IDL 7.1.1 Release Notes

The IDL 7.1.1 release addresses several issues found in the IDL 7.1 release. Aside from these fixes, there are no new features in IDL 7.1.1 beyond those present in IDL 7.1.


Note
Visit www.ittvis.com/IDL for additional information and late-breaking release notes.

The information found in these release notes is separated into the following sections:

ID numbers are included where applicable to allow ITT Visual Information Solutions to respond to inquiries more easily.

Problems Corrected in IDL 7.1.1

All Platforms

ID
Description
56049
GET_DECOMPOSED keyword not working for PostScript device
IDL 7.1 introduced the ability to create TrueColor plots in the PostScript (PS) device by setting the DECOMPOSED keyword to the DEVICE procedure. The ability to retrieve the state the decomposed color setting using the GET_DECOMPOSED keyword to the DEVICE procedure was documented, but not implemented in IDL 7.1. In IDL 7.1.1, you can use the GET_DECOMPOSED keyword with the PostScript device to retrieve the state of the decomposed color setting.
56067
DIALOG_PICKFILE cannot handle Unicode characters in filenames
The DIALOG_PICKFILE function has been enhanced to properly handle UTF-8 and Unicode characters in filenames returned from the native operating system.
56160
IDL crashes on Exit after repeated load of DLMs and session reset
In IDL 7.1, if a dynamically loadable module (DLM) was loaded and the IDL session was reset using the .FULL_RESET_SESSION executive command, IDL would crash when exiting the session. This has been corrected in IDL 7.1.1.

Windows Platforms

ID
Description
55883
56382
WIDGET_TAB labels missing or drawn incorrectly
IDL 7.1 enabled the use of Windows "styles," which allow IDL widgets to respect the user interface theme settings of the Windows computer on which IDL is running. Unfortunately, Windows styles do not directly support the placement of widget tabs on the sides or bottom of the widget, as specified by the LOCATION keyword to the WIDGET_TAB function. IDL 7.1.1 allows tabs to be drawn correctly in all positions.
56008
IDL crashes on Tree widget drop event
IDL 7.1 would crash when dragging from a node of a WIDGET_TREE widget to the drawable area of a WIDGET_DRAW widget. This has been corrected in IDL 7.1.1.
56158
Slider drag events not working
IDL 7.1 enabled the use of Windows "styles," which allow IDL widgets to respect the user interface theme settings of the Windows computer on which IDL is running. This change revealed a problem in which slider drag events were not properly generated when Windows styles were in use. This has been corrected in IDL 7.1.1.
56545
FILE_SEARCH fails with UTF8 directory names and MARK_DIRECTORY
In IDL 7.1, the FILE_SEARCH function would erroneously report no matches when a directory name contained UTF-8 characters and the MARK_DIRECTORY keyword was set. This has been corrected in IDL 7.1.1.
56558
56575
Problems opening files whose paths contain multibyte characters
When IDL attempts to open a file or use a path name that contains characters not included in the UTF-8 character set, it will now attempt to interpret the name using the local machine's default character set. In general, this allows IDL to open files whose paths include multibyte characters.
Some third-party file format libraries included with IDL may still experience problems. Libraries that handle file operations internally (as opposed to requesting that IDL perform the file operation) still may not be able to interpret some multibyte character strings created on a Windows system running in a different language. TIFF, JPEG2000, and the Scientific Data Formats are among the affected file format libraries.

UNIX Platforms

ID
Description
56520
DIALOG_PICKFILE with DEFAULT_EXTENSION and scalar FILTER
In IDL 7.1 on UNIX platforms, using the DIALOG_PICKFILE function and specifying a default extension along with a scalar filename filter would cause IDL to exit. Specifying an array of strings for the filename filter (even a single-element string array) avoided the problem. This has been corrected in IDL 7.1.1.

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Macintosh Platforms

ID
Description
56157
Workbench losing focus when manipulating files in the Editor window
In IDL 7.1 on some Macintosh OS X systems, the IDL Workbench editor would intermittently become unresponsive. This problem was corrected in the IDL 7.1.1 Workbench updated, released in June 2009; the same fix is included in the full IDL 7.1.1 release.
Note - If you have already installed the IDL 7.1.1 Workbench update and are not experiencing any of the other problems addressed by the IDL 7.1.1 release, you do not need to update your IDL installation to IDL 7.1.1.

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New Features in IDL 7.1

For information on new features in this release, see the What's New in IDL 7.1 manual. What's New is included in the IDL online help system under the heading "About IDL".

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Backward-Compatibility Issues in IDL 7.1

All Platforms

ID
Description
n/a
IDL Workspace Migration
IDL does not automatically update the IDL workspace between releases. Since the workspace stores data about the views and perspectives used by the IDL Workbench, changes or additions to the IDL Workbench interface require that you choose how to manage your IDL workspace. After upgrading to a new IDL version, you have the following options:
1. Create a new workspace for use with the new IDL version. You will need to reset any IDL Workbench preferences you may have set in the old version.
2. Continue using the old workspace without modification. New views and perspectives may not be available.
3. Use the Window → Open Perspective... → Visualize menu option to update the workspace to see the new views and perspectives.
n/a
IDL Core Preference Migration
IDL does not automatically migrate IDL core preferences between releases. After upgrading IDL to a new version, you have two options:
1. Re-set any IDL core preferences you wish to use with the new IDL version by hand, either using the Preferences dialog or the PREF_SET routine.
2. Run the PREF_MIGRATE routine from the IDL command line to migrate preferences to the new IDL version.
n/a
Third-party IDL Workbench Plug-ins are not Present After Upgrade
IDL 7.1 is installed in a location separate from any previous IDL installation. As a result, if you have installed third-party IDL Workbench plug-ins in your existing IDL installation, they will not be available after the IDL 7.1 upgrade is installed. You will need to reinstall the third-party plug-ins to use them with IDL 7.1.
Additionally, if you install IDL 7.1 and then start the IDL Workbench using the same workspace used with the older IDL version, you may see an error stating that the workbench layout could not be restored. This error reflects the fact that the third-party plug-ins are no longer available to the IDL Workbench. The error will appear only the first time you start the IDL Workbench, and only if you are using the same workspace as used with the previous IDL version.
54641
IDL Localization and LOCALE_GET
In previous versions of IDL on Unix platforms, the LOCALE_GET function would always return "C", regardless of the user's environment settings. Now, on all platforms, LOCALE_GET will return the value for the LC_CTYPE locale category.
Note - IDL continues to use the "C" locale internally, regardless of the user's environment setting.
44008
Export Bridges: IDL Error State and Successful Method Return
If your client creates an instance of a COM/Java Export Bridge wrapper object, and calls an object method whose code throws an error, the wrapped method will return an error unless the referenced code resets the internal IDL error state.
In this circumstance, it is best if the wrapped code catches its own error, handles it, and resets the IDL error state. You can reset the IDL error state in the error handling catch block by calling the MESSAGE procedure:
MESSAGE, /RESET
This procedure call sets the !ERROR_STATE system variable back to the "success" state.
48917
49373
55393
Breakpoints in Files Opened via Links, Shortcuts, or Alternate Paths
To improve performance, IDL always compiles the first version of a file it finds in its path. If you open a file in the editor and set a breakpoint, then compile from a version of the same file with a different path, IDL will not assume that the two files are the same. As a result, IDL will not stop at the breakpoint set in the second file.
Alternate paths to the same file can be constructed via UNIX links, Windows shortcuts, mapped drives, or UNC paths.
Workaround: Make sure that the full path to the file in which you set the breakpoint is the same as the full path to the compiled file. If you use the IDL Workbench, compiling using the Workbench menus or toolbars will ensure that the same path is used for compilation and debugging.
49528
!PATH Seems to Change on its own
By default, the IDL Workbench manages the value of !PATH so that files in your project directories are found. The consequences of this automatic management may be unexpected, especially if you also modify the value of !PATH manually. See "IDL Path Management" in the IDL online help system for a detailed explanation.
51757
UNSHARP_MASK Gaussian filter definition
In IDL versions prior to 7.1, the UNSHARP_MASK routine defined the Gaussian filter as: 
ceil(2 * RADIUS)/2 * 2 +1  
 
In IDL 7.1, the definition has been changed to: 
ceil(3 * RADIUS)/2 * 2 +1  
 
This could result in inconsistent results between IDL 7.0 and 7.1.
52055
Signed integers returned by READ_TIFF
In IDL versions prior to 7.0.6, the READ_TIFF routine incorrectly returned signed 32-bit integers for TIFF files that contained unsigned 32-bit integers. As of version 7.0.6, READ_TIFF correctly returns unsigned 32-bit integers.
52363
Change in rendered font size of IDLgrText objects
IDL 7.0.6 updates the library that renders IDLgrText objects. The new library corrects several long-standing errors in rendering the text strings; the result is that rendered text may appear slightly smaller than in previous releases.
n/a
New Process for Debugging Shared Library Code
Beginning with IDL 7.0, when the IDL Workbench is running there are two processes to which you can connect your debugger: the IDL Workbench (idlde) and the IDL out-of-process server (idl_opserver). The idl_opserver is the IDL process that runs the IDL interpreter and loads shared libraries (DLMs). To debug your shared library code, you need to attach your debugger (gdb, Visual Studio, etc.) to the idl_opserver process. On Windows, using Visual Studio, you can select Attach to Process and choose the idl_opserver.exe process. On Unix, using gdb or dbx, you can use the ps command to retrieve the ID of the idl_opserver process, and then attach your debugger to that process ID.
If you are not using the IDL Workbench, continue to connect to the idl process.

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UNIX Platforms

ID
Description
55315
Tool Palette and IDL Help Can Run Slowly or Run Out of Memory
On some older Linux and Solaris Sparc systems, views in the IDL Workbench Visualize perspective and the IDL help system may appear to run slowly. IDL may also generate out-of-memory errors.
Workaround: These problems appear to be related to the XULRunner library, which is used by the IDL Workbench and the IDL help system to display rich content. To disable IDL's use of the XULRunner library, set the IDL_NO_XULRUNNER environment variable before running IDL. (The value of the environment variable is not important, only that it is set or unset.) For shells using C-shell syntax, issue the following commands: 
setenv IDL_NO_XULRUNNER 1  
idlde
For shells using Bourne shell syntax, issue the following commands: 
IDL_NO_XULRUNNER=1 ; export IDL_NO_XULRUNNER  
idlde

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Problems Corrected in IDL 7.1

All Platforms

ID
Description
48165
Deleting Linked Folders Does Not Update !path or IDL_PATH
When a linked folder is deleted from a project, the folder is now correctly removed from the !path system variable and the IDL_PATH system preference.
48331
49528
49685
49860
51634
51635
51636
51648
51722
Problems with Automatic Path Management in the IDL Workbench
The IDL Workbench 7.0.3 update modified the way the IDL Workbench manages IDL's search path for managed projects. The key changes are:
  • The IDL Workbench no longer changes the value of the IDL_PATH preference.
  • The IDL Workbench no longer overwrites the value of the !PATH system variable. If you change the value of the !PATH system variable, the IDL Workbench will add entries for managed projects at the end of the path specification as described below, but it will not remove any entries.
  • If a workbench project has the Update IDL path when project is opened or closed preference set, the project is considered to be a managed project. For managed projects:

    • If the managed project is open, the IDL Workbench will ensure that the project directory is included in the list of directories specified by the !PATH system variable. If the directory is not present in !PATH, it will be added at the end of the path specification.

    If the managed project is closed, the IDL Workbench will remove the project directory from the list of directories specified by the !PATH system variable unless the project directory is also specified by the IDL_PATH preference.

For details, see "IDL Path Management" in the IDL online help.
49115
WSHOW does not position graphics window in front of IDL Workbench
If a graphics window is obscured by the IDL Workbench, executing the WSHOW command now correctly brings the window in front of the Workbench.
49779
Undefined variables or other runtime errors do not trigger the Debug perspective switch
Running an IDL program that contains an undefined variable generates the correct error in the Console view, and now correctly triggers the "perspective switch" dialog.
49897
Some items on the File → New menu are missing in the Debug perspective
All appropriate menu items are now shown on the File → New menu when the IDL Workbench is in the Debug perspective.
49898
Executing an example from the IDL help system fails if using Safari
IDL allows the user to execute blocks of code from within the help system. On Macintosh systems using the Safari browser to display help content, code blocks containing more than a single line now execute correctly.
50199
Unable to correctly paste text into the command line with text already present
If you paste text onto the end of text that already exists in the command line, IDL now correctly executes both the original text and the new text. Additionally, you can now drag text to the command line and specify the insertion point of the new text.
50209
50210
50212
When building a main project that includes references to external projects, the final .sav file does not include the compiled routines from the external projects
In several situations, building a project with external project references would result in a .sav file that did not contain the routines from the referenced projects.
This problem was corrected in IDL 7.0.3. Specifically, the project build process has been changed so that referenced projects are built first, and the compiled code is written to intermediate .sav files. The main project restores the referenced project .sav files before it compiles its own code, so that the main project .sav file contains code from both the main project and from the referenced project .sav files.
50220
INTERPOLATE routine performance slower in IDL 7.0 than in IDL 6.4
The performance of the INTERPOLATE routine was slower in IDL 7.0 than in IDL 6.4. This was corrected in IDL 7.0.1.
50258
During a project build, too little status information is sent to the Console view
Additional status updates are now sent to the Console view during the project build process.
50397
HEAP_GC Incorrectly Frees Pointers and Objects in Temporary Variables
The HEAP_GC routine now checks temporary variables for object references and pointers before freeing heap variables,
50408
EXIT routine sometimes causes IDL 7.0 Workbench to crash
In IDL 7.0.0, calling the EXIT routine from a widget program or with the /NO_CONFIRM keyword set would sometimes cause the IDL Workbench to terminate improperly. This was corrected in IDL 7.0.1.
50820
Keyboard input to an Editor view is disabled after a copy of the view is made with the Window → New Editor command
If an Editor view is open and active, and you select Window → New Editor, a copy of the Editor view is created. If you close the new Editor view, focus returns to the previous Editor view and keyboard input is accepted in that view.
50981
Some non-English invocations of the IDL Workbench do not recognize the command history recall buffer file
French and Japanese invocations of the IDL Workbench could not read the ~/.idl/itt/rbuf/history file. This was corrected in IDL 7.0.3.
51068
DEPTH_CUE Keyword of IDLgrVolume Does Not Work as Documented
Objects for which depth cueing is enabled now correctly fade to the background color, rather than fading to black. In addition, depth cueing now behaves correctly regardless of the value of the ZCLIP property of the IDLgrView object that contains the volume.
51323
32-bit Limit on Rendered Volumes
When IDL runs in 64-bit mode, the IDLgrVolume object can now render volumes that contain up to 264 voxels. Note that each dimension of the volume is limited to a maximum of 232 elements.
51514
IDL-Java Bridge now Configured Automatically
The IDL-Java connectivity bridge is now automatically configured to use the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) included with IDL. If the IDLJAVAB_LIB_LOCATION environment variable is not set when IDL starts, it is set to point to the included JRE. If the IDLJAVAB_LIB_LOCATION environment variable is set when IDL starts the value is not changed.
n/a
HDF library version update
IDL 7.1 includes HDF library version 4.2r3. There are no changes to the IDL HDF API as a result of this library upgrade.
n/a
IDL Workbench: Code Parser Speed Improvement
The speed of the initial parsing of IDL code in IDL's path was improved in the IDL 7.0.1 release.

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Windows Platforms

ID
Description
49389
Windows and Dialogs opened by IDL Can Display Behind the Workbench
Windows are now correctly opened in front of the IDL Workbench.

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UNIX Platforms

ID
Description
50188
WIDGET_TEXT background is white instead of gray on Solaris and Linux
In IDL 7.0.0, the Idl*background and Idl*foreground X resource values were inadvertently removed from the idl X resource file. This was corrected in IDL 7.0.1.

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Macintosh Platforms

ID
Description
47334
Java Bridge: Macintosh uses a different version of Java demo_world example
A java incompatibility on Macintosh caused the demo_world example to work incorrectly. This problem has been corrected.
48280
CDF Routines Read Data Incorrectly on Intel-based Macintosh
The version of the CDF library included with IDL 7.0 did not correctly adjust for the little-endian byte ordering used by Intel-based Macintoshes. The CDF library version was updated in IDL 7.0.4, and now works correctly on all systems.
49844
Creation of Semaphores Fails under Mac OS X 10.5
In IDL 7.0, creation of semaphores (using the SEM_CREATE routine) failed under Macintosh OS X 10.5 (Leopard) if semaphore names were longer than 24 characters. This restriction was lifted in IDL 7.0.4.
49849
Starting the DICOM Storage Service Displays Numerous Error Messages
In previous versions, starting the DICOM Network Storage service displayed numerous error messages in the IDL terminal window. The errors looked like: 
The process has forked and you cannot use this CoreFoundation functionality 
safely. You MUST exec().  
Break on 
__THE_PROCESS_HAS_FORKED_AND_YOU_CANNOT_USE_THIS_COREFOUNDATION_FUNCTIONALITY
___ YOU_MUST_EXEC__() to debug.P
This behavior was corrected in IDL 7.1
49898
Executing an example from the IDL help system fails if using Safari
IDL allows the user to execute blocks of code from within the help system. On Macintosh systems using the Safari browser to display help content, code blocks containing more than a single line now execute correctly.
51198
51412
CURSOR/RDPIX Procedures not Working Correctly on OS X
Due to a problem in Macintosh OS X version 10.5 (Leopard), in IDL 7.0, the CURSOR and RDPIX procedures did not function correctly on machines running that version of the operating system. This problem was corrected in IDL 7.0.4.
51478
The Ctrl-Space method of accessing Content Assist does not work on the IDLDoc preferences page on Macintosh platforms
For Macintosh platforms, when editing in the Routine Comments and File Comments tabs on the IDLdoc preferences page, typing Ctrl-Space did not activate Content Assist. This problem has been corrected.

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Known Problems in IDL 7.1

All Platforms

ID
Description
38654
MAP_PROJ_INIT with GCTP Projection Corrupts Values Cached by Earlier Map Projection
If you use the MAP_PROJ_INIT function to generate and save a !MAP structure for use in later calls to other mapping routines, and then call MAP_PROJ_INIT again before using the saved structure, some of the projection values may be corrupted when using a GCTP projection.
Workaround: Perform all actions using the saved !MAP structure before making a subsequent call to MAP_PROJ_INIT.
40768
Firewall Can Catch Socket Communication between IDL and the Help System
IDL and its help systems (both the current help viewer and the older IDL Assistant help viewer) communicate via sockets, and some firewalls might question this communication. IDL is not trying to access the Internet; the communication is strictly between IDL and its locally installed help systems. If prompted to allow or deny the communication, you should allow it; otherwise, you will not be able to see or use IDL's online help. You might need to configure your firewall software to allow the communication.
42545
WIDGET_TREE Drop Event Can Cause IDL to Crash if an Error Exists in the DRAG_NOTIFY Callback Routine
A tree widget can be configured to support drag and drop functionality. This functionality includes a callback to either the default callback routine, which provides information about where a node can be dropped, or a callback to a custom callback routine that is specified using the DRAG_NOTIFY keyword. In either case, the parent WIDGET_TREE function calls the child callback routine and the IDL processing focus switches to the callback routine. If there is an error (such as an undefined variable) in the custom callback routine, IDL may freeze or crash since the error halts execution in the child routine and IDL is unable to return to the calling function.
Workaround: Handle potential problems in the callback routine by including CATCH statements in the code you are developing. See the documentation topic "Responding to Drag Notifications (Callbacks)" for more information.
43054
Java Export Bridge: Hardware Rendering Not Supported By All Video Cards
When running IDL applications through the Java Export Bridge, some video cards on some systems experience problems that prevent them from rendering graphics properly. As a result, the Java Export Bridge creates applications that use IDL's built-in (software) renderer by default. Even systems that use hardware rendering successfully when running IDL itself can experience the problem when running the Java Export Bridge.
Workaround: If you know that the target system for your application will display graphics properly using hardware rendering, you can explicitly set the renderer in the Init method for your application. Since a graphical application must inherit (directly or indirectly) from the IDLgrWindow class, you can set the RENDERER property equal to 0 to force the use of hardware (OpenGL) rendering if it is available. Note that the RENDERER property is not exported by the Export Bridge Assistant; the value must be hard-coded in your IDL object code.
43116
Text Annotations Added During Macro Creation Are Incorrectly Placed or Missing
The iTools let you create a macro that records the operations that occur within a visualization window. If you add a text annotation during macro recording and close the annotation operation by clicking on the view instead of pressing the Enter key, an additional translation event is added to the macro. This causes the text annotation to be incorrectly placed when you run the macro.
Workaround: Always close the creation of a text annotation by pressing the Enter key (instead of by clicking on the view) when recording a macro in an iTool window.
43808
Export Bridges: IDL Error Codes May Change Between Releases
Both the COM and Java Export Bridges allow you to catch and respond to errors generated by IDL. Errors are returned from IDL in the form of error codes, corresponding to the value of the !ERROR_STATE.CODE system variable field.
The code used to designate a specific IDL error condition can change from one release of IDL to another. As a result, COM or Java code you write that reacts to a specific error code value may behave differently with different IDL releases.
43850
Java Export Bridge: Error if Non-Drawable Object Instantiated First
If you create a Java application that incorporates both drawable and non-drawable IDL wrapper objects, instantiating the non-drawable object before the drawable object will cause a runtime error that looks something like: 
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: Native Library 
path_to_your_AWT_library already loaded in another classloader  
 
Workaround: Create an instance of a drawable wrapper object first. This will initialize the Java export bridge correctly, allowing both drawable and non-drawable wrapper objects to execute properly.
48550
The STATUS Keyword for EXIT Does Not Work in IDL Workbench
The EXIT procedure quits the IDL Workbench and exits back to the operating system. IDL does not correctly return the exit status set by the STATUS keyword.
49236
Deleting a Project or a Directory Within a Project While the Project Is Open Causes Exceptions when the Workbench Exits
When a project file or a directory within a project is deleted (for example, from Windows Project Explorer), while the project is open may result in a warning message while the Workbench is still running, and an exception on exiting the Workbench.
51318
51320
51322
Formatter preferences for keywords, system variables, and structure and class names are ignored by the Source → Format command
The keyword, system variable, and structure and class name formatting preferences set on the IDL → Formatter preference page are not applied when the code is highlighted and the Source → Format command is selected.
55550
Breakpoints Stop Working when Debug View Not Present
The Debug view must be present in the IDL Workbench to use breakpoints. This is a limitation imposed by the Eclipse platform on which the Workbench is built.
Workaround: The Debug view must be present in the IDL Workbench, but need not be visible. To preserve screen real estate while keeping the Debug view open, you can add the Debug view to an existing group of views, where it will appear as an additional tab. You can also make the Debug view into a "Fast View," which minimizes the view as an icon while leaving it active. (See the "Views" topic in the IDL Help for more information.)

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Windows Platforms

ID
Description
46816
Installation Program Failures: Error 1719
On some systems, the IDL installation program may exit with the following error: 
Error 1719.Windows Installer service could not be accessed.  Contact your 
support personnel to verify that it is properly registered and enabled.  
 
Workaround:
Restart the IDL installer. If installation still fails, reboot the computer and restart the installer.
Background:
This error occurs when the Microsoft installer engine is older than the version required by the IDL installation package. In this situation, the IDL installer updates the installer engine. In some cases, the installation procedure may be able to proceed; in others a restart of the installer or of the operating system may be required.
47445
Object Creation Failure with Embedded License
Attempting to create an export object with an embedded license fails when no printer is set up.
Workaround: Install and set up a printer before running IDL.
48454
WIDGET_TIMER Can Cause Applications To Freeze Until An Event Is Sent To The Application
WIDGET_TIMER events fail after 10 events. This problem happens in the following cases:
  • Timer events are chained together by setting the next timer within the handling of the current timer and before the "work" section of the event handler is performed.
  • The next timer goes off during the current timer event processing (for example, during a lengthy calculation).
Workaround: Chain timer events by setting the next timer after any computations are completed. For smoother performance, set the next timer based on how long the computations take to execute, which accounts for variances in machine speed. For example, to fire the timer once every second, set the next timer to 1.0 - (time to perform computation), or to 0.0 if the value is negative.
49522
CVS Cheat Sheets Show Up In IDL Workbench Cheat Sheet List
Selecting Cheat Sheets from the Workbench *Help* menu shows a "Team/CVS" category containing two CVS-related cheat sheets. CVS functionality is not included in the IDL Workbench by default, and these cheat sheets will not function properly. If you later install the CVS plug-ins, these cheat sheets will function normally.
49604
Workbench Fails to Stop on Breakpoints When IDL is Busy (Blocking)
When a program containing breakpoints is run while IDL is busy (when a lengthy command is being executed, or when a widget application is blocking, for example), IDL does not stop at the set breakpoints. When IDL is no longer busy, running the program with breakpoints successfully stops at the set breakpoints. (Related to ID 49641.)
49641
Updating Edited Variable Values While IDL is Busy or Blocking is Slow
If you edit a variable value using the IDL Workbench Variables view while IDL is busy (when a lengthy command is being executed, or when a widget application is blocking, for example), it may appear that the variable is not being updated. The new variable value is displayed when IDL is no longer busy. (Related to ID 49604.)

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UNIX Platforms

ID
Description
30564
DIALOG_PRINTERSETUP Causes IDL to Hang When Called from Modal Widget
This is a known problem with no known workarounds except to use DIALOG_PRINTERSETUP with a non-model widget.
41964
IDL Does Not Run in Security Enhanced Linux
Some recent versions of Linux implement mandatory access control in the Linux kernel using the Linux Security Modules framework. IDL will not run in such an environment without a modification to the security context for the IDL binaries.
Workaround: Either disable SELinux or make a modification to the default security context for IDL. See Tech Tip 3092 for details.
42609
WIDGET_BUTTON Bitmaps Not Found in Resource Directory
Using the VALUE keyword of WIDGET_BUTTON lets you specify the name of a bitmap image file to be used as the button label. On UNIX, this bitmap file is not being located in the IDL_DIR/resource/bitmaps directory and causes a "Can't open bitmap file" error. This occurs when only the name of the file (and not a complete path) is given. On Windows, a bitmap file identified by name only is correctly located.
Workaround: Always specify the complete path to the bitmap file. For example, to use the arrow.bmp file, you could use FILEPATH as follows: 
   bmpath = FILEPATH('arrow.bmp', SUBDIRECTORY=['resource', 'bitmaps'])  
   b = WIDGET_BUTTON( tlb, VALUE=bmpath, /BITMAP)
42641
Error May Occur After First Launch of IDL Assistant with Root Privileges
If you receive the following error after the first use of the IDL Assistant (the online-help viewer), "QSetting::sync: filename is null/empty," the problem is most likely due to file permissions.
Workaround: Change the ownership on the .qt and .assistant folders and files in your home directory: 
   chown -R <user> .qt  
   chown -R <user> .assistant  
 
where <user> is your user name.
43301
Upper Left Corner of Tree Widget is Never Valid Drop Zone
When the ability to drag and drop tree widget nodes has been enabled, the UNIX tree widget does not recognize the upper left corner of the widget as a valid drop zone. This area typically extends over the icons of the first two nodes (but not the labels). This is a vendor issue. You can drop items onto the first two nodes by moving the mouse cursor over the labels instead of the icons.
46672
Using WAIT with IDLffMJPEG2000 on Solaris 10 causes IDL to freeze
On Solaris 10 systems, using a WAIT statement in code that calls IDLffMJPEG2000 object methods may cause IDL to freeze.
Workaround:
Use a widget timer to generate WIDGET_TIMER events in place of WAIT to control the flow of execution. For an example using a widget timer to control the frame rate of displayed frames, see IDL_DIR/examples/doc/objects/mj2_timer_doc.pro, where IDL_DIR is the location of your IDL installation. For additional information, see "Controlling Playback Rate" in the "Animations" chapter of the Using IDL manual.
49527
IDL Interpreter Suspends on OBJ_NEW('idlgrwindow') Until IDLgrWindow is Partially Visible (Redhat Enterprise 4)
When OBJ_NEW('idlgrwindow') is run from the Workbench, if a new window displays beneath the Workbench window, then the command line is desensitized until the Workbench is moved or minimized to make the IDLgrWindow at least partially visible.
49610
Closing the Workbench While It Is Iconified Causes It To Lock Up (Solaris)
When at least one IDL process is running and the Workbench is iconified (minimized) and then closed from the icon, the Workbench hangs until all process are manually killed.
Workaround: Use the IDL Workbench menu or the IDL EXIT command to shut down the IDL Workbench.
49848
The DICOM Storage Service Does Not Start from the IDL Workbench
Attempts to start the DICOM Network Storage service by entering 
DICOMEX_NET, /SYSTEM
in the IDL Workbench Command Line view fail.
Workaround: Start the DICOM Network Storage service from the IDL command-line version.
51788
IDL Help Stops Returning Search Results on Linux Systems
On some Linux systems, the IDL Help system will occasionally stop returning results in the Search field. This problem occurs when the number of file descriptors allocated by the operating system is set too low.
To determine whether a shortage of file descriptors is causing this problem on your system, look in the browser.log file located in the
~/.idl/itt/idlworkbench-config-idlXX/.metadata/.plugins/org.eclipse.help.base
directory (or the .../idlhelp-XX/... directory if you are using the command line version of IDL). If you see a message that looks like the following:
!MESSAGE Internal browser is not available: No more handles
you will know that the system has run out of file descriptors.
Workaround: Delete the ~/.idl/itt/idlworkbench-config-idlXX directory to temporarily solve the problem. For a more permanent solution, increase the number of available file descriptors; consult your operating system documentation for details on how to accomplish this.
55427
IDL Dataminer Requires libstdc++5.0
Third-party libraries used by the IDL Dataminer module require a library that may not be present by default on some newer Linux systems.
If attempting to run the IDL Dataminer results in IDL issuing an error similar to the following: 
% DLM_LOAD: Error loading sharable executable.  
  Symbol: IDL_Load, File =/rsi/qa/unix/idl71/bin/bin.linux.x86_64/idl_dataminer.so  
  libstdc++.so.5: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory  
% Execution halted at: $MAIN$
you will need to install the appropriate libstdc++ compatibility library for your platform.
55537
IDLnetURL Objects with ENCODE Property Fails on Linux 32-Bit
Using IDLnetURL with the ENCODE property set to a value other than 0 (zero) fails on 32-bit Linux systems.

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Macintosh Platforms

ID
Description
41916
Errors When Starting the DICOM Service
If you install the DICOM Network Services module, the installer allows you to specify that the DICOM service be started automatically at boot time. If you encounter an error that looks like: 
   dicomexstorscp_install error  
   There was an error encountered running  
   idl_7.1/bin/dicomexstorscp_install.
then your Administrator group may not have permission to modify items in the appropriate StartupItems directory.
Workaround:
1. Log in as root.
2. Open a terminal window.
3. Enter the following commands: 
   cd ~  
   touch .profile
4. Change to the directory where ITT Visual Information Solutions products are installed (by default, /Applications/itt): 
   cd /Applications/itt
5. Enter the following command: 
   ./idl71/bin/dicomexstorscp_install
47668
Drag and drop .pro file from Navigator to Editor does not open the file
In some cases, dragging a file with the .pro extension from the Navigator to the IDL Workbench Editor is unsuccessful.
Workaround: Open .pro files from within the IDL Workbench. If IDL is installed in Applications, double-clicking on a file it will open it in the Workbench.
49848
The DICOM Storage Service Does Not Start from the IDL Workbench
Attempts to start the DICOM Network Storage service by entering 
DICOMEX_NET, /SYSTEM  
 
or 
IDLffDicomExCfg::StorageScpService("Start")  
 
in a program run from within the IDL Workbench or in the IDL Workbench Command Line view fail.
Workaround: Start the DICOM Network Storage service from the IDL command-line version or the DICOMNetworkServices applescript.

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Hardware and Operating System Requirements

Hardware and Operating System Requirements

A network interface card (NIC or Ethernet) is required for software-based node-locked and floating licenses. The following table describes the supported platforms and operating systems for IDL, ENVI, ENVI Zoom, and ENVI EX.

Platform
Vendor
Hardware
Operating
System
Supported Versions a
Windows
Microsoft
Intel/AMD x86 32-bit
Windows
XP SP2, Vista
Intel/AMD x86_64 64-bit
Macintosh
Apple
PowerPC 32-bit
OS X
10.5.1
Intel 32-bit
Intel 64-bit
UNIX
SUN
SPARC 32-bit
Solaris c
10
SUN
SPARC 64-bit
Solaris c
10
SUN
Intel/AMD x86_64 64-bit
Solaris e
10
Various
Intel/AMD x86 32-bit
Linux b, c
Kernel version 2.6.9
glibc version 2.3.4
gtk2 version 2.4.13
Various
Intel/AMD x86_64 64-bit
Linux b, c, d

a Supported versions indicate that IDL, ENVI, ENVI Zoom, and ENVI EX were either built on (the lowest version listed) or tested on that version. You can install and run IDL, ENVI, ENVI Zoom, and ENVI EX on other versions that are binary compatible with those listed.

b The LINUX version of IDL is built on RedHat 4. If your version of Linux is compatible with the listed kernel and glibc versions, you should be able to install and run IDL, ENVI, ENVI Zoom, and ENVI EX.

c The IDL Workbench requires the GTK+ library version 2.4 or later. Printing functionality in the Workbench requires GTK+ library version 2.10 or later. If GTK+ version 2.4 or later is not available, IDL will only run in console mode.

d On 64-bit Linux systems, the IDL Workbench requires that your platform's 32-bit compatibility libraries be installed.

32-bit and 64-bit Versions

On UNIX and Macintosh Intel platforms that provide 64-bit support, you can run IDL, ENVI, ENVI Zoom, or ENVI EX as either a 32-bit or a 64-bit application. When both versions are installed, the 64-bit version is the default. You can run the 32-bit version by specifying the -32 switch at the command line, as follows: 

% idl -32   
% idlde -32  
% envi -32  
% envizoom -32  
% enviex -32

On Windows, the 32-bit and 64-bit versions are started via separate Start menu entries.

On Macintosh Intel 64-bit machines, you can double-click on the 32-bit Macintosh Applescript (.app) files.

Graphics Hardware

Some IDL, ENVI Zoom, and ENVI EX features take advantage of graphics hardware that supports the OpenGL 2.0 interface to improve rendering performance, if such hardware is present. Your video card should support OpenGL 2.0 or higher to take advantage of these features. Be sure to update your video card drivers with the most recent version.

To enable ENVI Zoom or ENVI EX to use your computer's graphics card, select File → Preferences from the ENVI Zoom or ENVI EX menu bar. Select Display General on the left side of the ENVI Zoom Preferences dialog. Set the Use Graphics Card to Accelerate Enhancement Tools preference to Yes. All of the following criteria must be met for this preference to be effective:

Platform Support Questions and Answers

This topic describes the platform support requirements for IDL 7.1 and ENVI 4.7. Platform support requirements change over time; for the most current information, visit the ITT Visual Information Solutions web site: http://ittvis.com/ProductServices/IDL/PlatformSupport.aspx.

Software Requirements

IDL, ENVI, ENVI Zoom, and ENVI EX require the following software:

Platform
Software Requirements
Windows
Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher
Macintosh
Apple X11 X-Windows manager

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Feature Support by Operating System

IDL Features

The following table shows marks indicating which platforms support the corresponding feature. IDL technologies not listed in this table are assumed to work on all supported platforms.

Feature
Windows  
OS X
Linux
Solaris
Intel
32-bit
Intel
64-bit
PPC
32-bit
Intel
32-bit
Intel
64-bit
Intel
32-bit
Intel
64-bit
SPARC
32-bit
SPARC
64-bit
Intel
64-bit
ActiveX: WIDGET_ACTIVEX (IDLcomActiveX object)
•
                  
COM Object –Export (via Export Bridge Assistant)
•
•
                
COM Object –Import (IDLcomIDispatch object)
•
                  
DataMiner
•
•
      
•
•
•
•
  
DICOM Network Services
•
•
•
    
•
  
•
    
DICOM Read/Write (IDLffDicomEx object)
•
•
•
    
•
  
•
    
DICOM Read (IDLffDicom object)
•
  
•
•
  
•
•
•
•
  
DXF file format (IDLffDXF object)
•
        
•
  
•
    
IDL Advanced Math and Stats
(IMSL Numerical Library)
•
  
•
•
  
•
•
•
•
  
MrSID (IDLffMrSID)
•
                  
Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs)
   
•
•
  
•
•
•
•
•
IDL Workbench and Online Help
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
  

ENVI Features

The following table shows marks indicating which platforms support the corresponding feature. These features are in addition to those listed in IDL Features. ENVI technologies not listed in this table are assumed to work on all supported platforms.

Feature
Windows
OS X
Linux
Solaris
Intel
32-bit a
Intel
64-bit
PPC
32-bit
Intel
32-bit
Intel
64-bit
Intel
32-bit
Intel
64-bit
SPARC
32-bit
SPARC
64-bit
Atmospheric Correction Module: QUAC and FLAASH (ENVI)
•
        
•
•
•
•
Tape utilities (ENVI)
•
  
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reading ECW files (ENVI)
•
                
Reading and writing ESRI® GRID files (ENVI)
•
                
Reading and writing ESRI® GRID files (ENVI Zoom and ENVI EX)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
GPS Link (ENVI)
•
                
Reading MrSID files (ENVI)
•
                
Reading MrSID files (ENVI Zoom and ENVI EX)
•
•
      
•
•
•
•
RemoteView link (ENVI)
•
            
•
•
Opening files in ArcMap™ software (all products) b
•
                
ArcGIS® geodatabase support
(all products):b
Connect to and read from geodatabase
Save to file or personal geodatabase
Save to enterprise SDE geodatabase c
•
                
Chip to PowerPoint® software (ENVI Zoom and ENVI EX)
•
•
              
Map Layout view (File → Print in ENVI Zoom and ENVI EX) e
•
                
IAS and JPIP (all products)
•
  
•
•
•
•
•
  
•
NITF (all products) e
•
•
      
•
•
•
•
TFRD module (all products)
•
•
      
•
•
•
•
ENVI Orthorectification Module
•
•
  
•d
•d
•
•
    

a Windows users: these ENVI functions only run in 32-bit mode. If you have a 64-bit Windows PC and you want to use these functions, run ENVI in 32-bit mode as follows from the Windows Start menu: Program Files → ENVI x.x → 32-bit → ENVI or ENVI + IDL or ENVI Zoom.
b Supported on ArcGIS® Desktop 9.2 and later; tested on Windows XP 32-bit and Vista 32-bit with ArcGIS® Desktop 9.3.
c Requires ArcInfo® or ArcEditor™ license (ArcView® does not support this feature).
d Not supported on Macintosh OS X 10.4 platforms.
e In order to display NITF files in the File > Print dialog in ENVI Zoom and ENVI EX, NITF for ArcGIS must be installed.

  IDL 7.1.1 (July 23, 2009)