NAME

       PDL - the Perl Data Language

DESCRIPTION

       (For the exported PDL constructor, pdl(), see PDL::Core)

       PDL is the Perl Data Language, a perl extension that is designed for scientific and bulk numeric data
       processing and display.  It extends perl's syntax and includes fully vectorized, multidimensional array
       handling, plus several paths for device-independent graphics output.

       PDL is fast, comparable and often outperforming IDL and MATLAB in real world applications. PDL allows
       large N-dimensional data sets such as large images, spectra, etc to be stored efficiently and manipulated
       quickly.

VECTORIZATION

       For a description of the vectorization (also called "threading"), see PDL::Core.

INTERACTIVE SHELL

       The PDL package includes an interactive shell. You can learn about it, run "perldoc perldl", or run the
       shell "perldl" or "pdl2" and type "help".

LOOKING FOR A FUNCTION?

       If you want to search for a function name, you should use the PDL shell along with the "help" or
       "apropos" command (to do a fuzzy search).  For example:

        pdl> apropos xval
        xlinvals        X axis values between endpoints (see xvals).
        xlogvals        X axis values logarithmicly spaced...
        xvals           Fills a piddle with X index values...
        yvals           Fills a piddle with Y index values. See the CAVEAT for xvals.
        zvals           Fills a piddle with Z index values. See the CAVEAT for xvals.

       To learn more about the PDL shell, see perldl or pdl2.

LANGUAGE DOCUMENTATION

       Most PDL documentation describes the language features. The number of PDL pages is too great to list
       here. The following pages offer some guidance to help you find the documentation you need.

       PDL::FAQ
            Frequently asked questions about PDL. This page covers a lot of questions that do not fall neatly
            into any of the documentation categories.

       PDL::Tutorials
            A guide to PDL's tutorial-style documentation. With topics from beginner to advanced, these pages
            teach you various aspects of PDL step by step.

       PDL::Modules
            A guide to PDL's module reference. Modules are organized by level (foundation to advanced) and by
            category (graphics, numerical methods, etc) to help you find the module you need as quickly as
            possible.

       PDL::Course
            This page compiles PDL's tutorial and reference pages into a comprehensive course that takes you
            from a complete beginner level to expert.

       PDL::Index
            List of all available documentation, sorted alphabetically. If you cannot find what you are looking
            for, try here.

MODULES

       PDL includes about a dozen perl modules that form the core of the language, plus additional modules that
       add further functionality.  The perl module "PDL" loads all of the core modules automatically, making
       their functions available in the current perl namespace.  Some notes:

       SYNOPSIS
            See the SYNOPSIS section at the end of this document for a list of modules loaded by default.

       PDL::Lite and PDL::LiteF
            These are lighter-weight alternatives to the standard PDL module.  Consider using these modules if
            startup time becomes an issue.

       Exports
            "use PDL;" exports a large number of routines into the calling namespace.  If you want to avoid
            namespace pollution, you must instead "use PDL::Lite", and include any additional modules
            explicitly.

       PDL::NiceSlice
            Note that the PDL::NiceSlice syntax is NOT automatically loaded by "use PDL;".  If you want to use
            the extended slicing syntax in a standalone script, you must also say "use PDL::NiceSlice;".

       PDL::Math
            The PDL::Math module has been added to the list of modules for versions later than 2.3.1. Note that
            PDL::Math is still not included in the PDL::Lite and PDL::LiteF start-up modules.

SYNOPSIS

        use PDL; # Is equivalent to the following:

          use PDL::Core;
          use PDL::Ops;
          use PDL::Primitive;
          use PDL::Ufunc;
          use PDL::Basic;
          use PDL::Slices;
          use PDL::Bad;
          use PDL::MatrixOps;
          use PDL::Math;
          use PDL::Version;
          use PDL::IO::Misc;
          use PDL::IO::FITS;
          use PDL::IO::Pic;
          use PDL::Lvalue;