> I assume Pat is referring to the C version when he implies that
> the source code is not open.
No, I assumed Pierre meant the Fortran version as he quoted
"sla_DAT" as the routine name. Perhaps he means that in order to
see the source you have to dig around a bit.
> That could be done but I'd be reticent to change the Fortran
> SLALIB API without approval from Pat.
If I did make such a change I would avoid testing a double for
equality and using a mixed-mode expression with 99 as the value!
And apart from the possibility that some existing application might
chance upon the magic value (bear in mind MJD = -99 is
1858 November 08, hardly what you'd call prehistory), there remains
the objection that knowing when the routine was last updated is not
enough to draw a reliable conclusion.
If anyone really wanted to use sla_DAT (or iau_DAT) operationally
they could quite cheaply find out how recent it was by probing.
Trying a few January 1s and July 1s will quickly find out when the
last change was.
Patrick Wallace
____________________________________________________________________
RAL Space +44-1235-531198
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Harwell Oxford
Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK [log in to unmask]
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