Readme.txt

--------------------------------------------------------------------Directory: C:\Users\ROG\.idl Purpose: IDL Application User Directory User: ROG@DESKTOP-78SAG10 Date: Thu Mar 14 20:55:05 2019 README Creator: IDL 8.5 (Win32 x86_64 m64 f64) README Version: 2 --------------------------------------------------------------------This is the *IDL application user directory*, usually referred to as the .idl (dot-IDL) directory. It was created by IDL on the date shown above. It is used to hold files created by IDL (or by applications written in IDL) that need to persist between IDL sessions. (For example, the IDL iTools application stores its configuration information here.) Each IDL user has a unique IDL application user directory -- they are not shared between users. Why ".idl"? Why here? --------------------The name ".idl" follows the Unix convention that applications store user-specific configuration information in a file or directory whose name begins with the dot character, located in the user's home directory. For example, the Bourne shell (/bin/sh) reads .profile, while the C-shell (/bin/csh) reads .login and .cshrc. There can be a large number of such files. However, the dot at the beginning of the file name causes the Unix "ls" directory command not to show the file (unless the "-a" option is specified), in effect hiding the file from view. This reduces the apparent clutter in the user's home directory. In the interest of cross-platform consistency, we have followed the Unix convention and created the IDL application user directory as a dot-file in the user's home directory on all platforms. Can I store things here? -----------------------We encourage you to use the IDL application user directory to store user information for your own IDL applications. Having all IDL applications using the same standard mechanism makes things easier for IDL users. Use the IDL APP_USER_DIR function to create application-specific subdirectories of the .idl directory. The APP_USER_DIR function determines where the .idl directory should be located on any system, and also knows where to place your specific content within it. Using this function is easier than coding a cross-platform solution yourself, and ensures that your usage won't conflict with anyone else. Read the documentation for APP_USER_DIR in the IDL Reference Guide for complete details Organization of the .idl directory ---------------------------------Underneath the .idl directory you will find subdirectories with the names of the authors of the applications that are currently storing information here. The names "idl", "rsi", "itt", and "ittvis" are reserved. Other application

authors use different unique names (see the APP_USER_DIR documentation for details). Each author directory contains a README file supplied by the application author; this file should explain who the author is. Underneath each author directory are that author's application directories, in which individual applications store their data. Application directories may be tied to a specific IDL version and/or system (OS/Hardware), or they may be version and system independent. Any such versioning is managed by the APP_USER_DIR function based on the options specified when calling it. Each application directory contains a README file supplied by the author; this file should explain what the application is, and should contain any special information you might need in order to understand the contents of the directory. Other than the README file, the contents of an application directory are entirely up to the application author. The APP_USER_DIR function does not manage the content, only its location. The README files should provide information about how the application organizes its data. Deleting the .idl directory --------------------------You are allowed to delete the .idl directory or any of its subdirectories. The deleted information will be automatically recreated the next time you run the associated application or applications. You should, however, take the following into consideration before deleting information in the .idl directory: - You should avoid removing the .idl directory or its contents while an active IDL process is using it, as this can cause problems for your IDL session. It is easiest and safest to ensure that no IDL process is running before removing anything. - If you delete files in the .idl directory that are used by an application, the application will recreate the files on demand, but all options will revert to their default values, and any personalized changes you have made will be lost. - A given application may have special rules concerning deletion of its files. Any such rules should be explained by the README file for that application.