File: IHDF5FloatReader.java

package info (click to toggle)
libsis-jhdf5-java 19.04.0%2Bdfsg-4
  • links: PTS, VCS
  • area: main
  • in suites: bullseye
  • size: 8,668 kB
  • sloc: java: 79,644; ansic: 18,986; sh: 309; makefile: 49; xml: 12
file content (555 lines) | stat: -rw-r--r-- 28,658 bytes parent folder | download | duplicates (2)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
/*
 * Copyright 2007 - 2018 ETH Zuerich, CISD and SIS.
 *
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 * You may obtain a copy of the License at
 *
 *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 *
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 * limitations under the License.
 */

package ch.systemsx.cisd.hdf5;

import hdf.hdf5lib.exceptions.HDF5JavaException;

import ch.systemsx.cisd.base.mdarray.MDFloatArray;

/**
 * An interface that provides methods for reading <code>float</code> values from HDF5 files.
 * <p>
 * Obtain an object implementing this interface by calling {@link IHDF5Reader#float32()}.
 * <p>
 * <i>Note:</i> This interface supports block access and sliced access (which is a special cases of 
 * block access) to arrays. The performance of this block access can vary greatly depending on how 
 * the data are layed out in the HDF5 file. For best performance, the block (or slice) dimension should 
 * be chosen to be equal to the chunk dimensions of the array, as in this case the block written / read 
 * are stored as consecutive value in the HDF5 file and one write / read access will suffice.   
 * <p>
 * <i>Note:<i> If the values read are unsigned, use the methods in {@link UnsignedIntUtils} to convert 
 * to a larger Java integer type that can hold all values as unsigned.
 * 
 * @author Bernd Rinn
 */
public interface IHDF5FloatReader
{
    // /////////////////////
    // Attributes
    // /////////////////////

    /**
     * Reads a <code>float</code> attribute named <var>attributeName</var> from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param attributeName The name of the attribute to read.
     * @return The attribute value read from the data set.
     */
    public float getAttr(String objectPath, String attributeName);

    /**
     * Reads a <code>float[]</code> attribute named <var>attributeName</var> from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param attributeName The name of the attribute to read.
     * @return The attribute value read from the data set.
     */
    public float[] getArrayAttr(String objectPath, String attributeName);

    /**
     * Reads a multi-dimensional array <code>float</code> attribute named <var>attributeName</var>
     * from the data set <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param attributeName The name of the attribute to read.
     * @return The attribute array value read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray getMDArrayAttr(String objectPath,
            String attributeName);

    /**
     * Reads a <code>float</code> matrix attribute named <var>attributeName</var>
     * from the data set <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param attributeName The name of the attribute to read.
     * @return The attribute matrix value read from the data set.
     */
    public float[][] getMatrixAttr(String objectPath, String attributeName)
            throws HDF5JavaException;

    // /////////////////////
    // Data Sets
    // /////////////////////

    /**
     * Reads a <code>float</code> value from the data set <var>objectPath</var>. This method 
     * doesn't check the data space but simply reads the first value.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @return The value read from the data set.
     */
    public float read(String objectPath);

    /**
     * Reads a <code>float</code> array (of rank 1) from the data set <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @return The data read from the data set.
     */
    public float[] readArray(String objectPath);

    /**
     * Reads a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array data set <var>objectPath</var>
     * into a given <var>array</var> in memory.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param array The array to read the data into.
     * @param memoryOffset The offset in the array to write the data to.
     * @return The effective dimensions of the block in <var>array</var> that was filled.
     */
    public int[] readToMDArrayWithOffset(String objectPath, 
    				MDFloatArray array, int[] memoryOffset);

    /**
     * Reads a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array data set <var>objectPath</var>
     * into a given <var>array</var> in memory.
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param array The array to read the data into.
     * @param memoryOffset The offset in the array to write the data to.
     * @return The effective dimensions of the block in <var>array</var> that was filled.
     */
    public int[] readToMDArrayWithOffset(HDF5DataSet dataSet, 
    				MDFloatArray array, int[] memoryOffset);

    /**
     * Reads a block of the multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array data set
     * <var>objectPath</var> into a given <var>array</var> in memory.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param array The array to read the data into.
     * @param blockDimensions The size of the block to read along each axis.
     * @param offset The offset of the block in the data set.
     * @param memoryOffset The offset of the block in the array to write the data to.
     * @return The effective dimensions of the block in <var>array</var> that was filled.
     */
    public int[] readToMDArrayBlockWithOffset(String objectPath,
            MDFloatArray array, int[] blockDimensions, long[] offset,
            int[] memoryOffset);

    /**
     * Reads a block of the multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array data set
     * <var>objectPath</var> into a given <var>array</var> in memory.
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param array The array to read the data into.
     * @param blockDimensions The size of the block to read along each axis.
     * @param offset The offset of the block in the data set.
     * @param memoryOffset The offset of the block in the array to write the data to.
     * @return The effective dimensions of the block in <var>array</var> that was filled.
     */
    public int[] readToMDArrayBlockWithOffset(HDF5DataSet dataSet,
            MDFloatArray array, int[] blockDimensions, long[] offset,
            int[] memoryOffset);

    /**
     * Reads a block from a <code>float</code> array (of rank 1) from the data set 
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param blockSize The block size (this will be the length of the <code>float[]</code> returned
     *            if the data set is long enough).
     * @param blockNumber The number of the block to read (starting with 0, offset: multiply with
     *            <var>blockSize</var>).
     * @return The data read from the data set. The length will be min(size - blockSize*blockNumber,
     *         blockSize).
     */
    public float[] readArrayBlock(String objectPath, int blockSize,
            long blockNumber);

    /**
     * Reads a block from a <code>int</code> array (of rank 1) from the <var>dataSet</var>.
     * <p>
     * <i>This method is faster than {@link #readArrayBlock(String, int, long)} 
     * when called many times on the same data set.</i>
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param blockSize The block size (this will be the length of the <code>int[]</code> returned
     *            if the data set is long enough).
     * @param blockNumber The number of the block to read (starting with 0, offset: multiply with
     *            <var>blockSize</var>).
     * @return The data read from the data set. The length will be min(size - blockSize*blockNumber,
     *         blockSize).
     */
    public float[] readArrayBlock(HDF5DataSet dataSet, int blockSize,
            long blockNumber);

    /**
     * Reads a block from <code>float</code> array (of rank 1) from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param blockSize The block size (this will be the length of the <code>float[]</code>
     *            returned).
     * @param offset The offset of the block in the data set to start reading from (starting with 0).
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public float[] readArrayBlockWithOffset(String objectPath, int blockSize,
            long offset);

    /**
     * Reads a block from <code>int</code> array (of rank 1) from the <var>dataSet</var>.
     * <p>
     * <i>This method is faster than {@link #readArrayBlockWithOffset(String, int, long)} 
     * when called many times on the same data set.</i>
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param blockSize The block size (this will be the length of the <code>int[]</code>
     *            returned).
     * @param offset The offset of the block in the data set to start reading from (starting with 0).
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public float[] readArrayBlockWithOffset(HDF5DataSet dataSet, int blockSize,
            long offset);

    /**
     * Reads a <code>float</code> matrix (array of arrays) from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @return The data read from the data set.
     *
     * @throws HDF5JavaException If the data set <var>objectPath</var> is not of rank 2.
     */
    public float[][] readMatrix(String objectPath) throws HDF5JavaException;

    /**
     * Reads a <code>float</code> matrix (array of arrays) from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param blockSizeX The size of the block in the x dimension.
     * @param blockSizeY The size of the block in the y dimension.
     * @param blockNumberX The block number in the x dimension (offset: multiply with
     *            <code>blockSizeX</code>).
     * @param blockNumberY The block number in the y dimension (offset: multiply with
     *            <code>blockSizeY</code>).
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     *
     * @throws HDF5JavaException If the data set <var>objectPath</var> is not of rank 2.
     */
    public float[][] readMatrixBlock(String objectPath, int blockSizeX,
            int blockSizeY, long blockNumberX, long blockNumberY) 
            throws HDF5JavaException;

    /**
     * Reads a <code>float</code> matrix (array of arrays) from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param blockSizeX The size of the block in the x dimension.
     * @param blockSizeY The size of the block in the y dimension.
     * @param offsetX The offset in x dimension in the data set to start reading from.
     * @param offsetY The offset in y dimension in the data set to start reading from.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     *
     * @throws HDF5JavaException If the data set <var>objectPath</var> is not of rank 2.
     */
    public float[][] readMatrixBlockWithOffset(String objectPath, 
    				int blockSizeX, int blockSizeY, long offsetX, long offsetY) 
    				throws HDF5JavaException;

    /**
     * Reads a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @return The data read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readMDArray(String objectPath);

    /**
     * Reads part or all of a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param params The parameter block specifying the block or slice to read from the array.
     * @return The data read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readMDArray(String objectPath, HDF5ArrayBlockParams params);

    /**
     * Reads part or all of a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param params The parameter block specifying the block or slice to read from the array.
     * @return The data read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readMDArray(HDF5DataSet dataSet, HDF5ArrayBlockParams params);

    /**
     * Reads a slice of a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param boundIndices The mapping of indices to index values which should be bound. For example
     *            a map of <code>new IndexMap().mapTo(2, 5).mapTo(4, 7)</code> has 2 and 4 as bound
     *            indices and binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readMDArraySlice(String objectPath, IndexMap boundIndices);

    /**
     * Reads a slice of a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>dataSet</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param boundIndices The mapping of indices to index values which should be bound. For example
     *            a map of <code>new IndexMap().mapTo(2, 5).mapTo(4, 7)</code> has 2 and 4 as bound
     *            indices and binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readMDArraySlice(HDF5DataSet dataSet, IndexMap boundIndices);

    /**
     * Reads a slice of a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param boundIndices The array containing the values of the bound indices at the respective
     *            index positions, and -1 at the free index positions. For example an array of
     *            <code>new long[] { -1, -1, 5, -1, 7, -1 }</code> has 2 and 4 as bound indices and
     *            binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readMDArraySlice(String objectPath, long[] boundIndices);

    /**
     * Reads a slice of a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>dataSet</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param boundIndices The array containing the values of the bound indices at the respective
     *            index positions, and -1 at the free index positions. For example an array of
     *            <code>new long[] { -1, -1, 5, -1, 7, -1 }</code> has 2 and 4 as bound indices and
     *            binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readMDArraySlice(HDF5DataSet dataSet, long[] boundIndices);

    /**
     * Reads a block from a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set 
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param blockNumber The block number in each dimension (offset: multiply with the
     *            <var>blockDimensions</var> in the according dimension).
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readMDArrayBlock(String objectPath,
    				int[] blockDimensions, long[] blockNumber);

    /**
     * Reads a block from a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set 
     * <var>dataSet</var>.
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param blockNumber The block number in each dimension (offset: multiply with the
     *            <var>blockDimensions</var> in the according dimension).
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readMDArrayBlock(HDF5DataSet dataSet, int[] blockDimensions,
            long[] blockNumber);
    
    /**
     * Reads a sliced block from a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param blockNumber The block number in each dimension (offset: multiply with the
     *            <var>blockDimensions</var> in the according dimension).
     * @param boundIndices The mapping of indices to index values which should be bound. For example
     *            a map of <code>new IndexMap().mapTo(2, 5).mapTo(4, 7)</code> has 2 and 4 as bound
     *            indices and binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readSlicedMDArrayBlock(String objectPath, int[] blockDimensions,
            long[] blockNumber, IndexMap boundIndices);

    /**
     * Reads a sliced block from a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param blockNumber The block number in each dimension (offset: multiply with the
     *            <var>blockDimensions</var> in the according dimension).
     * @param boundIndices The mapping of indices to index values which should be bound. For example
     *            a map of <code>new IndexMap().mapTo(2, 5).mapTo(4, 7)</code> has 2 and 4 as bound
     *            indices and binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readSlicedMDArrayBlock(HDF5DataSet dataSet, int[] blockDimensions,
            long[] blockNumber, IndexMap boundIndices);

    /**
     * Reads a sliced block from a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param blockNumber The block number in each dimension (offset: multiply with the
     *            <var>blockDimensions</var> in the according dimension).
     * @param boundIndices The array containing the values of the bound indices at the respective
     *            index positions, and -1 at the free index positions. For example an array of
     *            <code>new long[] { -1, -1, 5, -1, 7, -1 }</code> has 2 and 4 as bound indices and
     *            binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readSlicedMDArrayBlock(String objectPath, int[] blockDimensions,
            long[] blockNumber, long[] boundIndices);

    /**
     * Reads a sliced block from a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param blockNumber The block number in each dimension (offset: multiply with the
     *            <var>blockDimensions</var> in the according dimension).
     * @param boundIndices The array containing the values of the bound indices at the respective
     *            index positions, and -1 at the free index positions. For example an array of
     *            <code>new long[] { -1, -1, 5, -1, 7, -1 }</code> has 2 and 4 as bound indices and
     *            binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readSlicedMDArrayBlock(HDF5DataSet dataSet, int[] blockDimensions,
            long[] blockNumber, long[] boundIndices);

    /**
     * Reads a block from a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param offset The offset in the data set to start reading from in each dimension.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readMDArrayBlockWithOffset(String objectPath,
            int[] blockDimensions, long[] offset);
    
    /**
     * Reads a block from a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>dataSet</var>.
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param offset The offset in the data set to start reading from in each dimension.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readMDArrayBlockWithOffset(HDF5DataSet dataSet,
            int[] blockDimensions, long[] offset);
    
    /**
     * Reads a sliced block of a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param offset The offset in the data set to start reading from in each dimension.
     * @param boundIndices The mapping of indices to index values which should be bound. For example
     *            a map of <code>new IndexMap().mapTo(2, 5).mapTo(4, 7)</code> has 2 and 4 as bound
     *            indices and binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readSlicedMDArrayBlockWithOffset(String objectPath, int[] blockDimensions,
            long[] offset, IndexMap boundIndices);

    /**
     * Reads a sliced block of a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>dataSet</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param offset The offset in the data set to start reading from in each dimension.
     * @param boundIndices The mapping of indices to index values which should be bound. For example
     *            a map of <code>new IndexMap().mapTo(2, 5).mapTo(4, 7)</code> has 2 and 4 as bound
     *            indices and binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readSlicedMDArrayBlockWithOffset(HDF5DataSet dataSet, int[] blockDimensions,
            long[] offset, IndexMap boundIndices);
    
    /**
     * Reads a sliced block of a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>objectPath</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param objectPath The name (including path information) of the data set object in the file.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param offset The offset in the data set to start reading from in each dimension.
     * @param boundIndices The array containing the values of the bound indices at the respective
     *            index positions, and -1 at the free index positions. For example an array of
     *            <code>new long[] { -1, -1, 5, -1, 7, -1 }</code> has 2 and 4 as bound indices and
     *            binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readSlicedMDArrayBlockWithOffset(String objectPath, int[] blockDimensions,
            long[] offset, long[] boundIndices);

    /**
     * Reads a sliced block of a multi-dimensional <code>float</code> array from the data set
     * <var>dataSet</var>. The slice is defined by "bound indices", each of which is fixed to a
     * given value. The returned data block only contains the free (i.e. non-fixed) indices.
     * 
     * @param dataSet The data set to read from.
     * @param blockDimensions The extent of the block in each dimension.
     * @param offset The offset in the data set to start reading from in each dimension.
     * @param boundIndices The array containing the values of the bound indices at the respective
     *            index positions, and -1 at the free index positions. For example an array of
     *            <code>new long[] { -1, -1, 5, -1, 7, -1 }</code> has 2 and 4 as bound indices and
     *            binds them to the values 5 and 7, respectively.
     * @return The data block read from the data set.
     */
    public MDFloatArray readSlicedMDArrayBlockWithOffset(HDF5DataSet dataSet, int[] blockDimensions,
            long[] offset, long[] boundIndices);
    
    /**
     * Provides all natural blocks of this one-dimensional data set to iterate over.
     * 
     * @see HDF5DataBlock
     * @throws HDF5JavaException If the data set is not of rank 1.
     */
    public Iterable<HDF5DataBlock<float[]>> getArrayNaturalBlocks(
    									String dataSetPath)
            throws HDF5JavaException;

    /**
     * Provides all natural blocks of this multi-dimensional data set to iterate over.
     * 
     * @see HDF5MDDataBlock
     */
    public Iterable<HDF5MDDataBlock<MDFloatArray>> getMDArrayNaturalBlocks(
    									String dataSetPath);
}