changeset 405:ef4792df8f93 api-inversion

invert audioDB::insert / audiodb_insert().

Start off by removing audioDB::insertDatum, and essentially reusing it
as audiodb_insert.  We now ignore the fact that the command-line parsing
code has "helpfully" opened a std::ifstream for the times file and an fd
for the power file, and simply go ahead and do our own dirty work.

We can delete audioDB::insertDatum entirely, but unfortunately we can't
delete audioDB::insertPowerData and audioDB::insertTimestamps, because
the index and query code respectively use them.  Instead, move the two
methods closer to their single uses.

audiodb_insert() is perhaps not as short and simple as it might have
been hoped given the existence of audiodb_insert_datum(); some of that
is C and its terribly way of making you pay every time you use dynamic
memory; some of it is the fact that the three different files (feature,
times, power) each requires slightly different treatment.  Hey ho.

We can implement audiodb_batchinsert() in terms of audiodb_insert(); the
function is pleasingly small.  We can't quite use it for
audioDB::batchinsert yet, as we have to deal with the O2_FLAG_LARGE_ADB
case (which codepath is untested in libtests/).

This means that we can delete whole swathes of hideous code from
audioDB.cpp, including not just the versions of audiodb_insert() and
audiodb_batchinsert() but also an entire audioDB constructor.  Yay.
(audioDB::unitNormAndInsertL2 has also died a deserved death).

--- a/audioDB.cpp	Fri Dec 05 22:32:43 2008 +0000
+++ b/audioDB.cpp	Fri Dec 05 22:32:49 2008 +0000
@@ -165,73 +165,6 @@
   }
 }
 
-
-//for the lib / API
-audioDB::audioDB(const unsigned argc, const char *argv[], int * apierror, adb_t *a): O2_AUDIODB_INITIALIZERS
-{
-
-    try {
-        UseApiError=1;
-	adb = a;
-
-        if(processArgs(argc, argv)<0){
-            printf("No command found.\n");
-            cmdline_parser_print_version ();
-            if (strlen(gengetopt_args_info_purpose) > 0)
-                printf("%s\n", gengetopt_args_info_purpose);
-            printf("%s\n", gengetopt_args_info_usage);
-            printf("%s\n", gengetopt_args_info_help[1]);
-            printf("%s\n", gengetopt_args_info_help[2]);
-            printf("%s\n", gengetopt_args_info_help[0]);
-            error("No command found");
-        }
-
-        adb__queryResponse adbq;
-
-        if(O2_ACTION(COM_CREATE))
-            create(dbName);
-
-        else if(O2_ACTION(COM_INSERT))
-            insert(dbName, inFile);
-
-        else if(O2_ACTION(COM_BATCHINSERT))
-            batchinsert(dbName, inFile);
-
-        else if(O2_ACTION(COM_QUERY))
-            if(isClient)
-                ;//ws_query(dbName, inFile, (char*)hostport);
-            else
-                query(dbName, inFile, &adbq);
-        //query(dbName, inFile);
-
-        else if(O2_ACTION(COM_STATUS))
-            if(isClient)
-                ;//ws_status(dbName,(char*)hostport);
-            else
-                status(dbName);
-
-        else if(O2_ACTION(COM_L2NORM))
-            l2norm(dbName);
-
-        else if(O2_ACTION(COM_POWER))
-            power_flag(dbName);
-
-        else if(O2_ACTION(COM_DUMP))
-            dump(dbName);
-
-        else
-            error("Unrecognized command",command);
-
-    } catch(int a) {
-        *apierror=a;
-        return;
-
-    }
-    *apierror=apierrortemp;
-    return;
-
-}
-
 //for API query
 audioDB::audioDB(const unsigned argc, const char *argv[],adb__queryResponse *adbQueryResponse, int * apierror, adb_t *a): O2_AUDIODB_INITIALIZERS
 {
@@ -799,48 +732,6 @@
   }
   status(dbName);
 }
-// Unit norm block of features
-
-/* FIXME: in fact this does not unit norm a block of features, it just
-   records the L2 norms somewhere.  unitNorm() does in fact unit norm
-   a block of features. */
-void audioDB::unitNormAndInsertL2(double* X, unsigned dim, unsigned n){
-  unsigned d;
-  double *p;
-  unsigned nn = n;
-
-  assert(l2normTable);
-
-  VERB_LOG(2, "norming %u vectors...", n);
-
-  double* l2buf = new double[n];
-  double* l2ptr = l2buf;
-  assert(l2buf);
-  assert(X);
-
-  while(nn--){
-    p=X;
-    *l2ptr=0.0;
-    d=dim;
-    while(d--){
-      *l2ptr+=*p**p;
-      p++;
-    }
-    l2ptr++;
-    X+=dim;
-  }
-  unsigned offset;
-
-  // FIXME: a hack, a very palpable hack: the vectors have already
-  // been inserted, and dbH->length has already been updated.  We
-  // need to subtract off again the number of vectors that we've
-  // inserted this time...
-  offset=(dbH->length/(dbH->dim*sizeof(double)))-n; // number of vectors
-  memcpy(l2normTable+offset, l2buf, n*sizeof(double));
-  if(l2buf)
-    delete[] l2buf;
-  VERB_LOG(2, " done.");
-}
 
 // This entry point is visited once per instance
 // so it is a good place to set any global state variables
@@ -858,172 +749,6 @@
  * Christophe Rhodes [e-mail]
  * Ian Knopke [e-mail], [e-mail] */
 
-  int audiodb_insert(adb_ptr mydb, adb_insert_ptr ins) {
-    const char *argv[15];
-    int argvctr=0;
-    int apierror=0;
-
-    argv[argvctr++]="audioDB";
-    argv[argvctr++]="-I";
-    argv[argvctr++]="-d";
-    argv[argvctr++]=mydb->path;
-    argv[argvctr++]="-f";
-    argv[argvctr++]=ins->features;
-
-    if (ins->times){
-        argv[argvctr++]="--times";
-        argv[argvctr++]=ins->times;
-    }
-
-    if (ins->power){
-        argv[argvctr++]="-w";
-        argv[argvctr++]=ins->power;
-    }
-
-    if (ins->key){
-        argv[argvctr++]="--key";
-        argv[argvctr++]=ins->key;
-    }
-    argv[argvctr]='\0';
-
-    audioDB::audioDB(argvctr,argv,&apierror,mydb);
-    return apierror;
-  }
-
-
-  int audiodb_batchinsert(adb_ptr mydb, adb_insert_ptr ins, unsigned int size) {
-
-    const char *argv[22];
-    int argvctr=0;
-    unsigned int i=0;
-    char tempfeaturename[]="tempfeatureXXXXXX";
-    char temppowername[]="temppowerXXXXXX";
-    char tempkeyname[]="tempkeyXXXXXX";
-    char temptimesname[]="temptimesXXXXXX";
-    int tempfeaturefd = -1;
-    int temppowerfd = -1;
-    int tempkeyfd = -1;
-    int temptimesfd = -1;
-
-    int flags[4]={0};
-    int apierror=0;
-
-    /*  So the final API should take an array of structs. However, the current 
-    *   version requires four separate text files. So temporarily, we need to
-    *   unpack the struct array, make four separate text files, and then reinsert
-    *   them into the command-line call. This should change as soon as possible */
-
-
-    argv[argvctr++]="audioDB";
-    argv[argvctr++]="-B";
-    argv[argvctr++]="-d";
-    argv[argvctr++]=mydb->path;
-
-
-    /* assume struct is well formed for all entries */
-    if (ins[0].features){ flags[0]++;} else {
-        /* short circuit the case where there are no features in the structs */
-        return -1;
-    } ;
-    if (ins[0].power){ flags[1]++;};
-    if (ins[0].key){ flags[2]++;};
-    if (ins[0].times){ flags[3]++;};
-
-
-    /* make four temp files */
-    if ((tempfeaturefd = mkstemp(tempfeaturename)) == -1)
-      goto error;
-    if ((temppowerfd = mkstemp(temppowername)) == -1)
-      goto error;
-    if ((tempkeyfd=mkstemp(tempkeyname)) == -1)
-      goto error;
-    if ((temptimesfd=mkstemp(temptimesname)) == -1)
-      goto error;
-
-    /* Ok, so we should have a working set of files to write to */ 
-    /* I'm going to assume that the same format is kept for all structs in the array */
-    /* That is, each struct should be correctly formed, and contain at least a features file, because I'm just going to pass the terms along to the text files */
-    for (i = 0; i < size; i++) {
-      if (write(tempfeaturefd,ins[i].features,strlen(ins[i].features)) != (ssize_t) strlen(ins[i].features))
-	goto error;
-      if (write(tempfeaturefd,"\n",1) != 1)
-	goto error;
-
-      if (flags[1]) {
-	if (write(temppowerfd,ins[i].power,strlen(ins[i].power)) != (ssize_t) strlen(ins[i].power))
-	  goto error;
-	if (write(temppowerfd,"\n",1) != 1)
-	  goto error;
-      }
-      if (flags[2]) {
-	if (write(tempkeyfd,ins[i].key,strlen(ins[i].key)) != (ssize_t) strlen(ins[i].key))
-	  goto error;
-	if (write(tempkeyfd,"\n",1) != 1)
-	  goto error;
-      }
-      if (flags[3]) {
-	if (write(temptimesfd,ins[i].times,strlen(ins[i].times)) != (ssize_t) strlen(ins[i].times))
-	  goto error;
-	if (write(temptimesfd,"\n",1) != 1)
-	  goto error;
-      }
-    }
-
-    argv[argvctr++]="-F";
-    argv[argvctr++]=tempfeaturename;
-    close(tempfeaturefd);
-    close(temppowerfd);
-    close(tempkeyfd);
-    close(temptimesfd);
-
-    if (flags[1]){
-        argv[argvctr++]="--powerList";
-        argv[argvctr++]=temppowername;
-    }
-
-    if (flags[2]){
-        argv[argvctr++]="--keyList";
-        argv[argvctr++]=tempkeyname;
-    }
-
-    if (flags[3]){
-        argv[argvctr++]="--timesList";
-        argv[argvctr++]=temptimesname;
-    }
-
-    argv[argvctr]='\0';
-
-    audioDB::audioDB(argvctr,argv,&apierror,mydb);
-
-    remove(tempfeaturename);
-    remove(temppowername);
-    remove(tempkeyname);
-    remove(temptimesname);
-
-
-    return apierror;
-
-  error:
-    if(tempfeaturefd != -1) {
-      close(tempfeaturefd);
-      remove(tempfeaturename);
-    }
-    if(temppowerfd != -1) {
-      close(temppowerfd);
-      remove(temppowername);
-    }
-    if(tempkeyfd != -1) {
-      close(tempkeyfd);
-      remove(tempkeyname);
-    }
-    if(temptimesfd != -1) {
-      close(temptimesfd);
-      remove(temptimesname);
-    }
-    return -1;
-  }
-
-
   int audiodb_query(adb_ptr mydb, adb_query_ptr adbq, adb_queryresult_ptr adbqr){
 
     const char *argv[32];

--- a/audioDB.h	Fri Dec 05 22:32:43 2008 +0000
+++ b/audioDB.h	Fri Dec 05 22:32:49 2008 +0000
@@ -324,6 +324,7 @@
   void initialize_arrays(int track, unsigned int numVectors, double *query, double *data_buffer, double **D, double **DD);
   void delete_arrays(int track, unsigned int numVectors, double **D, double **DD);
   void read_data(int trkfid, int track, double **data_buffer_p, size_t *data_buffer_size_p);
+  void insertTimeStamps(unsigned n, std::ifstream* timesFile, double* timesdata);
   void set_up_query(double **qp, double **vqp, double **qnp, double **vqnp, double **qpp, double **vqpp, double *mqdp, unsigned int *nvp);
   void set_up_query_from_key(double **qp, double **vqp, double **qnp, double **vqnp, double **qpp, double **vqpp, double *mqdp, unsigned *nvp, Uns32T queryIndex);
   void set_up_db(double **snp, double **vsnp, double **spp, double **vspp, double **mddp, unsigned int *dvp);
@@ -337,8 +338,6 @@
   void initTablesFromKey(const char* dbName, const Uns32T queryIndex);
   void unitNorm(double* X, unsigned d, unsigned n, double* qNorm);
   void unitNormAndInsertL2(double* X, unsigned dim, unsigned n);
-  void insertTimeStamps(unsigned n, std::ifstream* timesFile, double* timesdata);
-  void insertPowerData(unsigned n, int powerfd, double *powerdata);
   unsigned getKeyPos(char* key);
   void prefix_name(char** const name, const char* prefix);
 
@@ -347,7 +346,6 @@
   audioDB(const unsigned argc, const char *argv[], adb__queryResponse *adbQueryResponse);
   audioDB(const unsigned argc, const char *argv[], adb__statusResponse *adbStatusResponse);
   audioDB(const unsigned argc, const char *argv[], adb__lisztResponse *adbLisztResponse);
-  audioDB(const unsigned argc, const char *argv[], int * apierror, struct adb *a);
   audioDB(const unsigned argc, const char *argv[],adb__queryResponse *adbQueryResponse, int * apierror, struct adb *a);
 
 
@@ -359,7 +357,6 @@
   void create(const char* dbName);
   bool enough_per_file_space_free();
   void insert(const char* dbName, const char* inFile);
-  void insertDatum(const char *inFile, std::ifstream *timesFile, int powerfd, const char *key);
   void batchinsert(const char* dbName, const char* inFile);
   void batchinsert_large_adb(const char* dbName, const char* inFile);
   void query(const char* dbName, const char* inFile, adb__queryResponse *adbQueryResponse=0);
@@ -413,6 +410,7 @@
   void initialize_exact_evalutation_queue();
   void index_insert_exact_evaluation_queue(Uns32T trackID, Uns32T qpos, Uns32T spos);
   LSH* index_allocate(char* indexName, bool load_hashTables);
+  void insertPowerData(unsigned n, int powerfd, double *powerdata);
   void init_track_aux_data(Uns32T trackID, double* fvp, double** sNormpp,double** snPtrp, double** sPowerp, double** spPtrp);
   
   // Web Services

--- a/audioDB_API.h	Fri Dec 05 22:32:43 2008 +0000
+++ b/audioDB_API.h	Fri Dec 05 22:32:49 2008 +0000
@@ -33,12 +33,10 @@
 
 //used for both insert and batchinsert
 struct adbinsert {
-
-    char * features;
-    char * power;
-    char * key;
-    char * times;
-
+  const char *features;
+  const char *power;
+  const char *key;
+  const char *times;
 };
 typedef struct adbinsert adb_insert_t, *adb_insert_ptr;
 

--- a/index.cpp	Fri Dec 05 22:32:43 2008 +0000
+++ b/index.cpp	Fri Dec 05 22:32:49 2008 +0000
@@ -239,6 +239,28 @@
 }
 
 
+void audioDB::insertPowerData(unsigned numVectors, int powerfd, double *powerdata) {
+  if(usingPower){
+    int one;
+    unsigned int count;
+    
+    count = read(powerfd, &one, sizeof(unsigned int));
+    if (count != sizeof(unsigned int)) {
+      error("powerfd read failed", "int", "read");
+    }
+    if (one != 1) {
+      error("dimensionality of power file not 1", powerFileName);
+    }
+    
+    // FIXME: should check that the powerfile is the right size for
+    // this.  -- CSR, 2007-10-30
+    count = read(powerfd, powerdata, numVectors * sizeof(double));
+    if (count != numVectors * sizeof(double)) {
+      error("powerfd read failed", "double", "read");
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 // initialize auxillary track data from filesystem
 // pre-conditions:
 // dbH->flags & O2_FLAG_LARGE_ADB

--- a/insert.cpp	Fri Dec 05 22:32:43 2008 +0000
+++ b/insert.cpp	Fri Dec 05 22:32:49 2008 +0000
@@ -168,50 +168,125 @@
   return(dbH->numFiles < maxfiles);
 }
 
-void audioDB::insertDatum(const char *inFile, std::ifstream *timesFile, int powerfd, const char *key) {
+int audiodb_insert(adb_t *adb, adb_insert_t *insert) {
   adb_datum_t datum;
-  int fd;
-  struct stat statbuf;
+  int fd = 0;
+  FILE *file = NULL;
+  struct stat st;
   off_t size;
   int err;
-  
-  datum.times = 0;
-  datum.power = 0;
-  
-  if((fd = open(inFile, O_RDONLY)) == -1) {
-    error("failed to open input file", inFile);
+
+  datum.data = NULL;
+  datum.power = NULL;
+  datum.times = NULL;
+  if((fd = open(insert->features, O_RDONLY)) == -1) {
+    goto error;
   }
-  if(fstat(fd, &statbuf)) {
-    error("failed to stat input file", inFile);
+  if(fstat(fd, &st)) {
+    goto error;
   }
   read(fd, &(datum.dim), sizeof(uint32_t));
-  size = statbuf.st_size - sizeof(uint32_t);
+  size = st.st_size - sizeof(uint32_t);
   datum.nvectors = size / (sizeof(double) * datum.dim);
   datum.data = (double *) malloc(size);
   if(!datum.data) {
-    error("failed to allocate memory");
+    goto error;
   }
   read(fd, datum.data, size);
   close(fd);
-  if(timesFile) {
-    datum.times = (double *) malloc(sizeof(double) * datum.nvectors * 2);
+  fd = 0;
+  if(insert->power) {
+    int dim;
+    if((fd = open(insert->power, O_RDONLY)) == -1) {
+      goto error;
+    }
+    if(fstat(fd, &st)) {
+      goto error;
+    }
+    if((st.st_size - sizeof(uint32_t)) != (size / datum.dim)) {
+      goto error;
+    }
+    read(fd, &dim, sizeof(uint32_t));
+    if(dim != 1) {
+      goto error;
+    }
+    datum.power = (double *) malloc(size / datum.dim);
+    if(!datum.power) {
+      goto error;
+    }
+    read(fd, datum.power, size / datum.dim);
+    close(fd);
+  }
+  if(insert->times) {
+    double t, *tp;
+    if(!(file = fopen(insert->times, "r"))) {
+      goto error;
+    }
+    datum.times = (double *) malloc(2 * size / datum.dim);
     if(!datum.times) {
-      error("failed to allocate memory");
+      goto error;
     }
-    insertTimeStamps(datum.nvectors, timesFile, datum.times);
+    if(fscanf(file, " %lf", &t) != 1) {
+      goto error;
+    }
+    tp = datum.times;
+    *tp++ = t;
+    for(unsigned int n = 0; n < datum.nvectors - 1; n++) {
+      if(fscanf(file, " %lf", &t) != 1) {
+        goto error;
+      }
+      *tp++ = t;
+      *tp++ = t;
+    }
+    if(fscanf(file, " %lf", &t) != 1) {
+      goto error;
+    }
+    *tp = t;
+    fclose(file);
   }
-  if(powerfd) {
-    datum.power = (double *) malloc(sizeof(double) * datum.nvectors);
-    if(!datum.power) {
-      error("failed to allocate memory");
+  datum.key = insert->key ? insert->key : insert->features;
+  err = audiodb_insert_datum(adb, &datum);
+  free(datum.data);
+  if(datum.power) {
+    free(datum.power);
+  }
+  if(datum.times) {
+    free(datum.times);
+  }
+  if(err == 2) {
+    return 0;
+  }
+  else {
+    return err;
+  }
+
+ error:
+  if(fd > 0) {
+    close(fd);
+  }
+  if(file) {
+    fclose(file);
+  }
+  if(datum.data) {
+    free(datum.data);
+  }
+  if(datum.power) {
+    free(datum.power);
+  }
+  if(datum.times) {
+    free(datum.times);
+  }
+  return 1;
+}
+
+int audiodb_batchinsert(adb_t *adb, adb_insert_t *insert, unsigned int size) {
+  int err;
+  for(unsigned int n = 0; n < size; n++) {
+    if((err = audiodb_insert(adb, &(insert[n])))) {
+      return err;
     }
-    insertPowerData(datum.nvectors, powerfd, datum.power);
   }
-  datum.key = key ? key : inFile;
-  err = audiodb_insert_datum(adb, &datum);
-  if(err && (err != 2)) {
-    error("failed to insert data for file", inFile);
-  }
+  return 0;
 }
 
 void audioDB::insert(const char* dbName, const char* inFile) {
@@ -224,70 +299,20 @@
     
   } else {
     /* at this point, we have powerfd (an fd), timesFile (a
-     * std::ifstream *) and inFile (a char *).  Wacky, huh? */
-    insertDatum(inFile, timesFile, powerfd, key);
+     * std::ifstream *) and inFile (a char *).  Wacky, huh?  Ignore
+     * the wackiness and just use the names. */
+    adb_insert_t insert;
+    insert.features = inFile;
+    insert.times = timesFileName;
+    insert.power = powerFileName;
+    insert.key = key;
+    if(audiodb_insert(adb, &insert)) {
+      error("insertion failure", inFile);
+    }
   }
   status(dbName);
 }
 
-void audioDB::insertTimeStamps(unsigned numVectors, std::ifstream *timesFile, double *timesdata) {
-  assert(usingTimes);
-
-  unsigned numtimes = 0;
-
-  if(!timesFile->is_open()) {
-    error("problem opening times file on timestamped database", timesFileName);
-  }
-
-  double timepoint, next;
-  *timesFile >> timepoint;
-  if (timesFile->eof()) {
-    error("no entries in times file", timesFileName);
-  }
-  numtimes++;
-  do {
-    *timesFile >> next;
-    if (timesFile->eof()) {
-      break;
-    }
-    numtimes++;
-    timesdata[0] = timepoint;
-    timepoint = (timesdata[1] = next);
-    timesdata += 2;
-  } while (numtimes < numVectors + 1);
-
-  if (numtimes < numVectors + 1) {
-    error("too few timepoints in times file", timesFileName);
-  }
-
-  *timesFile >> next;
-  if (!timesFile->eof()) {
-    error("too many timepoints in times file", timesFileName);
-  }
-}
-
-void audioDB::insertPowerData(unsigned numVectors, int powerfd, double *powerdata) {
-  if(usingPower){
-    int one;
-    unsigned int count;
-    
-    count = read(powerfd, &one, sizeof(unsigned int));
-    if (count != sizeof(unsigned int)) {
-      error("powerfd read failed", "int", "read");
-    }
-    if (one != 1) {
-      error("dimensionality of power file not 1", powerFileName);
-    }
-    
-    // FIXME: should check that the powerfile is the right size for
-    // this.  -- CSR, 2007-10-30
-    count = read(powerfd, powerdata, numVectors * sizeof(double));
-    if (count != numVectors * sizeof(double)) {
-      error("powerfd read failed", "double", "read");
-    }
-  }
-}
-
 void audioDB::batchinsert(const char* dbName, const char* inFile) {
   forWrite = true;
   initDBHeader(dbName);
@@ -302,8 +327,6 @@
     key=inFile;
   std::ifstream *filesIn = 0;
   std::ifstream *keysIn = 0;
-  std::ifstream* thisTimesFile = 0;
-  int thispowerfd = 0;
 
   if(!(filesIn = new std::ifstream(inFile)))
     error("Could not open batch in file", inFile);
@@ -341,22 +364,20 @@
       if(timesFile->eof()) {
         error("not enough timestamp files in timesList", timesFileName);
       }
-      thisTimesFile = new std::ifstream(thisTimesFileName,std::ios::in);
     }
     if (usingPower) {
       if(powerFile->eof()) {
         error("not enough power files in powerList", powerFileName);
       }
-      thispowerfd = open(thisPowerFileName, O_RDONLY);
-      if (thispowerfd < 0) {
-        error("failed to open power file", thisPowerFileName);
-      }
     }
-    insertDatum(thisFile, thisTimesFile, thispowerfd, thisKey);
-    if(thisTimesFile)
-      delete thisTimesFile;
-    if(thispowerfd)
-      close(thispowerfd);
+    adb_insert_t insert;
+    insert.features = thisFile;
+    insert.times = usingTimes ? thisTimesFileName : NULL;
+    insert.power = usingPower ? thisPowerFileName : NULL;
+    insert.key = thisKey;
+    if(audiodb_insert(adb, &insert)) {
+      error("insertion failure", thisFile);
+    }
   } while(!filesIn->eof());
 
   VERB_LOG(0, "%s %s %u vectors %ju bytes.\n", COM_BATCHINSERT, dbName, totalVectors, (intmax_t) (totalVectors * dbH->dim * sizeof(double)));

--- a/query.cpp	Fri Dec 05 22:32:43 2008 +0000
+++ b/query.cpp	Fri Dec 05 22:32:49 2008 +0000
@@ -242,6 +242,42 @@
   CHECKED_READ(trkfid, *data_buffer_p, trackTable[track] * sizeof(double) * dbH->dim);
 }
 
+void audioDB::insertTimeStamps(unsigned numVectors, std::ifstream *timesFile, double *timesdata) {
+  assert(usingTimes);
+
+  unsigned numtimes = 0;
+
+  if(!timesFile->is_open()) {
+    error("problem opening times file on timestamped database", timesFileName);
+  }
+
+  double timepoint, next;
+  *timesFile >> timepoint;
+  if (timesFile->eof()) {
+    error("no entries in times file", timesFileName);
+  }
+  numtimes++;
+  do {
+    *timesFile >> next;
+    if (timesFile->eof()) {
+      break;
+    }
+    numtimes++;
+    timesdata[0] = timepoint;
+    timepoint = (timesdata[1] = next);
+    timesdata += 2;
+  } while (numtimes < numVectors + 1);
+
+  if (numtimes < numVectors + 1) {
+    error("too few timepoints in times file", timesFileName);
+  }
+
+  *timesFile >> next;
+  if (!timesFile->eof()) {
+    error("too many timepoints in times file", timesFileName);
+  }
+}
+
 // These names deserve some unpicking.  The names starting with a "q"
 // are pointers to the query, norm and power vectors; the names
 // starting with "v" are things that will end up pointing to the