DATASERV (kappserv) functions


LIBRARY ROUTINE

kpds_reference_object - create a reference of a data object.

LIBRARY CALL

kobject kpds_reference_object(
   kobject object)

INPUT

OUTPUT

none

RETURN VALUE

a kobject that is a reference of the input object on success, KOBJECT_INVALID upon failure

DESCRIPTION

This function is used to create a reference object for a data object that can be treated as a second independent data object under most circumstances. A referenced object is similar conceptually to a symbolic link in a UNIX file system in most respects. For example, getting data from an input object and a reference of the object will result in the same data. Data that is put on an output object can then be accessed from any of that object's references.

The similarity ends there. Once an object is referenced, the two resulting objects are equivalent--there is no way to distinguish which was the original. In fact, closing the original does not in any way affect the reference, and visa-versa.

kpds_reference_object creates a new object that has presentation attributes that are independent of the original object's presentation attributes. The presentation attributes are UNCOUPLED from the physical attributes, see the description found in Table 4 in Chapter 6 of the the Khoros Programmer's Manual on the KPDS_COUPLING attribute for more information. The two objects (or more if there are several calls to kpds_reference_object) share all physical data.

The default index order will be set to KWIDTH, KHEIGHT, KDEPTH, KTIME and KELEMENTS for the value and mask data, to KMAP_WIDTH, KMAP_HEIGHT, KMAP_ELEMENTS, KMAP_DEPTH and KMAP_TIME for the map data and KWIDTH, KHEIGHT, KDEPTH and KDIMENSION for the location data.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

none

EXAMPLES

none

SIDE EFFECTS

none

RESTRICTIONS

none

MODIFICATION

none

FILES

$DATASERV/objects/library/kappserv/src/polymorph.c

SEE ALSO

kappserv(3)

COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 1993 - 1997, Khoral Research, Inc. ("KRI") All rights reserved.