslab(dataspace, H5S_SELECT_SET, offset, NULL, 
     count, NULL);

/*
* Define memory dataspace.
*/
dimsm[0] = 7;
dimsm[1] = 7;
dimsm[2] = 3;
memspace = H5Screate_simple(3,dimsm,NULL);   

/* 
* Define memory hyperslab. 
*/
offset_out[0] = 3;
offset_out[1] = 0;
offset_out[2] = 0;
count_out[0]  = 3;
count_out[1]  = 4;
count_out[2]  = 1;
status = H5Sselect_hyperslab(memspace, H5S_SELECT_SET, offset_out, NULL, 
     count_out, NULL);

    ret = H5Dread(dataset, H5T_NATIVE_INT, memspace, dataspace, H5P_DEFAULT,    
          data);

Example with strides and blocks.

Consider an 8x12 dataspace, in which we want to write into eight 3x2 blocks from a source dataspace in memory that is a 50-element one dimensional array called (Figure 14).

a) The source is a 1D array with 50 elements         b) The destination on disk is a 2D array with 48 selected elements

Figure 14

Figure 15 shows example code to write 48 elements from the 1D array to the file dataset, starting with the second element in vector. The destination hyperslab has the following parameters: start=(0,1), stride=(4,3), count=(2,4), block=(3,2). The source has the parameters: start=(1), stride=(1), count=(48), block=(1). After these operations, the file dataspace will have the values shown in Figure 14. Notice that the values are inserted in the file dataset in row-major order.

/* Select hyperslab for the dataset in the file, using 3x2 blocks, (4,3) stride
 * (2,4) count starting at the position (0,1).
 */
start[0]  = 0; start[1]  = 1;
stride[0] = 4; stride[1] = 3;
count[0]  = 2; count[1]  = 4;    
block[0]  = 3; block[1]  = 2;
ret = H5Sselect_hyperslab(fid, H5S_SELECT_SET, start, stride, count, block);

/*
 * Create dataspace for the first dataset.
 */
mid1 = H5Screate_simple(MSPACE1_RANK, dim1, NULL);

/*
 * Select hyperslab. 
 * We will use 48 elements of the vector buffer starting at the second element.
 * Selected elements are 1 2 3 . . . 48
 */
start[0]  = 1;
stride[0] = 1;
count[0]  = 48;
block[0]  = 1;
ret = H5Sselect_hyperslab(mid1, H5S_SELECT_SET, start, stride, count, block);
 
/*
 * Write selection from the vector buffer to the dataset in the file.
 *
ret = H5Dwrite(dataset, H5T_NATIVE_INT, midd1, fid, H5P_DEFAULT, vector)

Selecting a union of hyperslabs

Figure 16

The HDF5 Library allows the user to select a union of hyperslabs and write or read the selection into another selection. The shapes of the two selections may differ, but the number of elements must be equal.

Figure 16 shows a transfer of a selection that is two overlapping hyperslabs from the dataset into a union of hyperslabs in the memory dataset. Note that the destination dataset has a different shape from the source dataset. Similarly, the selection in the memory dataset could have a different shape than the selected union of hyperslabs in the original file. For simplicity, the selection is that same shape at the destination.

To implement this transfer, it is necessary to:

1. get the source dataspace
2. define one hyperslab selection for the source.
3. define a second hyperslab selection, unioned with the first.
4. get the destination dataspace
5. define one hyperslab selection for the destination
6. define a second hyperslab seletion, unioned with the first.
7. execute the data transfer (H5Dread or H5Dwrite) using the source and destination dataspaces.

Figure 17 shows example code to create the selections for the source dataspace (the file). The first hyperslab is size 3x4 and the left upper corner at the position (1,2). The hyperslab is a simple rectangle, so the stride and block are 1. The second hyperslab is 6x5 at the position (2,4). The second selection is a union with the first hyperslab (H5S_SELECT_OR).

     fid = H5Dget_space(dataset);

   /*
     * Select first hyperslab for the dataset in the file. 
     *   
     */ 
    start[0] = 1; start[1] = 2;
    block[0] = 1; block[1] = 1;
    stride[0] = 1; stride[1] = 1;
    count[0]  = 3; count[1]  = 4;
    ret = H5Sselect_hyperslab(fid, H5S_SELECT_SET, start, stride, count, block); 
    /*
     * Add second selected hyperslab to the selection.
     */
    start[0] = 2; start[1] = 4;
    block[0] = 1; block[1] = 1;
    stride[0] = 1; stride[1] = 1;
    count[0]  = 6; count[1]  = 5;
    ret = H5Sselect_hyperslab(fid, H5S_SELECT_OR, start, stride, count, block);

Figure 18 shows example code to create the selection for the destination in memory. The steps are similar. In this example, the hyperslabs are the same shape, but located in different positions in the dataspace. The first hyperslab is 3x4 and starts at (0,0), and the second is 6x5 and starts at (1,2).

Finally the H5Dread call transfers the selected data from the file dataspace to the selection in memory.

In this example, the source and destination selections are two overlapping rectangles. In general, any number of rectangles can be OR'ed, and they do not have to be contiguous. The order of the selections does not matter, but the first should use H5S_SELECT_SET, subsequent selections are unioned using H5S_SELECT_OR.

It is important to emphasize that the source and destination do not have to be the same shape (or number of rectangles). As long as the two selections have the same number of elements, the data can be transferred.

    /*
     * Create memory dataspace.
     */
    mid = H5Screate_simple(MSPACE_RANK, mdim, NULL);
     
    /*
     * Select two hyperslabs in memory. Hyperslabs has the same
     * size and shape as the selected hyperslabs for the file dataspace.
     */
    start[0] = 0; start[1] = 0;
    block[0] = 1; block[1] = 1;
    stride[0] = 1; stride[1] = 1;
    count[0]  = 3; count[1]  = 4;
    ret = H5Sselect_hyperslab(mid, H5S_SELECT_SET, start, stride, count, block);     
    start[0] = 1; start[1] = 2;
    block[0] = 1; block[1] = 1;
    stride[0] = 1; stride[1] = 1;
    count[0]  = 6; count[1]  = 5;
    ret = H5Sselect_hyperslab(mid, H5S_SELECT_OR, start, stride, count, block);

ret = H5Dread(dataset, H5T_NATIVE_INT, mid, fid, H5P_DEFAULT, matrix_out);

Selecting a list of independent points

It is also possible to specify a list of elements to read or write using the function H5Sselect_elements. The procedure is similar to hyperslab selections.

1. get the source dataspace
2. set the selected points
3. get the destination dataspace
4. set the selected points
5. transfer the data using the source and destination dataspaces

Figure 19 shows an example where four values are to be written to four separate points in a two dimensional dataspace. The source dataspace is a one dimensional array with the values 53, 59, 61, 67. The destination dataspace is an 8x12 array. The elements are to be written to the points (0,0), (3,3), (3,5), and (5,6). In this example, the source does not require a selection. Figure 20 shows example code to implement this transfer.

A point selection lists the exact points to be transferred and the order they will be transferred. The source and destination are required to have the same number of elements. A point selection can be used with a hyperslab (e.g., the source could be a point selection and the destination a hyperslab, or vice versa), so long as the number of elements selected are the same.

Figure 19

hsize_t dim2[] = {4};       
int     values[] = {53, 59, 61, 67}; 

hssize_t coord[4][2]; /* Array to store selected points 
                                         from the file dataspace */ 

/*
 * Create dataspace for the second dataset.
 */
mid2 = H5Screate_simple(1, dim2, NULL);

/*
 * Select sequence of NPOINTS points in the file dataspace.
 */
coord[0][0] = 0; coord[0][1] = 0;
coord[1][0] = 3; coord[1][1] = 3;
coord[2][0] = 3; coord[2][1] = 5;
coord[3][0] = 5; coord[3][1] = 6;

ret = H5Sselect_elements(fid, H5S_SELECT_SET, NPOINTS, 
                   (const hssize_t **)coord);

ret = H5Dwrite(dataset, H5T_NATIVE_INT, mid2, fid, H5P_DEFAULT, values);   

Combinations of selections

Selections are a very flexible mechanism for reorganizing data during a data transfer. With different combinations of dataspaces and selections, it is possible to implement many kinds of data transfers, including sub-setting, sampling, and reorganizing the data. Table 2 gives some example combinations of source and destination, and the operations they implement.

(With apologies to the reader, this section has yet to be written. -- The Editor)

Another use of selections is to store a reference to a region of a dataset. An HDF5 object reference object is a pointer to an object (dataset, group, or named datatype) in the file. A selection can be used to create a pointer to a set of selected elements of a dataset, called a region reference. The selection can be either a point selection or a hyperslab selection. A more complete description of region references can be found in the chapter "HDF5 Datatypes."

A region reference is an object maintained by the HDF5 Library. The region reference can be stored in a dataset or attribute, and then read. The dataset or attribute is defined to have the special datatype, H5T_STD_REF_DSETREG.

To discover the elements and/or read the data, the region reference can be deferenced. The H5Rdefrerence call returns a handle for the dataset, and then the selected dataspace can be retrieved with H5Rget_select call. The selected dataspace can be used to read the selected data elements.

Example Uses for Region References

Region references are used to implement stored pointers to data within a dataset. For example, features in a large dataset might be indexed by a table (Figure 21). This table could be stored as an HDF5 dataset with a compound datatype, for example with a field for the name of the feature and a region reference to point to the feature in the dataset (Figure 22).

Figure 21

a) Dataset 1: data   b) Dataset 2: Compound Data: array of {String, Region Reference}     "Washington, DC"  <region ref 1>  "Baltimore, MD" <region ref 2> "Storm" <region ref 3>

Figure 22

Creating References to Regions

To create a region reference:

1. Create or open the dataset that contains the region.
2. Get the dataspace for the dataset.
3. Define a selection that specifies the region.
4. Create a region reference using the dataset and dataspace with selection.
5. Write the region reference(s) to the desired dataset or attribute.

Figure 23 shows a diagram of a file with three datasets. Dataset D1 and D2 are two dimensional arrays of integers. Dataset R1 is a one dimensional array of references to regions in D1 and D2. The regions can be any valid selection of the dataspace of the target dataset.

a) 1 D array of region pointers, each pointer refers to a selection in one Dataset.

Figure 23

Figure 24 shows example code to create the array of region references. The references are created in an array of type hdset_reg_ref_t. Each region is defined as a selection on the dataspace of the dataset, and a reference is created using H5Rcreate(). The call to H5Rcreate() specifies the file, dataset, and the dataspace with selection.

 /* create an array of 4 region references */
    hdset_reg_ref_t ref[4];
    /*
     * Create a reference to the first hyperslab in the first Dataset.
     */
    start[0] = 1; start[1] = 1; 
    count[0] = 3; count[1] = 2;
    status =  H5Sselect_hyperslab(space_id, H5S_SELECT_SET, start, NULL, 
          count, NULL);
    status = H5Rcreate(&ref[0], file_id, "D1", H5R_DATASET_REGION, 
             space_id);

    /*
     * The second reference is to a union of hyperslabs in the first
 * Dataset
/*

    start[0] = 5;  start[1] = 3; 
    count[0] = 1; count[1] = 4;
    status = H5Sselect_none(space_id);
    status = H5Sselect_hyperslab(space_id, H5S_SELECT_SET,start, 
               NULL, count, NULL);
    start[0] = 6;   start[1] = 5; 
    count[0] = 1;  count[1] = 2;
    status = H5Sselect_hyperslab(space_id, H5S_SELECT_OR, start, NULL, 
          count, NULL);
    status = H5Rcreate(&ref[1], file_id, "D1", H5R_DATASET_REGION, 
           space_id);

    /*
     * the fourth reference is to a selection of points in the first
     * Dataset
     */
    status = H5Sselect_none(space_id);
    coord[0][0] = 4; coord[0][1] = 4;
    coord[1][0] = 2; coord[1][1] = 6;
    coord[2][0] = 3; coord[2][1] = 7;
    coord[3][0] = 1; coord[3][1] = 5;
    coord[4][0] = 5; coord[4][1] = 8;
    status = H5Sselect_elements(space_id, H5S_SELECT_SET,num_points,
                                (const hssize_t **)coord);
    status = H5Rcreate(&ref[3], file_id, "D1", H5R_DATASET_REGION, 
         space_id);
   /*
    * the third reference is to a hyperslab in the second Dataset
     */
    start[0] = 0;  start[1] = 0; 
    count[0] = 4; count[1] = 6;
    status = H5Sselect_hyperslab(space_id2, H5S_SELECT_SET, start, NULL, 
            count, NULL);
    status = H5Rcreate(&ref[2], file_id, "D2", H5R_DATASET_REGION, 
            space_id2);

When all the references are created, the array of references is written to the dataset R1. The dataset is declared to have datatype H5T_STD_REF_DSETREG (Figure 25).

    Hsize_t dimsr[1];
    dimsr[0] = 4;
    /* 
     * Dataset with references.
     */
    spacer_id = H5Screate_simple(1, dimsr, NULL);
    dsetr_id = H5Dcreate(file_id, "R1", H5T_STD_REF_DSETREG, 
             spacer_id, H5P_DEFAULT);

    /*
     * Write dataset with the references.
     */
    status = H5Dwrite(dsetr_id, H5T_STD_REF_DSETREG, H5S_ALL, H5S_ALL, 
            H5P_DEFAULT,ref);

When creating region references, the following rules are enforced.

• The selection must be a valid selection for the target dataset, just as when transferring data.
• The dataset must exist in the file when the reference is created (H5Rcreate).
• The target dataset must be in the same file as the stored reference.

Reading References to Regions

To retrieve data from a region reference, the reference must be read from the file, and then the data can be retrieved. The steps are:

1. Open the dataset or attribute containing the reference objects.
2. Read the reference object(s).
3. For each region reference, get the dataset (H5R_dereference) and dataspace (H5Rget_space)
4. Use the dataspace and datatype to discover what space is needed to store the data, allocate the correct storage and create a dataspace and datatype to define the memory data layout.

Figure 26 shows example code to read an array of region references from a dataset, and then read the data from the first selected region. Note that the region reference has information that records the dataset (within the file) and the selection on the dataspace of the dataset. After dereferencing the regions reference, the datatype, number of points, and some aspects of the selection can be discovered. (For a union of hyperslabs, it may not be possible to determine the exact set of hyperslabs that has been combined.) Table 3 shows the inquiry functions.

When reading data from a region reference, the following rules are enforced:

• The target dataset must be present and accessible in the file.
• The selection must be a valid selection for the dataset.

    dsetr_id = H5Dopen (file_id, "R1");

    status = H5Dread(dsetr_id, H5T_STD_REF_DSETREG, H5S_ALL, H5S_ALL, 
                   H5P_DEFAULT, ref_out);

    /* 
     * Dereference the first reference.
     *   1) get the dataset (H5Rdereference)
     *   2) get the selected dataspace (H5Rget_region)
     */
    dsetv_id = H5Rdereference(dsetr_id, H5R_DATASET_REGION, 
           &ref_out[0]);
    space_id = H5Rget_region(dsetr_id, H5R_DATASET_REGION,&ref_out[0]);


    /*
     *  Discover how many points and shape of the data
     */
    ndims = H5Sget_simple_extent_ndims(space_id);

    H5Sget_simple_extent_dims(space_id,dimsx,NULL);

    /* 
     * Read and display hyperslab selection from the dataset.
     */
      dimsy[0] = H5Sget_select_npoints(space_id);
      spacex_id = H5Screate_simple(1, dimsy, NULL);

    status = H5Dread(dsetv_id, H5T_NATIVE_INT, H5S_ALL, space_id, 
                   H5P_DEFAULT, data_out);
    printf("Selected hyperslab: ");
    for (i = 0; i < 8; i++)
    {   
        printf("\n");
        for (j = 0; j < 10; j++)
            printf("%d ", data_out[i][j]);
    }
    printf("\n");

h5_write.c
----------
#include "hdf5.h"

#define H5FILE_NAME        "SDS.h5"
#define DATASETNAME "C Matrix"
#define NX     3                      /* dataset dimensions */
#define NY     5
#define RANK   2

int
main (void)
{
     hid_t       file, dataset;         /* file and dataset handles */
     hid_t       datatype, dataspace;   /* handles */
     hsize_t     dims[2];              /* dataset dimensions */
     herr_t      status;
     int         data[NX][NY];          /* data to write */
     int         i, j;

     /*
      * Data  and output buffer initialization.
      */
     for (j = 0; j < NX; j++) {
        for (i = 0; i < NY; i++)
            data[j][i] = i + 1 + j*NY;
     }
     /*
      *  1  2  3  4  5
      *  6  7  8  9 10
      * 11 12 13 14 15
      */

     /*
      * Create a new file using H5F_ACC_TRUNC access,
      * default file creation properties, and default file
      * access properties.
      */
     file = H5Fcreate(H5FILE_NAME, H5F_ACC_TRUNC, H5P_DEFAULT, H5P_DEFAULT);

     /*
      * Describe the size of the array and create the data space for fixed
      * size dataset.
      */
     dims[0] = NX;
     dims[1] = NY;
     dataspace = H5Screate_simple(RANK, dims, NULL);

     /*
      * Create a new dataset within the file using defined dataspace and
      * datatype and default dataset creation properties.
      */
     dataset = H5Dcreate(file, DATASETNAME, H5T_NATIVE_INT, dataspace,
                        H5P_DEFAULT);

     /*
      * Write the data to the dataset using default transfer properties.
      */
     status = H5Dwrite(dataset, H5T_NATIVE_INT, H5S_ALL, H5S_ALL,
                      H5P_DEFAULT, data);

     /*
      * Close/release resources.
      */
     H5Sclose(dataspace);
     H5Dclose(dataset);
     H5Fclose(file);

     return 0;
}



SDS.out
-------
HDF5 "SDS.h5" {
GROUP "/" {
    DATASET "C Matrix" {
       DATATYPE  H5T_STD_I32BE
       DATASPACE  SIMPLE { ( 3, 5 ) / ( 3, 5 ) }
       DATA {
          1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
          6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
          11, 12, 13, 14, 15
       }
    }
}
}



h5_write.f90
------------
      PROGRAM DSETEXAMPLE

      USE HDF5 ! This module contains all necessary modules

      IMPLICIT NONE

      CHARACTER(LEN=7), PARAMETER :: filename = "SDSf.h5" ! File name
      CHARACTER(LEN=14), PARAMETER :: dsetname = "Fortran Matrix" ! Dataset name
      INTEGER, PARAMETER :: NX = 3
      INTEGER, PARAMETER :: NY = 5

      INTEGER(HID_T) :: file_id       ! File identifier
      INTEGER(HID_T) :: dset_id       ! Dataset identifier
      INTEGER(HID_T) :: dspace_id     ! Dataspace identifier


      INTEGER(HSIZE_T), DIMENSION(2) :: dims = (/3,5/) ! Dataset dimensions
      INTEGER     ::    rank = 2                       ! Dataset rank
      INTEGER     ::    data(NX,NY)

      INTEGER     ::   error ! Error flag
      INTEGER     :: i, j

      !
      ! Initialize data
      !
        do i = 1, NX
           do j = 1, NY
              data(i,j) = j + (i-1)*NY
           enddo
        enddo
      !
      ! Data
      !
      !  1  2  3  4  5
      !  6  7  8  9 10
      ! 11 12 13 14 15

      !
      ! Initialize FORTRAN interface.
      !
      CALL h5open_f(error)

      !
      ! Create a new file using default properties.
      !
      CALL h5fcreate_f(filename, H5F_ACC_TRUNC_F, file_id, error)

      !
      ! Create the dataspace.
      !
      CALL h5screate_simple_f(rank, dims, dspace_id, error)

      !
      ! Create and write dataset using default properties.
      !
      CALL h5dcreate_f(file_id, dsetname, H5T_NATIVE_INTEGER, dspace_id, &
                       dset_id, error)

      CALL h5dwrite_f(dset_id, H5T_NATIVE_INTEGER, data, dims, error)

      !
      ! End access to the dataset and release resources used by it.
      !
      CALL h5dclose_f(dset_id, error)

      !
      ! Terminate access to the data space.
      !
      CALL h5sclose_f(dspace_id, error)

      !
      ! Close the file.
      !
      CALL h5fclose_f(file_id, error)

      !
      ! Close FORTRAN interface.
      !
      CALL h5close_f(error)

      END PROGRAM DSETEXAMPLE

SDSf.out
--------
HDF5 "SDSf.h5" {
GROUP "/" {
    DATASET "Fortran Matrix" {
       DATATYPE  H5T_STD_I32BE
       DATASPACE  SIMPLE { ( 5, 3 ) / ( 5, 3 ) }
       DATA {
          1, 6, 11,
          2, 7, 12,
          3, 8, 13,
          4, 9, 14,
          5, 10, 15
       }
    }
}
}




h5_write_tr.f90
---------------
      PROGRAM DSETEXAMPLE

      USE HDF5 ! This module contains all necessary modules

      IMPLICIT NONE

      CHARACTER(LEN=10), PARAMETER :: filename = "SDSf_tr.h5" ! File name
      CHARACTER(LEN=24), PARAMETER :: dsetname = "Fortran Transpose Matrix"
                                                  ! Dataset name
      INTEGER, PARAMETER :: NX = 3
      INTEGER, PARAMETER :: NY = 5

      INTEGER(HID_T) :: file_id       ! File identifier
      INTEGER(HID_T) :: dset_id       ! Dataset identifier
      INTEGER(HID_T) :: dspace_id     ! Dataspace identifier


      INTEGER(HSIZE_T), DIMENSION(2) :: dims = (/NY, NX/) ! Dataset dimensions
      INTEGER     ::    rank = 2                       ! Dataset rank
      INTEGER     ::    data(NY,NX)

      INTEGER     ::   error ! Error flag
      INTEGER     :: i, j

      !
      ! Initialize data
      !
        do i = 1, NY
           do j = 1, NX
              data(i,j) = i + (j-1)*NY
           enddo
        enddo
      !
      ! Data
      !
      !  1  6  11
      !  2  7  12
      !  3  8  13
      !  4  9  14
      !  5 10  15

      !
      ! Initialize FORTRAN interface.
      !
      CALL h5open_f(error)

      !
      ! Create a new file using default properties.
      !
      CALL h5fcreate_f(filename, H5F_ACC_TRUNC_F, file_id, error)

      !
      ! Create the dataspace.
      !
      CALL h5screate_simple_f(rank, dims, dspace_id, error)

      !
      ! Create and write dataset using default properties.
      !
      CALL h5dcreate_f(file_id, dsetname, H5T_NATIVE_INTEGER, dspace_id, &
                       dset_id, error)

      CALL h5dwrite_f(dset_id, H5T_NATIVE_INTEGER, data, dims, error)

      !
      ! End access to the dataset and release resources used by it.
      !
      CALL h5dclose_f(dset_id, error)

      !
      ! Terminate access to the data space.
      !
      CALL h5sclose_f(dspace_id, error)

      !
      ! Close the file.
      !
      CALL h5fclose_f(file_id, error)

      !
      ! Close FORTRAN interface.
      !
      CALL h5close_f(error)

      END PROGRAM DSETEXAMPLE

SDSf_tr.out
-----------
HDF5 "SDSf_tr.h5" {
GROUP "/" {
    DATASET "Fortran Transpose Matrix" {
       DATATYPE  H5T_STD_I32LE
       DATASPACE  SIMPLE { ( 3, 5 ) / ( 3, 5 ) }
       DATA {
          1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
          6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
          11, 12, 13, 14, 15
       }
    }
}
}