STILTS v1.0b release

[Mark Taylor]

Dear VOers,

This is to announce the v1.0b release of STILTS,
the Starlink Tables Infrastructure Library Tool Set, 
which is a set of command-line table/VOTable manipulation tools.
V1.0 is a major revision, featuring a new crossmatch tool
and fully overhauled parameter system amongst other things.

I will be presenting a poster on this (P.3) at ADASS next week,
and I'll mention it in the VOTable session at the following IVOA
interop meeting.  It's relevant to applications as well, but I won't
be presenting it in the apps IG session for fear of repeating myself.
Of course I'll be more than happy to discuss it with anyone who's
interested.

Announcement is below; more info on the website:

   http://www.starlink.ac.uk/stilts/

cheers

Mark

P.S.  TOPCAT gets a new release simultaneously - improved crossmatching
      options and ACR-based MySpace access are the headline items.
      See http://www.starlink.ac.uk/topcat/


STILTS V1.0b
============

STILTS is a package of command-line table processing tools, suitable
for use from shell scripts, the command line, server-side workflows etc.
Like TOPCAT, it is based on STIL, Starlink's generic table/VOTable I/O 
and processing library.  Amongst other things, it provides non-graphical
equivalents of a number of the functions available within TOPCAT.
It also provides some commands specifically for handling VOTable
documents.

The package is pure java, open source, scalable, efficient, robust and
fully documented.

The current list of commands is:

   tcopy   - Table format converter
   tpipe   - Generic all-purpose table pipeline utility
   tmatch2 - Crossmatcher                              (NEW)
   tcat    - Table concatenater                        (NEW)

   votcopy - VOTable encoding translator
   votlint - VOTable validity checker

   calc    - Quick expression evaluator                (NEW)

All these tools work (on the whole) in streaming mode, and so are 
suitable for use with very large tables.

The STILTS web page, which contains an overview, downloads, and
full documentation is at

    http://www.starlink.ac.uk/stilts/

-- 
Mark Taylor   Astronomical Programmer   Physics, Bristol University, UK
m.b.taylor at bris.ac.uk +44-117-928-8776 http://www.star.bris.ac.uk/~mbt/