[GRASS5] Maximum number of categories

[Paul Kelly]

Hello Radim

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004, Radim Blazek wrote:

> The 'coor' format was designed for 5.7 without any compromises.
> AFAIK, the suggested change (number of cats 1 byte -> 2(4) bytes)
> is the only required.
> I know that 5.7 is devel version and it is devel version exactly
> for these reasons. However, we (including me, I think) said
> few times that 5.7 can be used already for work.
> To have support (reading) for both 5.0 and 5.1 'coor' formats
> means only few rows of code.
>
> I think that I'll do both steps of the change (i.e. first reading,
> then writing) without long delay but in 2 cvs commits.
> The problem may appear only for groups using more installation
> of GRASS and sharing the data. In that case, they can either:
> 1) make first update for reading on all machines and then
>    also for writing
> or
> 2) stop the work for a while and update all installations directly
>    to reading+writing.
> Is it OK?
>

I think after you add the code for reading then you could release GRASS
5.7.0 (with code from 5.3 copied in to make it usable of course). Then the
code for writing will only be in the development CVS versions but if people
have problems reading files you only have to tell them to make sure they
are using 5.7.0 (rather than checking the date of the snapshot they used).

I also think you should use the opportunity to expand the other two items
you mentioned in the binary coor formats to cover all possibilities for
expansion for the forseeable future, if you think there is the slightest
chance it might be needed.

Paul