DAMTP Computing News

SUMMARY: IDL 8.0 is now available for testing on Linux (x86, x86_64) and MacOSX (intel) platforms.

IDL version 8.0 has been installed for the Linux (sl5) and MacOSX (OSX 10.5) machines, and so far those who have been testing it have reported no significant problems.

The new commands are: idl80 idlde80 idlhelp80 and idlrpc80

Commands without the 80 suffix still run the default IDL version 7.1. Please try the new version and notify help@damtp.cam.ac.uk if you encounter any problems.

Unless serious problems are discovered and reported IDL 8.0 will become the default version of IDL in a couple of weeks - and older versions may be removed a short time later.

IDL 8.0 is not available for Power-PC MacOSX so those machines will only be able to run IDL 7.1, and not at all once that is removed.

Note that you can check from inside IDL which platform is being used and whether it is running in 32-bit or 64-bit mode, by running:

     print,!version

at the IDL> prompt.

Our IDL licences are partly funded for by us paying the suppliers directly but mostly by a deal provided by STFC to support IDL use by STFC funded researchers.

Our current understanding of the arrangement suggests that we can also obtain a small number of IDL licences to STFC funded researchers for use on their own machines (e.g. laptops for use offsite, home machines etc).

If you are funded by STFC and would be interested in an IDL licence for such a machine please let us know. A similar arrangement is apparently available with some of the other funding bodies but so far we have only spoken to the suppliers about the STFC arrangement (this was PPARC before of course).