Design.txt

-*- outline -*-

* Operate in place as often as possible

* Make the class definition clean; prefer free functions to member functions
** Separate class definition header file from free functions (but use the same namespace)
** Maybe modify this when the goal is to SWIGify, because that's more pythonic

* Provide access functions for each member datum
** non-const reference
** const reference

* Provide direct set-access functions (rather than returning references to object data) for SWIG
** Substitutes for the various +=, -=, *=, and /= operators
** Substitutes for the various cmath functions
** Possibly for_each similar to the one in stl's algorithms

* Do NOT try to co-locate c++ and python memory
** References are unmanaged and memory can get out of sync
** Crazy bugs arise otherwise, even when they shouldn't (e.g., just plotting doesn't work)
** Make things explicit (with explicit set methods, for example)
** Let std_vector.i do its work



* To do
** Get h5 import/export working
*** Add ability to only import particular mode or modes
*** Support frame data
** Add Quaternion function of time to Waveform data
*** Check all member functions for the new 'frame' member data
**** Precessing PN needs smart frame management
** Add data about format of each mode (ReIm|MagArg)
** Change typeIndex data to enum
*** Add 'Unknown' type
** Implement better exceptions