A IDL on the Internet
The Internet provides a rich source of information about IDL. The online community of IDL programmers is more than willing to share source code and advice, and it is often possible to find a procedure or function for a specific task, or to have a question answered in a short time. This appendix lists some of the most useful IDL resources on the Internet.
A.1 RESOURCES BY THE AUTHOR
The author’s website includes the source code for all the example programs shown in the book, as well as samples of netCDF and HDF data files. Additional material is also available, including more IDL utility programs, specialized topics not covered in the book (such as resampling satellite images to maps), and a more extensive list of links to other IDL resources on the Internet. The author’s website is at
A.2 RSI INFORMATION
Product information about IDL (e.g., current supported platforms) and other products developed in IDL (e.g. ENVI, RiverTools) is available at
Installable versions of IDL for all supported platforms may be downloaded from
A searchable database of technical tips about IDL from the RSI support staff is available at
A.3 NEWSGROUP
The IDL Usenet newsgroup is an active discussion forum for IDL programming issues. It is frequented by many expert IDL programmers who are willing to answer questions, often within a couple of hours:
A.4 LIBRARIES
The IDL Astronomy Library includes thousands of IDL procedures and functions developed by the astronomical community. This site also offers a searchable index, and a comprehensive list of links to other IDL-related websites and project-specific IDL libraries, including a library for reading and writing data in the Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) format:
The Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University has compiled a comprehensive general-purpose IDL library containing over 600 procedures and functions:
A.5 SEARCHABLE LIBRARY DATABASE
This site at the University of Washington (maintained by Eric Deutsch) provides a searchable index of just about every publicly available IDL procedure or function. Type a routine name or a topic keyword and a list of all matching procedures and functions will be returned, along with a link to the source code for each routine:
A.6 EDITORS
Nedit is a freely available point-and-click text editor for all major UNIX platforms (including Linux):
The IDL Emacs mode provides a customized environment for editing and running IDL applications:
BBEdit is a point-and-click text editor for MacOS platforms. A free version is available at:
A.7 POSTSCRIPT VIEWERS
On Windows and UNIX platforms the Ghostview and GSView applications may be used to view PostScript files created in IDL. In addition, the epstool application may be used to create Encapsulated PostScript files with preview images:
On MacOS platforms, the MacGhostView application may be used to view PostScript files:
To print PostScript files on MacOS platforms, the Drop*PS application may be used:
A.8 PEOPLE
Many of the best IDL programmers maintain websites that provide high-quality IDL source code relevant to a range of disciplines.
Marc Buie provides a library of astronomy-specific and general-purpose routines:
Matthew Craig developed the TeXtoIDL package, which allows equation formatting in IDL using a TeX-like syntax:
Eric Deutsch maintains the IDL Library Searchable Database, and also offers a collection of his own astronomy-related IDL routines:
David Fanning maintains a comprehensive IDL website that includes a collection of illustrative and useful IDL programs, a valuable list of IDL programming tips, information about his book IDL Programming Techniques, and many other useful resources:
Struan Gray has written an excellent tutorial on creating complex shaded surfaces in IDL:
Mark Hadfield provides a collection of procedures and functions with an emphasis on objects:
Eric Korpela has developed a memory-mapped extension for IDL on UNIX platforms that allows the use of very large arrays:
Craig Markwardt has implemented a robust set of generalized curvefitting routines in IDL, and also provides a useful set of array and graphics utilities:
Martin Schultz provides a collection of general-purpose IDL utilities, along with specialized applications for the analysis of geophysical data:
J. D. Smith maintains the IDL Mode for Emacs:
David Windt maintains a library of specialized optics routines along with a set of general-purpose routines:
