IDL Programming Techniques, 2nd Edition

This book describes the essential IDL (Interactive Data Language) programming techniques readers need to write programs in the IDL language. It not only covers all the basics of line plots, contour and surface plots, image display, color handling, and hardcopy output, but it is also the only book currently available that shows readers how to write an IDL program with a graphical user interface and how to create and use objects in IDL. It is full of examples, tips, and tricks IDL programmers need to write powerful and elegant IDL programs. The book describes over 50 IDL programs that can be used to enhance the reader's own IDL programs. The purpose of this chapter is to explain why I wrote this book, what you can expect to get out of reading it, and to give you information that will make it easier to work through the IDL programming examples you find here. David W. Fanning. Includes Index. October 2000: First Printing; November 2000: Added Information On Double Buffering Of Graphics Displays; April 2003: Minor Updates To Image Processing Section--t.p. Verso.