This is a preliminary document describing a set of routines for accessing Starlink ARRAY data structures built using the Hierarchical Data System HDS (SUN/92). Details of these structures and the design philosophy behind them can be found in SGP/38, although familiarity with that document is not necessarily required in order to use the routines described here.
This document currently lacks a descriptive section outlining the philosophy behind the use of the ARY_ routines. It is nevertheless being made available in this form because the ARY_ system constitutes an essential sub-component of the NDF_ system, which contains routines for accessing Starlink NDF (N-Dimensional Data Format) structures. These NDF_ routines are described in SUN/33.
The most likely reason for needing to use the ARY_ routines directly at present is for accessing ARRAY structures stored in NDF extensions. Since most ARY_ routines closely resemble the equivalent NDF_ routine, SUN/33 should initially form an adequate introduction to their use, in conjunction with the detailed routine descriptions contained in Appendix C of this document.
Note, version 2.0 of the ARY system is based on a complete re-write of the original Fortran system in C.