gdal_array.BandReadAsArray() takes bogus parameter

[dron]

gdal_array.BandReadAsArray() function is defined as

def BandReadAsArray( band, xoff, yoff, win_xsize, win_ysize,
                     buf_xsize=None, buf_ysize=None, buf_obj=None ):
    """Pure python implementation of reading a chunk of a GDAL file
    into a numpy array.  Used by the gdal.Band.ReadaAsArray method."""

See http://trac.osgeo.org/gdal/browser/trunk/gdal/swig/python/osgeo/gdal_array.py#L110

What is a purpose of the 'buf_obj' parameter? Actually ,it is not used at all, just created if _not_ None (losing the passed value) and then being lost itself (http://trac.osgeo.org/gdal/browser/trunk/gdal/swig/python/osgeo/gdal_array.py#L134)

    if buf_obj is not None:
        buf_obj = numpy.zeros( shape, typecode )

    band_str = band.ReadRaster( xoff, yoff, win_xsize, win_ysize,
                                 buf_xsize, buf_ysize, datatype )
    ar = numpy.fromstring(band_str,dtype=typecode)
    ar = numpy.reshape(ar, [buf_ysize,buf_xsize])
    
    return ar

Compare it with the original implementation where that parameter was used and had perfect sense (http://trac.osgeo.org/gdal/browser/trunk/gdal/pymod/gdalnumeric.py#L177):

    if buf_obj is None:
        buf_obj = zeros( shape, typecode )

    return _gdal.GDALReadRaster( band._o, xoff, yoff, win_xsize, win_ysize,
                                 buf_xsize, buf_ysize, datatype, buf_obj )

I think we should restore the original meaning of this parameter.

[Even Rouault]

• r17895, r17897 : Python bindings : make Band|Dataset.ReadAsArray() take into account preallocated array (#2658, #3028)
• r17896 : Test fix for #2658, #3028

The fix required quite a few changes in the gdal_array module (I swig'ified it, removed swig/python/extensions/numpydataset.cpp which was unused, etc..). Testing by others appreciated.