.gitea/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ jobs:
           # (clawhdf5-tools) interop tests compare against.
           apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends python3 python3-venv cmake hdf5-tools
           python3 -m venv /opt/interop
-          /opt/interop/bin/pip install --no-cache-dir h5py numpy netCDF4 xarray hdf5plugin
+          # maturin + pytest: ci-test.sh builds the Python package
+          # (crates/clawhdf5-py) and runs its tests against h5py.
+          /opt/interop/bin/pip install --no-cache-dir h5py numpy netCDF4 xarray hdf5plugin maturin pytest
           echo "/opt/interop/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
       - name: Show interop library versions
         # h5dump's version too: the h5rs dump test requires its exact output

.gitignore

@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@ benchmarks/longmemeval/*.json
 # Local model weights (MiniLM etc.) — large, not committed
 weights/
 .venv
+__pycache__/
+.pytest_cache/

BENCHMARKS.md

@@ -484,7 +484,52 @@ explain the slower windows.
 
 ## Concurrent reads
 
-### Results (2026-09-26, tank)
+### Results after the read fixes (2026-09-26, tank, `408f69e`)
+
+Same machine, files and commands as the first run below, re-run on an idle
+tank (load average 1.60 at the start; the 1-minute figure rose to about 5
+during the clawhdf5 runs, mostly their own threads) after two fixes:
+contiguous reads back their output with transparent huge pages and copy
+hyperslabs run by run, and full chunked reads no longer queue behind a
+one-thread rayon pool. h5py was re-run in the same session.
+
+Each read decoding on its calling thread (`--decode-threads 1`, like h5py):
+
+| layout | mode | threads | clawhdf5 MB/s (eff) | h5py threads MB/s (eff) | h5py processes MB/s (eff) |
+|---|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|
+| deflate | distinct | 1 | 606 (1.00) | 432 (1.00) | 421 (1.00) |
+| deflate | distinct | 4 | 1816 (0.75) | 428 (0.25) | 1654 (0.98) |
+| deflate | distinct | 8 | 2943 (0.61) | 428 (0.12) | 3042 (0.90) |
+| deflate | distinct | 16 | 2142 (0.22) | 375 (0.05) | 3083 (0.46) |
+| deflate | same | 1 | 154 (1.00) | 130 (1.00) | 129 (1.00) |
+| deflate | same | 4 | 599 (0.98) | 129 (0.25) | 499 (0.97) |
+| deflate | same | 16 | 1592 (0.65) | 128 (0.06) | 1399 (0.68) |
+| contiguous | distinct | 1 | 13665 (1.00) | 9490 (1.00) | 8781 (1.00) |
+| contiguous | distinct | 16 | 12674 (0.06) | 2285 (0.02) | 6942 (0.05) |
+| contiguous | same | 1 | 31991 (1.00) | 5087 (1.00) | 5078 (1.00) |
+| contiguous | same | 16 | 237151 (0.46) | 4304 (0.05) | 35772 (0.44) |
+
+With the default rayon pool: deflate `distinct` 2117 MB/s at 1 thread (4.9x
+h5py), 3163 at 4, 2341 at 16 (0.76x h5py processes); deflate `same` 1439 MB/s
+at 16; contiguous as above within a few percent.
+
+Before -> after for clawhdf5 (`--decode-threads 1` unless noted):
+contiguous full read at 1 thread 2495 -> 13665 MB/s (0.25x -> 1.44x h5py);
+contiguous 256 x 256 hyperslabs at 1 thread 624 -> 31991 MB/s (0.12x ->
+6.3x); deflate full reads at 8 threads 887 -> 2943 MB/s; deflate
+hyperslabs at 16 threads 1244 -> 1592 MB/s.
+
+Read with care:
+- `contiguous same` reads 1024 slabs of one 64 MiB dataset over and over, so
+  it mostly measures copies out of the CPU's caches (the 7800X3D has 96 MiB
+  of L3); the per-call overhead is what differs (h5py's is about 50 us).
+- At 16 threads every tool dropped in this run (h5py threads on contiguous
+  data from 8002 to 2285 MB/s, processes from 12846 to 6942), so the
+  16-thread rows are noisier than the others.
+- Still behind: full reads of chunked data at 16 threads (0.69x-0.76x h5py
+  processes). See `docs/known-issues.md`.
+
+### First run, before the read fixes (2026-09-26, tank, `91644d8`)
 
 Measured on tank (AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, 8 cores / 16 threads, 61 GiB, Linux
 7.0) at commit `91644d8`, load average 1.84 when the run started (the
@@ -528,7 +573,11 @@ What this shows:
     (about 880 MB/s) while h5py processes reach 4424 MB/s. Hyperslab
     reads, which bypass the `File`'s chunk cache, keep scaling, so the
     cache (one mutex and one 16 MiB budget per `File`, thrashed by 64 MiB
-    datasets) is the suspect.
+    datasets) is the suspect. The cause of the `--decode-threads 1`
+    ceiling was not the cache: every full read queued its chunks for the
+    pool's single rayon worker. That case was fixed after these
+    measurements (2026-09-26, not yet re-measured here). With the default
+    pool the gap to h5py processes remains (see `docs/known-issues.md`).
   - *Contiguous reads are slow*: 2.5 GB/s for a single-threaded full read
     against h5py's 9.8 GB/s (0.25x), and 0.12x for 256 x 256 hyperslabs.
     Threads close the gap (about 1.0x h5py at 16), but single-thread

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -2,6 +2,347 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+### Concurrent reads (2026-09-26)
+- **Full reads of chunked datasets scale with threads again when rayon's
+  pool has one thread.** Each full read handed its chunks to rayon to
+  decode; with a one-thread pool (`RAYON_NUM_THREADS=1`, or
+  `concurrent_read --decode-threads 1`) every thread reading through a
+  `File` queued behind that single worker, so N readers decoded on one core
+  and throughput stopped at about 2x one thread. Such reads, and
+  `verify_provenance`'s uncached reader, now decode on the calling thread
+  (`clawhdf5_format::parallel_read::pool_can_parallelise`). The `File`'s
+  chunk cache, the suspect in `docs/known-issues.md`, was not the cause:
+  reads of datasets larger than its budget already skipped inserting, and
+  its lookups cost a few percent at 16 threads. Throughput with the default
+  pool is unchanged, and still short of an h5py process pool.
+
+### Contiguous read speed (2026-09-26)
+- **Large read buffers are backed by transparent huge pages.** A full read
+  of a contiguous dataset was one `memcpy` from the mapped file, yet ran at
+  a quarter of h5py's speed on one thread: the fresh output `Vec` took a
+  page fault (and a kernel page clear) for every 4 KiB page it was written
+  to, 16384 of them for 64 MiB, and those cost several times the copy.
+  numpy, and so h5py, asks for transparent huge pages on every allocation of
+  4 MiB or more; clawhdf5-format's read buffers now do too
+  (`madvise(MADV_HUGEPAGE)` on Linux, `libc` added as a Linux-only
+  dependency; a no-op elsewhere or when THP is disabled). It applies to the
+  typed readers' output (`read_f32`, `read_f64`, `read_i32`, `read_i64`,
+  `read_u64`, both byte orders), the raw contiguous read and the chunk
+  assembly buffer. Values are unchanged; new h5py comparison
+  `crates/clawhdf5/tests/contiguous_read_interop.rs` covers every 1-8-byte
+  integer and float type in both byte orders, ranks 1-4, and datasets past
+  the 4 MiB threshold.
+- **Hyperslab and point reads of contiguous data copy runs, not elements.**
+  A 256 x 256 hyperslab of a contiguous `f32` dataset read at an eighth of
+  h5py's speed: the selection's bounding box was copied out of the file,
+  then walked element by element (a recursive call and two bounds checks per
+  element) into a second buffer, which `read_f32_selection` converted into
+  a third. Selections of contiguous data are now copied straight from the
+  file, one `memcpy` per run of elements that is contiguous in the file
+  (a block along the last dimension, blocks that touch, and whole rows when
+  the inner dimensions are selected in full, merged), with no zero-filled
+  intermediate; a selection covering most of the dataset no longer makes a
+  full copy first. The typed selection readers (`read_f32_selection`,
+  `read_f64_selection`, `read_i32_selection`, `read_i64_selection`) copy
+  directly into their output when the dataset stores that type natively,
+  and convert as before otherwise (big-endian, other widths). The chunked
+  paths use the same run-based extraction. New public
+  `clawhdf5_format::data_read::read_selection_native` and the sealed
+  `NativeElement` trait (also used by the `read_as_*` fast paths, which
+  gained one for native `u64`). Values are unchanged: checked against h5py
+  by `contiguous_read_interop.rs` (strided, blocked, adjacent-block and
+  whole-row hyperslabs, points, empty selections; every type, both byte
+  orders, ranks 1-4).
+
+### Variable-length data (2026-09-26)
+- **VL values in files with 4-byte offsets** (`sizeof_addr = 4`). A VL
+  string attribute came back as `AttrValue::Raw`, a VL member of a compound
+  failed with `GlobalHeapObjectNotFound`, and VL datasets failed with a
+  size mismatch. Two causes: `Datatype::type_size()` reported 16 for every
+  VL type (the element is 4 + offset size + 4 bytes: 12 here), and the
+  global heap was parsed without the padding libhdf5 puts after its
+  collection and object headers (`H5HG_SIZEOF_HDR`/`H5HG_SIZEOF_OBJHDR`
+  round up to 8), so with 4-byte lengths every object was looked up 4
+  bytes early. `Datatype::VariableLength` now carries the element `size`
+  stored in the datatype message (**breaking** for code that builds or
+  exhaustively destructures that variant; patterns with `..` are
+  unaffected), and it is written back as stored. Tested against h5py
+  (`crates/clawhdf5/tests/vl_offset4_interop.rs`).
+- **Wrong data: VL strings with an embedded NUL, and VL elements whose heap
+  object has the wrong size.** libhdf5 hands VL strings over as C strings,
+  so h5py reads `"a\0b"` as `"a"`; `read_vl_strings` returned the NUL and
+  what followed. An element whose heap object is not exactly
+  `length × base size` bytes is refused by libhdf5 ("Expected global heap
+  object size does not match"); we returned the object cut or padded to
+  the length. Both now behave as libhdf5, and a heap address of 0 is a null
+  element (empty) whatever its length. The new
+  `clawhdf5_format::vl_data::VlResolver` does this and parses each global
+  heap collection once per read: `read_vl_strings` parsed the whole
+  collection again for every element. `vl_data::check_element_size` refuses
+  a VL datatype whose stored size is not 4 + offset size + 4 (libhdf5
+  ignores the stored size). The conformance probe resolves VL elements
+  with `VlResolver` too; conformance unchanged at 575 of 697.
+- **VL data through the facade.** VL-string datasets (h5py's default `str`
+  dtype) failed `read_string` with "type mismatch: expected String, got
+  VariableLength". `Dataset::read_string` now reads fixed- and
+  variable-length strings; new `read_string_bytes` (a VL string's exact
+  bytes, as h5py's `Dataset[()]` returns them), `read_string_selection`,
+  `read_vlen::<T>()` / `read_vlen_selection::<T>()` for VL sequences of
+  numbers (`T` = `f64`, `f32`, `i64`, `i32`, `u64`; converted like the
+  other typed readers), and `File::decode_strings` / `decode_string_bytes`
+  / `decode_vlen` for VL values in compound fields and `AttrValue::Raw`
+  attributes. `MmapDataset` and `LazyDataset` gain `read_string` for VL
+  strings, `read_string_bytes` and `read_vlen`. Checked against h5py with
+  8- and 4-byte offsets: scalar and 1-/2-D, ASCII and UTF-8, empty strings,
+  contiguous, compact, chunked with gzip/shuffle, never-written and
+  partly written chunks, hyperslab selections, VL members of compound
+  datasets and attributes (`crates/clawhdf5/tests/vl_data_interop.rs`).
+  NetCDF-4 `string` variables now read through
+  `clawhdf5_netcdf4::Variable::read_string` (checked against netCDF4-python
+  in `crates/clawhdf5-netcdf4/tests/interop_tests.rs`).
+
+- **Crafted global heaps could exhaust memory.** `VlResolver` kept an owned
+  copy of every object of every heap collection it read, so collections
+  nested inside each other's object data made a 744 KB file take 1.58 GB
+  (and `read_vl_strings` before it did the same). The cache now records
+  where objects lie instead of copying them, is dropped past a 32 MiB
+  budget, and a collection overlapping one already read is an error
+  (libhdf5 never writes one). New `GlobalHeapCollection::parse_index`
+  locates a collection's objects without copying them; `parse` and
+  `parse_index` refuse a collection running past the end of the file or an
+  object running past its collection. Conformance unchanged at 575 of 697
+  (`crates/clawhdf5-format/tests/vl_heap_bounds.rs`).
+
+- **Every reader resolves VL data the same way.** `h5rs` (`dump`, `ls`,
+  `diff`, `check --data`) had its own lenient VL decoder: a heap object
+  longer than the element's length was cut to it (h5py refuses it), a null
+  string printed `""` where h5dump prints `NULL`, the stored element size
+  was trusted, and each heap collection was kept as a copy for the whole
+  run. It now resolves through `VlResolver`, so `dump` matches h5dump byte
+  for byte on VL strings (`"a\0b"` as `"a"`, null as `NULL`), VL sequences
+  and 4-byte-offset files, `dump --json` gives h5py's values, and
+  `check --data` reports any heap object whose size is not exactly the
+  element's length × base size. `clawhdf5-wasm` already resolved VL strings
+  with `read_vl_strings`; it now uses `VlResolver` and refuses a VL type
+  whose stored element size disagrees with the file, as `File` does
+  (`crates/clawhdf5-tools/tests/h5rs_interop.rs`,
+  `crates/clawhdf5-wasm/tests/vl_strings.rs`). New
+  `VlResolver::element` / `string_element` resolve one element in place.
+
+- **A VL element at the undefined heap address is an error**, as in
+  libhdf5 ("addr undefined"). One of length 0 read as `""` in every reader
+  (`File`, `h5rs`, `clawhdf5-wasm`, `read_vl_strings`, `read_vl_bytes`).
+  libhdf5 writes a null element with heap address 0, which still reads as
+  empty, and h5py writes `""` as a zero-size heap object at a real address,
+  so no file libhdf5 or h5py writes is affected
+  (`a_vl_element_at_the_undefined_heap_address_fails_like_h5py` in
+  `crates/clawhdf5/tests/vl_data_interop.rs`). `read_vl_bytes` now also
+  treats address 0 as null whatever the length, as `VlResolver` does.
+
+### Writer: groups and links (2026-09-26)
+- **Nested groups, to any depth.** `FileWriter`/`FileBuilder` wrote the root
+  group plus one level, and refused path-like names. Now a name may be a path
+  (`create_dataset("a/b/x")`, `create_group("a/b")`, a leading `/` at the
+  root) and missing intermediate groups are created, as h5py does; groups
+  also nest through the new `GroupBuilder::create_group`/`add_group`. A group
+  added at a path that already holds a group is merged into it (h5py's
+  `require_group`); a name used twice otherwise, an empty or `"."`
+  component (`"a//b"`, `"a/"`) or an absolute path below the root is an
+  error. Datasets, attributes, dense attribute storage and dense link
+  storage work at every level.
+- **Soft, hard and external links at any depth:** `add_soft_link(name,
+  target)` (h5py's `SoftLink`; the target may dangle),
+  `add_hard_link(name, target)` (h5py's `f[name] = f[target]`; the target
+  path is resolved when the file is written, may go through other hard
+  links, and a missing target, a soft link on the way or a cycle of
+  hard-link paths is an error) and `add_external_link`, on `FileWriter`,
+  `FileBuilder` and `GroupBuilder`. An object with several hard links gets
+  an Object Reference Count message, so libhdf5 can delete one of the links
+  without freeing the object.
+- **Link creation order:** `track_order(true)` on a `GroupBuilder`, or on
+  `FileWriter`/`FileBuilder` for every group that does not set its own,
+  tracks and indexes link creation order (h5py's `track_order=True`): the
+  Link Info message carries the flags, each link its order, and a dense
+  group a creation-order B-tree (type 6). h5py then lists members in
+  insertion order. Attribute creation order is not tracked.
+- A group holds at most 65 535 links (its link index is one B-tree leaf),
+  and in a group of more than 8 links (dense storage) each link message
+  must be at most 65 515 bytes (one fractal heap block; huge heap objects
+  are not written); more is an error. Measured at the limit: 65 535 links
+  with 100-byte names (a 7 MB heap) read in h5py, h5dump and clawhdf5, and
+  h5py can add to the group. `GroupBuilder`'s fields changed (they were
+  crate-private); `FinishedGroup` is unchanged for callers.
+- Files that use one level of groups and no new link kinds are laid out as
+  before: byte-identical to the writer with the Group Info fix below
+  (compared on simple, mixed dense/chunked/compact/external-link and paged
+  files). Tests: h5py and clawhdf5 read the same
+  tree (every path, attribute and value) from a 5-level file; soft, hard,
+  external and cyclic hard links; 10 000, 20 000 and 65 535 links in one
+  group, with and without creation order; libhdf5 adding and deleting links
+  in our groups;
+  `h5rs check` passes and `h5rs dump` equals h5dump
+  (`crates/clawhdf5/tests/writer_groups_interop.rs`,
+  `crates/clawhdf5-tools/tests/h5rs_interop.rs`).
+- **Big dense groups and attribute sets were unreadable.** The fractal heap
+  holding dense links or attributes wrote every doubling-table row as
+  direct blocks, but past the 512 KiB the root's direct blocks hold, rows
+  are child indirect blocks, and libhdf5 and `h5rs check` read them as
+  such: a group with 20 000 links of 20-byte names was written without
+  error and h5py could not list it ("incorrect metadata checksum"); 150
+  dense attributes of up to 56 KB could not be opened. This was in 2.7.0
+  too. The heap writer now writes child indirect blocks, nested as deep as
+  needed. Found on the way: an object bigger than the next block's space
+  was cut off (it now goes in the first block big enough), and h5py adding
+  a link to a heap over 64 KiB overwrote its first block (the header's
+  next-block offset was 0).
+- **h5py crashed adding a link to a group of more than about 47 700
+  links** (35 000 with creation order tracked). The link index leaf's node size gave libhdf5 room for more than
+  65 535 records, which overflows the leaf's 2-byte count. The node is now
+  capped at 65 535 records. Dense attributes use the same index builder:
+  more than 65 535 on one object used to be written with the count modulo
+  65 536, and are now an error.
+- **A dense link or attribute message over 65 515 bytes** (e.g. a soft link
+  with a long target in a group of more than 8 links) was written cut off,
+  and libhdf5 could not list the group ("object overruns end of direct
+  block"). It is now an error.
+- **Chained hard links took exponential time to resolve.** A hard-link
+  target going through other hard links resolved them again on every path
+  through them: 26 links whose targets each named the previous one twice
+  took 46 s. Each hard link is now resolved once, and a cycle is reported
+  by the link's name.
+- **A dataset attribute set twice read back as its first value**, as for
+  groups below (h5py listed the name twice). The later value now replaces
+  the earlier one; a hand-set attribute named like a provenance attribute
+  is replaced by the computed one.
+- **A group attribute set twice read back as its first value.** Setting a
+  group (or root) attribute again wrote a second attribute message with the
+  same name, and h5py returned the first value. The later value now replaces
+  the earlier one, as `attrs[name] = v` does in h5py — also when a group is
+  merged from two builders.
+- **Non-ASCII link names were marked ASCII.** A group or dataset name such as
+  `größe` was written with the ASCII character set flag (h5py reported
+  `cset` 0 for it); it is now flagged UTF-8, as h5py writes it.
+- **libhdf5 could not add links to groups we wrote.** h5py in `"r+"` mode
+  failed with "Unable to create link (message type not found)" on every
+  group `FileWriter` wrote: libhdf5 reads a group's Group Info message before
+  inserting a link, and none was written. Every group now carries one
+  (version 0, default thresholds: 6 more bytes per group header, so files
+  are not byte-identical to earlier versions). Regression test:
+  `crates/clawhdf5/tests/writer_groups_interop.rs`.
+
+### Python bindings (2026-09-26)
+- **Panic: selections of v4 implicit-index chunked datasets** (pre-existing,
+  facade `Dataset::read_selection`, Rust callers too). A hyperslab whose
+  bounding box covered more than half of a chunked dataset with the implicit
+  index (`libver='latest'`, early allocation, no filters) panicked with
+  "index out of bounds" in `generate_implicit_chunks`: the fallback in
+  `data_read::read_raw_data_selection` passed the layout's chunk dimensions,
+  element-size dimension included, and then decoded the whole dataset
+  anyway. That arm now decodes and extracts directly, for every chunk index.
+  `crates/clawhdf5/tests/v4_chunk_index_selection.rs` reads small and large
+  hyperslabs of all five v4 indexes (single chunk, implicit, fixed array,
+  extensible array, B-tree v2) and compares them with h5py; it panicked
+  before. The Python bindings made this easy to reach (`ds[0:3]` on
+  libhdf5's `h5fc_ext*.h5` test files).
+- **`pip install` / `maturin develop` now gives `import clawhdf5`.** The
+  distribution in `crates/clawhdf5-py/pyproject.toml` was still called
+  `rustyhdf5` while the extension module was `clawhdf5`, and the package's
+  tests imported `rustyhdf5`, so they failed at collection. Distribution,
+  module and tests now all say `clawhdf5`, and the module has
+  `__version__`.
+- **h5py-style reads that read the selection, not the dataset.** `ds[...]`
+  used to read the whole dataset and slice it in numpy, and knew six
+  dtypes. Now
+  integers (negative from the end), slices with positive steps, `...`, one
+  increasing list of integers per key and compound field names map onto the
+  facade's hyperslab selection (a list is read one group of neighbouring
+  chunks at a time and picked from in memory), with h5py's results (numpy scalar for an all-integer
+  key, 0-d array for `scalar[...]`) and h5py's errors for everything else
+  (negative steps, `None`, boolean masks, out-of-range indices).
+  `Dataset.dtype` is the numpy dtype h5py reports, for every integer and
+  IEEE float width (incl. `float16`) in either byte order, `bool`, enums
+  (base integer with `metadata['enum']`), complex (`r`/`i` compounds),
+  fixed strings (`S<n>`), variable-length strings (`object` of `bytes`, as
+  h5py), variable-length sequences (`object` of arrays), opaque (`V<n>`),
+  HDF5 array types and compounds (numpy structured, offsets and padding
+  kept, nested). The bytes the library returns become the numpy array's
+  buffer without a copy. Types the mapping cannot describe exactly
+  (references, bitfields, time, non-IEEE floats, integers with padding
+  bits, variable-length members inside compounds) raise `TypeError` rather
+  than return guessed data. Attributes come back as h5py returns them
+  (numpy scalars and arrays with the stored dtype, `str` for
+  variable-length strings, `numpy.bytes_` for fixed ones — **a change**:
+  string attributes written by this package are fixed-length and used to
+  come back as `str` — and `clawhdf5.Empty` for a null dataspace, which
+  datasets return too). `Group`/`File` gain `get`, `values`, `items`,
+  iteration, `len`, `name`, absolute and relative paths (`g['/a/b']`,
+  `g['c/d']`, `f['/']`); `Dataset` gains `ndim`, `size`, `maxshape`,
+  `name`, `len()` and `numpy.asarray(ds)`. File access and decoding run
+  with the GIL released, so Python threads read in parallel.
+  `crates/clawhdf5-py/tests/test_read_vs_h5py.py` compares every read with
+  h5py 3.16 (HDF5 2.0) on a file h5py writes. One difference is h5py's:
+  it returns variable-length sequences of big-endian floats unswapped; this
+  package returns the stored values.
+- **A panic in the library is an ordinary Python exception.** PyO3 turns a
+  Rust panic into `PanicException`, a `BaseException` that `except
+  Exception` does not catch. Every call from the bindings into the library
+  is now guarded and a panic becomes `clawhdf5.InternalError` (a
+  `RuntimeError`) naming the object; with the implicit-index panic above
+  restored, `ds[0:30]` raises it.
+- **Wrong data: uninitialised padding in compound results of index lists.**
+  `ds[[0, 3, 6]]` joined one read per run with `np.concatenate`, which
+  copies structured dtypes field by field into an `np.empty` result, so the
+  padding bytes held whatever was in memory (pointers were seen) and leaked
+  through `tobytes()`, hashes and write-backs. The runs' bytes are now joined
+  in Rust, whole elements at a time, so the result carries the bytes read
+  from the file (h5py's, zero for files it wrote) and stays zero-copy.
+  The h5py comparisons now also compare every byte of structured values
+  (`test_compound_padding_bytes_match_h5py` and `assert_same`).
+- **Index lists no longer decode the same chunks once per run.** A list
+  index was one uncached hyperslab read per run of consecutive indices, so
+  on a chunked, compressed dataset every run decoded its chunk again:
+  `d[list(range(0, 200000, 40))]` over 20 gzip chunks took 8 s (h5py:
+  0.014 s). The list is now read in groups — for a chunked dataset a group
+  ends only where a whole chunk holds no selected index, so each chunk is
+  decoded once; otherwise at a gap of more than 64 KiB — and the selected
+  rows are picked from each group in Rust. The same read now takes 3.8 ms
+  (h5py 4.1 ms; release build on tank, best of 5).
+  `test_a_long_index_list_decodes_each_chunk_once` compares 1-D, 2-D and
+  contiguous cases with h5py under a 2 s bound (5.8 s before, debug build).
+- **Groups and datasets remember where they are.** Every `ds[...]`, and
+  every `g[k]`, resolved its path from the root again (two or three times
+  per open), and in a large group each resolution scans the group's links,
+  so visiting a group was quadratic: 4000 scalar datasets in one group took
+  39 s (`libver='earliest'`) and 131 s (`'latest'`) to list, read and
+  re-read in `test_big_groups_are_not_quadratic`; now 0.3 s each (debug
+  build). A `Dataset` keeps its object's address, and a `Group` (and the
+  file's root) its address and, once listed, its link table. New facade
+  API: `File::dataset_at(address)` opens a dataset without resolving a
+  path. libhdf5's `h5stat_newgrat.h5` (35001 members in the root): listing
+  takes 0.03 s and 2000 opens 1 ms (h5py: 0.022 s).
+- **`ds[np.array(1)]` is an integer index**, as in h5py; a 0-d integer
+  array went down the index-list path and raised a confusing `TypeError`.
+  The h5py comparison keys now include 0-d arrays on every axis.
+- **Tests that would notice a held GIL, and our extra errors.**
+  `test_reads_release_the_gil` times a Python thread spinning while another
+  reads: with the read made to hold the GIL it stalls for the whole read
+  (0.062 s of a 0.064 s read) and the test fails; released, its longest
+  stall is about 3 ms. (The existing threads test only checked values.)
+  `test_errors_match_h5py` now also requires that every key h5py reads
+  reads here too, with the same result, and covers more keys (0-d arrays,
+  repeated and empty lists, `()`, `...`).
+- **Docs say when a selection reads more than itself.** The README and
+  the package README said `ds[...]` reads only the selected elements,
+  without condition. The library decodes the whole dataset when the
+  selection's bounding box covers more than half of it, and for compact,
+  virtual, unwritten and non-default-fill chunked datasets; the READMEs,
+  the facade's `read_selection` docs and `docs/known-issues.md` now say so.
+- **CI builds and tests the Python package.** It was excluded from CI.
+  `scripts/ci-test.sh` now lints `clawhdf5-py`, builds the wheel with
+  maturin, unpacks it under `target/` and runs the pytest suite; skipped
+  without maturin/pytest in `$CLAWHDF5_PYTHON`, a failure then under
+  `CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1`. The CI interop venv installs both.
+
 ### Plugin filters (2026-09-26)
 - **LZF, bitshuffle, bzip2 and Blosc read and write, in pure Rust.** Files
   written by h5py with `compression="lzf"`, or with hdf5plugin's
@@ -205,10 +546,10 @@
     printed with its address; exit 1 when there are any. libhdf5's h5check
     reads only the 1.8 format. On the conformance corpus it passes all 418
     files that both clawhdf5 and h5py read in full, and `check --data` flags
-    134 of the 150 CVE and fuzzer files of the `cve_hdf5` corpus (tank,
+    135 of the 150 CVE and fuzzer files of the `cve_hdf5` corpus (tank,
     2026-09-26). `--data` also follows variable-length data into its global
     heap collections and reports a damaged one at its address. It inherits
-    the library's tolerance, though: 9 of the 16 it passes are files h5dump
+    the library's tolerance, though: 8 of the 15 it passes are files h5dump
     1.14.6 rejects (see `docs/known-issues.md`, header checks).
   - Values over `--max-bytes` (default 1 GiB) are reported instead of read;
     a panic is caught and reported as an internal error (exit 3).

CONFORMANCE.md

@@ -13,15 +13,15 @@ fatal. This file is generated by `conformance/run.sh`; do not edit it by hand.
 
 | | |
 |---|---|
-| date | 2026-09-26 06:50 UTC |
+| date | 2026-09-26 14:18 UTC |
-| clawhdf5 commit | `72306c601399748616bc9d061be2ebc4c1bea9e0` |
+| clawhdf5 commit | `73a01f1256fb9bf1b1e7601f755af9e8273cec4e` |
 | machine | `tank`: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 8-Core Processor, 16 CPUs, 61 GiB, Linux 7.0.0-34-generic x86_64 |
 | command | `conformance/run.sh --no-fetch --update-baseline` |
 | rustc | rustc 1.98.1 (48a229cea 2026-09-01) |
 | reference | h5py 3.16.0, HDF5 2.0.0, numpy 2.5.3, hdf5plugin 7.1.0, Python 3.14.4 |
 | h5dump | Version 1.14.6 (CVE corpus only) |
 | limits | 20 s timeout (SIGKILL), 4096 MiB address space, per process; 16 files in parallel |
-| runtime | 22 s probing + comparing (0 s fetch/build before it) |
+| runtime | 23 s probing + comparing (0 s fetch/build before it) |
 
 ## Results
 
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ columns are.
 | cvefiles/cve-2024-32606.h5 | error exit | read 2 obj, 1 errors | read 2 obj, 1 errors | ok |
 | cvefiles/cve-2024-32607-1.h5 | ok | read 10 obj | read 10 obj | ok |
 | cvefiles/cve-2024-32607-2.h5 | error exit | read 9 obj, 1 errors | read 9 obj, 1 errors | ok |
-| cvefiles/cve-2024-32608.h5 | error exit | read 6 obj, 1 errors | read 6 obj | ok |
+| cvefiles/cve-2024-32608.h5 | error exit | read 6 obj, 1 errors | read 6 obj, 1 errors | ok |
 | cvefiles/cve-2024-32609.h5 | error exit | SIGSEGV | read 3 obj, 1 errors | h5py-cannot-read |
 | cvefiles/cve-2024-32610.h5 | error exit | read 2 obj, 1 errors | read 2 obj, 1 errors | ok |
 | cvefiles/cve-2024-32611.h5 | ok | read 6 obj | read 6 obj | ok |

README.md

@@ -73,8 +73,9 @@ breaking change, are in [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md).
 - Default fusion weights are now the measured 0.4 / 0.6 (v2.5.0). Re-ranking had
   been discarding the retrieval score, costing the Markdown backend 40.6pp of
   Hit@1; fixed in v2.6.0.
-- Selection reads decode only the chunks they touch (a 64×64 window: 105 ms to
+- Selection reads whose bounding box covers at most half the dataset decode
-  0.39 ms), and full reads are 1.2–1.9× faster (v2.5.0).
+  only the chunks they touch (a 64×64 window: 105 ms to 0.39 ms), and full
+  reads are 1.2–1.9× faster (v2.5.0).
 
 **Memory**
 - A loaded store holds ~30% less (embeddings stored once, v2.6.0), and the
@@ -407,6 +408,79 @@ let values = ds.read_f64()?;
 assert_eq!(values, vec![22.5, 23.1, 21.8]);
 ```
 
+### Groups and links
+
+```rust
+use clawhdf5::{AttrValue, FileBuilder};
+
+let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+// A path creates its missing intermediate groups, as in h5py.
+b.create_dataset("run/2026/temps").with_f64_data(&[22.5, 23.1]);
+// Builders nest; a group added at an existing path is merged into it.
+let mut run = b.create_group("run");
+run.set_attr("operator", AttrValue::String("ana".into()));
+let mut cal = run.create_group("calibration");
+cal.track_order(true); // h5py lists members in insertion order
+cal.create_dataset("offset").with_f64_data(&[0.1]);
+run.add_group(cal.finish());
+b.add_group(run.finish());
+b.add_soft_link("latest", "/run/2026");    // h5py.SoftLink
+b.add_hard_link("temps", "/run/2026/temps"); // f["temps"] = f["run/2026/temps"]
+b.add_external_link("raw", "raw.h5", "/data");
+b.write("groups.h5")?;
+```
+
+A group holds at most 65 535 links; more is an error, as is a link over
+65 515 bytes (a very long soft-link target) in a group of more than 8 links.
+
+### Python
+
+`crates/clawhdf5-py` is a Python package (PyO3 + numpy) that reads HDF5 with
+an h5py-shaped API and no libhdf5. It is not on PyPI; build it with
+[maturin](https://www.maturin.rs) into a virtualenv:
+
+```bash
+python -m venv .venv && . .venv/bin/activate
+pip install maturin numpy
+maturin develop --release -m crates/clawhdf5-py/Cargo.toml
+python -c "import clawhdf5; print(clawhdf5.__version__)"
+```
+
+```python
+import numpy as np
+import clawhdf5
+
+with clawhdf5.File("data.h5", "r") as f:
+    print(list(f.keys()))              # sorted member names, like h5py
+    ds = f["group/temperatures"]       # relative or absolute ("/group/...") paths
+    print(ds.shape, ds.dtype)          # dtype is the numpy dtype h5py reports
+    block = ds[100:200, ::4]           # a small selection reads only its chunks
+    row = ds[-1]                       # integers drop the axis
+    picked = ds[[1, 5, 9], :]          # one increasing index list per key
+    units = ds.attrs["units"]          # attributes come back as h5py returns them
+    everything = np.asarray(ds)
+
+    records = f["table"]               # compound -> numpy structured array
+    ids = records["id"]                # one field
+```
+
+Reads cover integers and IEEE floats of every width in either byte order,
+`bool`, enums, complex, fixed and variable-length strings, variable-length
+sequences, opaque, HDF5 array types and compounds; other types (references,
+bitfields, ...) raise `TypeError` instead of returning guessed data. Keys
+follow h5py (negative steps, `None` and boolean masks are refused). The
+read itself runs with the GIL released, so Python threads read in parallel.
+A selection whose bounding box covers at most half the dataset decodes only
+the chunks (or contiguous rows) that box overlaps; a larger one — including
+a strided slice across the whole dataset — decodes the whole dataset, as
+do datasets that are compact, virtual, unwritten, or chunked with a
+non-default fill value (`docs/known-issues.md`). An index list is read one
+group of neighbouring chunks at a time.
+Writing (`File(path, "w")`, `create_dataset`, `create_group`, `attrs[...] =`)
+covers `float64`, `float32`, `int64`, `int32` and `uint8` arrays. The tests
+in `crates/clawhdf5-py/tests` compare every read with h5py; run them with
+`pip install pytest h5py && pytest crates/clawhdf5-py/tests`.
+
 ### Agent Memory
 
 ```rust

conformance/baseline.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
  "comment": "conformance/run.sh fails if the ok count drops below `ok` or a file in `ok_files` stops being ok. Regenerate with `conformance/run.sh --update-baseline` after an intended change.",
- "commit": "72306c601399748616bc9d061be2ebc4c1bea9e0",
+ "commit": "73a01f1256fb9bf1b1e7601f755af9e8273cec4e",
- "date": "2026-09-26 06:50 UTC",
+ "date": "2026-09-26 14:18 UTC",
  "reference": "h5py 3.16.0 / HDF5 2.0.0",
  "files": 697,
  "ok": 575,

conformance/probe/Cargo.lock

@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "bzip2",
  "flate2",
  "libaec-sys",
+ "libc",
  "lz4_flex",
  "pco",
  "portable-atomic",

conformance/probe/src/main.rs

@@ -19,9 +19,8 @@
 //! with its message, location and the clawhdf5 frames of its backtrace.
 
 use std::cell::RefCell;
-use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
+use std::collections::HashSet;
 use std::panic::{self, AssertUnwindSafe};
-use std::rc::Rc;
 
 use clawhdf5_format::attribute::extract_attributes_full;
 use clawhdf5_format::data_layout::DataLayout;
@@ -29,7 +28,6 @@ use clawhdf5_format::data_read;
 use clawhdf5_format::dataspace::{Dataspace, DataspaceType};
 use clawhdf5_format::datatype::{Datatype, DatatypeByteOrder};
 use clawhdf5_format::filter_pipeline::FilterPipeline;
-use clawhdf5_format::global_heap::GlobalHeapCollection;
 use clawhdf5_format::group_v1::{self, GroupEntry};
 use clawhdf5_format::group_v2;
 use clawhdf5_format::message_type::MessageType;
@@ -37,6 +35,7 @@ use clawhdf5_format::object_header::ObjectHeader;
 use clawhdf5_format::signature;
 use clawhdf5_format::superblock::Superblock;
 use clawhdf5_format::symbol_table::SymbolTableMessage;
+use clawhdf5_format::vl_data::{VlResolver, check_element_size};
 use serde_json::{Map, Value, json};
 use sha2::{Digest, Sha256};
 
@@ -111,7 +110,10 @@ struct Ctx<'a> {
     os: u8,
     ls: u8,
     base_dir: std::path::PathBuf,
-    heaps: RefCell<HashMap<u64, Result<Rc<GlobalHeapCollection>, String>>>,
+    /// Resolves variable-length elements as the library does (null
+    /// elements, strings cut at a NUL, heap objects of the wrong size
+    /// refused), caching each heap collection.
+    vl: RefCell<VlResolver<'a>>,
 }
 
 impl<'a> Ctx<'a> {
@@ -130,33 +132,6 @@ impl<'a> Ctx<'a> {
         }
     }
 
-    fn heap_obj(&self, addr: u64, idx: u32) -> Result<Vec<u8>, String> {
-        let coll = {
-            let mut cache = self.heaps.borrow_mut();
-            cache
-                .entry(addr)
-                .or_insert_with(|| {
-                    GlobalHeapCollection::parse(self.data, addr as usize, self.ls)
-                        .map(Rc::new)
-                        .map_err(e)
-                })
-                .clone()?
-        };
-        coll.get_object(idx as u16)
-            .map(|o| o.data.clone())
-            .ok_or_else(|| {
-                format!("GlobalHeapObjectNotFound {{ collection_address: {addr}, index: {idx} }}")
-            })
-    }
-
-    fn read_offset(&self, b: &[u8]) -> u64 {
-        let mut v = 0u64;
-        for (i, x) in b.iter().take(self.os as usize).enumerate() {
-            v |= (*x as u64) << (8 * i);
-        }
-        v
-    }
-
     fn canon(&self, dt: &Datatype, b: &[u8], out: &mut Vec<u8>) -> Result<(), String> {
         let size = dt.type_size() as usize;
         if b.len() < size {
@@ -204,41 +179,27 @@ impl<'a> Ctx<'a> {
                 }
             }
             Datatype::VariableLength {
+                size: vl_size,
                 is_string,
                 base_type,
                 ..
             } => {
-                let len = u32::from_le_bytes([b[0], b[1], b[2], b[3]]) as usize;
+                check_element_size(*vl_size, self.os).map_err(e)?;
-                let addr = self.read_offset(&b[4..]);
+                let el = &b[..size];
-                let idx_off = 4 + self.os as usize;
-                let idx = u32::from_le_bytes([
-                    b[idx_off],
-                    b[idx_off + 1],
-                    b[idx_off + 2],
-                    b[idx_off + 3],
-                ]);
-                let obj = if len == 0 || addr == 0 || addr == u64::MAX >> (64 - 8 * self.os as u32)
-                {
-                    Vec::new()
-                } else {
-                    self.heap_obj(addr, idx)?
-                };
                 if *is_string {
-                    let l = len.min(obj.len());
+                    let s = self.vl.borrow_mut().string_bytes(el).map_err(e)?;
-                    canon_str(&obj[..l], out);
+                    canon_str(&s[0], out);
                 } else {
                     let bs = base_type.type_size() as usize;
-                    if bs == 0 {
+                    // The borrow ends here: the base type may itself be
-                        return Err("canon: VL base size 0".into());
+                    // variable-length.
-                    }
+                    let seq = self.vl.borrow_mut().sequences(el, bs).map_err(e)?;
-                    let need = len.checked_mul(bs).ok_or("canon: VL overflow")?;
+                    let seq = &seq[0];
-                    if len > 0 && obj.len() < need {
+                    let len = seq.len() / bs;
-                        return Err(format!("canon: VL object {} < {need}", obj.len()));
-                    }
                     out.push(b'V');
                     out.extend_from_slice(&(len as u32).to_le_bytes());
                     for i in 0..len {
-                        self.canon(base_type, &obj[i * bs..], out)?;
+                        self.canon(base_type, &seq[i * bs..], out)?;
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -744,7 +705,7 @@ fn main() {
             .parent()
             .map(|p| p.to_path_buf())
             .unwrap_or_default(),
-        heaps: RefCell::new(HashMap::new()),
+        vl: RefCell::new(VlResolver::new(hdf5, sb.offset_size, sb.length_size)),
     };
     let mut objects: Vec<Value> = Vec::new();
     let mut visited = HashSet::new();

crates/clawhdf5-format/Cargo.toml

@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ ruzstd = { version = "0.9", optional = true }
 bzip2 = { version = "0.6", optional = true }
 snap = { version = "1", optional = true }
 
+[target.'cfg(target_os = "linux")'.dependencies]
+# madvise(MADV_HUGEPAGE) for large read buffers (see src/bulk_alloc.rs).
+libc = { version = "0.2", default-features = false }
+
 [dev-dependencies]
 half = { workspace = true }
 serde_json = "1"

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/bulk_alloc.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+//! Large output buffers backed by transparent huge pages where the OS offers
+//! them.
+//!
+//! A fresh multi-megabyte `Vec` is mapped lazily by the kernel: the first
+//! write to each 4 KiB page takes a page fault, and the kernel zeroes the page
+//! before handing it over. For a 64 MiB read that is 16384 faults, and they
+//! cost far more than the copy that fills the buffer — single-threaded
+//! contiguous reads ran at about a quarter of h5py's speed because of them.
+//! numpy (so h5py) avoids this by asking for transparent huge pages
+//! (`madvise(MADV_HUGEPAGE)`) on every allocation of 4 MiB or more, which
+//! turns 512 faults into one; this module does the same.
+//!
+//! The advice only changes how the pages are backed, never their contents, so
+//! it is harmless when it cannot be honoured (THP disabled, not Linux, a
+//! region that is part of the heap): the buffer is then exactly what it would
+//! have been without it.
+
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
+use alloc::vec::Vec;
+
+/// Buffers smaller than this are left alone (numpy uses the same threshold).
+#[cfg(any(target_os = "linux", test))]
+pub(crate) const HUGE_PAGE_THRESHOLD: usize = 4 << 20;
+
+/// Advise the kernel to back `[ptr, ptr + len)` with transparent huge pages,
+/// when `len` is large enough to benefit. Call it before the first write so
+/// the faults happen at huge-page granularity.
+#[inline]
+pub(crate) fn advise_huge_pages(ptr: *const u8, len: usize) {
+    #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+    if len >= HUGE_PAGE_THRESHOLD {
+        const PAGE: usize = 4096;
+        let start = (ptr as usize).next_multiple_of(PAGE);
+        let end = (ptr as usize + len) & !(PAGE - 1);
+        if end > start {
+            // SAFETY: `[start, end)` lies inside an allocation of `len` bytes
+            // at `ptr` that the caller owns, and is page aligned as madvise
+            // requires. MADV_HUGEPAGE does not change the memory's contents or
+            // validity; on failure (EINVAL when THP is compiled out, etc.) the
+            // region is simply left as it was, so the result is ignored.
+            unsafe {
+                libc::madvise(start as *mut libc::c_void, end - start, libc::MADV_HUGEPAGE);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    #[cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))]
+    let _ = (ptr, len);
+}
+
+/// `Vec::with_capacity(count)` for a buffer about to be filled in bulk, with
+/// huge-page advice when it is large (see the module docs).
+#[inline]
+pub(crate) fn vec_for_bulk<T>(count: usize) -> Vec<T> {
+    let v: Vec<T> = Vec::with_capacity(count);
+    advise_huge_pages(
+        v.as_ptr().cast::<u8>(),
+        v.capacity().saturating_mul(core::mem::size_of::<T>()),
+    );
+    v
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn bulk_vec_is_an_ordinary_vec() {
+        for count in [0usize, 1, 1000, HUGE_PAGE_THRESHOLD / 4 + 3] {
+            let mut v: Vec<u32> = vec_for_bulk(count);
+            assert!(v.capacity() >= count);
+            v.extend((0..count as u32).map(|i| i.wrapping_mul(2654435761)));
+            assert!(
+                v.iter()
+                    .enumerate()
+                    .all(|(i, &x)| x == (i as u32).wrapping_mul(2654435761))
+            );
+        }
+    }
+}

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/chunked_read.rs

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ fn decompress_all_chunks(
     {
         if let Some(pl) = pipeline
             && parallel_read::should_use_parallel(chunks.len())
+            && parallel_read::pool_can_parallelise()
         {
             // Seed from the first chunk's address and count for determinism.
             let seed = chunks.first().map(|c| c.address).unwrap_or(0) ^ (chunks.len() as u64);
@@ -277,6 +278,8 @@ pub(crate) fn alloc_output(len: usize) -> Result<Vec<u8>, FormatError> {
     if ptr.is_null() {
         return Err(failed());
     }
+    // Before anything writes to it, so a large buffer faults in huge pages.
+    crate::bulk_alloc::advise_huge_pages(ptr, len);
     // SAFETY: `ptr` came from the global allocator with the layout of
     // `[u8; len]`, which is exactly what `Vec<u8>` with capacity `len` frees;
     // all `len` bytes are initialised (zero).
@@ -510,6 +513,10 @@ fn collect_chunk_info_inner(
 ///
 /// Chunks are stored contiguously starting at `base_address`. No stored index;
 /// addresses are computed from the chunk position.
+///
+/// `chunk_dimensions` are the spatial chunk dimensions, one per entry of
+/// `dataset_dims` — not the layout message's list, which carries the element
+/// size as an extra last dimension.
 pub fn generate_implicit_chunks(
     base_address: u64,
     dataset_dims: &[u64],
@@ -1056,7 +1063,9 @@ pub fn read_chunked_data_cached(
 
     // Decompress what the cache didn't have, a bounded batch at a time — in
     // parallel with the `parallel` feature (this path, the one the facade
-    // uses, was sequential; only the uncached reader was parallel). Chunks are
+    // uses, was sequential; only the uncached reader was parallel), unless the
+    // pool has one thread: then every reading thread would queue behind that
+    // one worker, so each decodes its own chunks instead. Chunks are
     // cached only when the whole dataset fits: pushing a larger dataset
     // through the cache just evicts each chunk moments after inserting it.
     let cache_them = total_bytes <= cache.max_bytes();
@@ -1073,7 +1082,8 @@ pub fn read_chunked_data_cached(
         };
         for batch in misses.chunks(DECODE_BATCH) {
             #[cfg(feature = "parallel")]
-            let decoded: Vec<Result<Vec<u8>, FormatError>> = if batch.len() >= 4 {
+            let decoded: Vec<Result<Vec<u8>, FormatError>> =
+                if batch.len() >= 4 && parallel_read::pool_can_parallelise() {
                     use rayon::prelude::*;
                     batch.par_iter().map(decode).collect()
                 } else {

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/data_read.rs

@@ -180,7 +180,9 @@ fn read_raw_data_full_impl(
                 });
             }
             ensure_len(file_data, addr, sz)?;
-            Ok(file_data[addr..addr + sz].to_vec())
+            let mut out = crate::bulk_alloc::vec_for_bulk(sz);
+            out.extend_from_slice(&file_data[addr..addr + sz]);
+            Ok(out)
         }
         DataLayout::Chunked { .. } => read_chunked_data(
             file_data,
@@ -286,9 +288,11 @@ pub fn read_raw_data_indexed(
 
 /// Read raw bytes for only the selected elements of a dataset.
 ///
-/// For chunked layouts, only chunks that intersect the selection are read
+/// When the selection's bounding box covers at most half the dataset, only
-/// and decompressed. For compact/contiguous layouts, the full data is read
+/// that box is materialised — the overlapping rows of a contiguous dataset,
-/// and then the selection is extracted.
+/// the overlapping chunks of a chunked one, whatever its chunk index (see
+/// [`crate::partial_read`]). Otherwise, and for compact and virtual
+/// layouts, the whole dataset is decoded and the selection extracted.
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 pub fn read_raw_data_selection(
     file_data: &[u8],
@@ -356,85 +360,17 @@ pub fn read_raw_data_selection(
         }
         DataLayout::Chunked {
             chunk_dimensions,
-            btree_address,
             version,
-            chunk_index_type,
             ..
         } => {
+            // `partial_read` declined (a bounding box covering most of the
+            // dataset, or a selection it doesn't box), so decode every chunk
+            // and pick the selection out, whatever the chunk index. This arm
+            // used to enumerate the chunks first — passing the layout's
+            // chunk dimensions, element-size dimension included, to the
+            // implicit-index generator, which then indexed past the rank and
+            // panicked — only to decode the full dataset anyway.
             crate::chunked_read::chunk_geometry(chunk_dimensions, *version, dataspace, elem_size)?;
-            // For chunked data, only read chunks that intersect the selection
-            let chunk_dims: Vec<u64> = chunk_dimensions.iter().map(|&d| d as u64).collect();
-            let rank = dims.len();
-
-            // Collect chunk info from B-tree
-            let chunks = if *version == 4 {
-                match chunk_index_type {
-                    Some(2) => {
-                        // Implicit index
-                        crate::chunked_read::generate_implicit_chunks(
-                            btree_address.unwrap_or(0),
-                            dims,
-                            chunk_dimensions,
-                            elem_size as u32,
-                        )
-                    }
-                    _ => {
-                        if let Some(_addr) = btree_address {
-                            // Use extensible array or fixed array
-                            // Fall back to full read for complex v4 index types
-                            let full_data = read_raw_data_full(
-                                file_data,
-                                layout,
-                                dataspace,
-                                datatype,
-                                pipeline,
-                                offset_size,
-                                length_size,
-                            )?;
-                            return extract_selection_from_buffer(
-                                &full_data, dims, elem_size, selection,
-                            );
-                        } else {
-                            return Ok(Vec::new());
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-            } else {
-                // v3: B-tree v1
-                if let Some(addr) = btree_address {
-                    crate::chunked_read::collect_chunk_info_checked(
-                        file_data,
-                        *addr,
-                        chunk_dimensions,
-                        offset_size,
-                        length_size,
-                    )?
-                } else {
-                    return Ok(Vec::new());
-                }
-            };
-
-            // Filter chunks to only those that intersect the selection
-            let intersecting: Vec<_> = chunks
-                .iter()
-                .filter(|ci| {
-                    let offsets: Vec<u64> = ci.offsets.iter().take(rank).copied().collect();
-                    selection.intersects_chunk(&offsets, &chunk_dims[..rank])
-                })
-                .collect();
-
-            if intersecting.is_empty() {
-                return Ok(Vec::new());
-            }
-
-            // Decompress only the intersecting chunks
-            let _chunk_total_bytes: usize =
-                chunk_dims.iter().map(|&d| d as usize).product::<usize>() * elem_size;
-            let _element_size_u32 = elem_size as u32;
-
-            // First, assemble only the intersecting chunks into a partial buffer,
-            // then extract the selection. For simplicity, we assemble into a full
-            // dataset buffer and extract (same as contiguous path).
             let full_data = read_raw_data_full(
                 file_data,
                 layout,
@@ -529,6 +465,11 @@ pub fn extract_selection_from_buffer(
             block,
         } => {
             let rank = dims.len();
+            if [start.len(), stride.len(), count.len(), block.len()] != [rank; 4] {
+                return Err(FormatError::SelectionOutOfBounds(format!(
+                    "hyperslab rank does not match dataset rank {rank}"
+                )));
+            }
             let output_elements = count
                 .iter()
                 .zip(block.iter())
@@ -538,96 +479,40 @@ pub fn extract_selection_from_buffer(
                 crate::chunked_read::checked_byte_len(output_elements, elem_size)?,
             )?;
 
-            // Compute dataset strides (row-major)
+            // One copy per run of elements contiguous in `full_data`
-            let mut ds_strides = vec![1usize; rank];
+            // (`gather`'s runs). Coordinates past the extent are skipped and
-            for i in (0..rank.saturating_sub(1)).rev() {
+            // runs past the end of `full_data` left as zeros, element by
-                ds_strides[i] = ds_strides[i + 1] * dims[i + 1] as usize;
+            // element, as this extractor always did; validated selections
-            }
+            // never hit either.
-
+            let mut out_at = 0usize;
-            // Compute output shape and strides
+            crate::gather::hyperslab_runs(dims, start, stride, count, block, |first, n| {
-            let output_dims: Vec<usize> = count
+                let big = |v: u64| usize::try_from(v).unwrap_or(usize::MAX);
-                .iter()
+                let (first, n) = (big(first), big(n));
-                .zip(block.iter())
+                let len = n.saturating_mul(elem_size);
-                .map(|(&c, &b)| (c * b) as usize)
+                let src = first.saturating_mul(elem_size);
-                .collect();
+                let out_end = out_at.saturating_add(len);
-            let mut out_strides = vec![1usize; rank];
+                if let (Some(from), Some(to)) = (
-            for i in (0..rank.saturating_sub(1)).rev() {
+                    full_data.get(src..src.saturating_add(len)),
-                out_strides[i] = out_strides[i + 1] * output_dims[i + 1];
+                    output.get_mut(out_at..out_end),
-            }
-
-            // Iterate over all selected elements
-            // For each block in the hyperslab, copy the elements
-            let mut out_linear = 0usize;
-            let _block_coords = vec![0u64; rank];
-
-            #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-            fn iterate_hyperslab(
-                d: usize,
-                rank: usize,
-                start: &[u64],
-                stride: &[u64],
-                count: &[u64],
-                block: &[u64],
-                dims: &[u64],
-                ds_strides: &[usize],
-                elem_size: usize,
-                full_data: &[u8],
-                output: &mut [u8],
-                out_linear: &mut usize,
-                current_ds_offset: usize,
                 ) {
-                if d == rank {
+                    to.copy_from_slice(from);
-                    // Copy one element
+                } else {
-                    let src = current_ds_offset * elem_size;
+                    for k in 0..n {
-                    let dst = *out_linear * elem_size;
+                        let s = first.saturating_add(k).saturating_mul(elem_size);
-                    if src + elem_size <= full_data.len() && dst + elem_size <= output.len() {
+                        let o = out_at.saturating_add(k.saturating_mul(elem_size));
-                        output[dst..dst + elem_size]
+                        if o >= output.len() {
-                            .copy_from_slice(&full_data[src..src + elem_size]);
+                            break;
                         }
-                    *out_linear += 1;
+                        if let (Some(from), Some(to)) = (
-                    return;
+                            full_data.get(s..s.saturating_add(elem_size)),
-                }
+                            output.get_mut(o..o.saturating_add(elem_size)),
-
+                        ) {
-                for bi in 0..count[d] {
+                            to.copy_from_slice(from);
-                    let block_start = start[d] + bi * stride[d];
-                    for bj in 0..block[d] {
-                        let coord = block_start + bj;
-                        if coord < dims[d] {
-                            iterate_hyperslab(
-                                d + 1,
-                                rank,
-                                start,
-                                stride,
-                                count,
-                                block,
-                                dims,
-                                ds_strides,
-                                elem_size,
-                                full_data,
-                                output,
-                                out_linear,
-                                current_ds_offset + coord as usize * ds_strides[d],
-                            );
                         }
                     }
                 }
-            }
+                out_at = out_end;
-
+            });
-            iterate_hyperslab(
-                0,
-                rank,
-                start,
-                stride,
-                count,
-                block,
-                dims,
-                &ds_strides,
-                elem_size,
-                full_data,
-                &mut output,
-                &mut out_linear,
-                0,
-            );
 
             Ok(output)
         }
@@ -755,22 +640,76 @@ fn get_size(dt: &Datatype) -> usize {
     dt.type_size() as usize
 }
 
-/// Reinterpret little-endian bytes as `count` native values of `T` on a
+mod sealed {
-/// little-endian target, in one copy.
+    pub trait Sealed {}
+}
+
+/// A numeric type whose values can be copied straight out of a dataset's
+/// bytes when the dataset stores exactly that type in the target's byte
+/// order: `u8`, `i32`, `i64`, `u64`, `f32` and `f64`.
+///
+/// # Safety
+///
+/// Implementors have no padding and no invalid bit patterns, so a buffer of
+/// them may be filled by copying bytes. The trait is sealed.
+pub unsafe trait NativeElement: sealed::Sealed + Copy + 'static {
+    /// Whether `datatype`'s stored bytes are this type's native in-memory
+    /// representation (same size, byte order, signedness, full precision,
+    /// IEEE layout), so reading needs a copy and no conversion.
+    fn is_native(datatype: &Datatype) -> bool;
+}
+
+/// A full-width fixed-point type of `size` bytes and the given signedness in
+/// the target's byte order.
+fn is_native_int(datatype: &Datatype, size: u32, want_signed: bool) -> bool {
+    let order = if cfg!(target_endian = "little") {
+        DatatypeByteOrder::LittleEndian
+    } else {
+        DatatypeByteOrder::BigEndian
+    };
+    matches!(
+        datatype,
+        Datatype::FixedPoint { size: s, signed, byte_order, .. }
+            if *s == size && *signed == want_signed && (size == 1 || *byte_order == order)
+    ) && is_full_width(datatype)
+}
+
+macro_rules! native_element {
+    ($($t:ty => |$dt:ident| $check:expr;)*) => {$(
+        impl sealed::Sealed for $t {}
+        // SAFETY: a primitive integer or float: no padding, and every bit
+        // pattern is a valid value.
+        unsafe impl NativeElement for $t {
+            fn is_native($dt: &Datatype) -> bool {
+                $check
+            }
+        }
+    )*};
+}
+
+native_element! {
+    u8 => |dt| is_native_int(dt, 1, false);
+    i32 => |dt| is_native_int(dt, 4, true);
+    i64 => |dt| is_native_int(dt, 8, true);
+    u64 => |dt| is_native_int(dt, 8, false);
+    f32 => |dt| cfg!(target_endian = "little") && is_native_le_float(dt, FloatFormat::Single);
+    f64 => |dt| cfg!(target_endian = "little") && is_native_le_float(dt, FloatFormat::Double);
+}
+
+/// Copy `count` values of `T` out of `raw`, which holds them in `T`'s native
+/// representation (see [`NativeElement::is_native`]), in one copy.
 ///
 /// The buffer is allocated uninitialised and filled by the copy. It used to be
 /// `vec![0; count]` first, which for a large dataset meant writing every page
 /// twice (zero it, then overwrite it) — about as expensive as the copy itself.
-#[cfg(target_endian = "little")]
+fn native_to_vec<T: NativeElement>(raw: &[u8], count: usize) -> Vec<T> {
-fn native_le_to_vec<T: Copy>(raw: &[u8], count: usize) -> Vec<T> {
     let bytes = count * core::mem::size_of::<T>();
-    debug_assert!(bytes <= raw.len());
+    assert!(bytes <= raw.len(), "native_to_vec: source too short");
-    let mut result: Vec<T> = Vec::with_capacity(count);
+    let mut result: Vec<T> = crate::bulk_alloc::vec_for_bulk(count);
     // SAFETY: `result` has capacity for `count` values of `T`, i.e. `bytes`
-    // bytes; `raw` holds at least `bytes` bytes (callers derive `count` from
+    // bytes; `raw` holds at least `bytes` bytes (asserted); the regions
-    // `raw.len() / size_of::<T>()`); the regions cannot overlap because
+    // cannot overlap because `result` was just allocated. `T: NativeElement`
-    // `result` was just allocated. Every `T` used here (f32/f64/i32/i64) is
+    // is valid for any bit pattern, so after the copy all `count` values are
-    // valid for any bit pattern, so after the copy all `count` values are
     // initialised and `set_len` is sound.
     unsafe {
         core::ptr::copy_nonoverlapping(raw.as_ptr(), result.as_mut_ptr().cast::<u8>(), bytes);
@@ -779,6 +718,44 @@ fn native_le_to_vec<T: Copy>(raw: &[u8], count: usize) -> Vec<T> {
     result
 }
 
+/// Read `selection` of a dataset whose raw bytes (all of them, row-major, of
+/// shape `dims`) are `raw` — typically a contiguous dataset's bytes borrowed
+/// from the file — straight into a `Vec<T>`, copying each contiguous run of
+/// selected elements once.
+///
+/// Returns `Ok(None)` when `datatype` is not `T`'s native representation
+/// ([`NativeElement::is_native`]); the caller then converts through
+/// [`read_raw_data_selection`] and the `read_as_*` functions. The selection is
+/// validated like every selection read: out-of-range coordinates are
+/// [`FormatError::SelectionOutOfBounds`].
+pub fn read_selection_native<T: NativeElement>(
+    raw: &[u8],
+    dims: &[u64],
+    datatype: &Datatype,
+    selection: &crate::selection::Selection,
+) -> Result<Option<Vec<T>>, FormatError> {
+    if !T::is_native(datatype) {
+        return Ok(None);
+    }
+    let elem_size = core::mem::size_of::<T>();
+    let total = dims
+        .iter()
+        .try_fold(1u64, |acc, &d| acc.checked_mul(d))
+        .ok_or_else(|| FormatError::Overflow("dataset shape overflows".into()))?;
+    let expected = crate::chunked_read::checked_byte_len(total, elem_size)?;
+    if raw.len() != expected {
+        return Err(FormatError::DataSizeMismatch {
+            expected,
+            actual: raw.len(),
+        });
+    }
+    if let crate::selection::Selection::All = selection {
+        return Ok(Some(native_to_vec(raw, expected / elem_size)));
+    }
+    crate::partial_read::validate(selection, dims)?;
+    crate::gather::gather::<T>(raw, dims, elem_size, selection).map(Some)
+}
+
 /// Convert raw bytes to `f64` values.
 pub fn read_as_f64(raw: &[u8], datatype: &Datatype) -> Result<Vec<f64>, FormatError> {
     // Array datatypes read as a flat sequence of their base elements, and
@@ -797,13 +774,12 @@ pub fn read_as_f64(raw: &[u8], datatype: &Datatype) -> Result<Vec<f64>, FormatEr
     let count = raw.len() / elem_size;
 
     // Fast path: native-endian f64 — single bulk memcpy
-    #[cfg(target_endian = "little")]
+    if f64::is_native(datatype) {
-    if is_native_le_float(datatype, FloatFormat::Double) {
+        return Ok(native_to_vec::<f64>(raw, count));
-        return Ok(native_le_to_vec::<f64>(raw, count));
     }
 
     let order = get_byte_order(datatype);
-    let mut result = Vec::with_capacity(count);
+    let mut result = crate::bulk_alloc::vec_for_bulk(count);
     if let Datatype::FloatingPoint { .. } = datatype {
         let format = FloatFormat::of(datatype)?;
         for chunk in raw.chunks_exact(elem_size) {
@@ -939,23 +915,12 @@ pub fn read_as_i64(raw: &[u8], datatype: &Datatype) -> Result<Vec<i64>, FormatEr
     let count = raw.len() / elem_size;
 
     // Fast path: native LE i64 — single bulk memcpy
-    #[cfg(target_endian = "little")]
+    if i64::is_native(datatype) {
-    if elem_size == 8
+        return Ok(native_to_vec::<i64>(raw, count));
-        && is_full_width(datatype)
-        && matches!(
-            datatype,
-            Datatype::FixedPoint {
-                byte_order: DatatypeByteOrder::LittleEndian,
-                signed: true,
-                ..
-            }
-        )
-    {
-        return Ok(native_le_to_vec::<i64>(raw, count));
     }
 
     let order = get_byte_order(datatype);
-    let mut result = Vec::with_capacity(count);
+    let mut result = crate::bulk_alloc::vec_for_bulk(count);
     for i in 0..count {
         let chunk = &raw[i * elem_size..(i + 1) * elem_size];
         result.push(decode_scalar(chunk, datatype, &order)?.to_i64());
@@ -984,8 +949,14 @@ pub fn read_as_u64(raw: &[u8], datatype: &Datatype) -> Result<Vec<u64>, FormatEr
         });
     }
     let count = raw.len() / elem_size;
+
+    // Fast path: native u64 — single bulk memcpy
+    if u64::is_native(datatype) {
+        return Ok(native_to_vec::<u64>(raw, count));
+    }
+
     let order = get_byte_order(datatype);
-    let mut result = Vec::with_capacity(count);
+    let mut result = crate::bulk_alloc::vec_for_bulk(count);
     for i in 0..count {
         let chunk = &raw[i * elem_size..(i + 1) * elem_size];
         result.push(decode_scalar(chunk, datatype, &order)?.to_u64());
@@ -1011,21 +982,23 @@ pub fn read_as_f32(raw: &[u8], datatype: &Datatype) -> Result<Vec<f32>, FormatEr
     let count = raw.len() / elem_size;
 
     // Fast path: native-endian f32 — single bulk memcpy
-    #[cfg(target_endian = "little")]
+    if f32::is_native(datatype) {
-    if is_native_le_float(datatype, FloatFormat::Single) {
+        return Ok(native_to_vec::<f32>(raw, count));
-        return Ok(native_le_to_vec::<f32>(raw, count));
     }
     // Little-endian IEEE half precision (numpy float16): widen directly.
     if is_native_le_float(datatype, FloatFormat::Half) {
         let (halves, _) = raw[..count * 2].as_chunks::<2>();
-        return Ok(halves
+        let mut result = crate::bulk_alloc::vec_for_bulk(count);
+        result.extend(
+            halves
                 .iter()
-            .map(|&b| f16_bits_to_f32(u16::from_le_bytes(b)))
+                .map(|&b| f16_bits_to_f32(u16::from_le_bytes(b))),
-            .collect());
+        );
+        return Ok(result);
     }
 
     let order = get_byte_order(datatype);
-    let mut result = Vec::with_capacity(count);
+    let mut result = crate::bulk_alloc::vec_for_bulk(count);
     if let Datatype::FloatingPoint { .. } = datatype {
         let format = FloatFormat::of(datatype)?;
         for chunk in raw.chunks_exact(elem_size) {
@@ -1098,23 +1071,12 @@ pub fn read_as_i32(raw: &[u8], datatype: &Datatype) -> Result<Vec<i32>, FormatEr
     let count = raw.len() / elem_size;
 
     // Fast path: native LE i32 — single bulk memcpy
-    #[cfg(target_endian = "little")]
+    if i32::is_native(datatype) {
-    if elem_size == 4
+        return Ok(native_to_vec::<i32>(raw, count));
-        && is_full_width(datatype)
-        && matches!(
-            datatype,
-            Datatype::FixedPoint {
-                byte_order: DatatypeByteOrder::LittleEndian,
-                signed: true,
-                ..
-            }
-        )
-    {
-        return Ok(native_le_to_vec::<i32>(raw, count));
     }
 
     let order = get_byte_order(datatype);
-    let mut result = Vec::with_capacity(count);
+    let mut result = crate::bulk_alloc::vec_for_bulk(count);
     for i in 0..count {
         let chunk = &raw[i * elem_size..(i + 1) * elem_size];
         result.push(decode_scalar(chunk, datatype, &order)?.to_i32());

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/datatype.rs

@@ -125,6 +125,11 @@ pub enum Datatype {
     },
     /// Class 9: Variable-length type.
     VariableLength {
+        /// Size of one element as stored in the file: a sequence length (4
+        /// bytes), a global heap collection address (the file's
+        /// `offset_size`) and an object index (4 bytes) — 16 in a file with
+        /// 8-byte offsets, 12 with 4-byte offsets.
+        size: u32,
         is_string: bool,
         padding: Option<StringPadding>,
         charset: Option<CharacterSet>,
@@ -771,6 +776,7 @@ impl Datatype {
                 pos += consumed;
                 Ok((
                     Datatype::VariableLength {
+                        size,
                         is_string,
                         padding,
                         charset,
@@ -1017,6 +1023,7 @@ impl Datatype {
                 Self::build_header(3, 1, [bf0, 0, 0], *size)
             }
             Datatype::VariableLength {
+                size,
                 is_string,
                 padding,
                 charset,
@@ -1039,7 +1046,7 @@ impl Datatype {
                 } else {
                     0
                 };
-                let mut buf = Self::build_header(9, 1, [bf0, bf1, 0], 16);
+                let mut buf = Self::build_header(9, 1, [bf0, bf1, 0], *size);
                 buf.extend_from_slice(&base_type.serialize());
                 buf
             }
@@ -1208,7 +1215,7 @@ impl Datatype {
             Datatype::Compound { size, .. } => *size,
             Datatype::Reference { size, .. } => *size,
             Datatype::Enumeration { size, .. } => *size,
-            Datatype::VariableLength { .. } => 16, // typically pointer + length
+            Datatype::VariableLength { size, .. } => *size,
             Datatype::Array {
                 base_type,
                 dimensions,
@@ -1889,11 +1896,13 @@ mod tests {
         let (dt, _) = Datatype::parse(&buf).unwrap();
         match dt {
             Datatype::VariableLength {
+                size,
                 is_string,
                 padding,
                 charset,
                 base_type,
             } => {
+                assert_eq!(size, 16);
                 assert!(is_string);
                 assert_eq!(padding, Some(StringPadding::NullTerminate));
                 assert_eq!(charset, Some(CharacterSet::Utf8));
@@ -1914,11 +1923,13 @@ mod tests {
         let (dt, _) = Datatype::parse(&buf).unwrap();
         match dt {
             Datatype::VariableLength {
+                size,
                 is_string,
                 padding,
                 charset,
                 base_type,
             } => {
+                assert_eq!(size, 16);
                 assert!(!is_string);
                 assert_eq!(padding, None);
                 assert_eq!(charset, None);
@@ -1928,6 +1939,19 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn variable_length_size_is_the_stored_size() {
+        // A file with 4-byte offsets stores 12-byte VL elements (length 4 +
+        // address 4 + index 4); the type used to report 16 regardless, so
+        // every read laid the elements out 16 bytes apart.
+        let mut buf = build_dt_header(9, 1, [0x01, 0x00, 0], 12);
+        buf.extend_from_slice(&build_fixed_point(1, false, false, 0, 8));
+        let (dt, _) = Datatype::parse(&buf).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(dt.type_size(), 12);
+        // And it is written back as stored.
+        assert_eq!(dt.serialize()[4..8], 12u32.to_le_bytes());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_array_2d() {
         // Array [3][4] of i32 LE, version 3

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/gather.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,343 @@
+//! Copying a selection out of a row-major buffer one contiguous run at a time.
+//!
+//! A selection's elements, in output order, fall into runs that are adjacent
+//! in the source: a whole block along the last dimension, blocks that touch
+//! (`stride == block`), and whole rows when the inner dimensions are selected
+//! in full. Copying run by run turns a 256 x 256 hyperslab of a 1024-wide
+//! dataset into 256 `memcpy`s of 1 KiB, where the old extractor recursed and
+//! bounds-checked once per element.
+
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
+use alloc::{vec, vec::Vec};
+
+use crate::data_read::NativeElement;
+use crate::error::FormatError;
+use crate::selection::Selection;
+
+/// Row-major element strides of `dims` (the last dimension has stride 1).
+fn strides(dims: &[u64]) -> Vec<u64> {
+    let mut s = vec![1u64; dims.len()];
+    for d in (0..dims.len().saturating_sub(1)).rev() {
+        s[d] = s[d + 1].wrapping_mul(dims[d + 1]);
+    }
+    s
+}
+
+/// Merges adjacent runs before handing them on.
+struct Coalesce<F: FnMut(u64, u64)> {
+    start: u64,
+    len: u64,
+    emit: F,
+}
+
+impl<F: FnMut(u64, u64)> Coalesce<F> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn push(&mut self, start: u64, len: u64) {
+        if len == 0 {
+            return;
+        }
+        if self.len > 0 && self.start.wrapping_add(self.len) == start {
+            self.len += len;
+            return;
+        }
+        self.flush();
+        self.start = start;
+        self.len = len;
+    }
+
+    fn flush(&mut self) {
+        if self.len > 0 {
+            (self.emit)(self.start, self.len);
+            self.len = 0;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Call `emit(first_element, element_count)` for each run of a hyperslab's
+/// elements that is contiguous in a row-major dataset of shape `dims`, in
+/// the order the selection returns them. Adjacent runs are merged.
+///
+/// Coordinates at or past a dimension's extent are skipped, as the
+/// element-wise extractor always did; callers that want them to be an error
+/// validate the selection first. The four vectors must have `dims.len()`
+/// entries.
+pub(crate) fn hyperslab_runs(
+    dims: &[u64],
+    start: &[u64],
+    stride: &[u64],
+    count: &[u64],
+    block: &[u64],
+    emit: impl FnMut(u64, u64),
+) {
+    let rank = dims.len();
+    let mut out = Coalesce {
+        start: 0,
+        len: 0,
+        emit,
+    };
+    if rank == 0 {
+        out.push(0, 1);
+        out.flush();
+        return;
+    }
+    if (0..rank).any(|d| count[d] == 0 || block[d] == 0) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let strides = strides(dims);
+    let last = rank - 1;
+    // Odometer over the outer dimensions: (block index, offset in block).
+    let mut ci = vec![0u64; last];
+    let mut bi = vec![0u64; last];
+    'outer: loop {
+        // Base offset of this row, or skip it if a coordinate is out of range.
+        let mut base = 0u64;
+        let mut in_range = true;
+        for d in 0..last {
+            let coord = start[d]
+                .saturating_add(ci[d].saturating_mul(stride[d]))
+                .saturating_add(bi[d]);
+            if coord >= dims[d] {
+                in_range = false;
+                break;
+            }
+            base = base.wrapping_add(coord.wrapping_mul(strides[d]));
+        }
+        if in_range && (stride[last] == block[last] || count[last] == 1) {
+            // Blocks that touch (the common unit-stride case: block 1,
+            // stride 1) are one range; don't split it into per-element runs.
+            let s = start[last];
+            let e = s
+                .saturating_add(count[last].saturating_mul(block[last]))
+                .min(dims[last]);
+            if s < e {
+                out.push(base.wrapping_add(s), e - s);
+            }
+        } else if in_range {
+            for c in 0..count[last] {
+                let s = start[last].saturating_add(c.saturating_mul(stride[last]));
+                if s >= dims[last] {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                let e = s.saturating_add(block[last]).min(dims[last]);
+                out.push(base.wrapping_add(s), e - s);
+            }
+        }
+        // Advance the odometer, last outer dimension fastest.
+        let mut d = last;
+        loop {
+            if d == 0 {
+                break 'outer;
+            }
+            d -= 1;
+            bi[d] += 1;
+            if bi[d] < block[d] {
+                break;
+            }
+            bi[d] = 0;
+            ci[d] += 1;
+            if ci[d] < count[d] {
+                break;
+            }
+            ci[d] = 0;
+        }
+    }
+    out.flush();
+}
+
+/// The selected elements of `src` — a row-major dataset of shape `dims` and
+/// `elem_size`-byte elements — copied into a fresh `Vec<T>`, one `memcpy` per
+/// contiguous run, with no zero-filling of the output first.
+///
+/// For `T` other than `u8`, `elem_size` must equal `size_of::<T>()`. The
+/// selection must be a validated hyperslab, point list or `None` (`All` is the
+/// caller's to handle); `src` must hold exactly the dataset. Anything that
+/// would read outside `src` is an error, never a partial result.
+pub(crate) fn gather<T: NativeElement>(
+    src: &[u8],
+    dims: &[u64],
+    elem_size: usize,
+    selection: &Selection,
+) -> Result<Vec<T>, FormatError> {
+    let t_size = core::mem::size_of::<T>();
+    if elem_size == 0 || (t_size != 1 && t_size != elem_size) {
+        return Err(FormatError::DataSizeMismatch {
+            expected: t_size,
+            actual: elem_size,
+        });
+    }
+    let n_elements = match selection {
+        Selection::None => 0,
+        Selection::Hyperslab { count, block, .. } => count
+            .iter()
+            .zip(block)
+            .try_fold(1u64, |acc, (&c, &b)| acc.checked_mul(c.checked_mul(b)?))
+            .ok_or_else(|| FormatError::Overflow("hyperslab count x block overflows".into()))?,
+        Selection::Points(points) => points.len() as u64,
+        Selection::All => {
+            return Err(FormatError::SelectionOutOfBounds(
+                "gather does not take Selection::All".into(),
+            ));
+        }
+    };
+    let out_bytes = crate::chunked_read::checked_byte_len(n_elements, elem_size)?;
+    let out_len = out_bytes / t_size;
+    let mut out: Vec<T> = crate::bulk_alloc::vec_for_bulk(out_len);
+    let dst = out.as_mut_ptr().cast::<u8>();
+    let mut written = 0usize;
+    let mut failed = false;
+    let mut copy_run = |first: u64, n: u64| {
+        if failed {
+            return;
+        }
+        let range = usize::try_from(first)
+            .ok()
+            .and_then(|f| f.checked_mul(elem_size))
+            .zip(
+                usize::try_from(n)
+                    .ok()
+                    .and_then(|n| n.checked_mul(elem_size)),
+            )
+            .and_then(|(at, len)| Some((at, len, at.checked_add(len)?)));
+        match range {
+            Some((at, len, end)) if end <= src.len() && written + len <= out_bytes => {
+                // SAFETY: `src[at..end]` is in bounds (checked above), and
+                // `dst + written .. + len` lies within `out`'s capacity of
+                // `out_bytes` bytes (checked above); `out` is a fresh
+                // allocation, so the regions do not overlap.
+                unsafe {
+                    core::ptr::copy_nonoverlapping(src.as_ptr().add(at), dst.add(written), len)
+                };
+                written += len;
+            }
+            _ => failed = true,
+        }
+    };
+    let mut bad_point = false;
+    match selection {
+        Selection::Hyperslab {
+            start,
+            stride,
+            count,
+            block,
+        } => {
+            let rank = dims.len();
+            if [start.len(), stride.len(), count.len(), block.len()] != [rank; 4] {
+                return Err(FormatError::SelectionOutOfBounds(
+                    "hyperslab rank does not match dataset rank".into(),
+                ));
+            }
+            hyperslab_runs(dims, start, stride, count, block, &mut copy_run);
+        }
+        Selection::Points(points) => {
+            let strides = strides(dims);
+            let mut runs = Coalesce {
+                start: 0,
+                len: 0,
+                emit: &mut copy_run,
+            };
+            for p in points {
+                if p.len() != dims.len() || p.iter().zip(dims).any(|(c, n)| c >= n) {
+                    bad_point = true;
+                    break;
+                }
+                let at = p
+                    .iter()
+                    .zip(&strides)
+                    .fold(0u64, |acc, (c, s)| acc.wrapping_add(c.wrapping_mul(*s)));
+                runs.push(at, 1);
+            }
+            runs.flush();
+        }
+        Selection::None | Selection::All => {}
+    }
+    if failed || bad_point || written != out_bytes {
+        return Err(FormatError::SelectionOutOfBounds(
+            "selection addresses elements outside the dataset".into(),
+        ));
+    }
+    // SAFETY: all `out_bytes` bytes, i.e. `out_len` values of `T`, were
+    // written above, and every bit pattern is a valid `T` (`NativeElement`).
+    unsafe { out.set_len(out_len) };
+    Ok(out)
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn runs(dims: &[u64], sel: [&[u64]; 4]) -> Vec<(u64, u64)> {
+        let mut v = Vec::new();
+        hyperslab_runs(dims, sel[0], sel[1], sel[2], sel[3], |s, n| v.push((s, n)));
+        v
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn runs_merge_blocks_and_whole_rows() {
+        // A box: one run per row.
+        assert_eq!(
+            runs(&[4, 10], [&[1, 2], &[1, 1], &[2, 3], &[1, 1]]),
+            vec![(12, 3), (22, 3)]
+        );
+        // Whole rows: one run.
+        assert_eq!(
+            runs(&[4, 10], [&[1, 0], &[1, 1], &[3, 10], &[1, 1]]),
+            vec![(10, 30)]
+        );
+        // stride == block: blocks merge.
+        assert_eq!(
+            runs(&[1, 10], [&[0, 1], &[1, 2], &[1, 4], &[1, 2]]),
+            vec![(1, 8)]
+        );
+        // Strided with blocks along both dimensions.
+        assert_eq!(
+            runs(&[6, 10], [&[0, 1], &[3, 4], &[2, 2], &[2, 2]]),
+            vec![
+                (1, 2),
+                (5, 2),
+                (11, 2),
+                (15, 2),
+                (31, 2),
+                (35, 2),
+                (41, 2),
+                (45, 2)
+            ]
+        );
+        // Empty.
+        assert!(runs(&[4, 10], [&[0, 0], &[1, 1], &[0, 3], &[1, 1]]).is_empty());
+        // Scalar.
+        assert_eq!(runs(&[], [&[], &[], &[], &[]]), vec![(0, 1)]);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn gather_matches_element_order_and_rejects_out_of_range() {
+        let dims = [3u64, 4];
+        let src: Vec<u8> = (0..12u16).flat_map(|v| v.to_le_bytes()).collect();
+        let sel = Selection::Hyperslab {
+            start: vec![0, 1],
+            stride: vec![2, 2],
+            count: vec![2, 2],
+            block: vec![1, 1],
+        };
+        let got: Vec<u8> = gather(&src, &dims, 2, &sel).unwrap();
+        let want: Vec<u8> = [1u16, 3, 9, 11]
+            .iter()
+            .flat_map(|v| v.to_le_bytes())
+            .collect();
+        assert_eq!(got, want);
+        let pts = Selection::Points(vec![vec![2, 3], vec![0, 0], vec![0, 1]]);
+        let got: Vec<u8> = gather(&src, &dims, 2, &pts).unwrap();
+        let want: Vec<u8> = [11u16, 0, 1].iter().flat_map(|v| v.to_le_bytes()).collect();
+        assert_eq!(got, want);
+        // Past the extent, or a source shorter than the dataset: an error.
+        let bad = Selection::Points(vec![vec![3, 0]]);
+        assert!(gather::<u8>(&src, &dims, 2, &bad).is_err());
+        let past = Selection::Hyperslab {
+            start: vec![2, 0],
+            stride: vec![1, 1],
+            count: vec![2, 4],
+            block: vec![1, 1],
+        };
+        assert!(gather::<u8>(&src, &dims, 2, &past).is_err());
+        assert!(gather::<u8>(&src[..20], &dims, 2, &pts).is_err());
+    }
+}

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/global_heap.rs

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //! HDF5 Global Heap collection parsing.
 
 #[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
-use alloc::vec::Vec;
+use alloc::{format, string::String, vec::Vec};
 
 use crate::error::FormatError;
 
@@ -52,11 +52,42 @@ fn read_length(data: &[u8], offset: usize, length_size: u8) -> Result<u64, Forma
     })
 }
 
+fn object_overrun_msg(index: u16, size: usize, collection_size: u64) -> String {
+    format!(
+        "global heap object {index} ({size} bytes) runs past the end of its \
+         {collection_size}-byte collection"
+    )
+}
+
 /// Round up to next multiple of 8.
 fn pad8(x: usize) -> usize {
     (x + 7) & !7
 }
 
+/// Where one object of a global heap collection lies in the file, without
+/// its data: see [`GlobalHeapCollection::parse_index`].
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct GlobalHeapObjectRef {
+    /// Object index (1-based; 0 is the free space marker).
+    pub index: u16,
+    /// Reference count.
+    pub reference_count: u16,
+    /// Offset of the object's data in the file data the collection was
+    /// parsed from.
+    pub offset: usize,
+    /// Size of the object's data in bytes.
+    pub size: usize,
+}
+
+/// A global heap collection's objects, located but not copied.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct GlobalHeapIndex {
+    /// Total size of this collection including header.
+    pub collection_size: u64,
+    /// The objects, in file order.
+    pub objects: Vec<GlobalHeapObjectRef>,
+}
+
 impl GlobalHeapCollection {
     /// Parse a global heap collection at the given offset in the file data.
     pub fn parse(
@@ -64,8 +95,38 @@ impl GlobalHeapCollection {
         offset: usize,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<GlobalHeapCollection, FormatError> {
-        // signature(4) + version(1) + reserved(3) + collection_size(length_size)
+        let index = Self::parse_index(file_data, offset, length_size)?;
-        let header_size = 8 + length_size as usize;
+        Ok(GlobalHeapCollection {
+            collection_size: index.collection_size,
+            objects: index
+                .objects
+                .iter()
+                .map(|o| GlobalHeapObject {
+                    index: o.index,
+                    reference_count: o.reference_count,
+                    data: file_data[o.offset..o.offset + o.size].to_vec(),
+                })
+                .collect(),
+        })
+    }
+
+    /// Locate the objects of the global heap collection at `offset` without
+    /// copying their data, so a caller can keep many collections indexed
+    /// for the cost of their object headers.
+    ///
+    /// The collection must lie inside `file_data`, and every object inside
+    /// the collection, as libhdf5 lays them out; an object that runs past
+    /// its collection is an error.
+    pub fn parse_index(
+        file_data: &[u8],
+        offset: usize,
+        length_size: u8,
+    ) -> Result<GlobalHeapIndex, FormatError> {
+        // signature(4) + version(1) + reserved(3) + collection_size(length_size),
+        // padded to a multiple of 8 as libhdf5 lays it out (`H5HG_SIZEOF_HDR`).
+        // With 8-byte lengths the padding is 0; with 4-byte lengths it is 4,
+        // and reading without it put every object 4 bytes early.
+        let header_size = pad8(8 + length_size as usize);
         ensure_len(file_data, offset, header_size)?;
 
         if file_data[offset..offset + 4] != GCOL_SIGNATURE {
@@ -78,25 +139,25 @@ impl GlobalHeapCollection {
         }
 
         let collection_size = read_length(file_data, offset + 8, length_size)?;
-        let collection_size_usize =
+        let collection_end = usize::try_from(collection_size)
-            usize::try_from(collection_size).map_err(|_| FormatError::UnexpectedEof {
+            .ok()
-                expected: u64::MAX as usize,
+            .and_then(|size| offset.checked_add(size))
-                available: file_data.len(),
-            })?;
-        let collection_end =
-            offset
-                .checked_add(collection_size_usize)
             .ok_or(FormatError::UnexpectedEof {
                 expected: usize::MAX,
                 available: file_data.len(),
             })?;
+        if collection_end > file_data.len() {
+            return Err(FormatError::UnexpectedEof {
+                expected: collection_end,
+                available: file_data.len(),
+            });
+        }
 
         let mut pos = offset + header_size;
         let mut objects = Vec::new();
 
         // Parse objects until we hit index 0 (free space) or run out of space
         while pos + 2 <= collection_end {
-            ensure_len(file_data, pos, 2)?;
             let object_index = u16::from_le_bytes([file_data[pos], file_data[pos + 1]]);
 
             if object_index == 0 {
@@ -104,28 +165,39 @@ impl GlobalHeapCollection {
                 break;
             }
 
-            // object_index(2) + reference_count(2) + reserved(4) + object_size(length_size)
+            // object_index(2) + reference_count(2) + reserved(4) +
-            let obj_header_size = 8 + length_size as usize;
+            // object_size(length_size), padded to 8 (`H5HG_SIZEOF_OBJHDR`).
-            ensure_len(file_data, pos, obj_header_size)?;
+            let obj_header_size = pad8(8 + length_size as usize);
+            ensure_len(&file_data[..collection_end], pos, obj_header_size)?;
 
             let reference_count = u16::from_le_bytes([file_data[pos + 2], file_data[pos + 3]]);
-            let object_size = read_length(file_data, pos + 8, length_size)? as usize;
+            let object_size = usize::try_from(read_length(file_data, pos + 8, length_size)?)
+                .map_err(|_| FormatError::Overflow("global heap object size".into()))?;
 
             pos += obj_header_size;
-            ensure_len(file_data, pos, object_size)?;
+            if pos
-            let data = file_data[pos..pos + object_size].to_vec();
+                .checked_add(object_size)
+                .is_none_or(|end| end > collection_end)
+            {
+                return Err(FormatError::VlDataError(object_overrun_msg(
+                    object_index,
+                    object_size,
+                    collection_size,
+                )));
+            }
 
-            objects.push(GlobalHeapObject {
+            objects.push(GlobalHeapObjectRef {
                 index: object_index,
                 reference_count,
-                data,
+                offset: pos,
+                size: object_size,
             });
 
             // Advance past data + padding to 8-byte boundary
-            pos += pad8(object_size);
+            pos = pos.saturating_add(pad8(object_size));
         }
 
-        Ok(GlobalHeapCollection {
+        Ok(GlobalHeapIndex {
             collection_size,
             objects,
         })
@@ -149,10 +221,11 @@ mod tests {
         let ls = length_size as usize;
 
         // Calculate total size
-        let header_size = 8 + ls;
+        // libhdf5 pads both headers to a multiple of 8.
+        let header_size = pad8(8 + ls);
         let mut obj_size_total = 0usize;
         for (_, _, data) in objects {
-            let obj_header = 8 + ls;
+            let obj_header = pad8(8 + ls);
             obj_size_total += obj_header + pad8(data.len());
         }
         // Free space marker (2 bytes for index 0)
@@ -170,6 +243,7 @@ mod tests {
             8 => buf.extend_from_slice(&(collection_size as u64).to_le_bytes()),
             _ => panic!("unsupported length_size"),
         }
+        buf.resize(header_size, 0);
 
         // Objects
         for (index, ref_count, data) in objects {
@@ -181,6 +255,7 @@ mod tests {
                 8 => buf.extend_from_slice(&(data.len() as u64).to_le_bytes()),
                 _ => panic!("unsupported"),
             }
+            buf.resize(buf.len() + (pad8(8 + ls) - (8 + ls)), 0);
             buf.extend_from_slice(data);
             // Pad to 8 bytes
             let padded = pad8(data.len());

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/lib.rs

@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ pub mod attribute;
 pub mod attribute_info;
 pub mod btree_v1;
 pub mod btree_v2;
+mod bulk_alloc;
 pub mod checksum;
 pub mod chunk_cache;
 mod chunk_grid;
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ mod filters_szip;
 pub mod fixed_array;
 pub mod float16;
 pub mod fractal_heap;
+mod gather;
 pub mod global_heap;
 pub mod group_info;
 pub mod group_v1;
@@ -130,6 +132,7 @@ mod test_fuzz;
 pub mod type_builders;
 pub mod vds;
 pub mod vl_data;
+mod writer_tree;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "provenance")]
 pub mod provenance;

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/parallel_read.rs

@@ -27,6 +27,20 @@ pub fn should_use_parallel(chunk_count: usize) -> bool {
     chunk_count > PARALLEL_THRESHOLD
 }
 
+/// Whether handing a read's chunks to rayon can decode them faster than the
+/// calling thread would alone.
+///
+/// `false` when the pool the work would go to (the current pool inside a
+/// rayon worker, else the global one) has a single thread. Handing work to
+/// that pool is then worse than useless: the caller blocks while the one
+/// worker decodes, and every other thread reading at the same time queues
+/// behind the same worker, so N reader threads decode on one core. (That is
+/// how full reads with `--decode-threads 1` stopped scaling at about 2x in
+/// the `concurrent_read` benchmark.)
+pub fn pool_can_parallelise() -> bool {
+    rayon::current_num_threads() > 1
+}
+
 /// Decompress chunks in parallel using lane-partitioned assignment.
 ///
 /// Instead of naive `par_iter`, chunks are deterministically assigned to lanes

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/partial_read.rs

@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@
 //!
 //! [`crate::data_read::read_raw_data_selection`] used to decode the *entire*
 //! dataset and then pick elements out of it, so reading a 64x64 window of a
-//! large dataset took about as long as reading all of it. Here the selection's
+//! large dataset took about as long as reading all of it. A contiguous
-//! bounding box is materialised instead — only the rows of a contiguous
+//! dataset's selection is now copied straight out of the file, one `memcpy`
-//! dataset, or only the chunks, that overlap it — and the existing extractor
+//! per contiguous run of selected elements (`crate::gather`). For chunked
-//! runs over that small buffer with the selection translated to the box's
+//! data the selection's bounding box is materialised — only the chunks that
-//! origin. Extraction semantics are therefore exactly the full-read ones.
+//! overlap it — and the extractor runs over that small buffer with the
+//! selection translated to the box's origin. Extraction semantics are
+//! therefore exactly the full-read ones.
 
 #[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
 use alloc::string as alloc_or_std;
@@ -250,10 +252,33 @@ pub fn read_selection(
     if dims.is_empty() || elem_size == 0 {
         return Ok(None);
     }
+    let total = dataspace.checked_num_elements()?;
+    // Contiguous data is addressable in place: copy the selection's runs
+    // straight out of it, whatever fraction of the dataset it covers, with no
+    // intermediate box (and no full copy for a large selection).
+    if let (
+        DataLayout::Contiguous {
+            address: Some(address),
+            ..
+        },
+        Selection::Hyperslab { .. } | Selection::Points(_),
+    ) = (layout, selection)
+    {
+        validate(selection, dims)?;
+        let base = usize::try_from(*address)
+            .map_err(|_| FormatError::Overflow("data address exceeds usize".into()))?;
+        let data = file_data
+            .get(base..)
+            .and_then(|d| d.get(..checked_byte_len(total, elem_size).ok()?))
+            .ok_or(FormatError::UnexpectedEof {
+                expected: base,
+                available: file_data.len(),
+            })?;
+        return crate::gather::gather::<u8>(data, dims, elem_size, selection).map(Some);
+    }
     let Some((box_start, box_extent)) = bounding_box(selection, dims) else {
         return Ok(None);
     };
-    let total = dataspace.checked_num_elements()?;
     let box_elements = box_extent
         .iter()
         .try_fold(1u64, |acc, &e| acc.checked_mul(e))
@@ -265,30 +290,6 @@ pub fn read_selection(
     let mut boxed = alloc_output(checked_byte_len(box_elements, elem_size)?)?;
 
     match layout {
-        DataLayout::Contiguous {
-            address: Some(address),
-            ..
-        } => {
-            let base = usize::try_from(*address)
-                .map_err(|_| FormatError::Overflow("data address exceeds usize".into()))?;
-            let data = file_data
-                .get(base..)
-                .and_then(|d| d.get(..checked_byte_len(total, elem_size).ok()?))
-                .ok_or(FormatError::UnexpectedEof {
-                    expected: base,
-                    available: file_data.len(),
-                })?;
-            let origin = vec![0u64; dims.len()];
-            copy_overlap(
-                data,
-                &origin,
-                dims,
-                &mut boxed,
-                &box_start,
-                &box_extent,
-                elem_size,
-            );
-        }
         DataLayout::Chunked {
             btree_address: Some(_),
             ..

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/type_builders.rs

@@ -695,8 +695,13 @@ impl DatasetBuilder {
         self
     }
 
+    /// Set attribute `name`. Setting it again replaces the earlier value,
+    /// as `attrs[name] = v` does in h5py.
     pub fn set_attr(&mut self, name: &str, value: AttrValue) -> &mut Self {
-        self.attrs.push((name.to_string(), value));
+        match self.attrs.iter_mut().find(|(n, _)| n == name) {
+            Some(slot) => slot.1 = value,
+            None => self.attrs.push((name.to_string(), value)),
+        }
         self
     }
 
@@ -903,34 +908,117 @@ impl DatasetBuilder {
 
 // ---- Group builder ----
 
-/// Builder for groups.
+/// One entry of a [`GroupBuilder`], kept in the order it was added (the
+/// order a group that tracks creation order lists its links in).
+pub(crate) enum GroupItem {
+    Dataset(Box<DatasetBuilder>),
+    Group(GroupBuilder),
+    /// A soft link: `name` resolves to whatever `target` names when read.
+    Soft {
+        name: String,
+        target: String,
+    },
+    /// An extra hard link to the object at `target` (a path in this file).
+    Hard {
+        name: String,
+        target: String,
+    },
+    /// An external link to `path` in the file `file`.
+    External {
+        name: String,
+        file: String,
+        path: String,
+    },
+}
+
+/// Builder for a group: its datasets, subgroups, links and attributes.
+///
+/// Names are paths relative to the group: `create_dataset("a/b/x")` creates
+/// the groups `a` and `a/b` as needed, as h5py does. A group added where a
+/// group of the same path already exists (added by another builder, or
+/// created as an intermediate group) is merged into it, like h5py's
+/// `require_group`; any other name used twice in a group is an error when the
+/// file is written. A path component must not be empty or `"."`.
 pub struct GroupBuilder {
     pub(crate) name: String,
-    pub(crate) datasets: Vec<DatasetBuilder>,
+    pub(crate) items: Vec<GroupItem>,
     pub(crate) attrs: Vec<(String, AttrValue)>,
-    /// (link_name, target_file, target_path)
+    /// Track (and index) link creation order; `None` follows the file's
-    pub(crate) external_links: Vec<(String, String, String)>,
+    /// default (`FileWriter::track_order`).
+    pub(crate) track_order: Option<bool>,
 }
 
 impl GroupBuilder {
     pub(crate) fn new(name: &str) -> Self {
         Self {
             name: name.to_string(),
-            datasets: Vec::new(),
+            items: Vec::new(),
             attrs: Vec::new(),
-            external_links: Vec::new(),
+            track_order: None,
         }
     }
 
+    /// Create a dataset in this group. `name` may be a relative path
+    /// (`"a/b/x"`); missing intermediate groups are created.
     pub fn create_dataset(&mut self, name: &str) -> &mut DatasetBuilder {
-        self.datasets.push(DatasetBuilder::new(name));
+        self.items
-        self.datasets.last_mut().unwrap()
+            .push(GroupItem::Dataset(Box::new(DatasetBuilder::new(name))));
+        match self.items.last_mut() {
+            Some(GroupItem::Dataset(d)) => d,
+            _ => unreachable!("just pushed a dataset"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Start a subgroup of this group. Like `FileWriter::create_group`, the
+    /// builder is detached: fill it, then pass `finish()`'s result to
+    /// [`Self::add_group`]. `name` may be a relative path.
+    pub fn create_group(&self, name: &str) -> GroupBuilder {
+        GroupBuilder::new(name)
+    }
+
+    /// Add a finished subgroup to this group.
+    pub fn add_group(&mut self, group: FinishedGroup) -> &mut Self {
+        self.items.push(GroupItem::Group(group.group));
+        self
     }
 
     pub fn set_attr(&mut self, name: &str, value: AttrValue) {
         self.attrs.push((name.to_string(), value));
     }
 
+    /// Track the creation order of this group's links, and index it, as
+    /// h5py's `track_order=True` does: libhdf5 (and h5py) then list the
+    /// group's members in the order they were added rather than by name.
+    /// Applies to links only, not to attributes.
+    pub fn track_order(&mut self, track: bool) -> &mut Self {
+        self.track_order = Some(track);
+        self
+    }
+
+    /// Add a soft link `name` to the path `target` (absolute, or relative to
+    /// this group), like h5py's `grp[name] = h5py.SoftLink(target)`. The
+    /// target need not exist.
+    pub fn add_soft_link(&mut self, name: &str, target: &str) -> &mut Self {
+        self.items.push(GroupItem::Soft {
+            name: name.to_string(),
+            target: target.to_string(),
+        });
+        self
+    }
+
+    /// Add another hard link `name` to the group or dataset at `target`
+    /// (absolute, or relative to this group), like h5py's
+    /// `grp[name] = f[target]`. The target must be written in the same file;
+    /// its path may go through other hard links, but not through soft or
+    /// external links.
+    pub fn add_hard_link(&mut self, name: &str, target: &str) -> &mut Self {
+        self.items.push(GroupItem::Hard {
+            name: name.to_string(),
+            target: target.to_string(),
+        });
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Add an external link: a named pointer to an object in another HDF5 file.
     pub fn add_external_link(
         &mut self,
@@ -938,30 +1026,21 @@ impl GroupBuilder {
         target_file: &str,
         target_path: &str,
     ) -> &mut Self {
-        self.external_links.push((
+        self.items.push(GroupItem::External {
-            name.to_string(),
+            name: name.to_string(),
-            target_file.to_string(),
+            file: target_file.to_string(),
-            target_path.to_string(),
+            path: target_path.to_string(),
-        ));
+        });
         self
     }
 
     /// Consume the builder, returning a FinishedGroup to add to FileWriter.
     pub fn finish(self) -> FinishedGroup {
-        FinishedGroup {
+        FinishedGroup { group: self }
-            name: self.name,
-            datasets: self.datasets,
-            attrs: self.attrs,
-            external_links: self.external_links,
-        }
     }
 }
 
 /// A finished group ready for the file writer.
 pub struct FinishedGroup {
-    pub(crate) name: String,
+    pub(crate) group: GroupBuilder,
-    pub(crate) datasets: Vec<DatasetBuilder>,
-    pub(crate) attrs: Vec<(String, AttrValue)>,
-    /// (link_name, target_file, target_path)
-    pub(crate) external_links: Vec<(String, String, String)>,
 }

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/vl_data.rs

@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@
 //! `sequence_length(4 LE) + collection_address(offset_size LE) + object_index(4 LE)`.
 
 #[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
-use alloc::{string::String, vec::Vec};
+use alloc::{collections::BTreeMap, format, string::String, vec, vec::Vec};
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
+use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 
 use crate::error::FormatError;
-use crate::global_heap::GlobalHeapCollection;
+use crate::global_heap::{GlobalHeapCollection, GlobalHeapIndex};
 
 /// A parsed variable-length element reference (global heap ID).
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
@@ -109,7 +111,218 @@ fn is_undefined_address(addr: u64, offset_size: u8) -> bool {
     }
 }
 
+/// The size of one variable-length element in a file with `offset_size`-byte
+/// addresses: a sequence length (4), a global heap collection address and an
+/// object index (4). libhdf5 computes it this way rather than trusting the
+/// datatype message (`H5T_set_loc`).
+pub fn element_size(offset_size: u8) -> usize {
+    4 + offset_size as usize + 4
+}
+
+/// Refuse a variable-length datatype whose stored element size is not the
+/// one this file's offset size implies. Its elements would be laid out with
+/// a stride libhdf5 does not use, so every value after the first would be
+/// read from the wrong place.
+pub fn check_element_size(stored_size: u32, offset_size: u8) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
+    let expected = element_size(offset_size);
+    if stored_size as usize != expected {
+        return Err(FormatError::VlDataError(format!(
+            "variable-length datatype stores {stored_size}-byte elements; a file with \
+             {offset_size}-byte offsets uses {expected}"
+        )));
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// A collection's objects, located in the file data but not copied:
+/// `(index, offset, size)` of the first object with each index, sorted by
+/// index.
+struct CachedCollection {
+    objects: Vec<(u16, usize, usize)>,
+}
+
+impl CachedCollection {
+    fn new(index: GlobalHeapIndex) -> Self {
+        let mut objects: Vec<(u16, usize, usize)> = index
+            .objects
+            .iter()
+            .map(|o| (o.index, o.offset, o.size))
+            .collect();
+        // Stable, so the first object with a repeated index is kept.
+        objects.sort_by_key(|o| o.0);
+        objects.dedup_by_key(|o| o.0);
+        Self { objects }
+    }
+
+    /// What this entry costs to keep, in bytes (roughly).
+    fn cost(&self) -> usize {
+        64 + self.objects.len() * core::mem::size_of::<(u16, usize, usize)>()
+    }
+
+    fn get(&self, index: u32) -> Option<(usize, usize)> {
+        let index = u16::try_from(index).ok()?;
+        let i = self.objects.binary_search_by_key(&index, |o| o.0).ok()?;
+        Some((self.objects[i].1, self.objects[i].2))
+    }
+}
+
+/// How many bytes of collection indexes a [`VlResolver`] keeps before it
+/// drops them and starts again. Values are never copied into the cache, so
+/// this bounds what a read retains however many collections it visits.
+const CACHE_BUDGET: usize = 32 << 20;
+
+/// Resolves variable-length elements against a file's global heap, parsing
+/// each heap collection once however many elements point into it.
+///
+/// Values follow libhdf5: an element whose heap address is 0 is null (an
+/// empty string or sequence), and an element whose heap object is not
+/// exactly `length × base size` bytes is an error ("Expected global heap
+/// object size does not match"), not a truncated or padded value.
+///
+/// Memory stays bounded on hostile files: the cache holds where each
+/// object lies, not a copy of it, up to a fixed budget; and collections
+/// that overlap one another are refused (libhdf5 never writes them), so a
+/// file cannot make the resolver parse the same bytes as the objects of
+/// many collections.
+pub struct VlResolver<'a> {
+    file_data: &'a [u8],
+    offset_size: u8,
+    length_size: u8,
+    cache: BTreeMap<u64, CachedCollection>,
+    cached_bytes: usize,
+    budget: usize,
+    /// Start → end of every collection parsed so far (kept when the cache
+    /// is dropped, to check overlaps).
+    extents: BTreeMap<usize, usize>,
+}
+
+impl<'a> VlResolver<'a> {
+    /// A resolver over `file_data` (the file from its superblock on), with
+    /// the superblock's offset and length sizes.
+    pub fn new(file_data: &'a [u8], offset_size: u8, length_size: u8) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            file_data,
+            offset_size,
+            length_size,
+            cache: BTreeMap::new(),
+            cached_bytes: 0,
+            budget: CACHE_BUDGET,
+            extents: BTreeMap::new(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// The size of one element in this file (see [`element_size`]).
+    pub fn element_size(&self) -> usize {
+        element_size(self.offset_size)
+    }
+
+    /// Split `raw` into elements; its length must be a whole number of them.
+    fn elements(&self, raw: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<VlElement>, FormatError> {
+        let size = self.element_size();
+        if !raw.len().is_multiple_of(size) {
+            return Err(FormatError::VlDataError(format!(
+                "{} bytes is not a whole number of {size}-byte variable-length elements",
+                raw.len()
+            )));
+        }
+        parse_vl_references(raw, (raw.len() / size) as u64, self.offset_size)
+    }
+
+    /// The bytes of one element: `length × base_size` bytes from the heap,
+    /// or `None` for a null element.
+    fn resolve(
+        &mut self,
+        vl: &VlElement,
+        base_size: usize,
+    ) -> Result<Option<&'a [u8]>, FormatError> {
+        let addr = vl.collection_address;
+        if addr == 0 {
+            return Ok(None);
+        }
+        let data = self.object(vl)?;
+        let expected = (vl.length as usize)
+            .checked_mul(base_size)
+            .ok_or_else(|| FormatError::Overflow("variable-length element size".into()))?;
+        if data.len() != expected {
+            return Err(FormatError::VlDataError(format!(
+                "global heap object {} in the collection at {addr} holds {} bytes; the element \
+                 says {} × {base_size}",
+                vl.object_index,
+                data.len(),
+                vl.length
+            )));
+        }
+        Ok(Some(data))
+    }
+
+    /// One element (the first [`element_size`](Self::element_size) bytes of
+    /// `elem`) of a variable-length sequence whose base type is `base_size`
+    /// bytes: its `length × base_size` bytes, or `None` for a null element
+    /// (heap address 0).
+    pub fn element(
+        &mut self,
+        elem: &[u8],
+        base_size: usize,
+    ) -> Result<Option<&'a [u8]>, FormatError> {
+        let vl = parse_vl_references(elem, 1, self.offset_size)?;
+        self.resolve(&vl[0], base_size)
+    }
+
+    /// One variable-length string element: its bytes up to the first NUL,
+    /// or `None` for a null element (h5dump prints it as `NULL`, h5py
+    /// returns it as empty).
+    pub fn string_element(&mut self, elem: &[u8]) -> Result<Option<&'a [u8]>, FormatError> {
+        Ok(self.element(elem, 1)?.map(cut_at_nul))
+    }
+
+    /// The strings of the variable-length string elements in `raw`, as
+    /// bytes. A string ends at its first NUL, as libhdf5 returns it (it
+    /// converts each to a C string); a null element is empty.
+    pub fn string_bytes(&mut self, raw: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<Vec<u8>>, FormatError> {
+        self.elements(raw)?
+            .iter()
+            .map(|vl| Ok(self.resolve(vl, 1)?.map(cut_at_nul).unwrap_or(&[]).to_vec()))
+            .collect()
+    }
+
+    /// The strings of the variable-length string elements in `raw`, decoded
+    /// as UTF-8 with invalid sequences replaced by U+FFFD (see
+    /// [`string_bytes`](Self::string_bytes) for the exact bytes).
+    pub fn strings(&mut self, raw: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<String>, FormatError> {
+        Ok(self
+            .string_bytes(raw)?
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|b| match String::from_utf8(b) {
+                Ok(s) => s,
+                Err(e) => String::from_utf8_lossy(e.as_bytes()).into_owned(),
+            })
+            .collect())
+    }
+
+    /// The sequences of the variable-length sequence elements in `raw`, each
+    /// as its `length × base_size` bytes in the base type's encoding.
+    pub fn sequences(&mut self, raw: &[u8], base_size: usize) -> Result<Vec<Vec<u8>>, FormatError> {
+        if base_size == 0 {
+            return Err(FormatError::VlDataError(
+                "variable-length sequence of a zero-size base type".into(),
+            ));
+        }
+        self.elements(raw)?
+            .iter()
+            .map(|vl| Ok(self.resolve(vl, base_size)?.unwrap_or(&[]).to_vec()))
+            .collect()
+    }
+}
+
+/// A string's bytes up to its first NUL.
+fn cut_at_nul(s: &[u8]) -> &[u8] {
+    &s[..s.iter().position(|&b| b == 0).unwrap_or(s.len())]
+}
+
 /// Resolve VL strings from raw data by looking up each element in the global heap.
+///
+/// Reads the first `num_elements` elements of `raw`. Strings end at their
+/// first NUL and invalid UTF-8 is replaced, as in [`VlResolver::strings`].
 pub fn read_vl_strings(
     file_data: &[u8],
     raw_data: &[u8],
@@ -117,35 +330,23 @@ pub fn read_vl_strings(
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<Vec<String>, FormatError> {
-    let refs = parse_vl_references(raw_data, num_elements, offset_size)?;
+    let raw = first_elements(raw_data, num_elements, offset_size)?;
-    let mut result = Vec::with_capacity(refs.len());
+    VlResolver::new(file_data, offset_size, length_size).strings(raw)
+}
 
-    for vl in &refs {
+/// The first `num_elements` elements of `raw`, or an error if it is shorter.
-        if vl.length == 0 && is_undefined_address(vl.collection_address, offset_size) {
+fn first_elements(raw: &[u8], num_elements: u64, offset_size: u8) -> Result<&[u8], FormatError> {
-            result.push(String::new());
+    let total = usize::try_from(num_elements)
-            continue;
+        .ok()
-        }
+        .and_then(|n| n.checked_mul(element_size(offset_size)))
-        if vl.length == 0 && vl.collection_address == 0 {
+        .ok_or(FormatError::UnexpectedEof {
-            result.push(String::new());
+            expected: usize::MAX,
-            continue;
+            available: raw.len(),
-        }
+        })?;
-
+    raw.get(..total).ok_or(FormatError::UnexpectedEof {
-        let coll =
+        expected: total,
-            GlobalHeapCollection::parse(file_data, vl.collection_address as usize, length_size)?;
+        available: raw.len(),
-        let obj = coll.get_object(vl.object_index as u16).ok_or(
+    })
-            FormatError::GlobalHeapObjectNotFound {
-                collection_address: vl.collection_address,
-                index: vl.object_index as u16,
-            },
-        )?;
-
-        // The object data is the raw string bytes
-        let len = (vl.length as usize).min(obj.data.len());
-        let s = String::from_utf8_lossy(&obj.data[..len]).into_owned();
-        result.push(s);
-    }
-
-    Ok(result)
 }
 
 /// Resolve VL sequences from raw data, returning each element's bytes.
@@ -153,7 +354,9 @@ pub fn read_vl_strings(
 /// Each element is the sequence's full encoding — element count × base type
 /// size bytes, in the base type's byte order — so a sequence of `i32` yields
 /// four bytes per value. Decode it with the base type (e.g.
-/// [`crate::data_read::read_as_i64`]).
+/// [`crate::data_read::read_as_i64`]). This does not know the base type, so
+/// it returns each heap object whole; [`VlResolver::sequences`] also checks
+/// the object's size against the element's length.
 pub fn read_vl_bytes(
     file_data: &[u8],
     raw_data: &[u8],
@@ -162,35 +365,97 @@ pub fn read_vl_bytes(
     length_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<Vec<Vec<u8>>, FormatError> {
     let refs = parse_vl_references(raw_data, num_elements, offset_size)?;
+    let mut resolver = VlResolver::new(file_data, offset_size, length_size);
     let mut result = Vec::with_capacity(refs.len());
 
     for vl in &refs {
-        if vl.length == 0
+        // A heap address of 0 is a null element, as in VlResolver.
-            && (is_undefined_address(vl.collection_address, offset_size)
+        if vl.collection_address == 0 {
-                || vl.collection_address == 0)
-        {
             result.push(Vec::new());
             continue;
         }
-
-        let coll =
-            GlobalHeapCollection::parse(file_data, vl.collection_address as usize, length_size)?;
-        let obj = coll.get_object(vl.object_index as u16).ok_or(
-            FormatError::GlobalHeapObjectNotFound {
-                collection_address: vl.collection_address,
-                index: vl.object_index as u16,
-            },
-        )?;
-
         // The heap object holds the whole sequence. `vl.length` counts
         // elements, not bytes, so it is only the byte length when the base
         // type is one byte wide.
-        result.push(obj.data.clone());
+        let obj = resolver.object(vl)?;
+        result.push(obj.to_vec());
     }
 
     Ok(result)
 }
 
+impl<'a> VlResolver<'a> {
+    /// The heap object `vl` points to, whatever its size; its collection is
+    /// parsed on first use.
+    fn object(&mut self, vl: &VlElement) -> Result<&'a [u8], FormatError> {
+        let addr = vl.collection_address;
+        // libhdf5 writes a null element with address 0, never the undefined
+        // address, and fails to read one ("addr undefined") even when its
+        // length is 0; we returned an empty value.
+        if is_undefined_address(addr, self.offset_size) {
+            return Err(FormatError::VlDataError(format!(
+                "variable-length element (length {}) has the undefined global heap address",
+                vl.length
+            )));
+        }
+        if !self.cache.contains_key(&addr) {
+            let offset = usize::try_from(addr).map_err(|_| FormatError::UnexpectedEof {
+                expected: usize::MAX,
+                available: self.file_data.len(),
+            })?;
+            let index =
+                GlobalHeapCollection::parse_index(self.file_data, offset, self.length_size)?;
+            // parse_index checked that the collection lies in the file.
+            let end = offset + index.collection_size as usize;
+            self.check_overlap(offset, end)?;
+            let coll = CachedCollection::new(index);
+            if self.cached_bytes.saturating_add(coll.cost()) > self.budget {
+                self.cache.clear();
+                self.cached_bytes = 0;
+            }
+            self.cached_bytes += coll.cost();
+            self.cache.insert(addr, coll);
+        }
+        let (start, size) = self.cache[&addr].get(vl.object_index).ok_or(
+            FormatError::GlobalHeapObjectNotFound {
+                collection_address: addr,
+                index: vl.object_index as u16,
+            },
+        )?;
+        Ok(&self.file_data[start..start + size])
+    }
+
+    /// Record the collection at `start..end`, refusing one that overlaps a
+    /// collection already read. libhdf5 allocates each collection its own
+    /// block; overlapping ones only come from a crafted file, where they let
+    /// every byte be parsed again as the objects of each collection.
+    fn check_overlap(&mut self, start: usize, end: usize) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
+        if let Some(&known) = self.extents.get(&start) {
+            return if known == end {
+                Ok(())
+            } else {
+                Err(FormatError::VlDataError(format!(
+                    "global heap collection at {start} changed size"
+                )))
+            };
+        }
+        let before = self.extents.range(..start).next_back();
+        let after = self.extents.range(start..).next();
+        let clash = match (before, after) {
+            (Some((&s, &e)), _) if e > start => Some(s),
+            (_, Some((&s, _))) if s < end => Some(s),
+            _ => None,
+        };
+        if let Some(other) = clash {
+            return Err(FormatError::VlDataError(format!(
+                "global heap collection at {start} overlaps the one at {other}"
+            )));
+        }
+        self.extents.insert(start, end);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
@@ -285,16 +550,27 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn null_vl_element_empty_string() {
+    fn an_undefined_heap_address_is_an_error_even_at_length_0() {
-        // length=0, address=undefined
+        // libhdf5 fails the read ("addr undefined"); h5py and libhdf5 write
-        let mut raw = Vec::new();
+        // a null element with address 0. We returned "".
-        raw.extend_from_slice(&0u32.to_le_bytes()); // length=0
+        let mut file_data = vec![0u8; 256];
-        raw.extend_from_slice(&u64::MAX.to_le_bytes()); // undefined address
+        build_gcol_at(&mut file_data, 64, &[(1, b"x")]);
-        raw.extend_from_slice(&0u32.to_le_bytes()); // index
+        for (os, undef) in [(8u8, u64::MAX), (4, 0xFFFF_FFFF)] {
-
+            for length in [0, 1] {
-        let file_data = vec![0u8; 16];
+                let mut raw = element(1, 64, 1, os);
-        let strings = read_vl_strings(&file_data, &raw, 1, 8, 8).unwrap();
+                raw.extend(element(length, undef, 1, os));
-        assert_eq!(strings, vec![""]);
+                let mut r = VlResolver::new(&file_data, os, 8);
+                let e = r.string_bytes(&raw).unwrap_err().to_string();
+                assert!(e.contains("undefined"), "{e}");
+                assert!(r.sequences(&raw, 1).is_err());
+                assert!(r.string_element(&raw[raw.len() / 2..]).is_err());
+                let n = 2;
+                assert!(read_vl_strings(&file_data, &raw, n, os, 8).is_err());
+                assert!(read_vl_bytes(&file_data, &raw, n, os, 8).is_err());
+                // The defined element alone still reads.
+                assert_eq!(r.strings(&raw[..raw.len() / 2]).unwrap(), ["x"]);
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -333,6 +609,126 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(bytes, vec![vec![0xDE, 0xAD], vec![0xBE, 0xEF, 0xCA]]);
     }
 
+    fn element(length: u32, addr: u64, index: u32, offset_size: u8) -> Vec<u8> {
+        let mut raw = length.to_le_bytes().to_vec();
+        raw.extend_from_slice(&addr.to_le_bytes()[..offset_size as usize]);
+        raw.extend_from_slice(&index.to_le_bytes());
+        raw
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn strings_end_at_the_first_nul() {
+        // libhdf5 hands each VL string over as a C string, so h5py sees
+        // "a\0b" as "a"; we used to return the NUL and what followed.
+        let mut file_data = vec![0u8; 512];
+        build_gcol_at(&mut file_data, 64, &[(1, b"a\0b"), (2, b"cd")]);
+        let mut raw = element(3, 64, 1, 8);
+        raw.extend(element(2, 64, 2, 8));
+        let mut r = VlResolver::new(&file_data, 8, 8);
+        assert_eq!(
+            r.string_bytes(&raw).unwrap(),
+            vec![b"a".to_vec(), b"cd".to_vec()]
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            read_vl_strings(&file_data, &raw, 2, 8, 8).unwrap(),
+            ["a", "cd"]
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_heap_object_of_the_wrong_size_is_an_error() {
+        // libhdf5: "Expected global heap object size does not match". We
+        // used to return the object cut to the element's length.
+        let mut file_data = vec![0u8; 512];
+        build_gcol_at(&mut file_data, 64, &[(1, b"cdefgh"), (2, &[1, 0, 0, 0])]);
+        let mut r = VlResolver::new(&file_data, 8, 8);
+        assert!(r.string_bytes(&element(3, 64, 1, 8)).is_err());
+        assert!(r.string_bytes(&element(9, 64, 1, 8)).is_err());
+        assert!(read_vl_strings(&file_data, &element(3, 64, 1, 8), 1, 8, 8).is_err());
+        // A sequence of one i32 is 4 bytes; of two, 8.
+        assert_eq!(
+            r.sequences(&element(1, 64, 2, 8), 4).unwrap(),
+            vec![vec![1, 0, 0, 0]]
+        );
+        assert!(r.sequences(&element(2, 64, 2, 8), 4).is_err());
+        assert!(r.sequences(&element(1, 64, 2, 8), 0).is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn address_zero_is_null_whatever_the_length() {
+        // libhdf5 treats a heap address of 0 as a null element.
+        let file_data = vec![0u8; 64];
+        let mut r = VlResolver::new(&file_data, 8, 8);
+        assert_eq!(
+            r.string_bytes(&element(5, 0, 1, 8)).unwrap(),
+            vec![Vec::<u8>::new()]
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            r.sequences(&element(5, 0, 1, 8), 4).unwrap(),
+            vec![Vec::<u8>::new()]
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn four_byte_offsets_use_twelve_byte_elements() {
+        let mut file_data = vec![0u8; 512];
+        build_gcol_at(&mut file_data, 64, &[(1, b"one"), (2, b""), (3, b"three")]);
+        let mut raw = element(3, 64, 1, 4);
+        raw.extend(element(0, 64, 2, 4));
+        raw.extend(element(5, 64, 3, 4));
+        assert_eq!(raw.len(), 36);
+        let mut r = VlResolver::new(&file_data, 4, 8);
+        assert_eq!(r.element_size(), 12);
+        assert_eq!(r.strings(&raw).unwrap(), ["one", "", "three"]);
+        // Not a whole number of elements.
+        assert!(r.strings(&raw[..30]).is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn the_cache_stays_within_its_budget_and_rereads_what_it_dropped() {
+        // Twenty collections of three objects each; a budget that holds
+        // about two of them. Reading every element twice must still return
+        // the right strings after the cache is dropped.
+        let mut file_data = vec![0u8; 64];
+        let mut raw = Vec::new();
+        for c in 0..20u64 {
+            let at = file_data.len();
+            let names: Vec<String> = (0..3).map(|i| format!("c{c}o{i}")).collect();
+            let objs: Vec<(u16, &[u8])> = names
+                .iter()
+                .enumerate()
+                .map(|(i, n)| (i as u16 + 1, n.as_bytes()))
+                .collect();
+            build_gcol_at(&mut file_data, at, &objs);
+            for (i, n) in names.iter().enumerate() {
+                raw.extend(element(n.len() as u32, at as u64, i as u32 + 1, 8));
+            }
+        }
+        raw.extend(raw.clone());
+        let mut r = VlResolver::new(&file_data, 8, 8);
+        let one = CachedCollection {
+            objects: vec![(0, 0, 0); 3],
+        }
+        .cost();
+        r.budget = 2 * one + 1;
+        let want: Vec<String> = (0..2)
+            .flat_map(|_| (0..20).flat_map(|c| (0..3).map(move |i| format!("c{c}o{i}"))))
+            .collect();
+        for (k, chunk) in raw.chunks(16).enumerate() {
+            assert_eq!(r.strings(chunk).unwrap(), [want[k].clone()]);
+            assert!(r.cached_bytes <= r.budget);
+            assert!(r.cache.len() <= 2);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn element_size_is_checked_against_the_offset_size() {
+        assert!(check_element_size(16, 8).is_ok());
+        assert!(check_element_size(12, 4).is_ok());
+        assert!(check_element_size(16, 4).is_err());
+        assert!(check_element_size(524_304, 8).is_err());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn parse_vl_references_truncated_error() {
         let raw = vec![0u8; 10]; // too short for 1 element with offset_size=8

crates/clawhdf5-format/src/writer_tree.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,494 @@
+//! The group hierarchy `FileWriter` writes: builders flattened into a tree
+//! of groups, datasets and links, with path names expanded into
+//! intermediate groups, hard links resolved to objects, reference counts
+//! counted, and everything put in layout order.
+
+#[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
+use alloc::{
+    collections::BTreeMap,
+    format,
+    string::{String, ToString},
+    vec,
+    vec::Vec,
+};
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
+use std::collections::BTreeMap;
+
+use crate::error::FormatError;
+use crate::type_builders::{AttrValue, DatasetBuilder, GroupBuilder, GroupItem};
+
+/// Depth of the chain of unresolved hard links followed while resolving one
+/// hard-link target path (a bound on recursion; cycles are found exactly).
+const MAX_LINK_DEPTH: usize = 64;
+
+fn err(msg: String) -> FormatError {
+    FormatError::SerializationError(msg)
+}
+
+/// A link name must be one path component: not empty, not ".", and without
+/// '/' (a '/' separates components, so it cannot be part of a name).
+fn check_link_name(name: &str, path: &str) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
+    if name.is_empty() || name == "." || name.contains('/') {
+        return Err(err(format!(
+            "invalid object name {path:?}: every path component must be a \
+             non-empty name other than \".\""
+        )));
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// What a link in the final tree points at.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
+pub(crate) enum LinkTo {
+    /// A group, by index into [`Tree::groups`] (layout order).
+    Group(usize),
+    /// A dataset, by index into [`Tree::datasets`] (layout order).
+    Dataset(usize),
+    Soft(String),
+    External {
+        file: String,
+        path: String,
+    },
+}
+
+pub(crate) struct Link {
+    pub(crate) name: String,
+    pub(crate) to: LinkTo,
+    /// Set when the group tracks creation order.
+    pub(crate) creation_order: Option<u64>,
+}
+
+pub(crate) struct Group {
+    pub(crate) attrs: Vec<(String, AttrValue)>,
+    /// Links in the order they are written.
+    pub(crate) links: Vec<Link>,
+    pub(crate) track_order: bool,
+    /// Number of hard links to this group (the root counts one for the
+    /// superblock's reference).
+    pub(crate) refcount: u32,
+}
+
+/// The flattened file: groups (root first) and datasets, both in the order
+/// they are laid out in the file.
+pub(crate) struct Tree {
+    pub(crate) groups: Vec<Group>,
+    pub(crate) datasets: Vec<(DatasetBuilder, u32)>,
+}
+
+// ---- construction ----
+
+enum Target {
+    Group(usize),
+    Dataset(usize),
+    Soft(String),
+    Hard(String),
+    External { file: String, path: String },
+}
+
+struct BuildGroup {
+    /// Full path, for messages.
+    path: String,
+    attrs: Vec<(String, AttrValue)>,
+    links: Vec<(String, Target)>,
+    by_name: BTreeMap<String, usize>,
+    track_order: Option<bool>,
+}
+
+struct Builder {
+    groups: Vec<BuildGroup>,
+    datasets: Vec<DatasetBuilder>,
+}
+
+fn join(parent: &str, name: &str) -> String {
+    if parent == "/" {
+        format!("/{name}")
+    } else {
+        format!("{parent}/{name}")
+    }
+}
+
+impl Builder {
+    fn new_group(&mut self, path: String) -> usize {
+        self.groups.push(BuildGroup {
+            path,
+            attrs: Vec::new(),
+            links: Vec::new(),
+            by_name: BTreeMap::new(),
+            track_order: None,
+        });
+        self.groups.len() - 1
+    }
+
+    /// Split `path` (relative to group `g`) into the group holding its last
+    /// component, creating missing intermediate groups, and that component.
+    fn parent_of<'p>(&mut self, g: usize, path: &'p str) -> Result<(usize, &'p str), FormatError> {
+        // An absolute path is accepted at the root only.
+        let rel = match path.strip_prefix('/') {
+            Some(rest) if g == 0 => rest,
+            Some(_) => {
+                return Err(err(format!(
+                    "invalid object name {path:?} in {}: absolute paths are accepted \
+                     only at the root",
+                    self.groups[g].path
+                )));
+            }
+            None => path,
+        };
+        let mut comps: Vec<&str> = rel.split('/').collect();
+        let last = comps.pop().unwrap_or("");
+        check_link_name(last, path)?;
+        let mut cur = g;
+        for c in comps {
+            check_link_name(c, path)?;
+            cur = match self.groups[cur].by_name.get(c).copied() {
+                Some(i) => match self.groups[cur].links[i].1 {
+                    Target::Group(child) => child,
+                    _ => {
+                        return Err(err(format!(
+                            "cannot create {path:?} in {}: {c:?} exists and is not a group",
+                            self.groups[g].path
+                        )));
+                    }
+                },
+                None => {
+                    let child = self.new_group(join(&self.groups[cur].path, c));
+                    self.push_link(cur, c, Target::Group(child))?;
+                    child
+                }
+            };
+        }
+        Ok((cur, last))
+    }
+
+    fn push_link(&mut self, g: usize, name: &str, to: Target) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
+        let grp = &mut self.groups[g];
+        if grp.by_name.contains_key(name) {
+            return Err(err(format!("{:?} already exists", join(&grp.path, name))));
+        }
+        grp.by_name.insert(name.to_string(), grp.links.len());
+        grp.links.push((name.to_string(), to));
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Add `item` to group `g`.
+    fn add_item(&mut self, g: usize, item: GroupItem) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
+        match item {
+            GroupItem::Dataset(db) => {
+                let (parent, name) = self.parent_of(g, &db.name)?;
+                let name = name.to_string();
+                self.push_link(parent, &name, Target::Dataset(self.datasets.len()))?;
+                self.datasets.push(*db);
+            }
+            GroupItem::Group(gb) => self.add_group(g, gb)?,
+            GroupItem::Soft { name, target } => {
+                if target.is_empty() {
+                    return Err(err(format!("soft link {name:?} has an empty target")));
+                }
+                let (parent, last) = self.parent_of(g, &name)?;
+                self.push_link(parent, last, Target::Soft(target))?;
+            }
+            GroupItem::Hard { name, target } => {
+                let (parent, last) = self.parent_of(g, &name)?;
+                self.push_link(parent, last, Target::Hard(target))?;
+            }
+            GroupItem::External { name, file, path } => {
+                if file.is_empty() || path.is_empty() {
+                    return Err(err(format!(
+                        "external link {name:?} needs a file name and an object path"
+                    )));
+                }
+                let (parent, last) = self.parent_of(g, &name)?;
+                self.push_link(parent, last, Target::External { file, path })?;
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Add the group `gb` (named by a path relative to group `g`), merging it
+    /// into a group already at that path.
+    fn add_group(&mut self, g: usize, gb: GroupBuilder) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
+        let (parent, last) = self.parent_of(g, &gb.name)?;
+        let idx = match self.groups[parent].by_name.get(last).copied() {
+            Some(i) => match self.groups[parent].links[i].1 {
+                Target::Group(child) => child,
+                _ => {
+                    return Err(err(format!(
+                        "{:?} already exists and is not a group",
+                        join(&self.groups[parent].path, last)
+                    )));
+                }
+            },
+            None => {
+                let child = self.new_group(join(&self.groups[parent].path, last));
+                self.push_link(parent, last, Target::Group(child))?;
+                child
+            }
+        };
+        self.merge_into(idx, gb)
+    }
+
+    /// Merge a builder's attributes, setting and items into group `idx`.
+    fn merge_into(&mut self, idx: usize, gb: GroupBuilder) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
+        // An attribute set again (by this builder or a merged one) takes the
+        // new value, as assigning `attrs[name]` in h5py does.
+        for (name, value) in gb.attrs {
+            let attrs = &mut self.groups[idx].attrs;
+            match attrs.iter_mut().find(|(n, _)| *n == name) {
+                Some(slot) => slot.1 = value,
+                None => attrs.push((name, value)),
+            }
+        }
+        if let Some(t) = gb.track_order {
+            match self.groups[idx].track_order {
+                Some(old) if old != t => {
+                    return Err(err(format!(
+                        "conflicting track_order settings for {}",
+                        self.groups[idx].path
+                    )));
+                }
+                _ => self.groups[idx].track_order = Some(t),
+            }
+        }
+        for item in gb.items {
+            self.add_item(idx, item)?;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// The object a hard link's `target` path names, from group `from`.
+    ///
+    /// Hard links met on the way are resolved once and remembered in
+    /// `memo` (by group and link index), so a target that goes through
+    /// other hard links costs time linear in the links, not exponential; a
+    /// hard link met again while it is being resolved is a cycle.
+    fn resolve(
+        &self,
+        memo: &mut [Vec<Resolution>],
+        from: usize,
+        target: &str,
+        depth: usize,
+    ) -> Result<Obj, FormatError> {
+        if depth > MAX_LINK_DEPTH {
+            return Err(err(format!(
+                "hard link target {target:?}: more than {MAX_LINK_DEPTH} hard links \
+                 to follow"
+            )));
+        }
+        let (mut cur, rest) = match target.strip_prefix('/') {
+            Some(rest) => (0, rest),
+            None => (from, target),
+        };
+        if target.is_empty() {
+            return Err(err("a hard link needs a target path".to_string()));
+        }
+        let comps: Vec<&str> = rest
+            .split('/')
+            .filter(|c| !c.is_empty() && *c != ".")
+            .collect();
+        let mut obj = Obj::Group(cur);
+        for (i, c) in comps.iter().enumerate() {
+            let Obj::Group(g) = obj else {
+                return Err(err(format!(
+                    "hard link target {target:?}: {:?} is not a group",
+                    comps[..i].join("/")
+                )));
+            };
+            cur = g;
+            let grp = &self.groups[cur];
+            let Some(&li) = grp.by_name.get(*c) else {
+                return Err(err(format!(
+                    "hard link target {target:?} does not exist in the file"
+                )));
+            };
+            obj = match &grp.links[li].1 {
+                Target::Group(child) => Obj::Group(*child),
+                Target::Dataset(d) => Obj::Dataset(*d),
+                Target::Hard(p) => match memo[cur][li] {
+                    Resolution::Done(o) => o,
+                    Resolution::InProgress => {
+                        return Err(err(format!(
+                            "hard link target {target:?}: the hard link {:?} leads \
+                             back to itself (a cycle)",
+                            join(&grp.path, c)
+                        )));
+                    }
+                    Resolution::Todo => {
+                        memo[cur][li] = Resolution::InProgress;
+                        let o = self.resolve(memo, cur, p, depth + 1)?;
+                        memo[cur][li] = Resolution::Done(o);
+                        o
+                    }
+                },
+                Target::Soft(_) | Target::External { .. } => {
+                    return Err(err(format!(
+                        "hard link target {target:?} goes through a soft or external \
+                         link ({:?}); name the object by its hard-link path",
+                        join(&grp.path, c)
+                    )));
+                }
+            };
+        }
+        Ok(obj)
+    }
+}
+
+/// Where resolving one hard link has got to.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+enum Resolution {
+    Todo,
+    InProgress,
+    Done(Obj),
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+enum Obj {
+    Group(usize),
+    Dataset(usize),
+}
+
+/// Flatten the root group builder into a [`Tree`]. `default_track_order`
+/// applies to every group that does not set its own.
+pub(crate) fn build(root: GroupBuilder, default_track_order: bool) -> Result<Tree, FormatError> {
+    let mut b = Builder {
+        groups: Vec::new(),
+        datasets: Vec::new(),
+    };
+    b.new_group("/".to_string());
+    b.merge_into(0, root)?;
+
+    // Resolve hard links and count references.
+    let mut group_refs = vec![0u32; b.groups.len()];
+    let mut ds_refs = vec![0u32; b.datasets.len()];
+    group_refs[0] = 1; // the superblock's reference to the root
+    let mut memo: Vec<Vec<Resolution>> = b
+        .groups
+        .iter()
+        .map(|g| vec![Resolution::Todo; g.links.len()])
+        .collect();
+    let mut resolved: Vec<Vec<Option<Obj>>> = Vec::with_capacity(b.groups.len());
+    for (gi, g) in b.groups.iter().enumerate() {
+        let mut row = Vec::with_capacity(g.links.len());
+        for (li, (_, t)) in g.links.iter().enumerate() {
+            let obj = match t {
+                Target::Group(i) => Some(Obj::Group(*i)),
+                Target::Dataset(d) => Some(Obj::Dataset(*d)),
+                Target::Hard(p) => Some(match memo[gi][li] {
+                    Resolution::Done(o) => o,
+                    _ => {
+                        memo[gi][li] = Resolution::InProgress;
+                        let o = b.resolve(&mut memo, gi, p, 0)?;
+                        memo[gi][li] = Resolution::Done(o);
+                        o
+                    }
+                }),
+                Target::Soft(_) | Target::External { .. } => None,
+            };
+            match obj {
+                Some(Obj::Group(i)) => group_refs[i] += 1,
+                Some(Obj::Dataset(d)) => ds_refs[d] += 1,
+                None => {}
+            }
+            row.push(obj);
+        }
+        resolved.push(row);
+    }
+
+    // The order each group's links are written in: creation order when
+    // tracked; otherwise datasets, then groups, then other links (the order
+    // earlier versions wrote, so one-level files keep their layout).
+    let tracked: Vec<bool> = b
+        .groups
+        .iter()
+        .map(|g| g.track_order.unwrap_or(default_track_order))
+        .collect();
+    let link_order: Vec<Vec<usize>> = b
+        .groups
+        .iter()
+        .enumerate()
+        .map(|(gi, g)| {
+            let mut idx: Vec<usize> = (0..g.links.len()).collect();
+            if !tracked[gi] {
+                idx.sort_by_key(|&i| match g.links[i].1 {
+                    Target::Dataset(_) => 0,
+                    Target::Group(_) => 1,
+                    _ => 2,
+                });
+            }
+            idx
+        })
+        .collect();
+
+    // Layout order: groups depth-first from the root, following the links
+    // that created them; datasets group by group in that order.
+    let mut group_order = Vec::with_capacity(b.groups.len());
+    let mut stack = vec![0usize];
+    while let Some(g) = stack.pop() {
+        group_order.push(g);
+        let children: Vec<usize> = link_order[g]
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|&i| match b.groups[g].links[i].1 {
+                Target::Group(c) => Some(c),
+                _ => None,
+            })
+            .collect();
+        stack.extend(children.into_iter().rev());
+    }
+    let mut ds_order = Vec::with_capacity(b.datasets.len());
+    for &g in &group_order {
+        for &i in &link_order[g] {
+            if let Target::Dataset(d) = b.groups[g].links[i].1 {
+                ds_order.push(d);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    let mut group_pos = vec![0usize; b.groups.len()];
+    for (pos, &g) in group_order.iter().enumerate() {
+        group_pos[g] = pos;
+    }
+    let mut ds_pos = vec![0usize; b.datasets.len()];
+    for (pos, &d) in ds_order.iter().enumerate() {
+        ds_pos[d] = pos;
+    }
+
+    let mut groups_by_id: Vec<Option<BuildGroup>> = b.groups.into_iter().map(Some).collect();
+    let mut groups = Vec::with_capacity(group_order.len());
+    for &g in &group_order {
+        let bg = groups_by_id[g].take().expect("each group is laid out once");
+        let mut targets: Vec<Option<(String, Target)>> = bg.links.into_iter().map(Some).collect();
+        let links = link_order[g]
+            .iter()
+            .map(|&i| {
+                let (name, t) = targets[i].take().expect("each link is written once");
+                let to = match (resolved[g][i], t) {
+                    (Some(Obj::Group(c)), _) => LinkTo::Group(group_pos[c]),
+                    (Some(Obj::Dataset(d)), _) => LinkTo::Dataset(ds_pos[d]),
+                    (None, Target::Soft(s)) => LinkTo::Soft(s),
+                    (None, Target::External { file, path }) => LinkTo::External { file, path },
+                    (None, _) => unreachable!("hard links are resolved"),
+                };
+                Link {
+                    name,
+                    to,
+                    creation_order: tracked[g].then_some(i as u64),
+                }
+            })
+            .collect();
+        groups.push(Group {
+            attrs: bg.attrs,
+            links,
+            track_order: tracked[g],
+            refcount: group_refs[g],
+        });
+    }
+    let mut ds_by_id: Vec<Option<DatasetBuilder>> = b.datasets.into_iter().map(Some).collect();
+    let datasets = ds_order
+        .iter()
+        .map(|&d| {
+            (
+                ds_by_id[d].take().expect("each dataset is laid out once"),
+                ds_refs[d],
+            )
+        })
+        .collect();
+    Ok(Tree { groups, datasets })
+}

crates/clawhdf5-format/tests/vl_heap_bounds.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+//! Crafted files cannot make variable-length reads retain memory, or take
+//! time, out of proportion to the file.
+//!
+//! `VlResolver` used to keep an owned copy of every object of every
+//! collection it parsed, for the whole read. A file whose global heap
+//! collections nest inside each other's object data — each element
+//! pointing at a different one — then made retained memory O(K × file
+//! size): a 744 KB file took 1.58 GB. The same nesting, with every
+//! collection's object chain jumping to one shared run of tiny objects,
+//! made the parse time O(K × M) as well. libhdf5 never writes overlapping
+//! collections; they are now refused, and the cache holds only where
+//! objects lie.
+//!
+//! Peak heap use is measured with a counting global allocator, so the
+//! cases run one after another in a single test.
+
+use std::alloc::{GlobalAlloc, Layout, System};
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicUsize, Ordering};
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
+
+use clawhdf5_format::vl_data::VlResolver;
+
+struct Counting;
+
+static CURRENT: AtomicUsize = AtomicUsize::new(0);
+static PEAK: AtomicUsize = AtomicUsize::new(0);
+
+unsafe impl GlobalAlloc for Counting {
+    unsafe fn alloc(&self, layout: Layout) -> *mut u8 {
+        let p = unsafe { System.alloc(layout) };
+        if !p.is_null() {
+            let now = CURRENT.fetch_add(layout.size(), Ordering::Relaxed) + layout.size();
+            PEAK.fetch_max(now, Ordering::Relaxed);
+        }
+        p
+    }
+
+    unsafe fn dealloc(&self, ptr: *mut u8, layout: Layout) {
+        unsafe { System.dealloc(ptr, layout) };
+        CURRENT.fetch_sub(layout.size(), Ordering::Relaxed);
+    }
+}
+
+#[global_allocator]
+static ALLOC: Counting = Counting;
+
+/// Bytes allocated at the peak of `f`, above what was live when it started.
+fn peak_during<T>(f: impl FnOnce() -> T) -> (T, usize) {
+    let base = CURRENT.load(Ordering::Relaxed);
+    PEAK.store(base, Ordering::Relaxed);
+    let out = f();
+    (out, PEAK.load(Ordering::Relaxed) - base)
+}
+
+fn put_header(file: &mut [u8], at: usize, size: u64) {
+    file[at..at + 4].copy_from_slice(b"GCOL");
+    file[at + 4] = 1;
+    file[at + 8..at + 16].copy_from_slice(&size.to_le_bytes());
+}
+
+fn put_object(file: &mut [u8], at: usize, index: u16, size: u64) {
+    file[at..at + 2].copy_from_slice(&index.to_le_bytes());
+    file[at + 2..at + 4].copy_from_slice(&1u16.to_le_bytes());
+    file[at + 8..at + 16].copy_from_slice(&size.to_le_bytes());
+}
+
+fn element(length: u32, addr: u64, index: u32) -> Vec<u8> {
+    let mut e = length.to_le_bytes().to_vec();
+    e.extend_from_slice(&addr.to_le_bytes());
+    e.extend_from_slice(&index.to_le_bytes());
+    e
+}
+
+/// K collections 32 bytes apart, each running to the end of the file with
+/// one object covering the rest of it (and so every later collection).
+/// Element i is that object of collection i.
+fn nested(k: usize) -> (Vec<u8>, Vec<u8>) {
+    let base = 64;
+    let end = base + 32 * k + 64;
+    let mut file = vec![0u8; end];
+    let mut raw = Vec::new();
+    for i in 0..k {
+        let at = base + 32 * i;
+        put_header(&mut file, at, (end - at) as u64);
+        let obj = (end - at - 32) as u64;
+        put_object(&mut file, at + 16, 1, obj);
+        raw.extend(element(obj as u32, at as u64, 1));
+    }
+    (file, raw)
+}
+
+/// K collections 32 bytes apart, each with a first object that jumps over
+/// the later collections to one shared run of M empty objects, so parsing
+/// every collection walks all M.
+fn shared_tail(k: usize, m: usize) -> (Vec<u8>, Vec<u8>) {
+    let base = 64;
+    let tail = base + 32 * k + 32;
+    let end = tail + 16 * m + 16;
+    let mut file = vec![0u8; end];
+    let mut raw = Vec::new();
+    for i in 0..k {
+        let at = base + 32 * i;
+        put_header(&mut file, at, (end - at) as u64);
+        let jump = (tail - at - 32) as u64;
+        put_object(&mut file, at + 16, 1, jump);
+        raw.extend(element(jump as u32, at as u64, 1));
+    }
+    for j in 0..m {
+        put_object(&mut file, tail + 16 * j, (j % 65_000 + 2) as u16, 0);
+    }
+    (file, raw)
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn overlapping_collections_are_refused_in_bounded_memory_and_time() {
+    for (name, (file, raw)) in [
+        ("nested", nested(2000)),
+        ("shared tail", shared_tail(500, 10_000)),
+    ] {
+        let start = Instant::now();
+        let (result, peak) = peak_during(|| {
+            let mut r = VlResolver::new(&file, 8, 8);
+            (r.string_bytes(&raw), r.sequences(&raw, 1).map(|s| s.len()))
+        });
+        let took = start.elapsed();
+        // libhdf5 never writes overlapping collections, and refuses these
+        // files; so do we, rather than returning what they claim.
+        let (strings, sequences) = result;
+        let e = strings.expect_err(name).to_string();
+        assert!(e.contains("overlaps"), "{name}: {e}");
+        assert!(sequences.is_err(), "{name}");
+        // Measured before the fix: 129 MB ("nested", 64 KB file) and 350 MB
+        // ("shared tail", 176 KB file) live at the peak; after, 97 KB and
+        // 0.9 MB.
+        assert!(
+            peak < 4 * file.len() + (1 << 20),
+            "{name}: peak {peak} bytes for a {}-byte file",
+            file.len()
+        );
+        assert!(took < Duration::from_secs(5), "{name}: took {took:?}");
+    }
+}
+
+/// Collections that do not overlap still read, however many elements point
+/// into them, and the first object of a collection is returned for its
+/// index (as before).
+#[test]
+fn separate_collections_still_read() {
+    let mut file = vec![0u8; 64 + 3 * 64];
+    let mut raw = Vec::new();
+    for i in 0..3usize {
+        let at = 64 + 64 * i;
+        put_header(&mut file, at, 64);
+        put_object(&mut file, at + 16, 1, 3);
+        file[at + 32..at + 35].copy_from_slice(format!("s{i}!").as_bytes());
+        raw.extend(element(3, at as u64, 1));
+    }
+    raw.extend(element(3, 64, 1));
+    let mut r = VlResolver::new(&file, 8, 8);
+    assert_eq!(r.strings(&raw).unwrap(), ["s0!", "s1!", "s2!", "s0!"]);
+}

crates/clawhdf5-format/tests/writer_meta_tests.rs

@@ -528,33 +528,50 @@ fn h5py_reads_all_attributes_next_to_an_empty_string() {
 // ---- 6. path-like names ----
 
 #[test]
-fn slash_in_a_group_or_dataset_name_is_an_error() {
+fn path_names_create_nested_groups() {
-    // Measured: create_group("a/b") wrote one link literally named "a/b",
+    // create_group("a/b") used to write one link literally named "a/b",
-    // which h5py cannot reach ("component not found"). The writer has no
+    // which h5py cannot reach ("component not found"); then such names were
-    // nested groups, so such names are refused.
+    // refused. Now a path creates its missing intermediate groups, as h5py
+    // does.
     let mut fw = FileWriter::new();
     let mut g = fw.create_group("a/b");
     g.create_dataset("c").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
     fw.add_group(g.finish());
-    assert!(fw.finish().is_err());
+    fw.create_dataset("x/y").with_f64_data(&[2.0]);
-
+    fw.create_dataset("/a/b/z").with_f64_data(&[3.0]);
-    let mut fw = FileWriter::new();
-    fw.create_dataset("x/y").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
-    assert!(fw.finish().is_err());
-
-    let mut fw = FileWriter::new();
     let mut g = fw.create_group("g");
-    g.create_dataset("x/y").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
+    g.create_dataset("x/y").with_f64_data(&[4.0]);
     fw.add_group(g.finish());
-    assert!(fw.finish().is_err());
+    let bytes = fw.finish().unwrap();
+    for path in ["a", "a/b", "a/b/c", "a/b/z", "x", "x/y", "g/x", "g/x/y"] {
+        header_at(&bytes, path);
+    }
+}
 
-    for bad in ["", "."] {
+#[test]
+fn names_that_are_not_valid_link_names_are_errors() {
+    for bad in ["", ".", "a//b", "a/", "a/./b", "/"] {
         let mut fw = FileWriter::new();
         fw.create_dataset(bad).with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
         assert!(fw.finish().is_err(), "{bad:?}");
     }
+    // An absolute path inside a group, and a name used twice.
+    let mut fw = FileWriter::new();
+    let mut g = fw.create_group("g");
+    g.create_dataset("/x").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
+    fw.add_group(g.finish());
+    assert!(fw.finish().is_err());
+    let mut fw = FileWriter::new();
+    fw.create_dataset("x").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
+    fw.create_dataset("x").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
+    assert!(fw.finish().is_err());
+    // A dataset in the way of a path.
+    let mut fw = FileWriter::new();
+    fw.create_dataset("x").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
+    fw.create_dataset("x/y").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
+    assert!(fw.finish().is_err());
 
-    // One level of groups still works, and '/' stays legal in attribute names.
+    // '/' stays legal in attribute names.
     let mut fw = FileWriter::new();
     let mut g = fw.create_group("g");
     g.create_dataset("c").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);

crates/clawhdf5-netcdf4/tests/interop_tests.rs

@@ -350,3 +350,30 @@ ds.close()
     let press_vals = press_var.read_raw_f32().unwrap();
     assert_eq!(press_vals, vec![1000.0f32, 850.0, 500.0, 200.0]);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn netcdf4_python_string_variable_clawhdf5_reads() {
+    // NC_STRING variables are HDF5 variable-length strings, which
+    // `read_string` refused ("expected String, got VariableLength") until
+    // 2026-09-26.
+    skip_if_no_netcdf4!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("strings.nc");
+    let path_str = path.display().to_string();
+    let script = format!(
+        r#"
+import netCDF4 as nc
+import numpy as np
+ds = nc.Dataset("{path_str}", "w", format="NETCDF4")
+ds.createDimension("station", 4)
+v = ds.createVariable("name", str, ("station",))
+v[:] = np.array(["Oslo", "", "São Paulo", "x"], dtype=object)
+ds.close()
+"#
+    );
+    run_python(&script);
+
+    let file = NetCDF4File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    let names = file.variable("name").unwrap().read_string().unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(names, vec!["Oslo", "", "São Paulo", "x"]);
+}

crates/clawhdf5-py/Cargo.toml

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name = "clawhdf5-py"
 version = "2.7.0"
 edition = "2024"
 rust-version.workspace = true
-description = "Python bindings for rustyhdf5 — a pure-Rust HDF5 library"
+description = "Python bindings for clawhdf5 — a pure-Rust HDF5 library"
 license = "MIT"
 repository = "https://git.redclaw.dev/quantumclaw/clawhdf5"
 readme = "README.md"

crates/clawhdf5-py/README.md

@@ -3,23 +3,81 @@
 [![crates.io](https://img.shields.io/crates/v/clawhdf5-py.svg)](https://crates.io/crates/clawhdf5-py)
 [![docs.rs](https://docs.rs/clawhdf5-py/badge.svg)](https://docs.rs/clawhdf5-py)
 
-Python bindings for clawhdf5 — a pure-Rust HDF5 library.
+Python bindings for clawhdf5 — a pure-Rust HDF5 library. The package is
+`clawhdf5` (`import clawhdf5`); it needs numpy and no libhdf5.
 
-## Features
+## Install
 
-- h5py-compatible API (`File`, `Group`, `Dataset`)
+Not on PyPI yet. Build it into a virtualenv with [maturin](https://www.maturin.rs):
-- NumPy array integration
-- Read and write HDF5 files from Python with no C dependencies
 
-## Usage
+```bash
+pip install maturin numpy
+cd crates/clawhdf5-py
+maturin develop --release
+python -c "import clawhdf5; print(clawhdf5.__version__)"
+```
+
+## Reading
+
+The read API follows h5py:
 
 ```python
+import numpy as np
 import clawhdf5
 
-with clawhdf5.File('data.h5', 'r') as f:
+with clawhdf5.File("data.h5", "r") as f:
-    data = f['/dataset'][:]
+    f.keys(), f["group"].items(), "group/data" in f
+    ds = f["group/data"]           # or f["/group/data"], f["group"]["data"]
+    ds.shape, ds.dtype, ds.attrs["units"]
+    ds[10:20, ::2]                 # a small selection reads only its chunks
+    ds[-1], ds[..., 0], ds[[1, 4, 7]]
+    np.asarray(ds)
+    f["table"]["id"]               # a compound field
 ```
 
+- `Dataset.dtype` is the numpy dtype h5py reports: integers and IEEE floats
+  of every width in either byte order, `bool`, enums (with
+  `dtype.metadata['enum']`), complex, `S<n>` fixed strings, `object` for
+  variable-length strings (`bytes` values) and sequences (array values),
+  `V<n>` opaque, array types, and compounds as structured dtypes.
+  Other types raise `TypeError`.
+- Keys are h5py's: integers, slices with a positive step, `...`, one
+  increasing list of integers, compound field names. Each maps onto a
+  hyperslab selection. `None`, negative steps and boolean masks are refused
+  with h5py's errors.
+- What is read from the file: a selection whose bounding box covers at
+  most half the dataset decodes only the chunks (or contiguous rows) the box
+  overlaps. The library decodes the whole dataset for a larger box
+  (including a strided slice such as `ds[::100]` across a chunked dataset),
+  and for compact, virtual and unwritten datasets and chunked ones with a
+  non-default fill value. An index list is read one group of neighbouring
+  chunks at a time (a new group only past a chunk with no selected index),
+  so each chunk is decoded once. `ds[()]`, `ds[...]` and `np.asarray(ds)`
+  use the file's chunk cache; other selections do not.
+- The bytes the library reads become the numpy array's buffer without a
+  copy, and the read runs with the GIL released, so threads read in
+  parallel. A bug in the library (a Rust panic) raises
+  `clawhdf5.InternalError`, a `RuntimeError`.
+- Attributes return what h5py returns; `clawhdf5.Empty` stands for a null
+  dataspace (h5py's `Empty`).
+
+## Writing
+
+`clawhdf5.File(path, "w")` with `create_dataset(name, data=array,
+chunks=..., compression="gzip")`, `create_group` and `attrs[...] = ...`
+writes `float64`, `float32`, `int64`, `int32` and `uint8` arrays; the file is
+written on `close()`.
+
+## Tests
+
+```bash
+pip install pytest h5py
+pytest crates/clawhdf5-py/tests
+```
+
+`tests/test_read_vs_h5py.py` compares every read with h5py on a file h5py
+writes. `scripts/ci-test.sh` builds the wheel and runs these in CI.
+
 ## License
 
 MIT

crates/clawhdf5-py/pyproject.toml

@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@ requires = ["maturin>=1.0,<2.0"]
 build-backend = "maturin"
 
 [project]
-name = "rustyhdf5"
+name = "clawhdf5"
 version = "2.7.0"
-description = "Python bindings for rustyhdf5 — a pure-Rust HDF5 library"
+description = "Python bindings for clawhdf5 — a pure-Rust HDF5 library"
 requires-python = ">=3.8"
 license = { text = "MIT" }
 dependencies = ["numpy"]
 
 [tool.maturin]
 features = ["extension-module"]
+# The extension module is `clawhdf5` (the cdylib's [lib] name): the
+# distribution, the import name and the #[pymodule] all agree.
+module-name = "clawhdf5"

crates/clawhdf5-py/src/attrs.rs

@@ -1,24 +1,31 @@
 //! PyAttrs — dict-like access to HDF5 attributes.
 
-use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 
+use clawhdf5_format::attribute::AttributeMessage;
+use pyo3::exceptions::{PyKeyError, PyTypeError, PyValueError};
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
-use pyo3::types::PyList;
+use pyo3::types::{PyList, PyTuple};
 
-use crate::{OwnedAttrValue, attr_value_to_py, py_to_attr_value};
+use crate::convert::{Converter, Elements, resolve_vl};
+use crate::{OwnedAttrValue, PyEmpty, attr_value_to_py, node, py_to_attr_value};
 
 /// Backing storage for attributes.
 enum AttrsInner {
-    /// Read-only attributes from an existing HDF5 object.
+    /// Attributes of an object in a file opened for reading, sorted by name.
-    Read(HashMap<String, clawhdf5_rs::AttrValue>),
+    Read {
+        file: Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>,
+        attrs: Vec<AttributeMessage>,
+    },
     /// Writable attribute list shared with a parent (PyFile or PyGroup).
     Write(Arc<Mutex<Vec<(String, OwnedAttrValue)>>>),
 }
 
 /// Dict-like access to HDF5 attributes.
 ///
-/// In read mode, provides immutable access to attribute key/value pairs.
+/// In read mode, values are what h5py returns: numpy scalars for scalar
+/// attributes, numpy arrays otherwise, `str` for variable-length strings,
+/// `numpy.bytes_` for fixed-length ones, and `Empty` for a null dataspace.
 /// In write mode, attributes set here are accumulated and written when
 /// the parent file is closed.
 #[pyclass(name = "Attrs")]
@@ -27,11 +34,13 @@ pub struct PyAttrs {
 }
 
 impl PyAttrs {
-    /// Create a read-only attrs from an existing attribute map.
+    /// The attributes of the object at `addr` (whose path is `path`) in a
-    pub(crate) fn from_read(map: HashMap<String, clawhdf5_rs::AttrValue>) -> Self {
+    /// file opened for reading.
-        Self {
+    pub(crate) fn read(file: Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>, addr: u64, path: &str) -> PyResult<Self> {
-            inner: AttrsInner::Read(map),
+        let attrs = node::attributes(&file, addr, path)?;
-        }
+        Ok(Self {
+            inner: AttrsInner::Read { file, attrs },
+        })
     }
 
     /// Create a writable attrs that shares storage with a parent object.
@@ -46,11 +55,11 @@ impl PyAttrs {
 impl PyAttrs {
     fn __getitem__(&self, py: Python<'_>, key: &str) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
         match &self.inner {
-            AttrsInner::Read(map) => match map.get(key) {
+            AttrsInner::Read { file, attrs } => match attrs.iter().find(|a| a.name == key) {
-                Some(val) => Ok(attr_value_to_py(py, val)),
+                Some(attr) => Ok(attr_to_py(py, file, attr)?.unbind()),
-                None => Err(PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyKeyError, _>(
+                None => Err(PyKeyError::new_err(format!(
-                    key.to_string(),
+                    "Can't open attribute (can't locate attribute: '{key}')"
-                )),
+                ))),
             },
             AttrsInner::Write(store) => {
                 let guard = store.lock().unwrap();
@@ -60,16 +69,14 @@ impl PyAttrs {
                         return Ok(attr_value_to_py(py, &attr_val));
                     }
                 }
-                Err(PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyKeyError, _>(
+                Err(PyKeyError::new_err(key.to_string()))
-                    key.to_string(),
-                ))
             }
         }
     }
 
     fn __setitem__(&self, key: &str, value: &Bound<'_, PyAny>) -> PyResult<()> {
         match &self.inner {
-            AttrsInner::Read(_) => Err(PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyIOError, _>(
+            AttrsInner::Read { .. } => Err(PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyIOError, _>(
                 "cannot set attributes on a read-only file",
             )),
             AttrsInner::Write(store) => {
@@ -88,14 +95,14 @@ impl PyAttrs {
 
     fn __len__(&self) -> usize {
         match &self.inner {
-            AttrsInner::Read(map) => map.len(),
+            AttrsInner::Read { attrs, .. } => attrs.len(),
             AttrsInner::Write(store) => store.lock().unwrap().len(),
         }
     }
 
     fn __contains__(&self, key: &str) -> bool {
         match &self.inner {
-            AttrsInner::Read(map) => map.contains_key(key),
+            AttrsInner::Read { attrs, .. } => attrs.iter().any(|a| a.name == key),
             AttrsInner::Write(store) => store.lock().unwrap().iter().any(|(k, _)| k == key),
         }
     }
@@ -111,10 +118,20 @@ impl PyAttrs {
         format!("<HDF5 Attrs ({n} members)>")
     }
 
+    /// The value of `key`, or `default` if there is no such attribute.
+    #[pyo3(signature = (key, default=None))]
+    fn get(&self, py: Python<'_>, key: &str, default: Option<Py<PyAny>>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+        if self.__contains__(key) {
+            self.__getitem__(py, key)
+        } else {
+            Ok(default.unwrap_or_else(|| py.None()))
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Return attribute names as a list.
     fn keys(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
         let names: Vec<String> = match &self.inner {
-            AttrsInner::Read(map) => map.keys().cloned().collect(),
+            AttrsInner::Read { attrs, .. } => attrs.iter().map(|a| a.name.clone()).collect(),
             AttrsInner::Write(store) => store
                 .lock()
                 .unwrap()
@@ -129,7 +146,10 @@ impl PyAttrs {
     /// Return attribute values as a list.
     fn values(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
         let vals: Vec<Py<PyAny>> = match &self.inner {
-            AttrsInner::Read(map) => map.values().map(|v| attr_value_to_py(py, v)).collect(),
+            AttrsInner::Read { file, attrs } => attrs
+                .iter()
+                .map(|a| attr_to_py(py, file, a).map(Bound::unbind))
+                .collect::<PyResult<_>>()?,
             AttrsInner::Write(store) => store
                 .lock()
                 .unwrap()
@@ -147,10 +167,10 @@ impl PyAttrs {
     /// Return attribute (key, value) pairs as a list of tuples.
     fn items(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
         let pairs: Vec<(String, Py<PyAny>)> = match &self.inner {
-            AttrsInner::Read(map) => map
+            AttrsInner::Read { file, attrs } => attrs
                 .iter()
-                .map(|(k, v)| (k.clone(), attr_value_to_py(py, v)))
+                .map(|a| Ok((a.name.clone(), attr_to_py(py, file, a)?.unbind())))
-                .collect(),
+                .collect::<PyResult<_>>()?,
             AttrsInner::Write(store) => store
                 .lock()
                 .unwrap()
@@ -166,28 +186,69 @@ impl PyAttrs {
     }
 }
 
+/// An attribute's value as h5py returns it.
+fn attr_to_py<'py>(
+    py: Python<'py>,
+    file: &clawhdf5_rs::File,
+    attr: &AttributeMessage,
+) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+    crate::no_panic(|| {
+        let sb = file.superblock();
+        let conv = Converter::new(py, &attr.datatype, sb.offset_size)
+            .map_err(|e| prefix_err(py, &attr.name, e))?;
+        if node::is_null(&attr.dataspace) {
+            return Ok(PyEmpty::new(conv.dtype).into_pyobject(py)?.into_any());
+        }
+        let shape: Vec<usize> = attr
+            .dataspace
+            .dimensions
+            .iter()
+            .map(|&d| d as usize)
+            .collect();
+        let n: usize = shape.iter().product();
+        let data = if conv.is_vl() {
+            let want = n * conv.elem_size;
+            if attr.raw_data.len() < want {
+                return Err(PyValueError::new_err(format!(
+                    "attribute {}: {} bytes of variable-length references, expected {want}",
+                    attr.name,
+                    attr.raw_data.len(),
+                )));
+            }
+            let raw = &attr.raw_data[..want];
+            let file_data = file.as_bytes();
+            let (osz, lsz, unit) = (sb.offset_size, sb.length_size, conv.vl_unit);
+            Elements::Vl(
+                py.detach(|| resolve_vl(file_data, raw, n, osz, lsz, unit))
+                    .map_err(|e| PyValueError::new_err(format!("attribute {}: {e}", attr.name)))?,
+            )
+        } else {
+            Elements::Bytes(attr.raw_data.clone())
+        };
+        let arr = conv
+            .to_array(py, data, &shape, true)
+            .map_err(|e| prefix_err(py, &attr.name, e))?;
+        if shape.is_empty() {
+            // A scalar dataspace: h5py returns the element itself.
+            return arr.get_item(PyTuple::empty(py));
+        }
+        Ok(arr)
+    })
+}
+
+fn prefix_err(py: Python<'_>, name: &str, e: PyErr) -> PyErr {
+    let msg = format!("attribute {name}: {}", e.value(py));
+    if e.is_instance_of::<PyTypeError>(py) {
+        PyTypeError::new_err(msg)
+    } else {
+        PyValueError::new_err(msg)
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
-    #[test]
-    fn read_attrs_len() {
-        let mut map = HashMap::new();
-        map.insert("a".into(), clawhdf5_rs::AttrValue::I64(1));
-        map.insert("b".into(), clawhdf5_rs::AttrValue::F64(2.0));
-        let attrs = PyAttrs::from_read(map);
-        assert_eq!(attrs.__len__(), 2);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn read_attrs_contains() {
-        let mut map = HashMap::new();
-        map.insert("x".into(), clawhdf5_rs::AttrValue::String("hello".into()));
-        let attrs = PyAttrs::from_read(map);
-        assert!(attrs.__contains__("x"));
-        assert!(!attrs.__contains__("y"));
-    }
-
     #[test]
     fn write_attrs_len() {
         let store = Arc::new(Mutex::new(Vec::new()));

crates/clawhdf5-py/src/convert.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,600 @@
+//! HDF5 datatypes as numpy dtypes, and element bytes as numpy arrays.
+//!
+//! The dtype a file's datatype maps to is the one h5py reports for it
+//! (byte order kept, compound offsets and padding kept, `r`/`i` compounds as
+//! complex, the `FALSE`/`TRUE` enum as `bool`, fixed strings as `S<n>`,
+//! variable-length data as `object`). For every fixed-size type that dtype
+//! describes the file's element bytes exactly, so the bytes the library
+//! returns become the array's buffer as they are: the `Vec<u8>` is handed to
+//! numpy without a copy and viewed as the dtype.
+//!
+//! Anything this mapping cannot describe exactly — non-IEEE floats, integers
+//! with padding bits, VAX byte order, references, bitfields, time, and
+//! variable-length members inside compounds or arrays — is a `TypeError`,
+//! never a best-effort guess.
+
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+
+use clawhdf5_format::datatype::{CharacterSet, Datatype, DatatypeByteOrder};
+use clawhdf5_format::global_heap::GlobalHeapCollection;
+use numpy::PyArray1;
+use pyo3::exceptions::{PyTypeError, PyValueError};
+use pyo3::prelude::*;
+use pyo3::types::{PyBytes, PyDict, PyList, PyString, PyTuple};
+
+/// How the elements of a datatype become Python values.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub(crate) enum Layout {
+    /// Fixed-size elements numpy reads as they are.
+    Fixed,
+    /// A top-level HDF5 array type: elements are viewed as the base dtype and
+    /// the array's dimensions are appended to the shape (as h5py does).
+    Subarray(Vec<usize>),
+    /// Variable-length string: a global heap reference per element.
+    VlString { utf8: bool },
+    /// Variable-length sequence of a fixed-size base type.
+    VlSequence,
+}
+
+/// Everything needed to turn a dataset's or attribute's bytes into numpy.
+pub(crate) struct Converter {
+    /// The dtype reported to Python (`Dataset.dtype`).
+    pub dtype: Py<PyAny>,
+    /// The dtype the element bytes are viewed as: `dtype` itself, the base
+    /// of a subarray, or the base of a variable-length sequence.
+    pub view: Py<PyAny>,
+    pub layout: Layout,
+    /// Bytes per element in the raw buffer the library returns.
+    pub elem_size: usize,
+    /// For variable-length data, bytes per unit of an element's stored
+    /// length: 1 for strings, the base type's size for sequences.
+    pub vl_unit: usize,
+}
+
+fn unsupported(what: impl std::fmt::Display) -> PyErr {
+    PyTypeError::new_err(format!(
+        "clawhdf5 cannot read this datatype into numpy: {what}"
+    ))
+}
+
+fn byte_order_char(order: &DatatypeByteOrder, size: u32) -> PyResult<&'static str> {
+    if size == 1 {
+        return Ok("|");
+    }
+    match order {
+        DatatypeByteOrder::LittleEndian => Ok("<"),
+        DatatypeByteOrder::BigEndian => Ok(">"),
+        DatatypeByteOrder::Vax => Err(unsupported("VAX byte order")),
+    }
+}
+
+/// The numpy format string of an integer type, if it is a plain one.
+fn int_format(dt: &Datatype) -> PyResult<String> {
+    match dt {
+        Datatype::FixedPoint {
+            size,
+            byte_order,
+            signed,
+            bit_offset,
+            bit_precision,
+        } => {
+            if !matches!(size, 1 | 2 | 4 | 8) {
+                return Err(unsupported(format!("{size}-byte integer")));
+            }
+            if *bit_offset != 0 || u32::from(*bit_precision) != size * 8 {
+                return Err(unsupported(format!(
+                    "integer with {bit_precision} significant bits at offset {bit_offset} in {size} bytes"
+                )));
+            }
+            let kind = if *signed { 'i' } else { 'u' };
+            Ok(format!(
+                "{}{kind}{size}",
+                byte_order_char(byte_order, *size)?
+            ))
+        }
+        other => Err(unsupported(format!("{other:?} is not an integer"))),
+    }
+}
+
+/// The numpy format string of an IEEE 754 binary16/32/64 type.
+fn float_format(dt: &Datatype) -> PyResult<String> {
+    let Datatype::FloatingPoint {
+        size,
+        byte_order,
+        bit_offset,
+        bit_precision,
+        exponent_location,
+        exponent_size,
+        mantissa_location,
+        mantissa_size,
+        exponent_bias,
+    } = dt
+    else {
+        return Err(unsupported(format!("{dt:?} is not a float")));
+    };
+    // (exponent location, exponent size, mantissa size, bias) of IEEE 754.
+    let ieee = match size {
+        2 => (10, 5, 10, 15),
+        4 => (23, 8, 23, 127),
+        8 => (52, 11, 52, 1023),
+        _ => return Err(unsupported(format!("{size}-byte float"))),
+    };
+    let layout = (
+        *exponent_location,
+        *exponent_size,
+        *mantissa_size,
+        *exponent_bias,
+    );
+    if *bit_offset != 0
+        || u32::from(*bit_precision) != size * 8
+        || *mantissa_location != 0
+        || layout != ieee
+    {
+        return Err(unsupported(format!(
+            "non-IEEE {size}-byte float (exponent {exponent_size} bits at {exponent_location}, \
+             mantissa {mantissa_size} bits at {mantissa_location}, bias {exponent_bias})"
+        )));
+    }
+    Ok(format!("{}f{size}", byte_order_char(byte_order, *size)?))
+}
+
+/// `r`/`i` compounds of two identical IEEE floats are complex numbers in h5py.
+fn complex_format(
+    size: u32,
+    members: &[clawhdf5_format::datatype::CompoundMember],
+) -> Option<String> {
+    let [re, im] = members else { return None };
+    if re.name != "r" || im.name != "i" || re.datatype != im.datatype {
+        return None;
+    }
+    let Datatype::FloatingPoint {
+        size: fsize,
+        byte_order,
+        ..
+    } = &re.datatype
+    else {
+        return None;
+    };
+    if !matches!(fsize, 4 | 8)
+        || re.byte_offset != 0
+        || im.byte_offset != u64::from(*fsize)
+        || size != 2 * fsize
+    {
+        return None;
+    }
+    float_format(&re.datatype).ok()?;
+    let order = byte_order_char(byte_order, *fsize).ok()?;
+    Some(format!("{order}c{}", 2 * fsize))
+}
+
+/// The members of an enum as `{name: value}`.
+fn enum_members<'py>(
+    py: Python<'py>,
+    base: &Datatype,
+    members: &[clawhdf5_format::datatype::EnumMember],
+) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyDict>> {
+    let signed = matches!(base, Datatype::FixedPoint { signed: true, .. });
+    let dict = PyDict::new(py);
+    for m in members {
+        let value: Py<PyAny> = if signed {
+            let v = clawhdf5_format::data_read::read_as_i64(&m.value, base)
+                .map_err(|e| PyValueError::new_err(format!("enum member {}: {e}", m.name)))?;
+            let v = *v.first().ok_or_else(|| {
+                PyValueError::new_err(format!("enum member {} has no value", m.name))
+            })?;
+            v.into_pyobject(py)?.into_any().unbind()
+        } else {
+            let v = clawhdf5_format::data_read::read_as_u64(&m.value, base)
+                .map_err(|e| PyValueError::new_err(format!("enum member {}: {e}", m.name)))?;
+            let v = *v.first().ok_or_else(|| {
+                PyValueError::new_err(format!("enum member {} has no value", m.name))
+            })?;
+            v.into_pyobject(py)?.into_any().unbind()
+        };
+        dict.set_item(&m.name, value)?;
+    }
+    Ok(dict)
+}
+
+/// Whether an enum is h5py's boolean: a one-byte integer with exactly the
+/// members `FALSE` = 0 and `TRUE` = 1.
+fn is_h5py_bool(base: &Datatype, members: &[clawhdf5_format::datatype::EnumMember]) -> bool {
+    if base.type_size() != 1 || members.len() != 2 {
+        return false;
+    }
+    let value = |name: &str| {
+        members
+            .iter()
+            .find(|m| m.name == name)
+            .and_then(|m| m.value.first().copied())
+    };
+    value("FALSE") == Some(0) && value("TRUE") == Some(1)
+}
+
+fn np_dtype<'py>(py: Python<'py>, spec: impl IntoPyObject<'py>) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+    py.import("numpy")?.getattr("dtype")?.call1((spec,))
+}
+
+fn np_dtype_with_metadata<'py>(
+    py: Python<'py>,
+    spec: impl IntoPyObject<'py>,
+    metadata: Bound<'py, PyDict>,
+) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+    let kwargs = PyDict::new(py);
+    kwargs.set_item("metadata", metadata)?;
+    py.import("numpy")?
+        .getattr("dtype")?
+        .call((spec,), Some(&kwargs))
+}
+
+/// The numpy dtype of a fixed-size datatype, whose element bytes numpy can
+/// read as they are.
+pub(crate) fn fixed_dtype<'py>(py: Python<'py>, dt: &Datatype) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+    match dt {
+        Datatype::FixedPoint { .. } => np_dtype(py, int_format(dt)?),
+        Datatype::FloatingPoint { .. } => np_dtype(py, float_format(dt)?),
+        Datatype::String { size, charset, .. } => {
+            if *size == 0 {
+                return Err(unsupported("zero-length fixed string"));
+            }
+            let meta = PyDict::new(py);
+            let enc = match charset {
+                CharacterSet::Ascii => "ascii",
+                CharacterSet::Utf8 => "utf-8",
+            };
+            meta.set_item("h5py_encoding", enc)?;
+            np_dtype_with_metadata(py, format!("S{size}"), meta)
+        }
+        Datatype::Opaque { size, .. } => {
+            if *size == 0 {
+                return Err(unsupported("zero-length opaque type"));
+            }
+            np_dtype(py, format!("V{size}"))
+        }
+        Datatype::Enumeration {
+            base_type, members, ..
+        } => {
+            let base = int_format(base_type)?;
+            if is_h5py_bool(base_type, members) {
+                return np_dtype(py, "?");
+            }
+            let meta = PyDict::new(py);
+            meta.set_item("enum", enum_members(py, base_type, members)?)?;
+            np_dtype_with_metadata(py, base, meta)
+        }
+        Datatype::Compound { size, members } => {
+            if let Some(c) = complex_format(*size, members) {
+                return np_dtype(py, c);
+            }
+            let names = PyList::empty(py);
+            let formats = PyList::empty(py);
+            let offsets = PyList::empty(py);
+            for m in members {
+                let end = m.byte_offset.checked_add(u64::from(m.datatype.type_size()));
+                if end.is_none_or(|end| end > u64::from(*size)) {
+                    return Err(PyValueError::new_err(format!(
+                        "compound member {} lies outside the {size}-byte compound",
+                        m.name
+                    )));
+                }
+                names.append(&m.name)?;
+                formats.append(fixed_dtype(py, &m.datatype).map_err(|e| {
+                    unsupported(format!("compound member {}: {}", m.name, e.value(py)))
+                })?)?;
+                offsets.append(m.byte_offset)?;
+            }
+            let spec = PyDict::new(py);
+            spec.set_item("names", names)?;
+            spec.set_item("formats", formats)?;
+            spec.set_item("offsets", offsets)?;
+            spec.set_item("itemsize", size)?;
+            np_dtype(py, spec)
+        }
+        Datatype::Array {
+            base_type,
+            dimensions,
+        } => {
+            let base = fixed_dtype(py, base_type)?;
+            let dims = PyTuple::new(py, dimensions)?;
+            np_dtype(py, (base, dims))
+        }
+        Datatype::VariableLength { is_string, .. } => Err(unsupported(if *is_string {
+            "variable-length string inside a compound or array type"
+        } else {
+            "variable-length sequence inside a compound or array type"
+        })),
+        Datatype::Reference { .. } => Err(unsupported("object/region references")),
+        Datatype::BitField { .. } => Err(unsupported("bitfield")),
+        Datatype::Time { .. } => Err(unsupported("time")),
+    }
+}
+
+impl Converter {
+    /// The converter for a dataset's or attribute's datatype.
+    pub(crate) fn new(py: Python<'_>, dt: &Datatype, offset_size: u8) -> PyResult<Self> {
+        match dt {
+            Datatype::VariableLength {
+                is_string: true,
+                charset,
+                ..
+            } => {
+                let utf8 = matches!(charset, Some(CharacterSet::Utf8));
+                let meta = PyDict::new(py);
+                if utf8 {
+                    meta.set_item("vlen", py.get_type::<PyString>())?;
+                } else {
+                    meta.set_item("vlen", py.get_type::<PyBytes>())?;
+                }
+                let dtype = np_dtype_with_metadata(py, "O", meta)?;
+                Ok(Self {
+                    view: dtype.clone().unbind(),
+                    dtype: dtype.unbind(),
+                    layout: Layout::VlString { utf8 },
+                    elem_size: vl_ref_size(offset_size)?,
+                    vl_unit: 1,
+                })
+            }
+            Datatype::VariableLength {
+                is_string: false,
+                base_type,
+                ..
+            } => {
+                let base = fixed_dtype(py, base_type)?;
+                let meta = PyDict::new(py);
+                meta.set_item("vlen", &base)?;
+                let dtype = np_dtype_with_metadata(py, "O", meta)?;
+                Ok(Self {
+                    dtype: dtype.unbind(),
+                    view: base.unbind(),
+                    layout: Layout::VlSequence,
+                    elem_size: vl_ref_size(offset_size)?,
+                    vl_unit: base_type.type_size() as usize,
+                })
+            }
+            Datatype::Array {
+                base_type,
+                dimensions,
+            } => {
+                let dtype = fixed_dtype(py, dt)?;
+                let base = fixed_dtype(py, base_type)?;
+                Ok(Self {
+                    dtype: dtype.unbind(),
+                    view: base.unbind(),
+                    layout: Layout::Subarray(dimensions.iter().map(|&d| d as usize).collect()),
+                    elem_size: dt.type_size() as usize,
+                    vl_unit: 0,
+                })
+            }
+            _ => {
+                let dtype = fixed_dtype(py, dt)?;
+                Ok(Self {
+                    view: dtype.clone().unbind(),
+                    dtype: dtype.unbind(),
+                    layout: Layout::Fixed,
+                    elem_size: dt.type_size() as usize,
+                    vl_unit: 0,
+                })
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn is_vl(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(self.layout, Layout::VlString { .. } | Layout::VlSequence)
+    }
+
+    /// An empty array of `shape` (some dimension is zero).
+    pub(crate) fn empty<'py>(
+        &self,
+        py: Python<'py>,
+        shape: &[usize],
+    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+        let np = py.import("numpy")?;
+        match &self.layout {
+            Layout::Subarray(dims) => {
+                let mut full = shape.to_vec();
+                full.extend_from_slice(dims);
+                np.call_method1("empty", (PyTuple::new(py, full)?, self.view.bind(py)))
+            }
+            _ => np.call_method1("empty", (PyTuple::new(py, shape)?, self.dtype.bind(py))),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Turn decoded element data into a numpy array of `shape`.
+    ///
+    /// `str_values` decodes variable-length strings to `str` (what h5py
+    /// does for attributes) instead of `bytes` (what it does for datasets).
+    pub(crate) fn to_array<'py>(
+        &self,
+        py: Python<'py>,
+        data: Elements,
+        shape: &[usize],
+        str_values: bool,
+    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+        let n: usize = shape.iter().product();
+        match (data, &self.layout) {
+            (Elements::Bytes(bytes), Layout::Fixed) => {
+                bytes_as_array(py, bytes, self.view.bind(py), shape)
+            }
+            (Elements::Bytes(bytes), Layout::Subarray(dims)) => {
+                let mut full = shape.to_vec();
+                full.extend_from_slice(dims);
+                bytes_as_array(py, bytes, self.view.bind(py), &full)
+            }
+            (Elements::Vl(items), Layout::VlString { .. }) => {
+                check_count(items.len(), n)?;
+                let mut objs: Vec<Py<PyAny>> = Vec::with_capacity(items.len());
+                for item in items {
+                    let obj = if str_values {
+                        PyBytes::new(py, &item)
+                            .call_method1("decode", ("utf-8", "surrogateescape"))?
+                            .unbind()
+                    } else {
+                        PyBytes::new(py, &item).into_any().unbind()
+                    };
+                    objs.push(obj);
+                }
+                object_array(py, objs, shape)
+            }
+            (Elements::Vl(items), Layout::VlSequence) => {
+                check_count(items.len(), n)?;
+                let base = self.view.bind(py);
+                let itemsize: usize = base.getattr("itemsize")?.extract()?;
+                let mut objs: Vec<Py<PyAny>> = Vec::with_capacity(items.len());
+                for item in items {
+                    if item.len() % itemsize != 0 {
+                        return Err(PyValueError::new_err(format!(
+                            "variable-length element of {} bytes is not a whole number of {itemsize}-byte values",
+                            item.len()
+                        )));
+                    }
+                    let len = item.len() / itemsize;
+                    objs.push(bytes_as_array(py, item, base, &[len])?.unbind());
+                }
+                object_array(py, objs, shape)
+            }
+            _ => Err(PyValueError::new_err(
+                "internal error: element data does not match the datatype",
+            )),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Element data as read, before it becomes numpy.
+pub(crate) enum Elements {
+    /// The elements' bytes, back to back.
+    Bytes(Vec<u8>),
+    /// Each variable-length element's bytes, resolved from the global heap.
+    Vl(Vec<Vec<u8>>),
+}
+
+fn vl_ref_size(offset_size: u8) -> PyResult<usize> {
+    // The library sizes a variable-length element as 16 bytes (a length, an
+    // 8-byte heap address and an index) whatever the file's offset size.
+    // Refuse the other sizes rather than read misaligned references.
+    if offset_size != 8 {
+        return Err(unsupported(format!(
+            "variable-length data in a file with {offset_size}-byte offsets"
+        )));
+    }
+    Ok(4 + usize::from(offset_size) + 4)
+}
+
+fn check_count(got: usize, want: usize) -> PyResult<()> {
+    if got != want {
+        return Err(PyValueError::new_err(format!(
+            "read {got} elements, expected {want}"
+        )));
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// A numpy array over `bytes` without copying them: the `Vec` becomes the
+/// array's buffer and is viewed as `dtype` with `shape`.
+pub(crate) fn bytes_as_array<'py>(
+    py: Python<'py>,
+    bytes: Vec<u8>,
+    dtype: &Bound<'py, PyAny>,
+    shape: &[usize],
+) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+    let itemsize: usize = dtype.getattr("itemsize")?.extract()?;
+    let n: usize = shape.iter().product();
+    if n.checked_mul(itemsize) != Some(bytes.len()) {
+        return Err(PyValueError::new_err(format!(
+            "read {} bytes, expected {n} elements of {itemsize} bytes",
+            bytes.len()
+        )));
+    }
+    let shape = PyTuple::new(py, shape)?;
+    if n == 0 {
+        return py.import("numpy")?.call_method1("empty", (shape, dtype));
+    }
+    let raw = PyArray1::from_vec(py, bytes);
+    let arr = raw
+        .call_method1("view", (dtype,))?
+        .call_method1("reshape", (shape,))?;
+    // A `Vec<u8>` carries no alignment promise. numpy copes with unaligned
+    // arrays, but slowly and not in every routine, so hand out an aligned
+    // copy in the (allocator-dependent, rare) case the buffer is not.
+    if !arr
+        .getattr("flags")?
+        .getattr("aligned")?
+        .extract::<bool>()?
+    {
+        return arr.call_method0("copy");
+    }
+    Ok(arr)
+}
+
+fn object_array<'py>(
+    py: Python<'py>,
+    objs: Vec<Py<PyAny>>,
+    shape: &[usize],
+) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+    let arr = PyArray1::from_vec(py, objs);
+    arr.call_method1("reshape", (PyTuple::new(py, shape)?,))
+}
+
+/// Resolve variable-length elements (global heap references in `raw`) to
+/// their bytes: each element's stored length times `unit` (1 for strings,
+/// the base type's size for sequences). Pure Rust, so it runs without the
+/// GIL.
+pub(crate) fn resolve_vl(
+    file_data: &[u8],
+    raw: &[u8],
+    count: usize,
+    offset_size: u8,
+    length_size: u8,
+    unit: usize,
+) -> Result<Vec<Vec<u8>>, String> {
+    let refs = clawhdf5_format::vl_data::parse_vl_references(raw, count as u64, offset_size)
+        .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    let undefined = match offset_size {
+        2 => 0xFFFF,
+        4 => 0xFFFF_FFFF,
+        _ => u64::MAX,
+    };
+    let mut collections: HashMap<u64, GlobalHeapCollection> = HashMap::new();
+    let mut out = Vec::with_capacity(refs.len());
+    for vl in &refs {
+        if vl.collection_address == 0 || vl.collection_address == undefined {
+            if vl.length != 0 {
+                return Err(format!(
+                    "variable-length element of length {} has no heap address",
+                    vl.length
+                ));
+            }
+            out.push(Vec::new());
+            continue;
+        }
+        let coll = match collections.entry(vl.collection_address) {
+            std::collections::hash_map::Entry::Occupied(e) => e.into_mut(),
+            std::collections::hash_map::Entry::Vacant(e) => {
+                let addr = usize::try_from(vl.collection_address)
+                    .map_err(|_| "global heap address out of range".to_string())?;
+                e.insert(
+                    GlobalHeapCollection::parse(file_data, addr, length_size)
+                        .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?,
+                )
+            }
+        };
+        let index = u16::try_from(vl.object_index)
+            .map_err(|_| format!("global heap object index {} out of range", vl.object_index))?;
+        let obj = coll.get_object(index).ok_or_else(|| {
+            format!(
+                "global heap object {index} not found in the collection at {}",
+                vl.collection_address
+            )
+        })?;
+        let need = (vl.length as usize)
+            .checked_mul(unit)
+            .ok_or("variable-length element too long")?;
+        if need > obj.data.len() {
+            return Err(format!(
+                "variable-length element of {need} bytes in a {}-byte heap object",
+                obj.data.len()
+            ));
+        }
+        out.push(obj.data[..need].to_vec());
+    }
+    Ok(out)
+}

crates/clawhdf5-py/src/dataset.rs

@@ -1,241 +1,373 @@
-//! PyDataset — read access to HDF5 datasets with numpy integration.
+//! PyDataset — h5py-style read access to HDF5 datasets.
+//!
+//! `ds[key]` parses the key into hyperslab selections (see `select`) and
+//! reads them through the facade's `read_selection`, which decodes only the
+//! chunks a small selection touches (see its docs for when it decodes the
+//! whole dataset instead); the
+//! bytes it returns become the numpy array's buffer without a copy (see
+//! `convert`). All file access and decoding runs with the GIL released, so
+//! Python threads reading the same or different datasets run in parallel.
 
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
-use numpy::PyArrayDyn;
+use clawhdf5_format::datatype::Datatype;
-use numpy::ndarray::{ArrayD, IxDyn};
+use clawhdf5_format::object_header::ObjectHeader;
+use pyo3::exceptions::{PyTypeError, PyValueError};
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
-use pyo3::types::PyList;
+use pyo3::types::{PyList, PyTuple};
-
-use clawhdf5_rs::DType;
 
 use crate::attrs::PyAttrs;
-use crate::to_py_err;
+use crate::convert::{Converter, Elements, resolve_vl};
+use crate::select::{self, Plan};
+use crate::{PyEmpty, node, to_py_err};
 
-/// A handle to an HDF5 dataset (read mode).
+/// A dataset in a file opened for reading.
 ///
-/// Supports numpy-style indexing via `__getitem__`:
 /// ```python
-/// ds = f['dataset_name']
+/// ds = f['group/dataset']
-/// data = ds[:]           # read all data as numpy array
+/// ds.shape, ds.dtype, ds.attrs['units']
-/// shape = ds.shape
+/// block = ds[10:20, ::2]      # a small selection reads only its chunks
-/// dtype = ds.dtype
 /// ```
 #[pyclass(name = "Dataset")]
 pub struct PyDataset {
     file: Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>,
     path: String,
-    cached_shape: Vec<u64>,
+    /// Where the dataset's object header is: reads open it from here rather
-    cached_dtype: DType,
+    /// than resolve `path` again.
+    addr: u64,
+    /// `None` for a dataset with a null dataspace (h5py's `Empty`).
+    shape: Option<Vec<u64>>,
+    /// The chunk shape, for a chunked dataset.
+    chunks: Option<Vec<u64>>,
+    datatype: Datatype,
+    /// Why the datatype cannot be read into numpy, if it cannot.
+    conv: Result<Converter, String>,
 }
 
 impl PyDataset {
-    pub fn new(file: Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>, path: String) -> PyResult<Self> {
+    pub(crate) fn open(
-        let ds = file.dataset(&path).map_err(to_py_err)?;
+        py: Python<'_>,
-        let cached_shape = ds.shape().map_err(to_py_err)?;
+        file: Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>,
-        let cached_dtype = ds.dtype().map_err(to_py_err)?;
+        path: String,
+        addr: u64,
+        hdr: &ObjectHeader,
+    ) -> PyResult<Self> {
+        crate::no_panic(|| {
+            let null = node::is_null(&node::dataspace(&file, hdr)?);
+            let (shape, datatype) = {
+                let ds = file.dataset_at(addr).map_err(to_py_err)?;
+                let shape = if null {
+                    None
+                } else {
+                    Some(ds.shape().map_err(to_py_err)?)
+                };
+                (shape, ds.raw_datatype().map_err(to_py_err)?)
+            };
+            let conv = Converter::new(py, &datatype, file.superblock().offset_size)
+                .map_err(|e| e.value(py).to_string());
+            let chunks = shape
+                .as_ref()
+                .and_then(|s| node::chunk_shape(&file, hdr, s.len()));
             Ok(Self {
                 file,
                 path,
-            cached_shape,
+                addr,
-            cached_dtype,
+                shape,
+                chunks,
+                datatype,
+                conv,
             })
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn converter(&self) -> PyResult<&Converter> {
+        self.conv
+            .as_ref()
+            .map_err(|msg| PyTypeError::new_err(format!("{}: {msg}", node::name(&self.path))))
+    }
+
+    /// Read the selection described by `plan` into a numpy array.
+    fn read_plan<'py>(&self, py: Python<'py>, plan: &Plan) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+        let conv = self.converter()?;
+        let dims = self.shape.as_deref().unwrap_or(&[]);
+        let out_shape = plan.out_shape();
+
+        let arr = if plan.is_empty() {
+            conv.empty(py, &out_shape)?
+        } else {
+            let (vl, elem_size, unit) = (conv.is_vl(), conv.elem_size, conv.vl_unit);
+            let list_axis = plan.list_axis();
+            let chunk_len = match (&self.chunks, list_axis) {
+                (Some(c), Some(a)) => c.get(a).copied(),
+                _ => None,
+            };
+            let (reads, list_axis) = plan.reads(dims, chunk_len, elem_size);
+            let read_shape = plan.read_shape();
+            let file = &*self.file;
+            let addr = self.addr;
+            // Everything below touches only Rust data: release the GIL.
+            let read = || -> Result<Elements, ReadError> {
+                let ds = file.dataset_at(addr)?;
+                let mut blocks = Vec::with_capacity(reads.len());
+                for read in reads {
+                    let raw = ds.read_selection(&read.sel)?;
+                    let mut shape = read.shape;
+                    let want = shape.iter().product::<usize>() * elem_size;
+                    if raw.len() != want {
+                        return Err(ReadError::Other(format!(
+                            "read {} bytes, expected {want}",
+                            raw.len()
+                        )));
+                    }
+                    let raw = match (&read.pick, list_axis) {
+                        (Some(pick), Some(axis)) => {
+                            let kept = select::gather_along(&raw, &shape, axis, pick, elem_size);
+                            shape[axis] = pick.len();
+                            kept
+                        }
+                        _ => raw,
+                    };
+                    blocks.push((raw, shape));
+                }
+                // Several blocks only for a list index: join their bytes
+                // (every byte of every element, padding included) along
+                // that axis before anything becomes numpy.
+                let raw = match (blocks.len(), list_axis) {
+                    (1, _) => blocks.pop().expect("one block").0,
+                    (_, Some(axis)) => select::join_along(&blocks, axis, elem_size),
+                    _ => {
+                        return Err(ReadError::Other(
+                            "several reads without an index list".into(),
+                        ));
+                    }
+                };
+                if !vl {
+                    return Ok(Elements::Bytes(raw));
+                }
+                let sb = file.superblock();
+                let n = read_shape.iter().product();
+                resolve_vl(
+                    file.as_bytes(),
+                    &raw,
+                    n,
+                    sb.offset_size,
+                    sb.length_size,
+                    unit,
+                )
+                .map(Elements::Vl)
+                .map_err(ReadError::Other)
+            };
+            let data = py
+                .detach(|| {
+                    std::panic::catch_unwind(std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(read))
+                        .unwrap_or_else(|p| Err(ReadError::Panic(crate::panic_text(&*p))))
+                })
+                .map_err(|e| e.into_py(&self.path))?;
+            let joined = conv.to_array(py, data, &read_shape, false)?;
+            // Drop the axes indexed by an integer (length 1 in the blocks).
+            let mut shape = out_shape.clone();
+            if let crate::convert::Layout::Subarray(sub) = &conv.layout {
+                shape.extend_from_slice(sub);
+            }
+            joined.call_method1("reshape", (PyTuple::new(py, shape)?,))?
+        };
+
+        let arr = select_fields(py, arr, &plan.fields)?;
+        if plan.scalar {
+            return arr.get_item(PyTuple::empty(py));
+        }
+        Ok(arr)
     }
 }
 
-/// Map a `DType` to a numpy dtype string.
+/// An error from the read closure, turned into a Python error with the GIL.
-fn dtype_to_numpy_str(dt: &DType) -> &'static str {
+enum ReadError {
-    match dt {
+    Lib(clawhdf5_rs::Error),
-        DType::F64 => "float64",
+    Other(String),
-        DType::F32 => "float32",
+    Panic(String),
-        DType::I64 => "int64",
+}
-        DType::I32 => "int32",
+
-        DType::I16 => "int16",
+impl From<clawhdf5_rs::Error> for ReadError {
-        DType::I8 => "int8",
+    fn from(e: clawhdf5_rs::Error) -> Self {
-        DType::U64 => "uint64",
+        ReadError::Lib(e)
-        DType::U32 => "uint32",
-        DType::U16 => "uint16",
-        DType::U8 => "uint8",
-        DType::String | DType::VariableLengthString => "object",
-        _ => "object",
     }
 }
 
+impl ReadError {
+    fn into_py(self, path: &str) -> PyErr {
+        match self {
+            ReadError::Lib(e) => to_py_err(e),
+            ReadError::Other(msg) => PyValueError::new_err(format!("{}: {msg}", node::name(path))),
+            ReadError::Panic(msg) => crate::InternalError::new_err(format!(
+                "{}: clawhdf5 internal error (please report it): {msg}",
+                node::name(path)
+            )),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Keep only the named compound fields, as h5py's `ds['x']` / `ds['x', 'y']`.
+fn select_fields<'py>(
+    py: Python<'py>,
+    arr: Bound<'py, PyAny>,
+    fields: &[String],
+) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+    if fields.is_empty() {
+        return Ok(arr);
+    }
+    let names = arr.getattr("dtype")?.getattr("names")?;
+    if names.is_none() {
+        return Err(PyValueError::new_err(
+            "Field names only allowed for compound types",
+        ));
+    }
+    let names: Vec<String> = names.extract()?;
+    for f in fields {
+        if !names.contains(f) {
+            return Err(PyValueError::new_err(format!(
+                "Field {f} does not appear in this type."
+            )));
+        }
+    }
+    let np = py.import("numpy")?;
+    if let [one] = fields {
+        return np.call_method1("ascontiguousarray", (arr.get_item(one)?,));
+    }
+    let picked = arr.get_item(PyList::new(py, fields)?)?;
+    py.import("numpy.lib.recfunctions")?
+        .call_method1("repack_fields", (picked,))
+}
+
 #[pymethods]
 impl PyDataset {
-    /// The shape of the dataset as a tuple.
+    /// The shape of the dataset (`None` for an empty/null dataspace).
     #[getter]
-    fn shape(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+    fn shape<'py>(&self, py: Python<'py>) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
-        let tuple = pyo3::types::PyTuple::new(py, self.cached_shape.iter().map(|&d| d as usize))?;
+        match &self.shape {
-        Ok(tuple.into_any().unbind())
+            Some(s) => Ok(PyTuple::new(py, s)?.into_any()),
+            None => Ok(py.None().into_bound(py)),
+        }
     }
 
-    /// The numpy dtype string of the dataset.
+    /// The maximum shape (`None` per unlimited dimension), like h5py.
     #[getter]
-    fn dtype(&self) -> &'static str {
+    fn maxshape<'py>(&self, py: Python<'py>) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
-        dtype_to_numpy_str(&self.cached_dtype)
+        crate::no_panic(|| {
+            let Some(shape) = &self.shape else {
+                return Ok(py.None().into_bound(py));
+            };
+            let max = self
+                .file
+                .dataset_at(self.addr)
+                .and_then(|ds| ds.max_dimensions())
+                .map_err(to_py_err)?
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| shape.clone());
+            let items: Vec<Option<u64>> = max
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(|d| (d != u64::MAX).then_some(d))
+                .collect();
+            Ok(PyTuple::new(py, items)?.into_any())
+        })
     }
 
-    /// Attribute access (read-only).
+    /// The dataset's numpy dtype, as h5py reports it.
+    #[getter]
+    fn dtype<'py>(&self, py: Python<'py>) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+        Ok(self.converter()?.dtype.bind(py).clone())
+    }
+
+    #[getter]
+    fn ndim(&self) -> usize {
+        self.shape.as_ref().map_or(0, Vec::len)
+    }
+
+    /// Number of elements (`None` for an empty/null dataspace, as h5py).
+    #[getter]
+    fn size(&self) -> Option<u64> {
+        self.shape.as_ref().map(|s| s.iter().product())
+    }
+
+    /// The dataset's full name, e.g. `/group/data`.
+    #[getter]
+    fn name(&self) -> String {
+        node::name(&self.path)
+    }
+
+    /// The dataset's attributes (read-only, dict-like).
     #[getter]
     fn attrs(&self) -> PyResult<PyAttrs> {
-        let ds = self.file.dataset(&self.path).map_err(to_py_err)?;
+        PyAttrs::read(Arc::clone(&self.file), self.addr, &self.path)
-        let map = ds.attrs().map_err(to_py_err)?;
-        Ok(PyAttrs::from_read(map))
     }
 
-    /// Read data via indexing. Supports `ds[:]`, `ds[0]`, `ds[0:5]`, etc.
+    /// Read with h5py indexing: integers, slices with positive steps,
-    ///
+    /// `...`, one increasing list of integers, and compound field names.
-    /// The full dataset is always read from the underlying file; the index
+    /// A selection whose bounding box covers at most half the dataset reads
-    /// is then applied on the resulting numpy array.
+    /// only the chunks (or contiguous rows) it overlaps.
-    fn __getitem__<'py>(&self, py: Python<'py>, key: &Bound<'py, PyAny>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+    fn __getitem__<'py>(
-        let arr = self.read_as_numpy(py)?;
+        &self,
-        let indexed = arr.get_item(key)?;
+        py: Python<'py>,
-        Ok(indexed.unbind())
+        key: &Bound<'py, PyAny>,
+    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+        let Some(dims) = &self.shape else {
+            let is_empty_tuple = key.cast::<PyTuple>().is_ok_and(|t| t.is_empty());
+            let is_ellipsis = key.is_instance_of::<pyo3::types::PyEllipsis>();
+            if is_empty_tuple || is_ellipsis {
+                let empty = PyEmpty::new(self.converter()?.dtype.clone_ref(py));
+                return Ok(empty.into_pyobject(py)?.into_any());
+            }
+            return Err(PyValueError::new_err("Empty datasets cannot be sliced"));
+        };
+        let plan = select::parse(key, dims)?;
+        self.read_plan(py, &plan)
     }
 
-    fn __repr__(&self) -> String {
+    /// `numpy.asarray(ds)` reads the whole dataset.
+    #[pyo3(signature = (dtype=None, copy=None))]
+    fn __array__<'py>(
+        &self,
+        py: Python<'py>,
+        dtype: Option<&Bound<'py, PyAny>>,
+        copy: Option<bool>,
+    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
+        let _ = copy; // every read is a fresh array
+        let Some(dims) = &self.shape else {
+            return Err(PyValueError::new_err("an empty dataset has no array value"));
+        };
+        let ellipsis = pyo3::types::PyEllipsis::get(py).to_owned().into_any();
+        let plan = select::parse(&ellipsis, dims)?;
+        let arr = self.read_plan(py, &plan)?;
+        match dtype {
+            Some(dt) => arr.call_method1("astype", (dt,)),
+            None => Ok(arr),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn __len__(&self) -> PyResult<usize> {
+        match self.shape.as_deref() {
+            Some([first, ..]) => Ok(*first as usize),
+            _ => Err(PyTypeError::new_err(
+                "Attempt to take len() of scalar dataset",
+            )),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn __repr__(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> String {
+        let dtype = match &self.conv {
+            Ok(c) => c
+                .dtype
+                .bind(py)
+                .str()
+                .map(|s| s.to_string())
+                .unwrap_or_default(),
+            Err(_) => format!("{:?}", self.datatype),
+        };
+        let shape = match &self.shape {
+            Some(s) => format!("{s:?}"),
+            None => "None".to_string(),
+        };
         format!(
-            "<HDF5 Dataset \"{}\": shape {:?}, dtype {}>",
+            "<HDF5 dataset \"{}\": shape {shape}, type \"{dtype}\">",
-            self.path,
+            node::name(&self.path)
-            self.cached_shape,
-            dtype_to_numpy_str(&self.cached_dtype),
         )
     }
-
-    fn __len__(&self) -> usize {
-        self.cached_shape.first().copied().unwrap_or(0) as usize
-    }
-}
-
-impl PyDataset {
-    /// Read the full dataset and return it as a numpy array (or list for strings).
-    ///
-    /// For numeric types, the Rust I/O (file reading + decompression) is
-    /// performed inside `py.detach()` so that the GIL is released
-    /// during the potentially expensive operation.  The numpy array
-    /// construction still happens with the GIL held.
-    fn read_as_numpy<'py>(&self, py: Python<'py>) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
-        let file = &self.file;
-        let path = &self.path;
-        let shape: Vec<usize> = self.cached_shape.iter().map(|&d| d as usize).collect();
-
-        match &self.cached_dtype {
-            DType::F64 => {
-                let data = py
-                    .detach(|| file.dataset(path).and_then(|ds| ds.read_f64()))
-                    .map_err(to_py_err)?;
-                let nd = ArrayD::from_shape_vec(IxDyn(&shape), data)
-                    .map_err(|e| PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyValueError, _>(e.to_string()))?;
-                let arr = PyArrayDyn::from_owned_array(py, nd);
-                Ok(arr.into_any())
-            }
-            DType::F32 => {
-                let data = py
-                    .detach(|| file.dataset(path).and_then(|ds| ds.read_f32()))
-                    .map_err(to_py_err)?;
-                let nd = ArrayD::from_shape_vec(IxDyn(&shape), data)
-                    .map_err(|e| PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyValueError, _>(e.to_string()))?;
-                let arr = PyArrayDyn::from_owned_array(py, nd);
-                Ok(arr.into_any())
-            }
-            DType::I32 => {
-                let data = py
-                    .detach(|| file.dataset(path).and_then(|ds| ds.read_i32()))
-                    .map_err(to_py_err)?;
-                let nd = ArrayD::from_shape_vec(IxDyn(&shape), data)
-                    .map_err(|e| PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyValueError, _>(e.to_string()))?;
-                let arr = PyArrayDyn::from_owned_array(py, nd);
-                Ok(arr.into_any())
-            }
-            DType::I64 => {
-                let data = py
-                    .detach(|| file.dataset(path).and_then(|ds| ds.read_i64()))
-                    .map_err(to_py_err)?;
-                let nd = ArrayD::from_shape_vec(IxDyn(&shape), data)
-                    .map_err(|e| PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyValueError, _>(e.to_string()))?;
-                let arr = PyArrayDyn::from_owned_array(py, nd);
-                Ok(arr.into_any())
-            }
-            DType::U8 => {
-                // Try zero-copy first (contiguous layout), fall back to
-                // read_u64 + cast for chunked/compact datasets.
-                let data: Vec<u8> = py
-                    .detach(|| {
-                        let ds = file.dataset(path)?;
-                        match ds.read_u8_zerocopy() {
-                            Ok(slice) => Ok(slice.to_vec()),
-                            Err(_) => {
-                                let raw = ds.read_u64()?;
-                                Ok(raw.iter().map(|&v| v as u8).collect())
-                            }
-                        }
-                    })
-                    .map_err(to_py_err)?;
-                let nd = ArrayD::from_shape_vec(IxDyn(&shape), data)
-                    .map_err(|e| PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyValueError, _>(e.to_string()))?;
-                let arr = PyArrayDyn::from_owned_array(py, nd);
-                Ok(arr.into_any())
-            }
-            DType::U64 => {
-                let data = py
-                    .detach(|| file.dataset(path).and_then(|ds| ds.read_u64()))
-                    .map_err(to_py_err)?;
-                let nd = ArrayD::from_shape_vec(IxDyn(&shape), data)
-                    .map_err(|e| PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyValueError, _>(e.to_string()))?;
-                let arr = PyArrayDyn::from_owned_array(py, nd);
-                Ok(arr.into_any())
-            }
-            DType::String | DType::VariableLengthString => {
-                // String reads need the GIL for PyList construction, but we
-                // release it during the Rust I/O portion.
-                let data = py
-                    .detach(|| file.dataset(path).and_then(|ds| ds.read_string()))
-                    .map_err(to_py_err)?;
-                let list = PyList::new(py, &data)?;
-                Ok(list.into_any())
-            }
-            other => Err(PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyTypeError, _>(format!(
-                "unsupported dataset dtype for reading: {other}"
-            ))),
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-#[cfg(test)]
-mod tests {
-    use super::*;
-
-    #[test]
-    fn dtype_mapping() {
-        assert_eq!(dtype_to_numpy_str(&DType::F64), "float64");
-        assert_eq!(dtype_to_numpy_str(&DType::F32), "float32");
-        assert_eq!(dtype_to_numpy_str(&DType::I32), "int32");
-        assert_eq!(dtype_to_numpy_str(&DType::I64), "int64");
-        assert_eq!(dtype_to_numpy_str(&DType::U8), "uint8");
-        assert_eq!(dtype_to_numpy_str(&DType::String), "object");
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn dataset_from_file() {
-        let mut b = clawhdf5_rs::FileBuilder::new();
-        b.create_dataset("vals").with_f64_data(&[1.0, 2.0, 3.0]);
-        let bytes = b.finish().unwrap();
-        let file = Arc::new(clawhdf5_rs::File::from_bytes(bytes).unwrap());
-        let ds = PyDataset::new(file, "vals".into()).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(ds.cached_shape, vec![3]);
-        assert_eq!(ds.cached_dtype, DType::F64);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn dataset_len() {
-        let mut b = clawhdf5_rs::FileBuilder::new();
-        b.create_dataset("data")
-            .with_i32_data(&[10, 20, 30, 40])
-            .with_shape(&[2, 2]);
-        let bytes = b.finish().unwrap();
-        let file = Arc::new(clawhdf5_rs::File::from_bytes(bytes).unwrap());
-        let ds = PyDataset::new(file, "data".into()).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(ds.__len__(), 2);
-    }
 }

crates/clawhdf5-py/src/file.rs

@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
+use pyo3::types::PyList;
 
 use crate::attrs::PyAttrs;
-use crate::dataset::PyDataset;
+use crate::group::{PyGroup, ReadGroup, WriteGroupState, finalize_write_group};
-use crate::group::{PyGroup, WriteGroupState, finalize_write_group};
 use crate::{DatasetSpec, OwnedAttrValue, apply_dataset_spec, extract_numpy_data, to_py_err};
 
 /// Internal state for write mode.
@@ -35,10 +35,12 @@ struct WriteState {
 #[pyclass(name = "File")]
 pub struct PyFile {
     inner: Option<FileInner>,
+    filename: String,
 }
 
 enum FileInner {
-    Read(Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>),
+    /// The root group; it holds the file.
+    Read(ReadGroup),
     Write(WriteState),
 }
 
@@ -51,15 +53,20 @@ impl PyFile {
     ///   mode: 'r' for read (default), 'w' for write
     #[new]
     #[pyo3(signature = (path, mode="r"))]
-    fn new(path: &str, mode: &str) -> PyResult<Self> {
+    fn new(py: Python<'_>, path: &str, mode: &str) -> PyResult<Self> {
+        let filename = path.to_string();
         match mode {
             "r" => {
-                let file = clawhdf5_rs::File::open(path).map_err(to_py_err)?;
+                let file = py.detach(|| {
+                    crate::no_panic(|| clawhdf5_rs::File::open(path).map_err(to_py_err))
+                })?;
                 Ok(Self {
-                    inner: Some(FileInner::Read(Arc::new(file))),
+                    inner: Some(FileInner::Read(root_group(Arc::new(file)))),
+                    filename,
                 })
             }
             "w" => Ok(Self {
+                filename,
                 inner: Some(FileInner::Write(WriteState {
                     path: PathBuf::from(path),
                     root_datasets: Vec::new(),
@@ -101,44 +108,51 @@ impl PyFile {
         Ok(false) // don't suppress exceptions
     }
 
-    /// Get a child object (dataset or group) by path.
+    /// Get a child object (dataset or group) by path; `f['/']` is the root.
     fn __getitem__(&self, py: Python<'_>, key: &str) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
-        let file = self.read_file()?;
+        self.read_file()?.get_item(py, key)
-        // Try dataset first
-        match file.dataset(key) {
-            Ok(_) => {
-                let ds = PyDataset::new(Arc::clone(file), key.to_string())?;
-                Ok(ds.into_pyobject(py)?.into_any().unbind())
-            }
-            Err(clawhdf5_rs::Error::NotADataset(_)) => {
-                let grp = PyGroup::from_read(Arc::clone(file), key.to_string());
-                Ok(grp.into_pyobject(py)?.into_any().unbind())
-            }
-            Err(_) => {
-                // Could be a group (no DataLayout message, no error)
-                match file.group(key) {
-                    Ok(_) => {
-                        let grp = PyGroup::from_read(Arc::clone(file), key.to_string());
-                        Ok(grp.into_pyobject(py)?.into_any().unbind())
-                    }
-                    Err(e) => Err(PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyKeyError, _>(format!(
-                        "{key}: {e}"
-                    ))),
-                }
-            }
     }
+
+    /// `f.get(key, default=None)`.
+    #[pyo3(signature = (key, default=None))]
+    fn get(&self, py: Python<'_>, key: &str, default: Option<Py<PyAny>>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+        self.read_file()?.get(py, key, default)
     }
 
     /// List the names of all children in the root group.
     fn keys(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
-        let file = self.read_file()?;
+        let names = self.read_file()?.member_names()?;
-        let root = file.root();
+        Ok(PyList::new(py, names)?.into_any().unbind())
-        let mut names = root.datasets().map_err(to_py_err)?;
+    }
-        let groups = root.groups().map_err(to_py_err)?;
+
-        names.extend(groups);
+    fn values(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
-        names.sort();
+        let vals = self.read_file()?.values(py)?;
-        let list = pyo3::types::PyList::new(py, &names)?;
+        Ok(PyList::new(py, vals)?.into_any().unbind())
-        Ok(list.into_any().unbind())
+    }
+
+    fn items(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+        let items = self.read_file()?.items(py)?;
+        Ok(PyList::new(py, items)?.into_any().unbind())
+    }
+
+    fn __iter__(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+        self.keys(py)?.call_method0(py, "__iter__")
+    }
+
+    fn __len__(&self) -> PyResult<usize> {
+        Ok(self.read_file()?.member_names()?.len())
+    }
+
+    /// The root group's name, `/`.
+    #[getter]
+    fn name(&self) -> &'static str {
+        "/"
+    }
+
+    /// The path the file was opened with.
+    #[getter]
+    fn filename(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.filename
     }
 
     /// Create a dataset in the root group (write mode only).
@@ -192,10 +206,7 @@ impl PyFile {
     #[getter]
     fn attrs(&self) -> PyResult<PyAttrs> {
         match self.inner.as_ref() {
-            Some(FileInner::Read(file)) => {
+            Some(FileInner::Read(root)) => root.attrs(),
-                let map = file.root().attrs().map_err(to_py_err)?;
-                Ok(PyAttrs::from_read(map))
-            }
             Some(FileInner::Write(state)) => Ok(PyAttrs::from_write(Arc::clone(&state.root_attrs))),
             None => Err(PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyIOError, _>(
                 "file is closed",
@@ -205,8 +216,8 @@ impl PyFile {
 
     fn __repr__(&self) -> String {
         match &self.inner {
-            Some(FileInner::Read(f)) => {
+            Some(FileInner::Read(root)) => {
-                format!("<HDF5 File (read, {} bytes)>", f.as_bytes().len())
+                format!("<HDF5 File (read, {} bytes)>", root.file.as_bytes().len())
             }
             Some(FileInner::Write(s)) => {
                 format!("<HDF5 File (write, \"{}\")>", s.path.display())
@@ -216,13 +227,13 @@ impl PyFile {
     }
 
     fn __contains__(&self, key: &str) -> PyResult<bool> {
-        let file = self.read_file()?;
+        Ok(self.read_file()?.contains(key))
-        Ok(file.dataset(key).is_ok() || file.group(key).is_ok())
     }
 }
 
 impl PyFile {
-    fn read_file(&self) -> PyResult<&Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>> {
+    /// The root group of a file opened for reading.
+    fn read_file(&self) -> PyResult<&ReadGroup> {
         match &self.inner {
             Some(FileInner::Read(f)) => Ok(f),
             Some(FileInner::Write(_)) => Err(PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyIOError, _>(
@@ -260,8 +271,14 @@ fn parse_compression(
     }
 }
 
+fn root_group(file: Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>) -> ReadGroup {
+    let root = file.superblock().root_group_address;
+    ReadGroup::new(file, String::new(), root)
+}
+
 /// Build and write the HDF5 file from accumulated write state.
 fn finalize_write(state: WriteState) -> PyResult<()> {
+    crate::no_panic(|| {
         let mut builder = clawhdf5_rs::FileBuilder::new();
 
         // Root attributes
@@ -285,6 +302,7 @@ fn finalize_write(state: WriteState) -> PyResult<()> {
 
         builder.write(&state.path).map_err(to_py_err)?;
         Ok(())
+    })
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]

crates/clawhdf5-py/src/group.rs

@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 //! PyGroup — navigable HDF5 group with read and write support.
 
-use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex, OnceLock};
 
+use pyo3::exceptions::{PyIOError, PyKeyError, PyValueError};
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
 use pyo3::types::PyList;
 
 use crate::attrs::PyAttrs;
-use crate::dataset::PyDataset;
+use crate::{DatasetSpec, OwnedAttrValue, apply_dataset_spec, extract_numpy_data, node};
-use crate::{DatasetSpec, OwnedAttrValue, apply_dataset_spec, extract_numpy_data, to_py_err};
 
 /// Shared state for a group being written.
 pub(crate) struct WriteGroupState {
@@ -18,32 +19,24 @@ pub(crate) struct WriteGroupState {
 
 /// An HDF5 group.
 ///
-/// In read mode, provides `__getitem__` navigation and child listing.
+/// In read mode it behaves like an h5py group: `grp['name']`,
-/// In write mode, supports `create_dataset` and `create_group` and
+/// `grp['sub/path']` and `grp['/absolute/path']`, `keys()`, `values()`,
-/// attribute setting.
+/// `items()`, iteration, `len()`, `in`, `get()`, `name` and `attrs`.
-///
+/// In write mode, supports `create_dataset` and attribute setting.
-/// ```python
-/// grp = f['group_name']
-/// grp.keys()
-/// ds = grp['dataset']
-/// ```
 #[pyclass(name = "Group")]
 pub struct PyGroup {
     inner: GroupInner,
 }
 
 enum GroupInner {
-    Read {
+    Read(ReadGroup),
-        file: Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>,
-        path: String,
-    },
     Write(Arc<Mutex<WriteGroupState>>),
 }
 
 impl PyGroup {
-    pub(crate) fn from_read(file: Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>, path: String) -> Self {
+    pub(crate) fn from_read(file: Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>, path: String, addr: u64) -> Self {
         Self {
-            inner: GroupInner::Read { file, path },
+            inner: GroupInner::Read(ReadGroup::new(file, path, addr)),
         }
     }
 
@@ -52,63 +45,172 @@ impl PyGroup {
             inner: GroupInner::Write(state),
         }
     }
+
+    fn read_group(&self, what: &str) -> PyResult<&ReadGroup> {
+        match &self.inner {
+            GroupInner::Read(g) => Ok(g),
+            GroupInner::Write(_) => Err(PyIOError::new_err(format!(
+                "cannot {what} a group opened for writing"
+            ))),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// A group in a file opened for reading (a file is its root group, as in
+/// h5py). It keeps its own address and, once listed, its links, so looking
+/// up a child neither resolves the path from the root nor scans the group's
+/// links again: visiting every member of a large group is linear, not
+/// quadratic.
+pub(crate) struct ReadGroup {
+    pub file: Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>,
+    pub path: String,
+    pub addr: u64,
+    /// Link name -> object address (soft links resolved), filled on first use.
+    links: OnceLock<HashMap<String, u64>>,
+    /// Names of the datasets and subgroups, sorted (h5py's order).
+    members: OnceLock<Vec<String>>,
+}
+
+impl ReadGroup {
+    pub(crate) fn new(file: Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>, path: String, addr: u64) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            file,
+            path,
+            addr,
+            links: OnceLock::new(),
+            members: OnceLock::new(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn links(&self) -> PyResult<&HashMap<String, u64>> {
+        if let Some(links) = self.links.get() {
+            return Ok(links);
+        }
+        let entries = crate::no_panic(|| {
+            clawhdf5_format::group_v2::resolve_group_children(
+                self.file.as_bytes(),
+                self.file.superblock(),
+                self.addr,
+            )
+            .map_err(|e| PyValueError::new_err(format!("{}: {e}", node::name(&self.path))))
+        })?;
+        let map = entries
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|e| (e.name, e.object_header_address))
+            .collect();
+        Ok(self.links.get_or_init(|| map))
+    }
+
+    /// The path and address of `key` (a name, a relative or an absolute path).
+    fn locate(&self, key: &str) -> PyResult<(String, u64)> {
+        let path = node::join(&self.path, key);
+        let rel = if self.path.is_empty() {
+            Some(path.as_str())
+        } else if path == self.path {
+            Some("")
+        } else {
+            path.strip_prefix(self.path.as_str())
+                .and_then(|r| r.strip_prefix('/'))
+        };
+        let addr = match rel {
+            // A direct child: the link table, when it has the name.
+            Some(name) if !name.is_empty() && !name.contains('/') => {
+                match self.links()?.get(name) {
+                    Some(&a) => a,
+                    None => node::resolve_from(&self.file, self.addr, name, &path)?,
+                }
+            }
+            Some(rel) => node::resolve_from(&self.file, self.addr, rel, &path)?,
+            None => node::address(&self.file, &path)?,
+        };
+        Ok((path, addr))
+    }
+
+    /// `group[key]`.
+    pub(crate) fn get_item(&self, py: Python<'_>, key: &str) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+        let (path, addr) = self.locate(key)?;
+        node::open(py, &self.file, path, addr)
+    }
+
+    /// `group.get(key, default)`.
+    pub(crate) fn get(
+        &self,
+        py: Python<'_>,
+        key: &str,
+        default: Option<Py<PyAny>>,
+    ) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+        match self.get_item(py, key) {
+            Err(e) if e.is_instance_of::<PyKeyError>(py) => {
+                Ok(default.unwrap_or_else(|| py.None()))
+            }
+            other => other,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Names of the group's datasets and subgroups, sorted (h5py's order).
+    pub(crate) fn member_names(&self) -> PyResult<&[String]> {
+        if let Some(m) = self.members.get() {
+            return Ok(m);
+        }
+        let mut names = Vec::new();
+        for (name, &addr) in self.links()? {
+            let hdr = node::header_at(&self.file, addr, &node::join(&self.path, name))?;
+            if matches!(
+                node::kind(&hdr),
+                Some(node::Kind::Dataset | node::Kind::Group)
+            ) {
+                names.push(name.clone());
+            }
+        }
+        names.sort_by(|a, b| a.as_bytes().cmp(b.as_bytes()));
+        Ok(self.members.get_or_init(|| names))
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn contains(&self, key: &str) -> bool {
+        self.locate(key)
+            .and_then(|(path, addr)| node::header_at(&self.file, addr, &path))
+            .ok()
+            .and_then(|h| node::kind(&h))
+            .is_some_and(|k| k != node::Kind::Datatype)
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn values(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Vec<Py<PyAny>>> {
+        self.member_names()?
+            .iter()
+            .map(|n| self.get_item(py, n))
+            .collect()
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn items(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Vec<(String, Py<PyAny>)>> {
+        self.member_names()?
+            .iter()
+            .map(|n| Ok((n.clone(), self.get_item(py, n)?)))
+            .collect()
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn attrs(&self) -> PyResult<PyAttrs> {
+        PyAttrs::read(Arc::clone(&self.file), self.addr, &self.path)
+    }
 }
 
 #[pymethods]
 impl PyGroup {
     /// Get a child object (dataset or subgroup) by name or path.
     fn __getitem__(&self, py: Python<'_>, key: &str) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
-        match &self.inner {
+        self.read_group("read children from")?.get_item(py, key)
-            GroupInner::Read { file, path } => {
-                let full_path = if path.is_empty() {
-                    key.to_string()
-                } else {
-                    format!("{path}/{key}")
-                };
-                // Try dataset first
-                match file.dataset(&full_path) {
-                    Ok(_) => {
-                        let ds = PyDataset::new(Arc::clone(file), full_path)?;
-                        Ok(ds.into_pyobject(py)?.into_any().unbind())
-                    }
-                    Err(clawhdf5_rs::Error::NotADataset(_)) => {
-                        let grp = PyGroup::from_read(Arc::clone(file), full_path);
-                        Ok(grp.into_pyobject(py)?.into_any().unbind())
-                    }
-                    Err(e) => {
-                        // Could be a group without a DataLayout message
-                        match file.group(&full_path) {
-                            Ok(_) => {
-                                let grp = PyGroup::from_read(Arc::clone(file), full_path);
-                                Ok(grp.into_pyobject(py)?.into_any().unbind())
-                            }
-                            Err(_) => Err(PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyKeyError, _>(format!(
-                                "{key}: {e}"
-                            ))),
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-            GroupInner::Write(_) => Err(PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyIOError, _>(
-                "cannot read children from a group opened for writing",
-            )),
     }
+
+    /// `group.get(key, default=None)`.
+    #[pyo3(signature = (key, default=None))]
+    fn get(&self, py: Python<'_>, key: &str, default: Option<Py<PyAny>>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+        self.read_group("read children from")?.get(py, key, default)
     }
 
     /// List the names of all children (datasets and subgroups).
     fn keys(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
         match &self.inner {
-            GroupInner::Read { file, path } => {
+            GroupInner::Read(g) => {
-                let group = if path.is_empty() {
+                let list = PyList::new(py, g.member_names()?)?;
-                    file.root()
-                } else {
-                    file.group(path).map_err(to_py_err)?
-                };
-                let mut names = group.datasets().map_err(to_py_err)?;
-                let groups = group.groups().map_err(to_py_err)?;
-                names.extend(groups);
-                names.sort();
-                let list = PyList::new(py, &names)?;
                 Ok(list.into_any().unbind())
             }
             GroupInner::Write(state) => {
@@ -120,6 +222,36 @@ impl PyGroup {
         }
     }
 
+    fn values(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+        let g = self.read_group("read children from")?;
+        Ok(PyList::new(py, g.values(py)?)?.into_any().unbind())
+    }
+
+    fn items(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+        let g = self.read_group("read children from")?;
+        Ok(PyList::new(py, g.items(py)?)?.into_any().unbind())
+    }
+
+    fn __iter__(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+        self.keys(py)?.call_method0(py, "__iter__")
+    }
+
+    fn __len__(&self) -> PyResult<usize> {
+        match &self.inner {
+            GroupInner::Read(g) => Ok(g.member_names()?.len()),
+            GroupInner::Write(state) => Ok(state.lock().unwrap().datasets.len()),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// The group's full name, e.g. `/sensors`.
+    #[getter]
+    fn name(&self) -> String {
+        match &self.inner {
+            GroupInner::Read(g) => node::name(&g.path),
+            GroupInner::Write(state) => node::name(&state.lock().unwrap().name),
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Create a dataset inside this group (write mode only).
     ///
     /// Parameters:
@@ -161,7 +293,7 @@ impl PyGroup {
                 state.lock().unwrap().datasets.push(spec);
                 Ok(())
             }
-            GroupInner::Read { .. } => Err(PyErr::new::<pyo3::exceptions::PyIOError, _>(
+            GroupInner::Read { .. } => Err(PyIOError::new_err(
                 "cannot create datasets on a read-only group",
             )),
         }
@@ -171,15 +303,7 @@ impl PyGroup {
     #[getter]
     fn attrs(&self) -> PyResult<PyAttrs> {
         match &self.inner {
-            GroupInner::Read { file, path } => {
+            GroupInner::Read(g) => g.attrs(),
-                let group = if path.is_empty() {
-                    file.root()
-                } else {
-                    file.group(path).map_err(to_py_err)?
-                };
-                let map = group.attrs().map_err(to_py_err)?;
-                Ok(PyAttrs::from_read(map))
-            }
             GroupInner::Write(state) => {
                 let store = Arc::clone(&state.lock().unwrap().attrs);
                 Ok(PyAttrs::from_write(store))
@@ -189,12 +313,9 @@ impl PyGroup {
 
     fn __repr__(&self) -> String {
         match &self.inner {
-            GroupInner::Read { path, .. } => {
+            GroupInner::Read(g) => {
-                if path.is_empty() {
+                let n = g.member_names().map_or(0, |m| m.len());
-                    "<HDF5 Group \"/\" (root)>".to_string()
+                format!("<HDF5 group \"{}\" ({n} members)>", node::name(&g.path))
-                } else {
-                    format!("<HDF5 Group \"/{path}\">")
-                }
             }
             GroupInner::Write(state) => {
                 let name = &state.lock().unwrap().name;
@@ -205,14 +326,7 @@ impl PyGroup {
 
     fn __contains__(&self, key: &str) -> PyResult<bool> {
         match &self.inner {
-            GroupInner::Read { file, path } => {
+            GroupInner::Read(g) => Ok(g.contains(key)),
-                let full_path = if path.is_empty() {
-                    key.to_string()
-                } else {
-                    format!("{path}/{key}")
-                };
-                Ok(file.dataset(&full_path).is_ok() || file.group(&full_path).is_ok())
-            }
             GroupInner::Write(state) => {
                 let guard = state.lock().unwrap();
                 Ok(guard.datasets.iter().any(|d| d.name == key))
@@ -244,26 +358,28 @@ mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
     #[test]
-    fn read_group_construction() {
+    fn member_names_are_sorted() {
         let mut b = clawhdf5_rs::FileBuilder::new();
-        let mut g = b.create_group("grp");
+        b.create_dataset("zeta").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
+        b.create_dataset("alpha").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
+        let mut g = b.create_group("mid");
         g.create_dataset("x").with_f64_data(&[1.0]);
         let finished = g.finish();
         b.add_group(finished);
         let bytes = b.finish().unwrap();
         let file = Arc::new(clawhdf5_rs::File::from_bytes(bytes).unwrap());
-        let _grp = PyGroup::from_read(file, "grp".into());
+        let root = file.superblock().root_group_address;
-    }
+        let top = ReadGroup::new(Arc::clone(&file), String::new(), root);
-
+        assert_eq!(top.member_names().unwrap(), ["alpha", "mid", "zeta"]);
-    #[test]
+        let (path, addr) = top.locate("mid").unwrap();
-    fn write_group_state() {
+        assert_eq!(path, "mid");
-        let state = WriteGroupState {
+        let mid = ReadGroup::new(Arc::clone(&file), path, addr);
-            name: "test".into(),
+        assert_eq!(mid.member_names().unwrap(), ["x"]);
-            datasets: vec![],
+        assert!(top.contains("mid/x"));
-            attrs: Arc::new(Mutex::new(vec![])),
+        assert!(mid.contains("/alpha"));
-        };
+        assert!(mid.contains("x") && mid.contains("./x"));
-        let arc = Arc::new(Mutex::new(state));
+        assert!(!top.contains("nope"));
-        let _grp = PyGroup::from_write(arc);
+        assert!(!mid.contains("alpha"));
     }
 
     #[test]

crates/clawhdf5-py/src/lib.rs

@@ -10,9 +10,12 @@
 //! ```
 
 mod attrs;
+mod convert;
 mod dataset;
 mod file;
 mod group;
+mod node;
+mod select;
 
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
 
@@ -21,6 +24,42 @@ pub(crate) use dataset::PyDataset;
 pub(crate) use file::PyFile;
 pub(crate) use group::PyGroup;
 
+pyo3::create_exception!(
+    clawhdf5,
+    InternalError,
+    pyo3::exceptions::PyRuntimeError,
+    "A bug in clawhdf5 met while reading or writing a file (a Rust panic, \
+     caught). Derived from RuntimeError, so `except Exception` handles it."
+);
+
+/// The text of a caught panic.
+pub(crate) fn panic_text(payload: &(dyn std::any::Any + Send)) -> String {
+    payload
+        .downcast_ref::<&str>()
+        .map(|s| (*s).to_string())
+        .or_else(|| payload.downcast_ref::<String>().cloned())
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| "unknown panic".to_string())
+}
+
+/// Run `f`, turning a panic in the library into [`InternalError`] instead of
+/// PyO3's `PanicException` (a `BaseException`, which `except Exception`
+/// does not catch). Wraps every call into the library.
+pub(crate) fn no_panic<T>(f: impl FnOnce() -> PyResult<T>) -> PyResult<T> {
+    std::panic::catch_unwind(std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(f)).unwrap_or_else(|p| {
+        Err(InternalError::new_err(format!(
+            "clawhdf5 internal error (please report it): {}",
+            panic_text(&*p)
+        )))
+    })
+}
+
+/// A test hook: panics inside [`no_panic`], so the tests can check that a
+/// library panic reaches Python as an ordinary exception.
+#[pyfunction]
+fn _panic_for_test() -> PyResult<()> {
+    no_panic(|| panic!("deliberate panic for the test suite"))
+}
+
 /// Convert a `clawhdf5_rs::Error` into a `PyErr`.
 ///
 /// Maps different error variants to more specific Python exception types:
@@ -46,6 +85,54 @@ pub(crate) fn to_py_err(e: clawhdf5_rs::Error) -> PyErr {
     }
 }
 
+/// The value of a dataset or attribute with a null dataspace: a type but no
+/// data. Mirrors `h5py.Empty`.
+#[pyclass(name = "Empty", frozen)]
+pub struct PyEmpty {
+    dtype: Py<PyAny>,
+}
+
+impl PyEmpty {
+    pub(crate) fn new(dtype: Py<PyAny>) -> Self {
+        Self { dtype }
+    }
+}
+
+#[pymethods]
+impl PyEmpty {
+    #[new]
+    fn py_new(py: Python<'_>, dtype: &Bound<'_, PyAny>) -> PyResult<Self> {
+        let dtype = py.import("numpy")?.getattr("dtype")?.call1((dtype,))?;
+        Ok(Self::new(dtype.unbind()))
+    }
+
+    #[getter]
+    fn dtype(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> Py<PyAny> {
+        self.dtype.clone_ref(py)
+    }
+
+    #[getter]
+    fn shape(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> Py<PyAny> {
+        py.None()
+    }
+
+    #[getter]
+    fn size(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> Py<PyAny> {
+        py.None()
+    }
+
+    fn __eq__(&self, py: Python<'_>, other: &Bound<'_, PyAny>) -> PyResult<bool> {
+        match other.cast::<PyEmpty>() {
+            Ok(o) => self.dtype.bind(py).eq(o.get().dtype.bind(py)),
+            Err(_) => Ok(false),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn __repr__(&self, py: Python<'_>) -> PyResult<String> {
+        Ok(format!("Empty(dtype={})", self.dtype.bind(py).repr()?))
+    }
+}
+
 /// The data payload for a dataset being written.
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub(crate) enum DatasetData {
@@ -219,10 +306,14 @@ pub(crate) fn extract_numpy_data(
 /// The clawhdf5 Python module.
 #[pymodule]
 fn clawhdf5(m: &Bound<'_, PyModule>) -> PyResult<()> {
+    m.add("__version__", env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"))?;
     m.add_class::<PyFile>()?;
     m.add_class::<PyDataset>()?;
     m.add_class::<PyGroup>()?;
     m.add_class::<PyAttrs>()?;
+    m.add_class::<PyEmpty>()?;
+    m.add("InternalError", m.py().get_type::<InternalError>())?;
+    m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(_panic_for_test, m)?)?;
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -232,9 +323,9 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn owned_attr_value_roundtrip() {
-        let val = OwnedAttrValue::F64(3.14);
+        let val = OwnedAttrValue::F64(2.5);
         let attr: clawhdf5_rs::AttrValue = val.into();
-        assert!(matches!(attr, clawhdf5_rs::AttrValue::F64(v) if (v - 3.14).abs() < 1e-10));
+        assert!(matches!(attr, clawhdf5_rs::AttrValue::F64(v) if (v - 2.5).abs() < 1e-10));
     }
 
     #[test]

crates/clawhdf5-py/src/node.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,215 @@
+//! Resolving paths to objects in a file opened for reading.
+
+use std::sync::Arc;
+
+use clawhdf5_format::attribute::AttributeMessage;
+use clawhdf5_format::dataspace::{Dataspace, DataspaceType};
+use clawhdf5_format::message_type::MessageType;
+use clawhdf5_format::object_header::ObjectHeader;
+use pyo3::exceptions::{PyKeyError, PyTypeError, PyValueError};
+use pyo3::prelude::*;
+
+use crate::dataset::PyDataset;
+use crate::group::PyGroup;
+
+/// Join `key` onto the group path `base` the way h5py does: an absolute key
+/// starts from the root, a relative one from `base`. Paths are kept without
+/// a leading `/`; the root is `""`.
+pub(crate) fn join(base: &str, key: &str) -> String {
+    let parts = if key.starts_with('/') {
+        key.split('/').collect::<Vec<_>>()
+    } else {
+        base.split('/').chain(key.split('/')).collect()
+    };
+    parts
+        .into_iter()
+        .filter(|p| !p.is_empty() && *p != ".")
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+        .join("/")
+}
+
+/// The HDF5 name (`/a/b`) of a path.
+pub(crate) fn name(path: &str) -> String {
+    format!("/{path}")
+}
+
+/// The address of the object at `path`, resolved from the root group.
+pub(crate) fn address(file: &clawhdf5_rs::File, path: &str) -> PyResult<u64> {
+    resolve_from(file, file.superblock().root_group_address, path, path)
+}
+
+/// The address of `rel` resolved from the group at `group` (`full` is the
+/// resulting path, for the error message).
+pub(crate) fn resolve_from(
+    file: &clawhdf5_rs::File,
+    group: u64,
+    rel: &str,
+    full: &str,
+) -> PyResult<u64> {
+    if rel.is_empty() {
+        return Ok(group);
+    }
+    crate::no_panic(|| {
+        clawhdf5_format::group_v2::resolve_path_from(file.as_bytes(), file.superblock(), group, rel)
+            .map_err(|e| {
+                PyKeyError::new_err(format!(
+                    "Unable to open object (object '{}' doesn't exist): {e}",
+                    name(full)
+                ))
+            })
+    })
+}
+
+/// The object header at `addr` (the object at `path`).
+pub(crate) fn header_at(file: &clawhdf5_rs::File, addr: u64, path: &str) -> PyResult<ObjectHeader> {
+    crate::no_panic(|| {
+        let sb = file.superblock();
+        let at = usize::try_from(addr)
+            .map_err(|_| PyValueError::new_err(format!("{}: address out of range", name(path))))?;
+        ObjectHeader::parse(file.as_bytes(), at, sb.offset_size, sb.length_size)
+            .map_err(|e| PyValueError::new_err(format!("{}: {e}", name(path))))
+    })
+}
+
+/// What an object header describes.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub(crate) enum Kind {
+    Dataset,
+    Group,
+    Datatype,
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn kind(hdr: &ObjectHeader) -> Option<Kind> {
+    let has = |t: MessageType| hdr.messages.iter().any(|m| m.msg_type == t);
+    if has(MessageType::DataLayout) {
+        Some(Kind::Dataset)
+    } else if has(MessageType::LinkInfo)
+        || has(MessageType::Link)
+        || has(MessageType::SymbolTable)
+        || has(MessageType::GroupInfo)
+    {
+        Some(Kind::Group)
+    } else if has(MessageType::Datatype) {
+        Some(Kind::Datatype)
+    } else {
+        None
+    }
+}
+
+/// Open the object at `addr` (whose path is `path`) as a `Dataset` or
+/// `Group`. Both keep the address, so later reads resolve nothing.
+pub(crate) fn open(
+    py: Python<'_>,
+    file: &Arc<clawhdf5_rs::File>,
+    path: String,
+    addr: u64,
+) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
+    let hdr = header_at(file, addr, &path)?;
+    match kind(&hdr) {
+        Some(Kind::Dataset) => Ok(PyDataset::open(py, Arc::clone(file), path, addr, &hdr)?
+            .into_pyobject(py)?
+            .into_any()
+            .unbind()),
+        Some(Kind::Group) => Ok(PyGroup::from_read(Arc::clone(file), path, addr)
+            .into_pyobject(py)?
+            .into_any()
+            .unbind()),
+        Some(Kind::Datatype) => Err(PyTypeError::new_err(format!(
+            "{}: committed (named) datatypes are not supported by clawhdf5",
+            name(&path)
+        ))),
+        None => Err(PyValueError::new_err(format!(
+            "{}: not a dataset, group or datatype",
+            name(&path)
+        ))),
+    }
+}
+
+/// The dataspace message of an object header.
+pub(crate) fn dataspace(file: &clawhdf5_rs::File, hdr: &ObjectHeader) -> PyResult<Dataspace> {
+    crate::no_panic(|| {
+        let sb = file.superblock();
+        let msg = hdr
+            .messages
+            .iter()
+            .find(|m| m.msg_type == MessageType::Dataspace)
+            .ok_or_else(|| PyValueError::new_err("object has no dataspace message"))?;
+        let data = clawhdf5_format::shared_message::message_data(
+            file.as_bytes(),
+            msg,
+            sb.offset_size,
+            sb.length_size,
+        )
+        .map_err(|e| PyValueError::new_err(e.to_string()))?;
+        Dataspace::parse(&data, sb.length_size).map_err(|e| PyValueError::new_err(e.to_string()))
+    })
+}
+
+/// The chunk shape of a chunked dataset (one entry per dataset dimension),
+/// or `None` for other layouts or a layout message that does not parse.
+pub(crate) fn chunk_shape(
+    file: &clawhdf5_rs::File,
+    hdr: &ObjectHeader,
+    rank: usize,
+) -> Option<Vec<u64>> {
+    let sb = file.superblock();
+    let msg = hdr
+        .messages
+        .iter()
+        .find(|m| m.msg_type == MessageType::DataLayout)?;
+    match clawhdf5_format::data_layout::DataLayout::parse(&msg.data, sb.offset_size, sb.length_size)
+        .ok()?
+    {
+        clawhdf5_format::data_layout::DataLayout::Chunked {
+            chunk_dimensions, ..
+        } if chunk_dimensions.len() >= rank => Some(
+            chunk_dimensions[..rank]
+                .iter()
+                .map(|&d| u64::from(d))
+                .collect(),
+        ),
+        _ => None,
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn is_null(space: &Dataspace) -> bool {
+    space.space_type == DataspaceType::Null
+}
+
+/// The attributes of the object at `addr` (whose path is `path`), sorted by
+/// name (h5py's order). Attributes whose messages cannot be parsed are left
+/// out, as the facade's `attrs()` does.
+pub(crate) fn attributes(
+    file: &clawhdf5_rs::File,
+    addr: u64,
+    path: &str,
+) -> PyResult<Vec<AttributeMessage>> {
+    let hdr = header_at(file, addr, path)?;
+    crate::no_panic(|| {
+        let sb = file.superblock();
+        let (mut attrs, _errors) = clawhdf5_format::attribute::extract_attributes_tolerant(
+            file.as_bytes(),
+            &hdr,
+            sb.offset_size,
+            sb.length_size,
+        )
+        .map_err(|e| PyValueError::new_err(format!("{}: {e}", name(path))))?;
+        attrs.sort_by(|a, b| a.name.as_bytes().cmp(b.name.as_bytes()));
+        Ok(attrs)
+    })
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn join_paths() {
+        assert_eq!(join("", "a"), "a");
+        assert_eq!(join("a", "b/c"), "a/b/c");
+        assert_eq!(join("a/b", "/x"), "x");
+        assert_eq!(join("a", "/"), "");
+        assert_eq!(join("", "/a//b/"), "a/b");
+        assert_eq!(join("a", "./b"), "a/b");
+    }
+}

crates/clawhdf5-py/src/select.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,554 @@
+//! h5py-style indexing (`ds[1, 2:10:3, ...]`) mapped onto hyperslab
+//! selections, so the library reads the selection rather than the whole
+//! dataset (it still decodes everything for large selections; see the
+//! facade's `Dataset::read_selection`).
+//!
+//! The rules and error messages follow h5py's `selections.py`: integers
+//! (negative from the end) drop their axis, slices must have a positive
+//! step, one `Ellipsis` fills the unmentioned axes, a single increasing list
+//! of integers may index one axis, and strings name compound fields.
+//! Everything else (`None`/`np.newaxis`, boolean masks, several index lists)
+//! is refused with the error h5py gives.
+
+use clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection;
+use pyo3::exceptions::{PyIndexError, PyTypeError, PyValueError};
+use pyo3::prelude::*;
+use pyo3::types::{PyEllipsis, PySlice, PyString, PyTuple};
+
+/// The selection along one axis.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub(crate) enum Axis {
+    /// A single index: the axis is dropped from the result.
+    Index(u64),
+    /// `start, start + step, ...`, `count` of them.
+    Slice { start: u64, step: u64, count: u64 },
+    /// Increasing, distinct indices.
+    List(Vec<u64>),
+}
+
+impl Axis {
+    fn len(&self) -> u64 {
+        match self {
+            Axis::Index(_) => 1,
+            Axis::Slice { count, .. } => *count,
+            Axis::List(v) => v.len() as u64,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// A parsed index expression.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub(crate) struct Plan {
+    /// One entry per dataset axis.
+    pub axes: Vec<Axis>,
+    /// Compound field names to keep (empty: all).
+    pub fields: Vec<String>,
+    /// For a scalar dataset: `ds[()]` gives a scalar, `ds[...]` a 0-d array.
+    /// For other datasets: every axis was an integer, so h5py gives a scalar.
+    pub scalar: bool,
+}
+
+impl Plan {
+    /// The shape of the result.
+    pub fn out_shape(&self) -> Vec<usize> {
+        self.axes
+            .iter()
+            .filter(|a| !matches!(a, Axis::Index(_)))
+            .map(|a| a.len() as usize)
+            .collect()
+    }
+
+    /// The shape of the result before the integer-indexed axes are dropped
+    /// (they have length 1 here): the shape of the joined reads.
+    pub fn read_shape(&self) -> Vec<usize> {
+        self.axes.iter().map(|a| a.len() as usize).collect()
+    }
+
+    /// The axis indexed by a list, if any.
+    pub fn list_axis(&self) -> Option<usize> {
+        self.axes.iter().position(|a| matches!(a, Axis::List(_)))
+    }
+
+    /// Whether the selection is empty.
+    pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+        self.axes.iter().any(|a| a.len() == 0)
+    }
+
+    /// The hyperslab reads that make up this selection, each with the shape
+    /// of its block (index axes kept at length 1). More than one only when an
+    /// axis is indexed by a list; those are joined along `list_axis`
+    /// afterwards (`join_along`), after keeping each read's `pick` rows.
+    ///
+    /// A list is read in groups, each one hyperslab over a stretch of the
+    /// axis, not once per index: every read decodes the chunks it touches
+    /// (and lists the dataset's chunks), so a read per run of indices decoded
+    /// the same chunk again and again. For a chunked dataset (`chunk_len` is
+    /// the chunk's length along the list axis) a group ends only where a
+    /// whole chunk holds no selected index, so no chunk is decoded twice or
+    /// without need. Otherwise a group ends at a gap of more than
+    /// [`MAX_GAP_BYTES`] of unselected data.
+    pub fn reads(
+        &self,
+        dims: &[u64],
+        chunk_len: Option<u64>,
+        elem_size: usize,
+    ) -> (Vec<Read>, Option<usize>) {
+        let list_axis = self.list_axis();
+        let groups: Vec<&[u64]> = match list_axis.map(|i| &self.axes[i]) {
+            Some(Axis::List(idx)) => {
+                let row_bytes = self.row_bytes(elem_size);
+                group_indices(idx, |last, next| match chunk_len {
+                    Some(c) if c > 0 => next / c <= last / c + 1,
+                    _ => (next - last - 1).saturating_mul(row_bytes) <= MAX_GAP_BYTES,
+                })
+            }
+            _ => vec![&[]],
+        };
+        let mut out = Vec::with_capacity(groups.len());
+        for group in groups {
+            let (first, span) = match (group.first(), group.last()) {
+                (Some(&f), Some(&l)) => (f, l - f + 1),
+                _ => (0, 0),
+            };
+            let pick = (span != group.len() as u64)
+                .then(|| group.iter().map(|&i| (i - first) as usize).collect());
+            let mut start = Vec::with_capacity(dims.len());
+            let mut stride = Vec::with_capacity(dims.len());
+            let mut count = Vec::with_capacity(dims.len());
+            for axis in &self.axes {
+                let (s, st, c) = match axis {
+                    Axis::Index(i) => (*i, 1, 1),
+                    Axis::Slice { start, step, count } => (*start, *step, *count),
+                    Axis::List(_) => (first, 1, span),
+                };
+                start.push(s);
+                // A stride only matters between blocks; keep it >= 1.
+                stride.push(if c <= 1 { 1 } else { st });
+                count.push(c);
+            }
+            let shape: Vec<usize> = count.iter().map(|&c| c as usize).collect();
+            let whole = start.iter().all(|&s| s == 0)
+                && stride.iter().all(|&s| s == 1)
+                && count.as_slice() == dims;
+            let sel = if whole {
+                Selection::All
+            } else {
+                let block = vec![1; dims.len()];
+                Selection::Hyperslab {
+                    start,
+                    stride,
+                    count,
+                    block,
+                }
+            };
+            out.push(Read { sel, shape, pick });
+        }
+        (out, list_axis)
+    }
+
+    /// Bytes of one step along the list axis within a read's bounding box.
+    fn row_bytes(&self, elem_size: usize) -> u64 {
+        self.axes
+            .iter()
+            .map(|a| match a {
+                Axis::Slice { step, count, .. } if *count > 0 => (count - 1) * step + 1,
+                _ => 1,
+            })
+            .fold(elem_size as u64, u64::saturating_mul)
+    }
+}
+
+/// Unselected data a read of a non-chunked dataset copies through rather
+/// than start another read.
+pub(crate) const MAX_GAP_BYTES: u64 = 64 * 1024;
+
+/// One hyperslab read of a selection.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub(crate) struct Read {
+    pub sel: Selection,
+    /// The block's shape (index axes at length 1).
+    pub shape: Vec<usize>,
+    /// For a list: the positions along the list axis, within the block, to
+    /// keep (`None`: all of them).
+    pub pick: Option<Vec<usize>>,
+}
+
+/// Split increasing indices into groups; `joins(last, next)` says whether
+/// `next` extends the group whose last index is `last`.
+fn group_indices(idx: &[u64], joins: impl Fn(u64, u64) -> bool) -> Vec<&[u64]> {
+    let mut groups = Vec::new();
+    let mut from = 0;
+    for k in 1..idx.len() {
+        if !joins(idx[k - 1], idx[k]) {
+            groups.push(&idx[from..k]);
+            from = k;
+        }
+    }
+    if from < idx.len() {
+        groups.push(&idx[from..]);
+    }
+    groups
+}
+
+/// Keep the elements at positions `pick` along `axis` of a row-major block.
+pub(crate) fn gather_along(
+    bytes: &[u8],
+    shape: &[usize],
+    axis: usize,
+    pick: &[usize],
+    elem_size: usize,
+) -> Vec<u8> {
+    let outer: usize = shape[..axis].iter().product();
+    let inner: usize = shape[axis + 1..].iter().product::<usize>() * elem_size;
+    let len = shape[axis];
+    let mut out = Vec::with_capacity(outer * pick.len() * inner);
+    for o in 0..outer {
+        for &p in pick {
+            let at = (o * len + p) * inner;
+            out.extend_from_slice(&bytes[at..at + inner]);
+        }
+    }
+    out
+}
+
+/// Join row-major blocks of `elem_size`-byte elements whose shapes differ
+/// only along `axis` into one buffer, in order along that axis. Whole
+/// elements are copied, so compound padding keeps the bytes that were read.
+pub(crate) fn join_along(
+    blocks: &[(Vec<u8>, Vec<usize>)],
+    axis: usize,
+    elem_size: usize,
+) -> Vec<u8> {
+    let Some((_, first)) = blocks.first() else {
+        return Vec::new();
+    };
+    let outer: usize = first[..axis].iter().product();
+    let inner: usize = first[axis + 1..].iter().product::<usize>() * elem_size;
+    let total: usize = blocks.iter().map(|(_, s)| s[axis]).sum();
+    let mut out = vec![0u8; outer * total * inner];
+    let mut at = 0;
+    for (bytes, shape) in blocks {
+        let len = shape[axis] * inner;
+        for o in 0..outer {
+            let dst = (o * total) * inner + at;
+            out[dst..dst + len].copy_from_slice(&bytes[o * len..(o + 1) * len]);
+        }
+        at += len;
+    }
+    out
+}
+
+/// Parse `key` for a dataset of shape `dims`.
+pub(crate) fn parse(key: &Bound<'_, PyAny>, dims: &[u64]) -> PyResult<Plan> {
+    let items: Vec<Bound<'_, PyAny>> = match key.cast::<PyTuple>() {
+        Ok(t) => t.iter().collect(),
+        Err(_) => vec![key.clone()],
+    };
+    let mut fields = Vec::new();
+    let mut args = Vec::new();
+    for item in items {
+        if let Ok(s) = item.cast::<PyString>() {
+            fields.push(s.to_str()?.to_owned());
+        } else {
+            args.push(item);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if args.iter().any(|a| a.is_none()) {
+        return Err(PyTypeError::new_err(
+            "Indexing with None (or np.newaxis) is not supported",
+        ));
+    }
+
+    let rank = dims.len();
+    if rank == 0 {
+        return match args.as_slice() {
+            [] => Ok(Plan {
+                axes: vec![],
+                fields,
+                scalar: true,
+            }),
+            [a] if a.is_instance_of::<PyEllipsis>() => Ok(Plan {
+                axes: vec![],
+                fields,
+                scalar: false,
+            }),
+            _ => Err(PyValueError::new_err(
+                "Illegal slicing argument for scalar dataspace",
+            )),
+        };
+    }
+
+    // Expand the ellipsis (at most one) to full slices.
+    let n_ellipsis = args
+        .iter()
+        .filter(|a| a.is_instance_of::<PyEllipsis>())
+        .count();
+    if n_ellipsis > 1 {
+        return Err(PyValueError::new_err("Only one ellipsis may be used."));
+    }
+    let explicit = args.len() - n_ellipsis;
+    if explicit > rank {
+        return Err(PyValueError::new_err(format!(
+            "{explicit} indexing arguments for {rank} dimensions"
+        )));
+    }
+    let py = key.py();
+    let mut expanded: Vec<Option<Bound<'_, PyAny>>> = Vec::with_capacity(rank);
+    for a in args {
+        if a.is_instance_of::<PyEllipsis>() {
+            for _ in 0..(rank - explicit) {
+                expanded.push(None);
+            }
+        } else {
+            expanded.push(Some(a));
+        }
+    }
+    while expanded.len() < rank {
+        expanded.push(None);
+    }
+
+    let mut axes = Vec::with_capacity(rank);
+    for (arg, &n) in expanded.iter().zip(dims) {
+        axes.push(match arg {
+            None => Axis::Slice {
+                start: 0,
+                step: 1,
+                count: n,
+            },
+            Some(a) => parse_axis(py, a, n)?,
+        });
+    }
+    if axes.iter().filter(|a| matches!(a, Axis::List(_))).count() > 1 {
+        return Err(PyTypeError::new_err(
+            "Only one indexing vector or array is currently allowed for fancy indexing",
+        ));
+    }
+    let scalar = axes.iter().all(|a| matches!(a, Axis::Index(_)));
+    Ok(Plan {
+        axes,
+        fields,
+        scalar,
+    })
+}
+
+fn parse_axis(py: Python<'_>, a: &Bound<'_, PyAny>, n: u64) -> PyResult<Axis> {
+    if a.is_none() {
+        return Err(PyTypeError::new_err(
+            "Indexing with None (or np.newaxis) is not supported",
+        ));
+    }
+    if let Ok(s) = a.cast::<PySlice>() {
+        let n_isize = isize::try_from(n)
+            .map_err(|_| PyValueError::new_err("dimension too large to slice"))?;
+        let ind = s.indices(n_isize)?;
+        if ind.step < 1 {
+            return Err(PyValueError::new_err(format!(
+                "Step must be >= 1 (got {})",
+                ind.step
+            )));
+        }
+        // `slicelength` is the number of elements selected, >= 0.
+        let count = ind.slicelength as u64;
+        let start = if count == 0 { 0 } else { ind.start as u64 };
+        return Ok(Axis::Slice {
+            start,
+            step: ind.step as u64,
+            count,
+        });
+    }
+    let np = py.import("numpy")?;
+    let is_bool =
+        a.is_instance_of::<pyo3::types::PyBool>() || a.is_instance(&np.getattr("bool_")?)?;
+    let is_array_like = a.is_instance(&np.getattr("ndarray")?)?
+        || a.is_instance_of::<pyo3::types::PyList>()
+        || a.is_instance_of::<PyTuple>();
+    // A 0-d integer array (`ds[np.array(1)]`) is an integer index, as in h5py.
+    if a.is_instance(&np.getattr("ndarray")?)? && a.getattr("ndim")?.extract::<usize>()? == 0 {
+        let kind: String = a.getattr("dtype")?.getattr("kind")?.extract()?;
+        if kind == "i" || kind == "u" {
+            let i: i128 = a.call_method0("item")?.extract()?;
+            return Ok(Axis::Index(normalize(i, n)?));
+        }
+    }
+    if !is_bool && !is_array_like && a.hasattr("__index__")? {
+        let i: i128 = a.call_method0("__index__")?.extract()?;
+        return Ok(Axis::Index(normalize(i, n)?));
+    }
+    if is_array_like {
+        let arr = np.call_method1("asarray", (a,))?;
+        let kind: String = arr.getattr("dtype")?.getattr("kind")?.extract()?;
+        if kind == "b" {
+            return Err(PyTypeError::new_err(
+                "Boolean mask indexing is not supported by clawhdf5",
+            ));
+        }
+        let ndim: usize = arr.getattr("ndim")?.extract()?;
+        let size: usize = arr.getattr("size")?.extract()?;
+        if size > 0 && kind != "i" && kind != "u" {
+            return Err(PyTypeError::new_err(
+                "Indexing arrays must have integer dtypes",
+            ));
+        }
+        if ndim > 1 {
+            return Err(PyTypeError::new_err(
+                "Only 1-D integer lists or arrays can be used for fancy indexing",
+            ));
+        }
+        let vals: Vec<i128> = arr.call_method0("tolist")?.extract()?;
+        let mut idx = Vec::with_capacity(vals.len());
+        for v in vals {
+            idx.push(normalize(v, n)?);
+        }
+        if idx.windows(2).any(|w| w[0] >= w[1]) {
+            return Err(PyTypeError::new_err(
+                "Indexing elements must be in increasing order",
+            ));
+        }
+        return Ok(Axis::List(idx));
+    }
+    Err(PyTypeError::new_err(format!(
+        "Illegal index type for clawhdf5 datasets: {}",
+        a.get_type().name()?
+    )))
+}
+
+fn normalize(i: i128, n: u64) -> PyResult<u64> {
+    let n_i = i128::from(n);
+    let j = if i < 0 { i + n_i } else { i };
+    if j < 0 || j >= n_i {
+        let hi = n_i - 1;
+        return Err(PyIndexError::new_err(format!(
+            "Index ({i}) out of range for (0-{hi})"
+        )));
+    }
+    Ok(j as u64)
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn indices_group_by_chunk() {
+        let chunked = |c: u64| move |last: u64, next: u64| next / c <= last / c + 1;
+        // Chunks of 10: 3, 5 and 15 are in neighbouring chunks; 42 skips two.
+        let idx = [3, 5, 15, 42, 43, 99];
+        assert_eq!(
+            group_indices(&idx, chunked(10)),
+            vec![&[3, 5, 15][..], &[42, 43], &[99]]
+        );
+        assert_eq!(group_indices(&[], chunked(10)), Vec::<&[u64]>::new());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_list_reads_once_per_group() {
+        let plan = Plan {
+            axes: vec![
+                Axis::List(vec![0, 2, 3, 40]),
+                Axis::Slice {
+                    start: 0,
+                    step: 1,
+                    count: 5,
+                },
+            ],
+            fields: vec![],
+            scalar: false,
+        };
+        // Chunks of 8 rows: rows 0-3 are one read, row 40 another.
+        let (reads, axis) = plan.reads(&[50, 5], Some(8), 4);
+        assert_eq!(axis, Some(0));
+        assert_eq!(reads.len(), 2);
+        assert_eq!(reads[0].shape, vec![4, 5]);
+        assert_eq!(reads[0].pick, Some(vec![0, 2, 3]));
+        assert_eq!(reads[1].shape, vec![1, 5]);
+        assert_eq!(reads[1].pick, None);
+        // Not chunked: a gap under MAX_GAP_BYTES is read through.
+        let (reads, _) = plan.reads(&[50, 5], None, 4);
+        assert_eq!(reads.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(reads[0].pick, Some(vec![0, 2, 3, 40]));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn gather_keeps_picked_rows() {
+        // A 2x3 block of 1-byte elements; keep columns 0 and 2.
+        let block = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6];
+        assert_eq!(
+            gather_along(&block, &[2, 3], 1, &[0, 2], 1),
+            vec![1, 3, 4, 6]
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn blocks_join_along_the_list_axis() {
+        // Two 2x1 and 2x2 blocks of 1-byte elements, joined along axis 1.
+        let a = (vec![1, 2], vec![2, 1]);
+        let b = (vec![3, 4, 5, 6], vec![2, 2]);
+        assert_eq!(join_along(&[a, b], 1, 1), vec![1, 3, 4, 2, 5, 6]);
+        // Along axis 0 it is concatenation; 2-byte elements stay whole.
+        let a = (vec![1, 2, 3, 4], vec![1, 2]);
+        let b = (vec![5, 6, 7, 8], vec![1, 2]);
+        assert_eq!(join_along(&[a, b], 0, 2), vec![1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn full_selection_reads_everything() {
+        let plan = Plan {
+            axes: vec![
+                Axis::Slice {
+                    start: 0,
+                    step: 1,
+                    count: 4,
+                },
+                Axis::Slice {
+                    start: 0,
+                    step: 1,
+                    count: 3,
+                },
+            ],
+            fields: vec![],
+            scalar: false,
+        };
+        let (reads, list) = plan.reads(&[4, 3], None, 8);
+        assert_eq!(list, None);
+        assert_eq!(
+            reads,
+            vec![Read {
+                sel: Selection::All,
+                shape: vec![4, 3],
+                pick: None
+            }]
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn index_and_step_map_to_a_hyperslab() {
+        let plan = Plan {
+            axes: vec![
+                Axis::Index(2),
+                Axis::Slice {
+                    start: 1,
+                    step: 3,
+                    count: 2,
+                },
+            ],
+            fields: vec![],
+            scalar: false,
+        };
+        let (reads, _) = plan.reads(&[4, 8], None, 8);
+        assert_eq!(
+            reads,
+            vec![Read {
+                sel: Selection::Hyperslab {
+                    start: vec![2, 1],
+                    stride: vec![1, 3],
+                    count: vec![1, 2],
+                    block: vec![1, 1],
+                },
+                shape: vec![1, 2],
+                pick: None
+            }]
+        );
+        assert_eq!(plan.out_shape(), vec![2]);
+    }
+}

crates/clawhdf5-py/tests/conftest.py

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+"""Shared fixtures for the clawhdf5 Python binding tests."""
+
+import os
+
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def h5py():
+    """h5py, or a skip — unless CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1, which makes a
+    missing h5py a failure (as for the Rust interop suites)."""
+    try:
+        import h5py as mod
+    except ImportError:
+        if os.environ.get("CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP") == "1":
+            pytest.fail("h5py is required (CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1) but not importable")
+        pytest.skip("h5py not installed")
+    return mod

crates/clawhdf5-py/tests/test_read_vs_h5py.py

@@ -0,0 +1,653 @@
+"""Every read through clawhdf5 compared against h5py (libhdf5) on files h5py
+writes: dtypes, shapes, values and the type of what comes back (array,
+numpy scalar, bytes, str, Empty), for every datatype the bindings map and a
+spread of index expressions; plus the errors h5py gives for the same keys."""
+
+import threading
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+
+import clawhdf5
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# The generated file
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+NUMERIC = [
+    "<i1", "<i2", "<i4", "<i8", "<u1", "<u2", "<u4", "<u8",
+    ">i2", ">i4", ">i8", ">u2", ">u4", ">u8",
+    "<f2", "<f4", "<f8", ">f2", ">f4", ">f8",
+]
+
+
+def _values(dtype, shape, seed):
+    rng = np.random.default_rng(seed)
+    dt = np.dtype(dtype)
+    n = int(np.prod(shape))
+    if dt.kind == "f":
+        return rng.standard_normal(n).astype(dt).reshape(shape)
+    info = np.iinfo(dt)
+    return rng.integers(info.min, info.max, size=n, dtype=dt.newbyteorder("=")).astype(dt).reshape(shape)
+
+
+def _compound_dtype():
+    return np.dtype(
+        {
+            "names": ["id", "pos", "label", "flag", "vec"],
+            "formats": ["<i4", ">f8", "S6", "u1", ("<f4", (3,))],
+            "offsets": [0, 8, 16, 22, 24],
+            "itemsize": 40,
+        }
+    )
+
+
+def _nested_dtype():
+    inner = np.dtype([("a", "<i2"), ("b", "<f4")])
+    return np.dtype([("x", "<u8"), ("inner", inner), ("c", "<c8")])
+
+
+def _write_fixture(h5py, path):
+    str_dt = h5py.string_dtype()
+    ascii_dt = h5py.string_dtype("ascii")
+    with h5py.File(path, "w") as f:
+        # Numeric types, both byte orders, 1-D contiguous and 2-D chunked+gzip.
+        for i, dt in enumerate(NUMERIC):
+            name = dt.replace("<", "le_").replace(">", "be_")
+            f.create_dataset(f"num/{name}_1d", data=_values(dt, (37,), i))
+            f.create_dataset(
+                f"num/{name}_2d_gzip",
+                data=_values(dt, (13, 11), 100 + i),
+                chunks=(4, 5),
+                compression="gzip",
+            )
+        f.create_dataset("num/f8_3d", data=_values("<f8", (6, 7, 5), 7), chunks=(2, 3, 5))
+        f.create_dataset(
+            "num/i4_3d_shuffle",
+            data=_values("<i4", (5, 9, 4), 8),
+            chunks=(3, 4, 2),
+            shuffle=True,
+            fletcher32=True,
+            compression="gzip",
+        )
+        f.create_dataset("num/scalar_f8", data=np.float64(3.25))
+        f.create_dataset("num/scalar_i2_be", data=np.array(-7, dtype=">i2"))
+        f.create_dataset("num/zero_size", shape=(0, 3), dtype="<f4")
+        f.create_dataset("num/empty", data=h5py.Empty("<f8"))
+        sparse = f.create_dataset("num/sparse_fill", shape=(40,), chunks=(8,), dtype="<i4", fillvalue=-3)
+        sparse[10:14] = [1, 2, 3, 4]
+        f.create_dataset("num/resizable", data=np.arange(12.0), maxshape=(None,), chunks=(5,))
+        # Compact layout (low level: h5py's create_dataset cannot ask for it).
+        dcpl = h5py.h5p.create(h5py.h5p.DATASET_CREATE)
+        dcpl.set_layout(h5py.h5d.COMPACT)
+        space = h5py.h5s.create_simple((9,))
+        dsid = h5py.h5d.create(f.id, b"num/compact_u2", h5py.h5t.py_create(np.dtype("<u2")), space, dcpl=dcpl)
+        dsid.write(h5py.h5s.ALL, h5py.h5s.ALL, np.arange(9, dtype="<u2") * 7)
+
+        # bool, enum, complex.
+        f.create_dataset("misc/bool", data=np.array([True, False, True, True, False]))
+        enum_dt = h5py.enum_dtype({"RED": 0, "GREEN": 1, "BLUE": 42}, basetype="i2")
+        f.create_dataset("misc/enum", data=np.array([0, 42, 1, 1, 0], dtype="<i2"), dtype=enum_dt)
+        uenum_dt = h5py.enum_dtype({"LO": 0, "HI": 2**40}, basetype="u8")
+        f.create_dataset("misc/enum_u8", data=np.array([0, 2**40], dtype="<u8"), dtype=uenum_dt)
+        f.create_dataset("misc/c8", data=(np.arange(6) + 1j * np.arange(6)).astype("<c8"))
+        f.create_dataset("misc/c16_2d", data=(np.arange(12) - 2j).reshape(3, 4).astype("<c16"))
+        f.create_dataset("misc/opaque", data=np.array([b"\x00\x01\x02", b"\xff\xfe\xfd"], dtype="V3"))
+
+        # Strings.
+        f.create_dataset("str/fixed", data=np.array([b"alpha", b"be", b"", b"gamma!"], dtype="S6"))
+        utf8_4 = h5py.string_dtype("utf-8", 4)
+        f.create_dataset(
+            "str/fixed_2d_utf8",
+            data=np.array([["é".encode(), b"b"], [b"c", b"dd"]], dtype=utf8_4),
+        )
+        f.create_dataset("str/vlen", data=["", "one", "twø", "a" * 300, "ünïcödé"], dtype=str_dt)
+        f.create_dataset("str/vlen_ascii", data=[b"x", b"yy", b"zzz"], dtype=ascii_dt)
+        f.create_dataset(
+            "str/vlen_2d_gzip",
+            data=np.array([[f"r{r}c{c}" * (r + c) for c in range(5)] for r in range(6)], dtype=object),
+            dtype=str_dt,
+            chunks=(2, 2),
+            compression="gzip",
+        )
+        f.create_dataset("str/vlen_scalar", data="just one", dtype=str_dt)
+
+        # Variable-length sequences.
+        vl_i = h5py.vlen_dtype(np.dtype("<i4"))
+        seqs = np.empty(4, dtype=object)
+        seqs[:] = [np.arange(3, dtype="<i4"), np.array([], dtype="<i4"), np.arange(10, dtype="<i4") * -1, np.array([7], dtype="<i4")]
+        f.create_dataset("vlen/i4", data=seqs, dtype=vl_i)
+        vl_f = h5py.vlen_dtype(np.dtype(">f8"))
+        fseqs = np.empty(3, dtype=object)
+        fseqs[:] = [np.linspace(0, 1, 5).astype(">f8"), np.array([2.5], dtype=">f8"), np.array([], dtype=">f8")]
+        f.create_dataset("vlen/f8_be", data=fseqs, dtype=vl_f)
+
+        # Compounds.
+        cdt = _compound_dtype()
+        rec = np.zeros(10, dtype=cdt)
+        rec["id"] = np.arange(10) * 3
+        rec["pos"] = np.linspace(-1, 1, 10)
+        rec["label"] = [f"n{i}".encode() for i in range(10)]
+        rec["flag"] = np.arange(10) % 2
+        rec["vec"] = np.arange(30, dtype="<f4").reshape(10, 3)
+        f.create_dataset("cmp/padded", data=rec)
+        f.create_dataset("cmp/padded_chunked", data=rec, chunks=(3,), compression="gzip")
+        ndt = _nested_dtype()
+        nrec = np.zeros((4, 3), dtype=ndt)
+        nrec["x"] = np.arange(12).reshape(4, 3)
+        nrec["inner"]["a"] = -np.arange(12).reshape(4, 3)
+        nrec["inner"]["b"] = np.arange(12).reshape(4, 3) / 4
+        nrec["c"] = np.arange(12).reshape(4, 3) * (1 + 1j)
+        f.create_dataset("cmp/nested_2d", data=nrec)
+        vdt = np.dtype([("n", "<i4"), ("s", h5py.string_dtype())])
+        vrec = np.array([(1, "a"), (2, "bb")], dtype=vdt)
+        f.create_dataset("cmp/with_vlen", data=vrec)
+
+        # A true HDF5 array datatype (h5py's high level would widen the shape).
+        tid = h5py.h5t.array_create(h5py.h5t.py_create(np.dtype("<i4")), (2, 3))
+        space = h5py.h5s.create_simple((4,))
+        dsid = h5py.h5d.create(f.id, b"cmp/array_type", tid, space)
+        dsid.write(h5py.h5s.ALL, h5py.h5s.ALL, np.arange(24, dtype="<i4").reshape(4, 2, 3), mtype=tid)
+
+        # Unsupported: references.
+        f.create_dataset("unsupported/refs", data=[f["num"].ref, f["misc"].ref], dtype=h5py.ref_dtype)
+
+        # Groups and attributes.
+        g = f.create_group("deep/er/est")
+        g.create_dataset("leaf", data=np.arange(5))
+        f.create_group("empty_group")
+        f.attrs["i4"] = np.int32(-5)
+        f.attrs["u8"] = np.uint64(2**63 + 1)
+        f.attrs["f2"] = np.float16(1.5)
+        f.attrs["f8_arr"] = np.array([1.0, 2.5, -3.0])
+        f.attrs["f8_one"] = np.array([4.0])
+        f.attrs["i2_2d_be"] = np.arange(6, dtype=">i2").reshape(2, 3)
+        f.attrs["bool"] = True
+        f.attrs["bool_arr"] = np.array([True, False])
+        f.attrs["vstr"] = "héllo"
+        f.attrs["vstr_arr"] = ["a", "bcd", ""]
+        f.attrs["fstr"] = np.bytes_(b"fixed")
+        f.attrs["fstr_arr"] = np.array([b"x", b"yz"], dtype="S2")
+        f.attrs["empty"] = h5py.Empty("<i4")
+        f.attrs["complex"] = np.complex128(1 - 2j)
+        f.attrs["compound"] = np.array((7, 2.5), dtype=[("a", "<i2"), ("b", "<f8")])
+        f.attrs["enum"] = np.array(42, dtype=enum_dt)
+        f["num/le_f8_1d"].attrs["units"] = "m/s"
+        f["num/le_f8_1d"].attrs["scale"] = np.float32(0.5)
+        g.attrs["depth"] = np.int8(3)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def pair(h5py, tmp_path_factory):
+    path = str(tmp_path_factory.mktemp("h5") / "fixture.h5")
+    _write_fixture(h5py, path)
+    theirs = h5py.File(path, "r")
+    ours = clawhdf5.File(path, "r")
+    yield ours, theirs, path
+    theirs.close()
+    ours.close()
+
+
+def _all_datasets(h5py, f):
+    names = []
+    f.visititems(lambda n, o: names.append(n) if isinstance(o, h5py.Dataset) else None)
+    return sorted(names)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Comparison helpers
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def assert_same(ours, theirs, what=""):
+    if type(theirs).__name__ == "Empty":
+        assert isinstance(ours, clawhdf5.Empty), what
+        assert ours.dtype == theirs.dtype, what
+        return
+    assert type(ours) is type(theirs), f"{what}: {type(ours)} vs {type(theirs)}"
+    if isinstance(theirs, np.ndarray):
+        assert ours.shape == theirs.shape, what
+        assert ours.dtype == theirs.dtype, f"{what}: {ours.dtype} vs {theirs.dtype}"
+        if theirs.dtype == object:
+            for a, b in zip(ours.ravel(), theirs.ravel()):
+                assert_same(a, b, what)
+        elif theirs.dtype.kind == "V":
+            # Structured and opaque: every byte, padding included (h5py's
+            # padding is zero; uninitialised memory there would leak).
+            if theirs.dtype.names is not None:
+                np.testing.assert_array_equal(ours, theirs, err_msg=what)
+            assert ours.tobytes() == theirs.tobytes(), f"{what}: bytes differ"
+        else:
+            np.testing.assert_array_equal(ours, theirs, err_msg=what)
+    elif isinstance(theirs, np.generic):
+        assert ours.dtype == theirs.dtype, what
+        if theirs.dtype.names is not None:
+            np.testing.assert_array_equal(np.asarray(ours), np.asarray(theirs), err_msg=what)
+            assert ours.tobytes() == theirs.tobytes(), f"{what}: bytes differ"
+        else:
+            assert ours == theirs or (ours != ours and theirs != theirs), what
+    else:
+        assert ours == theirs, what
+
+
+def keys_for(shape):
+    if shape == ():
+        return [(), Ellipsis]
+    keys = [(), Ellipsis, 0, -1, slice(None), slice(None, None, 2), slice(1, None, 3), slice(0, 0), np.int64(0),
+            np.array(0), np.array(-1, dtype="i1")]
+    n0 = shape[0]
+    if n0 == 0:
+        return [(), Ellipsis, slice(None), slice(None, None, 2), slice(0, 0)]
+    keys += [slice(n0 // 2, None), slice(-3, None), [0, n0 - 1] if n0 > 1 else [0], (Ellipsis,)]
+    if n0 > 5:
+        keys += [[1, 2, 3, 5], [0, 4, 5]]
+    if len(shape) >= 2:
+        n1 = shape[1]
+        keys += [
+            (0, 0),
+            (-1, -1),
+            (slice(1, 3), slice(None, None, 2)),
+            (Ellipsis, 1),
+            (1, Ellipsis),
+            (slice(None), [0, n1 - 1] if n1 > 1 else [0]),
+            (slice(None, None, 2), 1),
+            (slice(0, 2), slice(3, 1)),
+            (np.array(1) if n0 > 1 else np.array(0), slice(None)),
+            (slice(None), np.array(n1 - 1, dtype="u2")),
+        ]
+    if len(shape) >= 3:
+        keys += [(0, slice(None), -1), (slice(1, None, 2), 2, slice(None, None, 3)), (Ellipsis, 0, 0), (0, Ellipsis, 1)]
+    return keys
+
+
+# h5py 3.16 (HDF5 2.0) returns the elements of a variable-length sequence of
+# big-endian floats unswapped (0.25 comes back as 2.6e-319), so these are
+# checked against the values written instead (test_vlen_big_endian).
+H5PY_MISREADS = {"vlen/f8_be"}
+
+ERROR_KEYS_1D = [
+    slice(None, None, -1), 10**6, -(10**6), None, (0, 0, 0, 0, 0), [3, 1], (Ellipsis, Ellipsis), 1.5, "nope",
+    np.array(1.0), np.array(True), np.array(10**6), [0, 0], [], (), Ellipsis, (0,), [-1], np.array([1, 2]),
+]
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Tests
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_every_dataset_matches_h5py(h5py, pair):
+    ours, theirs, _ = pair
+    checked = 0
+    for name in _all_datasets(h5py, theirs):
+        if name.startswith("unsupported/") or name in H5PY_MISREADS or name == "cmp/with_vlen":
+            continue
+        t = theirs[name]
+        o = ours[name]
+        assert o.shape == t.shape, name
+        assert o.dtype == t.dtype, f"{name}: {o.dtype} vs {t.dtype}"
+        assert dict(o.dtype.metadata or {}) == dict(t.dtype.metadata or {}), name
+        assert o.ndim == t.ndim and o.size == t.size, name
+        assert o.maxshape == t.maxshape, name
+        assert o.name == t.name, name
+        if t.shape is None:
+            assert_same(o[()], t[()], name)
+            continue
+        for key in keys_for(t.shape):
+            what = f"{name}[{key!r}]"
+            try:
+                expected = t[key]
+            except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001 - h5py refuses: so must we
+                with pytest.raises(type(e)):
+                    o[key]
+                continue
+            assert_same(o[key], expected, what)
+            checked += 1
+    assert checked > 500
+
+
+def test_vlen_big_endian(pair):
+    ours, _, _ = pair
+    ds = ours["vlen/f8_be"]
+    assert ds.dtype.metadata["vlen"] == np.dtype(">f8")
+    got = ds[()]
+    expected = [np.linspace(0, 1, 5), np.array([2.5]), np.array([])]
+    assert got.shape == (3,)
+    for g, e in zip(got, expected):
+        assert g.dtype == np.dtype(">f8")
+        np.testing.assert_array_equal(g, e)
+    np.testing.assert_array_equal(ds[1], [2.5])
+
+
+def test_errors_match_h5py(h5py, pair):
+    ours, theirs, _ = pair
+    for name in ["num/le_i4_1d", "num/be_f8_2d_gzip", "str/vlen", "num/scalar_f8"]:
+        for key in ERROR_KEYS_1D:
+            try:
+                expected = theirs[name][key]
+            except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001
+                with pytest.raises(type(e)):
+                    ours[name][key]
+            else:
+                # h5py reads it, so must we (and the same values).
+                assert_same(ours[name][key], expected, f"{name}[{key!r}]")
+
+
+def test_compound_fields_match_h5py(pair):
+    ours, theirs, _ = pair
+    for name in ["cmp/padded", "cmp/padded_chunked", "cmp/nested_2d"]:
+        t, o = theirs[name], ours[name]
+        for field in t.dtype.names:
+            assert_same(o[field], t[field], f"{name}[{field}]")
+            assert_same(o[field, 1:3], t[field, 1:3], f"{name}[{field}, 1:3]")
+        two = list(t.dtype.names[:2])
+        expected = t[tuple(two)]
+        got = o[tuple(two)]
+        assert got.dtype.names == expected.dtype.names
+        for field in two:
+            np.testing.assert_array_equal(got[field], expected[field])
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        ours["cmp/padded"]["no_such_field"]
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        ours["num/le_i4_1d"]["id"]
+
+
+def test_numpy_asarray_and_len(pair):
+    ours, theirs, _ = pair
+    assert_same(np.asarray(ours["num/f8_3d"]), np.asarray(theirs["num/f8_3d"]))
+    assert len(ours["num/f8_3d"]) == len(theirs["num/f8_3d"])
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        len(ours["num/scalar_f8"])
+
+
+def test_attributes_match_h5py(h5py, pair):
+    ours, theirs, _ = pair
+    for path in ["/", "num/le_f8_1d", "deep/er/est"]:
+        t = theirs[path].attrs
+        o = ours[path].attrs
+        assert list(o.keys()) == sorted(t.keys()), path
+        assert len(o) == len(t)
+        for k in t.keys():
+            assert k in o
+            assert_same(o[k], t[k], f"{path}.attrs[{k}]")
+        assert o.get("missing", 5) == 5
+        with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+            o["missing"]
+        assert [k for k, _ in o.items()] == list(o.keys())
+
+
+def test_groups_match_h5py(h5py, pair):
+    ours, theirs, _ = pair
+    assert list(ours.keys()) == list(theirs.keys())
+    assert len(ours) == len(theirs)
+    for path in ["num", "deep", "deep/er", "deep/er/est", "empty_group"]:
+        o, t = ours[path], theirs[path]
+        assert isinstance(o, clawhdf5.Group)
+        assert list(o.keys()) == list(t.keys()), path
+        assert list(o) == list(t), path
+        assert len(o) == len(t), path
+        assert o.name == t.name
+    g = ours["deep/er"]
+    assert isinstance(g["est"], clawhdf5.Group)
+    assert isinstance(g["est/leaf"], clawhdf5.Dataset)
+    assert g["/deep/er/est/leaf"].name == "/deep/er/est/leaf"
+    assert "est/leaf" in g and "/num" in g and "nope" not in g
+    assert ours["/"].name == "/"
+    assert "deep/er/est/leaf" in ours
+    assert ours.get("nope") is None
+    with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+        ours["deep/nope"]
+    names = [k for k, v in ours["deep/er/est"].items()]
+    assert names == ["leaf"]
+    assert isinstance(ours["deep/er/est"].values()[0], clawhdf5.Dataset)
+
+
+def test_unsupported_types_are_errors_not_data(pair):
+    ours, _, _ = pair
+    ds = ours["unsupported/refs"]  # opening works
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        ds.dtype
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        ds[()]
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        ours["cmp/with_vlen"][()]
+
+
+def test_boolean_masks_are_refused(pair):
+    ours, _, _ = pair
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        ours["num/le_i4_1d"][np.ones(37, dtype=bool)]
+
+
+def test_reads_hand_numpy_the_rust_buffer(pair):
+    """A fixed-size read is a view over the buffer the library filled, not a
+    copy of it."""
+    ours, _, _ = pair
+    arr = ours["num/le_f8_2d_gzip"][2:9, 1:4]
+    assert not arr.flags.owndata
+    assert arr.base is not None
+    assert arr.flags.aligned and arr.flags.c_contiguous
+
+
+def test_only_the_selected_chunks_are_read(h5py, tmp_path):
+    """Damage one chunk: a selection that avoids it still reads, one that
+    touches it fails. Reading everything and slicing afterwards (what the
+    bindings did before) failed both. (The library reads the whole dataset
+    anyway when a selection's bounding box covers more than half of it, so
+    the selections here stay below that.)"""
+    path = str(tmp_path / "damaged.h5")
+    data = np.arange(1000, dtype="<f8")
+    with h5py.File(path, "w") as f:
+        f.create_dataset("d", data=data, chunks=(100,), compression="gzip")
+    with h5py.File(path, "r") as f:
+        info = f["d"].id.get_chunk_info(9)  # the last chunk
+    with open(path, "r+b") as fh:
+        fh.seek(info.byte_offset)
+        fh.write(b"\xff" * info.size)
+    with clawhdf5.File(path, "r") as f:
+        ds = f["d"]
+        np.testing.assert_array_equal(ds[0:400], data[0:400])
+        np.testing.assert_array_equal(ds[805:900], data[805:900])
+        np.testing.assert_array_equal(ds[5:450:7], data[5:450:7])
+        np.testing.assert_array_equal(ds[[3, 450, 899]], data[[3, 450, 899]])
+        with pytest.raises(Exception):
+            ds[950]
+        with pytest.raises(Exception):
+            ds[:]
+
+
+def test_threads_read_the_same_file(pair):
+    """Reads from many threads at once return exactly what h5py returns."""
+    ours, theirs, _ = pair
+    names = ["num/le_f8_2d_gzip", "num/i4_3d_shuffle", "str/vlen_2d_gzip", "cmp/padded_chunked", "num/be_i8_1d"]
+    expected = {n: theirs[n][()] for n in names}
+    errors = []
+    barrier = threading.Barrier(8)
+
+    def work(i):
+        barrier.wait()
+        for r in range(40):
+            n = names[(i + r) % len(names)]
+            got = ours[n][()]
+            try:
+                assert_same(got, expected[n], n)
+            except AssertionError as e:
+                errors.append(e)
+
+    with ThreadPoolExecutor(8) as pool:
+        list(pool.map(work, range(8)))
+    assert not errors, errors[:3]
+
+
+def test_reads_release_the_gil(h5py, tmp_path):
+    """While one thread is inside a long read, another Python thread keeps
+    running. With the GIL held for the read, the other thread would stall
+    for the whole read; the test measures its longest stall."""
+    import sys
+    import time
+
+    path = str(tmp_path / "gil.h5")
+    data = np.arange(2048 * 4096, dtype="<f4").reshape(2048, 4096)
+    with h5py.File(path, "w") as f:
+        f.create_dataset("d", data=data, chunks=(64, 4096), compression="gzip", compression_opts=1)
+    ds = clawhdf5.File(path, "r")["d"]
+    key = (slice(0, 1000), slice(None))  # under half: the uncached selection path
+    t0 = time.perf_counter()
+    ds[key]
+    one_read = time.perf_counter() - t0
+    assert one_read > 0.03, f"a read took only {one_read:.3f} s; too short to measure"
+
+    old = sys.getswitchinterval()
+    sys.setswitchinterval(0.001)
+    stop = threading.Event()
+    gaps = []
+
+    def spin():
+        last = time.perf_counter()
+        worst = 0.0
+        while not stop.is_set():
+            now = time.perf_counter()
+            worst = max(worst, now - last)
+            last = now
+        gaps.append(worst)
+
+    try:
+        t = threading.Thread(target=spin)
+        t.start()
+        time.sleep(0.01)
+        t0 = time.perf_counter()
+        for _ in range(2):
+            ds[key]
+        reading = time.perf_counter() - t0
+        stop.set()
+        t.join()
+    finally:
+        sys.setswitchinterval(old)
+    np.testing.assert_array_equal(ds[key], data[:1000])
+    # Held, the spinner would stall for about one read.
+    assert gaps[0] < one_read / 3, f"spinner stalled {gaps[0]:.3f} s during reads of {one_read:.3f} s ({reading:.3f} s)"
+
+
+def _v4_index_fixture(h5py, path):
+    """One 2-D dataset per v4 chunk index (HDF5 1.10+ layout, libver='latest')."""
+    data = (np.arange(37 * 23, dtype="<i4") * 7 - 1000).reshape(37, 23)
+    early = h5py.h5p.create(h5py.h5p.DATASET_CREATE)
+    early.set_alloc_time(h5py.h5d.ALLOC_TIME_EARLY)
+    with h5py.File(path, "w", libver="latest") as f:
+        f.create_dataset("implicit", data=data, chunks=(5, 4), dcpl=early)
+        f.create_dataset("fixed_array", data=data, chunks=(5, 4), compression="gzip")
+        f.create_dataset("extensible_array", data=data, chunks=(5, 4), maxshape=(None, 23), compression="gzip")
+        f.create_dataset("btree2", data=data, chunks=(5, 4), maxshape=(None, None), compression="gzip")
+        f.create_dataset("single_chunk", data=data, chunks=(37, 23), compression="gzip")
+
+
+V4_KEYS = [
+    slice(0, 3), slice(0, 30), (slice(7, 16), slice(3, 9)), (36, 22), (slice(None, None, 3), slice(1, None, 4)),
+    (slice(1, None, 2), Ellipsis), (Ellipsis, slice(2, 22)), [0, 5, 6, 36], (slice(None), [0, 3, 22]), -1, (),
+]
+
+
+def test_every_v4_chunk_index_matches_h5py(h5py, tmp_path):
+    """Partial reads of each v4 chunk index. The implicit index (early
+    allocation, no filters) used to panic in the library for any selection
+    covering more than half the dataset, e.g. ds[0:30]."""
+    path = str(tmp_path / "v4.h5")
+    _v4_index_fixture(h5py, path)
+    with h5py.File(path, "r") as theirs, clawhdf5.File(path, "r") as ours:
+        for name in theirs:
+            for key in V4_KEYS:
+                assert_same(ours[name][key], theirs[name][key], f"{name}[{key!r}]")
+
+
+def test_a_library_panic_is_an_ordinary_exception():
+    """PyO3 turns a Rust panic into PanicException, a BaseException that
+    `except Exception` does not catch. Every call into the library is
+    guarded, so a panic surfaces as clawhdf5.InternalError instead."""
+    assert issubclass(clawhdf5.InternalError, RuntimeError)
+    with pytest.raises(clawhdf5.InternalError, match="deliberate panic"):
+        clawhdf5._panic_for_test()
+    try:
+        clawhdf5._panic_for_test()
+    except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - the point of the test
+        pass
+
+
+def test_compound_padding_bytes_match_h5py(pair):
+    """Every byte of a padded compound, padding included, is h5py's, for
+    index lists with many runs as well as slices. Joining the runs with
+    np.concatenate left the padding uninitialised: process memory ended up
+    in tobytes()."""
+    ours, theirs, _ = pair
+    keys = [[0, 3, 6], [1, 2, 5, 9], [0, 2, 4, 6, 8], slice(None), slice(1, 9, 3), 4, [9]]
+    for name in ["cmp/padded", "cmp/padded_chunked"]:
+        for _ in range(20):  # garbage varies between runs; zeros do not
+            for key in keys:
+                assert ours[name][key].tobytes() == theirs[name][key].tobytes(), f"{name}[{key!r}]"
+    for key in [(slice(None), [0, 2]), ([0, 2, 3], slice(None)), ([1, 3], 1)]:
+        assert ours["cmp/nested_2d"][key].tobytes() == theirs["cmp/nested_2d"][key].tobytes(), key
+
+
+def test_a_long_index_list_decodes_each_chunk_once(h5py, tmp_path):
+    """An index list is read one group of chunks at a time, not one
+    hyperslab per run of indices: 5000 runs over 20 gzip chunks used to
+    decode the chunks 5000 times (8 s, against h5py's 0.014 s)."""
+    import time
+
+    path = str(tmp_path / "long_list.h5")
+    data = np.arange(200000, dtype="<f8")
+    grid = np.arange(400 * 3000, dtype="<i4").reshape(400, 3000)
+    with h5py.File(path, "w") as f:
+        f.create_dataset("d", data=data, chunks=(10000,), compression="gzip")
+        f.create_dataset("grid", data=grid, chunks=(50, 100), compression="gzip")
+        f.create_dataset("flat", data=data)  # contiguous
+    rng = np.random.default_rng(3)
+    cases = [
+        ("d", list(range(0, 200000, 40))),
+        ("d", sorted(rng.choice(200000, 3000, replace=False).tolist())),
+        ("flat", list(range(0, 200000, 40))),
+        ("flat", [0, 7, 199999]),
+        ("grid", (slice(None), list(range(0, 3000, 3)))),
+        ("grid", (sorted(rng.choice(400, 150, replace=False).tolist()), slice(5, 2900, 7))),
+        ("grid", (7, [0, 1, 2, 2000, 2999])),
+    ]
+    with h5py.File(path, "r") as theirs, clawhdf5.File(path, "r") as ours:
+        for name, key in cases:
+            t0 = time.perf_counter()
+            got = ours[name][key]
+            took = time.perf_counter() - t0
+            assert_same(got, theirs[name][key], f"{name}[{len(key)}-key]")
+            assert took < 2.0, f"{name}: {took:.2f} s"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("libver", ["earliest", "latest"])
+def test_big_groups_are_not_quadratic(h5py, tmp_path, libver):
+    """A dataset or group remembers where its object is, and a group its
+    links, so reads and walks over a large group do not resolve every path
+    from the root again (it was O(n) per access: O(n^2) to visit a group)."""
+    import time
+
+    path = str(tmp_path / f"big_{libver}.h5")
+    n = 4000
+    with h5py.File(path, "w", libver=libver) as f:
+        g = f.create_group("g")
+        for i in range(n):
+            g.create_dataset(f"d{i:05d}", data=np.int32(i))
+        g.create_group("sub").create_dataset("leaf", data=np.arange(3))
+    with h5py.File(path, "r") as theirs, clawhdf5.File(path, "r") as ours:
+        t0 = time.perf_counter()
+        g = ours["g"]
+        assert list(g.keys()) == list(theirs["g"].keys())
+        total = sum(int(v[()]) for k, v in g.items() if k.startswith("d"))
+        assert total == n * (n - 1) // 2
+        seen = 0
+        for k in g:
+            if k.startswith("d"):
+                seen += int(g[k][()]) == int(k[1:])
+        assert seen == n
+        ds = g["d00007"]
+        assert all(ds[()] == 7 for _ in range(2000))
+        assert list(g["sub"]["leaf"][:]) == [0, 1, 2]
+        assert ours["/g/sub/leaf"][1] == 1 and g["/g/d00003"][()] == 3
+        took = time.perf_counter() - t0
+        assert took < 5.0, f"{took:.2f} s"

crates/clawhdf5-py/tests/test_write_read.py

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Tests for rustyhdf5 Python bindings."""
+"""Tests for clawhdf5 Python bindings."""
 
 import os
 import tempfile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import tempfile
 import numpy as np
 import pytest
 
-import rustyhdf5
+import clawhdf5
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def tmp_h5(tmp_path):
 @pytest.fixture
 def sample_read_file(tmp_h5):
     """Create a sample HDF5 file for reading tests."""
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("temperatures", data=np.array([22.5, 23.1, 21.8]))
         f.create_dataset("counts", data=np.array([10, 20, 30], dtype=np.int32))
         f.attrs["version"] = 1
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def sample_read_file(tmp_h5):
 @pytest.fixture
 def grouped_read_file(tmp_h5):
     """Create an HDF5 file with groups for reading tests."""
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("root_data", data=np.array([0.0, 1.0]))
         grp = f.create_group("sensors")
         grp.create_dataset("temperature", data=np.array([22.5, 23.1, 21.8]))
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def grouped_read_file(tmp_h5):
 
 
 def test_open_and_read_f64(sample_read_file):
-    f = rustyhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r")
+    f = clawhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r")
     ds = f["temperatures"]
     data = ds[:]
     np.testing.assert_array_almost_equal(data, [22.5, 23.1, 21.8])
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def test_open_and_read_f64(sample_read_file):
 
 
 def test_open_and_read_i32(sample_read_file):
-    f = rustyhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r")
+    f = clawhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r")
     ds = f["counts"]
     data = ds[:]
     np.testing.assert_array_equal(data, [10, 20, 30])
@@ -68,13 +68,13 @@ def test_open_and_read_i32(sample_read_file):
 
 
 def test_dataset_shape(sample_read_file):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
         ds = f["temperatures"]
         assert ds.shape == (3,)
 
 
 def test_dataset_dtype(sample_read_file):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
         assert f["temperatures"].dtype == "float64"
         assert f["counts"].dtype == "int32"
 
@@ -85,24 +85,24 @@ def test_dataset_dtype(sample_read_file):
 
 
 def test_read_root_attrs(sample_read_file):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
         assert f.attrs["version"] == 1
-        assert f.attrs["description"] == "test file"
+        assert f.attrs["description"] == b"test file"  # fixed-length string: numpy.bytes_, as in h5py
 
 
 def test_attrs_len(sample_read_file):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
         assert len(f.attrs) >= 2
 
 
 def test_attrs_contains(sample_read_file):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
         assert "version" in f.attrs
         assert "nonexistent" not in f.attrs
 
 
 def test_attrs_keys(sample_read_file):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
         keys = f.attrs.keys()
         assert "version" in keys
         assert "description" in keys
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ def test_attrs_keys(sample_read_file):
 
 
 def test_read_group_keys(grouped_read_file):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(grouped_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(grouped_read_file, "r") as f:
         keys = f.keys()
         assert "sensors" in keys
         assert "metadata" in keys
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ def test_read_group_keys(grouped_read_file):
 
 
 def test_read_group_dataset(grouped_read_file):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(grouped_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(grouped_read_file, "r") as f:
         grp = f["sensors"]
         ds = grp["temperature"]
         data = ds[:]
@@ -130,14 +130,14 @@ def test_read_group_dataset(grouped_read_file):
 
 
 def test_read_group_attrs(grouped_read_file):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(grouped_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(grouped_read_file, "r") as f:
         grp = f["sensors"]
-        assert grp.attrs["location"] == "lab"
+        assert grp.attrs["location"] == b"lab"
 
 
 def test_nested_path_access(grouped_read_file):
     """Test f['group/dataset'] path navigation."""
-    with rustyhdf5.File(grouped_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(grouped_read_file, "r") as f:
         ds = f["sensors/temperature"]
         data = ds[:]
         np.testing.assert_array_almost_equal(data, [22.5, 23.1, 21.8])
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ def test_nested_path_access(grouped_read_file):
 
 
 def test_context_manager(sample_read_file):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
         data = f["temperatures"][:]
         np.testing.assert_array_almost_equal(data, [22.5, 23.1, 21.8])
     # File should be closed after with block
@@ -162,30 +162,30 @@ def test_context_manager(sample_read_file):
 
 
 def test_write_simple(tmp_h5):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("data", data=np.array([1.0, 2.0, 3.0]))
     # Verify by reading back
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
         data = f["data"][:]
         np.testing.assert_array_almost_equal(data, [1.0, 2.0, 3.0])
 
 
 def test_write_with_attrs(tmp_h5):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("values", data=np.array([10, 20], dtype=np.int32))
         f.attrs["author"] = "test"
         f.attrs["count"] = 42
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
-        assert f.attrs["author"] == "test"
+        assert f.attrs["author"] == b"test"
         assert f.attrs["count"] == 42
 
 
 def test_write_with_group(tmp_h5):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         grp = f.create_group("experiment")
         grp.create_dataset("results", data=np.array([3.14, 2.72]))
         grp.attrs["version"] = 1
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
         ds = f["experiment/results"]
         np.testing.assert_array_almost_equal(ds[:], [3.14, 2.72])
         grp = f["experiment"]
@@ -199,9 +199,9 @@ def test_write_with_group(tmp_h5):
 
 def test_roundtrip_float64(tmp_h5):
     original = np.array([1.1, 2.2, 3.3], dtype=np.float64)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("data", data=original)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
         result = f["data"][:]
         np.testing.assert_array_almost_equal(result, original)
         assert result.dtype == np.float64
@@ -209,9 +209,9 @@ def test_roundtrip_float64(tmp_h5):
 
 def test_roundtrip_float32(tmp_h5):
     original = np.array([1.5, 2.5, 3.5], dtype=np.float32)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("data", data=original)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
         result = f["data"][:]
         np.testing.assert_array_almost_equal(result, original)
         assert result.dtype == np.float32
@@ -219,9 +219,9 @@ def test_roundtrip_float32(tmp_h5):
 
 def test_roundtrip_int32(tmp_h5):
     original = np.array([-10, 0, 10, 100], dtype=np.int32)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("data", data=original)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
         result = f["data"][:]
         np.testing.assert_array_equal(result, original)
         assert result.dtype == np.int32
@@ -229,9 +229,9 @@ def test_roundtrip_int32(tmp_h5):
 
 def test_roundtrip_int64(tmp_h5):
     original = np.array([-1, 0, 1, 2**40], dtype=np.int64)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("data", data=original)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
         result = f["data"][:]
         np.testing.assert_array_equal(result, original)
         assert result.dtype == np.int64
@@ -239,9 +239,9 @@ def test_roundtrip_int64(tmp_h5):
 
 def test_roundtrip_uint8(tmp_h5):
     original = np.array([0, 127, 255], dtype=np.uint8)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("data", data=original)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
         result = f["data"][:]
         np.testing.assert_array_equal(result, original)
         assert result.dtype == np.uint8
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ def test_roundtrip_uint8(tmp_h5):
 
 def test_chunked_gzip(tmp_h5):
     original = np.arange(100, dtype=np.float64)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset(
             "compressed",
             data=original,
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ def test_chunked_gzip(tmp_h5):
             compression="gzip",
             compression_opts=6,
         )
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
         result = f["compressed"][:]
         np.testing.assert_array_equal(result, original)
 
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ def test_h5py_can_read_our_file(tmp_h5):
     """Verify that h5py can read files we create."""
     import h5py
 
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("values", data=np.array([1.0, 2.0, 3.0]))
         f.attrs["meta"] = "hello"
     with h5py.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ def test_we_can_read_h5py_file(tmp_h5):
     with h5py.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("data", data=np.array([10.0, 20.0, 30.0]))
         f.attrs["version"] = 2
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
         data = f["data"][:]
         np.testing.assert_array_equal(data, [10.0, 20.0, 30.0])
         assert f.attrs["version"] == 2
@@ -305,9 +305,9 @@ def test_we_can_read_h5py_file(tmp_h5):
 
 def test_2d_array_roundtrip(tmp_h5):
     original = np.array([[1.0, 2.0, 3.0], [4.0, 5.0, 6.0]], dtype=np.float64)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "w") as f:
         f.create_dataset("matrix", data=original)
-    with rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "r") as f:
         ds = f["matrix"]
         assert ds.shape == (2, 3)
         result = ds[:]
@@ -321,15 +321,15 @@ def test_2d_array_roundtrip(tmp_h5):
 
 def test_open_nonexistent_file():
     with pytest.raises(OSError):
-        rustyhdf5.File("/nonexistent/path.h5", "r")
+        clawhdf5.File("/nonexistent/path.h5", "r")
 
 
 def test_invalid_mode(tmp_h5):
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
-        rustyhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "x")
+        clawhdf5.File(tmp_h5, "x")
 
 
 def test_key_error_on_missing_dataset(sample_read_file):
-    with rustyhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
+    with clawhdf5.File(sample_read_file, "r") as f:
         with pytest.raises(KeyError):
             f["nonexistent"]

crates/clawhdf5-tools/README.md

@@ -76,8 +76,13 @@ print the same bytes as h5dump 1.14.6 and as Debian's h5dump 1.14.5 (the
 was run in that image on 2026-09-26) — `dump_matches_h5dump` in
 `tests/h5rs_interop.rs` checks this, and `dump_shows_nul_padding_in_nested_strings`
 that null-padded strings show their NULs (`"a\000b"`) at any depth, as
-h5dump's do. Not covered by those tests: references, opaque, bitfield,
+h5dump's do. `dump_prints_vl_data_like_h5dump` covers variable-length
-variable-length sequences and virtual datasets. Known differences from
+strings (one with an embedded NUL, which prints up to the NUL; empty; null,
+which prints `NULL`), variable-length sequences, a VL compound member and
+a VL attribute, with 8- and 4-byte offsets. Not covered by those tests:
+references, opaque, bitfield, non-ASCII UTF-8 (h5dump prints each byte
+above 0x7f as a sign-extended octal escape, h5rs the character) and
+virtual datasets. Known differences from
 h5dump:
 
 - Floats print at their own precision (a `float32` 0.1 prints as `0.1`),
@@ -233,9 +238,11 @@ extension) and checks:
 (which catches corrupt compressed data and Fletcher-32 mismatches), and
 follows every variable-length element (strings and sequences, also inside
 compounds and arrays) of every dataset and attribute into its global heap
-collection: a collection that does not parse, a missing heap object, or a
+collection: a collection that does not parse or overlaps another, a missing
-sequence longer than its heap object is a problem at the collection's
+heap object, or a heap object whose size is not exactly the element's
-address. Data the
+length times its base size (libhdf5 refuses such an element) is a problem
+at the collection's address. Variable-length elements are resolved by the
+library's `VlResolver`, as `clawhdf5::File` resolves them. Data the
 tool cannot decode (a filter it does not implement, such as szip, or a
 dataset over `--max-bytes`) is a `note:`, not a problem. Every problem is
 printed with the address of the structure involved; the exit status is 0
@@ -252,9 +259,10 @@ none at all without `--data`), and objects reachable only by external links. It
 clawhdf5's parsers, so it accepts what they accept: some header damage that
 libhdf5 refuses goes unreported. Of the 150 CVE and fuzzer files of the
 HDF Group's `cve_hdf5` corpus (`cvefiles/` and `fuzzerfiles/`),
-`check --data` passes 16, and h5dump 1.14.6 rejects 9 of those (tank,
+`check --data` passes 15, and h5dump 1.14.6 rejects 8 of those (tank,
 2026-09-26, `h5rs check --data F` and `h5dump F` per file; before the
-library's header checks it passed 28, of which h5dump rejects 21).
+library's header checks it passed 28, of which h5dump rejects 21, and 16
+and 9 before a VL type's stored element size was checked).
 
 ## Robustness
 

crates/clawhdf5-tools/src/check.rs

@@ -15,11 +15,13 @@ use clawhdf5_format::btree_v2::{BTreeV2Header, collect_btree_v2_records};
 use clawhdf5_format::data_layout::DataLayout;
 use clawhdf5_format::dataspace::{Dataspace, DataspaceType};
 use clawhdf5_format::datatype::Datatype;
+use clawhdf5_format::error::FormatError;
 use clawhdf5_format::group_info::GroupInfoMessage;
 use clawhdf5_format::link_info::LinkInfoMessage;
 use clawhdf5_format::message_type::MessageType;
 use clawhdf5_format::object_header::ObjectHeader;
 use clawhdf5_format::symbol_table::SymbolTableMessage;
+use clawhdf5_format::vl_data::{VlResolver, check_element_size, parse_vl_references};
 
 use crate::cli::{Args, Out};
 use crate::h5::{Error, ErrorKind, H5, Kind};
@@ -49,6 +51,15 @@ found, 3 internal error.";
 
 const MAX_CHUNKS_CHECKED: usize = 10_000_000;
 
+/// A variable-length element's problem, worded as `check` reports heap
+/// problems ("global heap ...").
+fn heap_problem(e: FormatError) -> String {
+    match e {
+        FormatError::VlDataError(m) if m.starts_with("global heap") => m,
+        e => format!("global heap: {e}"),
+    }
+}
+
 /// Whether values of `dt` hold variable-length data (in the global heap).
 fn has_vl(dt: &Datatype, depth: u32) -> bool {
     if depth > 32 {
@@ -104,6 +115,8 @@ struct Checker<'a> {
     btrees_seen: HashSet<u64>,
     /// Global heap collections already read (with --data).
     gcols_seen: HashSet<u64>,
+    /// Resolves variable-length elements (with --data), for the whole file.
+    vl: VlResolver<'a>,
     panicked: bool,
 }
 
@@ -157,6 +170,7 @@ pub fn run(args: &mut Args, out: &mut Out) -> std::io::Result<i32> {
         heaps_seen: HashSet::new(),
         btrees_seen: HashSet::new(),
         gcols_seen: HashSet::new(),
+        vl: VlResolver::new(h5.data(), h5.os(), h5.ls()),
         panicked: false,
     };
     c.superblock();
@@ -707,62 +721,48 @@ impl Checker<'_> {
         }
         match dt {
             Datatype::VariableLength {
+                size,
                 is_string,
                 base_type,
                 ..
             } => {
-                let os = usize::from(self.h5.os());
+                // Resolved by the library's VlResolver, as every other
-                let (Some(lenb), Some(addrb), Some(idxb)) =
+                // reader resolves them (and as libhdf5 does): a heap object
-                    (b.get(..4), b.get(4..4 + os), b.get(4 + os..8 + os))
+                // whose size is not the element's length × base size, a
-                else {
+                // collection that overlaps another, or a missing object is
+                // a problem at the collection's address.
+                let Ok(vl) = parse_vl_references(b, 1, self.h5.os()) else {
                     return;
                 };
-                let le = |x: &[u8]| {
+                let gcol = vl[0].collection_address;
-                    x.iter()
+                if gcol == 0 || bad.contains_key(&gcol) {
-                        .enumerate()
-                        .fold(0u64, |a, (i, &v)| a | (u64::from(v) << (8 * i)))
-                };
-                let (len, gcol, idx) = (le(lenb), le(addrb), le(idxb));
-                let undef = if os >= 8 {
-                    u64::MAX
-                } else {
-                    (1u64 << (8 * os)) - 1
-                };
-                if len == 0 || gcol == 0 || gcol == undef || bad.contains_key(&gcol) {
                     return;
                 }
-                let obj = match self.h5.heap_object(gcol, idx as u32) {
+                if let Err(e) = check_element_size(*size, self.h5.os()) {
-                    Ok(o) => o,
+                    bad.insert(gcol, e.to_string());
+                    return;
+                }
+                let bs = if *is_string {
+                    1
+                } else {
+                    base_type.type_size() as usize
+                };
+                if bs == 0 {
+                    return;
+                }
+                let obj = match self.vl.element(b, bs) {
+                    Ok(o) => o.unwrap_or(&[]),
                     Err(e) => {
-                        bad.insert(e.addr.unwrap_or(gcol), e.msg);
+                        bad.insert(gcol, heap_problem(e));
                         return;
                     }
                 };
                 if self.gcols_seen.insert(gcol) {
                     self.counts.global_heaps += 1;
                 }
-                let bs = if *is_string {
+                if !*is_string && has_vl(base_type, depth + 1) {
-                    1
+                    for eb in obj.chunks_exact(bs) {
-                } else {
+                        self.vl_element(base_type, eb, depth + 1, bad);
-                    u64::from(base_type.type_size())
-                };
-                if len
-                    .checked_mul(bs)
-                    .is_none_or(|need| need > obj.len() as u64)
-                {
-                    bad.insert(
-                        gcol,
-                        format!(
-                            "global heap object {idx} holds {} bytes; the element needs {len} x {bs}",
-                            obj.len()
-                        ),
-                    );
-                    return;
-                }
-                if !*is_string && bs > 0 && has_vl(base_type, depth + 1) {
-                    let bs = bs as usize;
-                    for k in 0..len as usize {
-                        self.vl_element(base_type, &obj[k * bs..(k + 1) * bs], depth + 1, bad);
                     }
                 }
             }

crates/clawhdf5-tools/src/diff.rs

@@ -699,6 +699,9 @@ impl Diff {
         }
         match (x, y) {
             (Value::Str(p), Value::Str(q)) => p == q,
+            // h5diff compares a null VL string equal to an empty one.
+            (Value::NullStr, Value::NullStr) => true,
+            (Value::NullStr, Value::Str(s)) | (Value::Str(s), Value::NullStr) => s.is_empty(),
             (Value::Bytes(p), Value::Bytes(q)) | (Value::OtherRef(p), Value::OtherRef(q)) => p == q,
             (Value::Compound(p), Value::Compound(q)) => {
                 p.len() == q.len()

crates/clawhdf5-tools/src/h5.rs

@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
-use std::rc::Rc;
 
 use clawhdf5::File;
 use clawhdf5_format::attribute::{AttributeMessage, extract_attributes_tolerant};
@@ -20,7 +19,6 @@ use clawhdf5_format::datatype::Datatype;
 use clawhdf5_format::error::FormatError;
 use clawhdf5_format::filter_pipeline::FilterPipeline;
 use clawhdf5_format::fractal_heap::FractalHeapHeader;
-use clawhdf5_format::global_heap::GlobalHeapCollection;
 use clawhdf5_format::group_v1;
 use clawhdf5_format::link_info::LinkInfoMessage;
 use clawhdf5_format::link_message::{LinkMessage, LinkTarget};
@@ -191,7 +189,6 @@ pub struct H5 {
     pub path: PathBuf,
     pub file: File,
     pub max_bytes: u64,
-    heaps: RefCell<HashMap<u64, std::result::Result<Rc<GlobalHeapCollection>, String>>>,
     /// Fractal heaps whose blocks were verified: `None` = sound.
     verified_heaps: RefCell<HashMap<u64, Option<Error>>>,
 }
@@ -211,7 +208,6 @@ impl H5 {
             path: path.to_path_buf(),
             file,
             max_bytes: DEFAULT_MAX_BYTES,
-            heaps: RefCell::new(HashMap::new()),
             verified_heaps: RefCell::new(HashMap::new()),
         })
     }
@@ -433,29 +429,6 @@ impl H5 {
         r.map_or(Ok(()), Err)
     }
 
-    /// The global heap object `idx` of the collection at `addr` (cached per
-    /// collection).
-    pub fn heap_object(&self, addr: u64, idx: u32) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
-        let coll = {
-            let mut cache = self.heaps.borrow_mut();
-            cache
-                .entry(addr)
-                .or_insert_with(|| match usize::try_from(addr) {
-                    Ok(a) => GlobalHeapCollection::parse(self.data(), a, self.ls())
-                        .map(Rc::new)
-                        .map_err(|e| e.to_string()),
-                    Err(_) => Err("address out of range".into()),
-                })
-                .clone()
-                .map_err(|e| Error::at(addr, format!("global heap: {e}")))?
-        };
-        let idx16 = u16::try_from(idx)
-            .map_err(|_| Error::at(addr, format!("global heap object index {idx} out of range")))?;
-        coll.get_object(idx16)
-            .map(|o| o.data.clone())
-            .ok_or_else(|| Error::at(addr, format!("global heap has no object {idx}")))
-    }
-
     /// The dataspace of the dataset at `path` with a virtual dataset's
     /// extent resolved from its sources (as libhdf5 reports it) instead of
     /// the stored one.

crates/clawhdf5-tools/src/value.rs

@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 //! Decoding never panics: a short buffer, an unknown byte order or a
 //! dangling heap reference becomes [`Value::Error`].
 
+use std::cell::RefCell;
+
 use clawhdf5_format::datatype::{Datatype, DatatypeByteOrder, ReferenceType, StringPadding};
+use clawhdf5_format::vl_data::{VlResolver, check_element_size};
 use serde_json::Value as J;
 
 use crate::dtype;
@@ -16,6 +19,9 @@ pub enum Value {
     /// its own precision.
     Float(f64, u8),
     Str(String),
+    /// A null variable-length string (heap address 0): h5dump prints it as
+    /// `NULL`, h5py reads it as empty.
+    NullStr,
     /// Opaque, bitfield, time and oversized integers.
     Bytes(Vec<u8>),
     /// An enum member (name, when the value matches one) and its value.
@@ -129,10 +135,10 @@ fn decode_float(dt: &Datatype, b: &[u8]) -> Value {
     }
 }
 
-fn trim_string(b: &[u8], pad: Option<&StringPadding>) -> String {
+fn trim_string(b: &[u8], pad: &StringPadding) -> String {
     let cut = b.iter().position(|&c| c == 0).unwrap_or(b.len());
     let mut s = &b[..cut];
-    if matches!(pad, Some(StringPadding::SpacePad)) {
+    if matches!(pad, StringPadding::SpacePad) {
         while let [rest @ .., b' '] = s {
             s = rest;
         }
@@ -140,22 +146,20 @@ fn trim_string(b: &[u8], pad: Option<&StringPadding>) -> String {
     String::from_utf8_lossy(s).into_owned()
 }
 
-/// Little-endian unsigned integer of `b` (up to 8 bytes).
-fn le(b: &[u8]) -> u64 {
-    b.iter()
-        .take(8)
-        .enumerate()
-        .fold(0u64, |a, (i, &x)| a | (u64::from(x) << (8 * i)))
-}
-
 /// Decodes elements of one file.
 pub struct Decoder<'a> {
     pub h5: &'a H5,
+    /// Variable-length elements are resolved as the library resolves them
+    /// (so as libhdf5 does), not by a decoder of our own.
+    vl: RefCell<VlResolver<'a>>,
 }
 
 impl<'a> Decoder<'a> {
     pub fn new(h5: &'a H5) -> Self {
-        Self { h5 }
+        Self {
+            h5,
+            vl: RefCell::new(VlResolver::new(h5.data(), h5.os(), h5.ls())),
+        }
     }
 
     /// Decode element `i` of `raw`, an array of `dt` elements.
@@ -187,7 +191,7 @@ impl<'a> Decoder<'a> {
             Datatype::Time { .. } | Datatype::BitField { .. } | Datatype::Opaque { .. } => {
                 Value::Bytes(b.to_vec())
             }
-            Datatype::String { padding, .. } => Value::Str(trim_string(b, Some(padding))),
+            Datatype::String { padding, .. } => Value::Str(trim_string(b, padding)),
             Datatype::Compound { members, .. } => {
                 let mut out = Vec::with_capacity(members.len());
                 for m in members {
@@ -246,61 +250,43 @@ impl<'a> Decoder<'a> {
                 Value::Array(out)
             }
             Datatype::VariableLength {
+                size,
                 is_string,
-                padding,
                 base_type,
                 ..
-            } => self.decode_vlen(*is_string, padding.as_ref(), base_type, b, depth),
+            } => match check_element_size(*size, self.h5.os()) {
+                Ok(()) => self.decode_vlen(*is_string, base_type, b, depth),
+                Err(e) => Value::Error(e.to_string()),
+            },
         }
     }
 
-    fn decode_vlen(
+    /// A variable-length element, resolved by the library's
-        &self,
+    /// [`VlResolver`]: a string ends at its first NUL, a heap object whose
-        is_string: bool,
+    /// size is not the element's length × base size is an error, and a
-        padding: Option<&StringPadding>,
+    /// heap address of 0 is null — all as libhdf5 (and so h5dump and h5py)
-        base: &Datatype,
+    /// has it.
-        b: &[u8],
+    fn decode_vlen(&self, is_string: bool, base: &Datatype, b: &[u8], depth: u32) -> Value {
-        depth: u32,
-    ) -> Value {
-        let os = usize::from(self.h5.os());
-        let (Some(lenb), Some(addrb), Some(idxb)) =
-            (b.get(..4), b.get(4..4 + os), b.get(4 + os..8 + os))
-        else {
-            return Value::Error("short VL element".into());
-        };
-        let len = le(lenb) as usize;
-        let addr = le(addrb);
-        let idx = le(idxb) as u32;
-        let undef = if os >= 8 {
-            u64::MAX
-        } else {
-            (1u64 << (8 * os)) - 1
-        };
-        let obj = if len == 0 || addr == 0 || addr == undef {
-            Vec::new()
-        } else {
-            match self.h5.heap_object(addr, idx) {
-                Ok(o) => o,
-                Err(e) => return Value::Error(e.to_string()),
-            }
-        };
         if is_string {
-            let l = len.min(obj.len());
+            return match self.vl.borrow_mut().string_element(b) {
-            return Value::Str(trim_string(&obj[..l], padding));
+                Ok(Some(s)) => Value::Str(String::from_utf8_lossy(s).into_owned()),
+                Ok(None) => Value::NullStr,
+                Err(e) => Value::Error(e.to_string()),
+            };
         }
         let bs = base.type_size() as usize;
         if bs == 0 {
             return Value::Error("VL base type of size 0".into());
         }
-        match len.checked_mul(bs) {
+        let obj = match self.vl.borrow_mut().element(b, bs) {
-            Some(need) if need <= obj.len() => {}
+            Ok(o) => o.unwrap_or(&[]),
-            _ => return Value::Error("VL sequence longer than its heap object".into()),
+            Err(e) => return Value::Error(e.to_string()),
-        }
+        };
-        let mut out = Vec::with_capacity(len);
+        Value::Seq(
-        for k in 0..len {
+            obj.chunks_exact(bs)
-            out.push(self.decode(base, &obj[k * bs..], depth + 1));
+                .map(|e| self.decode(base, e, depth + 1))
-        }
+                .collect(),
-        Value::Seq(out)
+        )
     }
 }
 
@@ -351,6 +337,7 @@ pub fn text(v: &Value, h5paths: &dyn Fn(u64) -> Option<String>) -> String {
         Value::Int(i) => i.to_string(),
         Value::Float(f, w) => fmt_float(*f, *w),
         Value::Str(s) => format!("\"{}\"", escape(s)),
+        Value::NullStr => "NULL".into(),
         Value::Bytes(b) => hex(b),
         Value::Enum(Some(n), _) => n.clone(),
         Value::Enum(None, i) => i.to_string(),
@@ -411,6 +398,7 @@ pub fn to_json(v: &Value, h5paths: &dyn Fn(u64) -> Option<String>) -> J {
             }
         }
         Value::Str(s) => J::from(s.as_str()),
+        Value::NullStr => J::from(""),
         Value::Bytes(b) | Value::OtherRef(b) => J::from(hex(b)),
         Value::Enum(_, i) => to_json(&Value::Int(*i), h5paths),
         Value::Compound(ms) => J::Array(ms.iter().map(|(_, v)| to_json(v, h5paths)).collect()),

crates/clawhdf5-tools/tests/gen_vl_files.py

@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+"""Write the variable-length data files the h5rs VL tests run on.
+
+usage: gen_vl_files.py OUTDIR
+
+For 8-byte (`vl8`) and 4-byte (`vl4`) offsets, writes OUTDIR/vl8.h5 and
+OUTDIR/vl4.h5, which libhdf5 reads in full, and OUTDIR/bad8.h5 and
+OUTDIR/bad4.h5, whose `bad` and `badseq` elements 0 have a length that
+disagrees with their global heap object (libhdf5: "Expected global heap
+object size does not match"), and whose `undef` element 1 has length 0 and
+the undefined heap address (libhdf5: "addr undefined"). h5py cannot write a VL string with a NUL in
+it or a null element in a contiguous dataset, so those are patched in.
+
+Prints one JSON object: for each file, each dataset's values as h5py reads
+them one element at a time (strings as text, sequences as lists, a compound
+as a list of its fields), with null for an element h5py cannot read; the
+root attribute `va`; and the addresses of the `bad` elements' collections.
+"""
+
+import json
+import os
+import struct
+import sys
+
+import h5py
+import numpy as np
+
+out = sys.argv[1]
+S = h5py.string_dtype("utf-8")
+I4 = h5py.vlen_dtype(np.dtype("<i4"))
+
+
+def create(path, sizes):
+    if sizes is None:
+        return h5py.File(path, "w")
+    fcpl = h5py.h5p.create(h5py.h5p.FILE_CREATE)
+    fcpl.set_sizes(*sizes)
+    return h5py.File(h5py.h5f.create(path.encode(), h5py.h5f.ACC_TRUNC, fcpl=fcpl))
+
+
+def element(length, addr, index, os_):
+    return struct.pack("<I", length) + addr.to_bytes(os_, "little") + struct.pack("<I", index)
+
+
+def good(path, sizes):
+    os_ = 8 if sizes is None else sizes[0]
+    with create(path, sizes) as f:
+        f.create_dataset(
+            "d", data=np.array(["aXb", "", "ok", "zz", "hello"], dtype=object), dtype=S
+        )
+        u = f.create_dataset("u", shape=(4,), dtype=S, chunks=(1,))
+        u[1] = "w"
+        s = f.create_dataset("seq", shape=(3,), dtype=I4)
+        s[0] = [1, 2, 3]
+        s[1] = []
+        s[2] = [-5]
+        s = f.create_dataset("sequ", shape=(3,), dtype=I4, chunks=(1,))
+        s[0] = [7, 8]
+        ct = np.dtype([("id", "<i4"), ("name", S)])
+        arr = np.zeros(3, dtype=ct)
+        arr["id"] = [1, 2, 3]
+        arr["name"] = ["one", "", "three"]
+        f.create_dataset("cmp", data=arr)
+        f.attrs.create("va", np.array(["p", "", "q"], dtype=object), dtype=S)
+        off = f["d"].id.get_offset()
+    b = bytearray(open(path, "rb").read())
+    i = b.index(b"aXb")
+    b[i + 1] = 0  # "a\0b"
+    es = 8 + os_
+    b[off + 2 * es : off + 3 * es] = element(2, 0, 1, os_)  # "ok" -> null
+    open(path, "wb").write(bytes(b))
+
+
+def bad(path, sizes):
+    os_ = 8 if sizes is None else sizes[0]
+    with create(path, sizes) as f:
+        f.create_dataset("bad", data=np.array(["cdefgh", "ok"], dtype=object), dtype=S)
+        s = f.create_dataset("badseq", shape=(2,), dtype=I4)
+        s[0] = [1, 2, 3]
+        s[1] = [4]
+        f.create_dataset("undef", data=np.array(["x", "", "yz"], dtype=object), dtype=S)
+        off, soff = f["bad"].id.get_offset(), f["badseq"].id.get_offset()
+        uoff = f["undef"].id.get_offset()
+    b = bytearray(open(path, "rb").read())
+    gcol = int.from_bytes(b[off + 4 : off + 4 + os_], "little")
+    struct.pack_into("<I", b, off, 3)  # "cdefgh": length 6 -> 3
+    struct.pack_into("<I", b, soff, 2)  # [1, 2, 3]: length 3 -> 2
+    # "": length 0 at the undefined address (all 0xff), which libhdf5 fails
+    # to read ("addr undefined"); it writes a null element as address 0.
+    es = 8 + os_
+    b[uoff + es : uoff + 2 * es] = element(0, (1 << (8 * os_)) - 1, 1, os_)
+    open(path, "wb").write(bytes(b))
+    return gcol
+
+
+def value(v):
+    if isinstance(v, bytes):
+        return v.decode()
+    if isinstance(v, str):
+        return v
+    if isinstance(v, np.void):
+        return [value(x) for x in v]
+    if isinstance(v, np.ndarray):
+        return [value(x) for x in v]
+    return v.item() if hasattr(v, "item") else v
+
+
+def read(ds):
+    got = []
+    for i in range(ds.shape[0]):
+        try:
+            got.append(value(ds[i]))
+        except OSError:
+            got.append(None)
+    return got
+
+
+result = {}
+for tag, sizes in (("8", None), ("4", (4, 4))):
+    g, x = os.path.join(out, f"vl{tag}.h5"), os.path.join(out, f"bad{tag}.h5")
+    good(g, sizes)
+    gcol = bad(x, sizes)
+    with h5py.File(g, "r") as f:
+        result[f"vl{tag}"] = {n: read(f[n]) for n in ("d", "u", "seq", "sequ", "cmp")}
+        result[f"vl{tag}"]["va"] = [value(s) for s in f.attrs["va"]]
+    with h5py.File(x, "r") as f:
+        result[f"bad{tag}"] = {n: read(f[n]) for n in ("bad", "badseq", "undef")}
+        result[f"bad{tag}"]["gcol"] = gcol
+json.dump(result, sys.stdout)

crates/clawhdf5-tools/tests/h5rs_interop.rs

@@ -773,3 +773,254 @@ fn every_subcommand_rejects_a_non_hdf5_file_cleanly() {
     assert_eq!(code(&h5rs(&["ls"])), 2);
     assert_eq!(code(&h5rs(&["--help"])), 0);
 }
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// variable-length data
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Runs `tests/gen_vl_files.py`: VL strings (with an embedded NUL, empty
+/// and null elements), VL sequences, a VL compound member and a VL
+/// attribute, with 8- and 4-byte offsets, plus files whose heap objects
+/// disagree with their elements' lengths.
+fn generate_vl() -> Option<Files> {
+    if missing(python_available(), "python3 with h5py") {
+        return None;
+    }
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let script = Path::new(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR")).join("tests/gen_vl_files.py");
+    let out = Command::new(python())
+        .arg(&script)
+        .arg(dir.path())
+        .output()
+        .expect("run gen_vl_files.py");
+    assert!(
+        out.status.success(),
+        "gen_vl_files.py failed:\n{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr)
+    );
+    let values = serde_json::from_slice(&out.stdout).expect("gen_vl_files.py output");
+    Some(Files { dir, values })
+}
+
+/// `dump` resolves VL elements through the library's `VlResolver`, as
+/// libhdf5 does: "a\0b" prints as "a", a null string as NULL (it printed
+/// ""), and with 4-byte offsets too; the output is h5dump's byte for byte.
+#[test]
+fn dump_prints_vl_data_like_h5dump() {
+    let Some(f) = generate_vl() else { return };
+    for name in ["vl8.h5", "vl4.h5"] {
+        let p = f.p(name);
+        let ours = stdout(&h5rs(&["dump", &p]));
+        assert!(
+            ours.contains(r#"(0): "a", "", NULL, "zz", "hello""#),
+            "{name}:\n{ours}"
+        );
+        assert!(ours.contains(r#"(0): NULL, "w", NULL, NULL"#), "{name}");
+        assert!(ours.contains("(0): (1, 2, 3), (), (-5)"), "{name}");
+        if missing(tool_available("h5dump"), "h5dump") {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let reference = run("h5dump", &[&p]);
+        assert!(reference.status.success(), "{name}: {reference:?}");
+        assert_eq!(ours, stdout(&reference).replacen(&p, name, 1), "{name}");
+    }
+}
+
+/// `dump --json` gives the values h5py reads, element by element; and an
+/// element whose heap object is not its length × base size is an error, as
+/// in h5py, not a truncated value (it printed "cde" and (1, 2)); so is a
+/// length-0 element at the undefined heap address (it printed "").
+#[test]
+fn dump_json_vl_values_match_h5py() {
+    let Some(f) = generate_vl() else { return };
+    for tag in ["8", "4"] {
+        let (good, bad) = (format!("vl{tag}"), format!("bad{tag}"));
+        let o = h5rs(&["dump", "--json", &f.p(&format!("{good}.h5"))]);
+        assert!(o.status.success(), "{good}: {o:?}");
+        let doc: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_slice(&o.stdout).unwrap();
+        let want = &f.values[&good];
+        for d in doc["datasets"].as_object().unwrap().values() {
+            let path = d["alias"][0].as_str().unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(d["value"], want[&path[1..]], "{good}: {path}");
+        }
+        let attrs = &doc["groups"][doc["root"].as_str().unwrap()]["attributes"];
+        assert_eq!(attrs[0]["name"], "va");
+        assert_eq!(attrs[0]["value"], want["va"], "{good}: va");
+
+        let o = h5rs(&["dump", "--json", &f.p(&format!("{bad}.h5"))]);
+        let doc: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_slice(&o.stdout).unwrap();
+        let want = &f.values[&bad];
+        for d in doc["datasets"].as_object().unwrap().values() {
+            let path = d["alias"][0].as_str().unwrap();
+            let got = d["value"].as_array().unwrap();
+            let want = want[&path[1..]].as_array().unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(got.len(), want.len(), "{bad}: {path}");
+            for (g, w) in got.iter().zip(want) {
+                if w.is_null() {
+                    // h5py cannot read it: neither can we.
+                    let e = g["error"]
+                        .as_str()
+                        .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("{bad}: {path}: {g}"));
+                    let why = if path == "/undef" {
+                        "undefined"
+                    } else {
+                        "holds"
+                    };
+                    assert!(e.contains(why), "{bad}: {path}: {e}");
+                } else {
+                    assert_eq!(g, w, "{bad}: {path}");
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// `check --data` holds VL elements to libhdf5's rule: a heap object whose
+/// size is not exactly the element's length × base size is a problem (it
+/// only caught objects shorter than the element), and so is an element at
+/// the undefined heap address.
+#[test]
+fn check_data_flags_mis_sized_vl_heap_objects() {
+    let Some(f) = generate_vl() else { return };
+    for tag in ["8", "4"] {
+        let o = h5rs(&["check", "--data", &f.p(&format!("vl{tag}.h5"))]);
+        let s = stdout(&o);
+        assert_eq!(code(&o), 0, "vl{tag}: {s}");
+        assert!(
+            s.contains("global heap collections read: 1"),
+            "vl{tag}: {s}"
+        );
+
+        let o = h5rs(&["check", "--data", &f.p(&format!("bad{tag}.h5"))]);
+        let s = stdout(&o);
+        assert_eq!(code(&o), 1, "bad{tag}: {s}");
+        let at = f.values[format!("bad{tag}")]["gcol"].as_u64().unwrap();
+        for (path, what) in [("/bad", "6 bytes"), ("/badseq", "12 bytes")] {
+            let want = format!("problem: {at:#x} {path}: variable-length data: global heap object");
+            assert!(s.contains(&want), "bad{tag}: no {want:?} in\n{s}");
+            assert!(s.contains(what), "bad{tag}: {s}");
+        }
+        // A length-0 element at the undefined heap address: libhdf5 fails
+        // to read it; check skipped it.
+        let undef: u64 = if tag == "8" { u64::MAX } else { 0xffff_ffff };
+        let want = format!("problem: {undef:#x} /undef: variable-length data: global heap:");
+        assert!(s.contains(&want), "bad{tag}: no {want:?} in\n{s}");
+        assert!(s.contains("undefined global heap address"), "bad{tag}: {s}");
+    }
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// files clawhdf5 writes: nested groups and links
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Nested groups (4 levels, by builders and by path names), soft, hard and
+/// external links, creation-order tracking, and dense link and attribute
+/// storage, as `FileBuilder` writes them.
+fn write_nested_links(dir: &Path) -> Vec<String> {
+    use clawhdf5::{AttrValue, FileBuilder};
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    b.set_attr("title", AttrValue::String("links".into()));
+    b.create_dataset("x/y").with_f64_data(&[1.0, 2.0]);
+    b.create_dataset("a/b/c/d/leaf")
+        .with_i32_data(&[4, 5])
+        .set_attr("depth", AttrValue::I64(5));
+    b.add_soft_link("soft", "/x/y");
+    b.add_soft_link("dangling", "/nowhere");
+    b.add_hard_link("alias", "/x/y");
+    b.add_external_link("ext", "other.h5", "/data");
+    let mut g = b.create_group("a/b");
+    g.set_attr("merged", AttrValue::I64(1));
+    for i in 0..10 {
+        g.set_attr(&format!("attr{i}"), AttrValue::F64(i as f64));
+    }
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let mut g = b.create_group("ordered");
+    g.track_order(true);
+    for i in (0..40).rev() {
+        g.create_dataset(&format!("n{i:02}")).with_i32_data(&[i]);
+    }
+    g.add_hard_link("back", "/a/b/c");
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let mut g = b.create_group("compact_ordered");
+    g.track_order(true);
+    g.create_dataset("z").with_i32_data(&[1]);
+    g.create_dataset("a").with_i32_data(&[2]);
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let nested = dir.join("nested.h5");
+    b.write(&nested).unwrap();
+
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    let mut g = b.create_group("many");
+    for i in 0..10_000 {
+        g.create_dataset(&format!("d{i:05}")).with_i32_data(&[i]);
+    }
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let many = dir.join("many.h5");
+    b.write(&many).unwrap();
+    [nested, many]
+        .iter()
+        .map(|p| p.to_string_lossy().into_owned())
+        .collect()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn check_and_dump_files_with_nested_groups_and_links() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let files = write_nested_links(dir.path());
+    // `--data` reads every dataset by path, and a lookup in a dense group
+    // scans all of its links: 10 000 datasets take minutes in a debug
+    // build, so the big file is checked structurally only (and not dumped).
+    for (p, data) in [(&files[0], true), (&files[1], false)] {
+        let args: &[&str] = if data {
+            &["check", "--data", p]
+        } else {
+            &["check", p]
+        };
+        let o = h5rs(args);
+        assert_eq!(code(&o), 0, "{p}:\n{}", stdout(&o));
+        assert!(stdout(&o).contains("no problems found"), "{}", stdout(&o));
+    }
+    if missing(tool_available("h5dump"), "h5dump") {
+        return;
+    }
+    for p in &files[..1] {
+        let name = Path::new(p).file_name().unwrap().to_string_lossy();
+        let ours = h5rs(&["dump", p]);
+        assert!(ours.status.success(), "{p}: {ours:?}");
+        let reference = run("h5dump", &[p]);
+        assert!(reference.status.success(), "h5dump {p}: {reference:?}");
+        let r = stdout(&reference).replacen(p.as_str(), &name, 1);
+        assert_eq!(stdout(&ours), r, "{name}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn check_files_with_big_dense_storage() {
+    // Dense links and attributes past the 512 KiB the root indirect block's
+    // direct blocks hold: the heap then needs child indirect blocks, which
+    // the writer used to write as direct blocks ("fractal heap indirect
+    // block: bad signature").
+    use clawhdf5::{AttrValue, FileBuilder};
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    let x = b.create_dataset("x");
+    x.with_i32_data(&[7]);
+    for i in 0..150usize {
+        let len = if i % 3 == 0 { 7_000 } else { 1 + i };
+        x.set_attr(
+            &format!("a{i:03}"),
+            AttrValue::F64Array(vec![i as f64; len]),
+        );
+    }
+    let mut g = b.create_group("g");
+    for i in 0..40_000 {
+        g.add_hard_link(&format!("link_{i:06}_{}", "x".repeat(88)), "/x");
+    }
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let p = dir.path().join("big.h5").to_string_lossy().into_owned();
+    b.write(&p).unwrap();
+    // Structure only: `--data` looks every link up by a linear scan.
+    let o = h5rs(&["check", &p]);
+    assert_eq!(code(&o), 0, "{p}:\n{}", stdout(&o));
+    assert!(stdout(&o).contains("no problems found"), "{}", stdout(&o));
+}

crates/clawhdf5-wasm/src/core.rs

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 use clawhdf5::{AttrValue, File, Selection};
 use clawhdf5_format::data_read;
 use clawhdf5_format::datatype::{Datatype, DatatypeByteOrder};
+use clawhdf5_format::vl_data::{VlResolver, check_element_size};
 
 /// Errors are reported to JavaScript as messages.
 pub type Result<T> = std::result::Result<T, String>;
@@ -221,6 +222,12 @@ impl Reader {
             None => (Selection::All, shape.clone()),
             Some(h) => hyperslab_selection(h, &shape)?,
         };
+        // A VL type whose stored element size is not the one the file's
+        // offset size implies is refused before its data is read, as
+        // `File::read_string` refuses it.
+        if let Datatype::VariableLength { size, .. } = array_base(&dt) {
+            check_element_size(*size, self.file.superblock().offset_size).map_err(err)?;
+        }
         let raw = ds.read_selection(&selection).map_err(err)?;
         let data = self.decode(&raw, &dt)?;
         out_shape.extend(element_shape(&dt));
@@ -270,22 +277,13 @@ impl Reader {
             Datatype::VariableLength {
                 is_string: true, ..
             } if !is_array => {
-                let size = dt.type_size() as usize;
+                // The library's resolver, as File::read_string uses: a
-                if size == 0 || !raw.len().is_multiple_of(size) {
+                // string ends at its first NUL and a heap object of the
-                    return Err(format!(
+                // wrong size is an error, as in libhdf5 and h5py.
-                        "{} bytes is not a whole number of {size}-byte string references",
-                        raw.len()
-                    ));
-                }
                 let sb = self.file.superblock();
                 Data::Strings(
-                    clawhdf5_format::vl_data::read_vl_strings(
+                    VlResolver::new(self.file.as_bytes(), sb.offset_size, sb.length_size)
-                        self.file.as_bytes(),
+                        .strings(raw)
-                        raw,
-                        (raw.len() / size) as u64,
-                        sb.offset_size,
-                        sb.length_size,
-                    )
                         .map_err(err)?,
                 )
             }

crates/clawhdf5-wasm/tests/vl_strings.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+//! The wasm reader resolves VL strings with the library's `VlResolver`, so
+//! it returns what `File::read_string` and h5py return: a string ends at
+//! its first NUL, a null element is empty, a heap object of the wrong size
+//! is an error, an element at the undefined heap address is an error, and a
+//! VL datatype whose stored element size disagrees with the file's offset
+//! size is refused. Checked with 8- and 4-byte offsets.
+//!
+//! Skipped when python3 with h5py is missing, unless
+//! `CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1`. `CLAWHDF5_PYTHON` names the interpreter.
+
+use std::process::Command;
+
+use clawhdf5::File;
+use clawhdf5_wasm::core::{Data, Reader};
+
+fn python() -> String {
+    std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_PYTHON").unwrap_or_else(|_| "python3".to_string())
+}
+
+fn h5py_available() -> bool {
+    let ok = Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", "import h5py, numpy"])
+        .output()
+        .map(|o| o.status.success())
+        .unwrap_or(false);
+    if !ok {
+        assert!(
+            std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP").as_deref() != Ok("1"),
+            "CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1 but python with h5py is not available"
+        );
+        eprintln!("SKIP: python with h5py not available");
+    }
+    ok
+}
+
+/// For each offset size: `vl{8,4}.h5` with dataset `d` = "a\0b", "", null,
+/// "zz" (patched: h5py writes neither a NUL nor a null element);
+/// `bad{8,4}.h5` whose element 0 claims 3 bytes of a 6-byte heap object;
+/// `size{8,4}.h5` whose VL datatype message stores a 24-byte element; and
+/// `undef{8,4}.h5` whose element 1 has length 0 and the undefined heap
+/// address.
+/// Prints h5py's reading of each element as hex, or "error".
+const SCRIPT: &str = r#"
+import struct, sys, h5py, numpy as np
+out = sys.argv[1]
+S = h5py.string_dtype('utf-8')
+def create(path, os_):
+    if os_ == 8:
+        return h5py.File(path, 'w', libver='earliest')
+    # The earliest format, so the patched object header has no checksum.
+    fcpl = h5py.h5p.create(h5py.h5p.FILE_CREATE); fcpl.set_sizes(4, 4)
+    fapl = h5py.h5p.create(h5py.h5p.FILE_ACCESS)
+    fapl.set_libver_bounds(h5py.h5f.LIBVER_EARLIEST, h5py.h5f.LIBVER_V18)
+    return h5py.File(h5py.h5f.create(path.encode(), h5py.h5f.ACC_TRUNC, fcpl=fcpl, fapl=fapl))
+def elem(length, addr, index, os_):
+    return struct.pack('<I', length) + addr.to_bytes(os_, 'little') + struct.pack('<I', index)
+def make(path, os_, values):
+    with create(path, os_) as f:
+        f.create_dataset('d', data=np.array(values, dtype=object), dtype=S)
+        return f['d'].id.get_offset()
+for os_ in (8, 4):
+    es = 8 + os_
+    p = '%s/vl%d.h5' % (out, os_)
+    off = make(p, os_, ['aXb', '', 'ok', 'zz'])
+    b = bytearray(open(p, 'rb').read())
+    b[b.index(b'aXb') + 1] = 0
+    b[off + 2 * es:off + 3 * es] = elem(2, 0, 1, os_)
+    open(p, 'wb').write(bytes(b))
+    p = '%s/bad%d.h5' % (out, os_)
+    off = make(p, os_, ['cdefgh', 'ok'])
+    b = bytearray(open(p, 'rb').read())
+    struct.pack_into('<I', b, off, 3)
+    open(p, 'wb').write(bytes(b))
+    p = '%s/size%d.h5' % (out, os_)
+    make(p, os_, ['x', 'yy'])
+    b = bytearray(open(p, 'rb').read())
+    # datatype message: version 1, class 9 (VL); string, null-terminated, UTF-8
+    pat = bytes([0x19, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00]) + struct.pack('<I', es)
+    assert b.count(pat) == 1, b.count(pat)
+    i = b.index(pat)
+    struct.pack_into('<I', b, i + 4, 24)
+    open(p, 'wb').write(bytes(b))
+    p = '%s/undef%d.h5' % (out, os_)
+    off = make(p, os_, ['x', '', 'yz'])
+    b = bytearray(open(p, 'rb').read())
+    b[off + es:off + 2 * es] = elem(0, (1 << (8 * os_)) - 1, 1, os_)
+    open(p, 'wb').write(bytes(b))
+    for name in ('vl', 'bad', 'size', 'undef'):
+        with h5py.File('%s/%s%d.h5' % (out, name, os_), 'r') as f:
+            got = []
+            for i in range(f['d'].shape[0]):
+                try:
+                    got.append(f['d'][i].hex())
+                except OSError:
+                    got.append('error')
+            print('%s%d\t%s' % (name, os_, ','.join(got)))
+"#;
+
+#[test]
+fn vl_strings_read_like_file_and_h5py() {
+    if !h5py_available() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let out = Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", SCRIPT])
+        .arg(dir.path())
+        .output()
+        .expect("run python");
+    assert!(
+        out.status.success(),
+        "{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr)
+    );
+    let h5py: std::collections::HashMap<String, String> = String::from_utf8(out.stdout)
+        .unwrap()
+        .lines()
+        .map(|l| {
+            let (k, v) = l.split_once('\t').unwrap();
+            (k.to_string(), v.to_string())
+        })
+        .collect();
+    let read = |name: &str| {
+        let bytes = std::fs::read(dir.path().join(format!("{name}.h5"))).unwrap();
+        let wasm = Reader::open(bytes).unwrap().read("/d", None);
+        let file = File::open(dir.path().join(format!("{name}.h5")))
+            .unwrap()
+            .dataset("d")
+            .unwrap()
+            .read_string();
+        (wasm, file)
+    };
+    for os in [8, 4] {
+        // h5py: "a\0b" is "a"; the null element (address 0) is empty.
+        assert_eq!(h5py[&format!("vl{os}")], "61,,,7a7a");
+        let (wasm, file) = read(&format!("vl{os}"));
+        let Data::Strings(wasm) = wasm.unwrap().data else {
+            panic!("vl{os}: not strings")
+        };
+        assert_eq!(wasm, ["a", "", "", "zz"], "vl{os}");
+        assert_eq!(wasm, file.unwrap(), "vl{os}");
+
+        // h5py refuses the mis-sized element; so do both readers.
+        assert_eq!(h5py[&format!("bad{os}")], "error,6f6b");
+        let (wasm, file) = read(&format!("bad{os}"));
+        assert!(wasm.unwrap_err().contains("holds 6 bytes"), "bad{os}");
+        assert!(file.is_err(), "bad{os}");
+
+        // libhdf5 ignores the stored element size and reads the values;
+        // File refuses the datatype rather than guess its layout, and the
+        // wasm reader now does the same (it read with the stored size).
+        assert_eq!(h5py[&format!("size{os}")], "78,7979");
+        let (wasm, file) = read(&format!("size{os}"));
+        let e = wasm.unwrap_err();
+        assert!(e.contains("stores 24-byte elements"), "size{os}: {e}");
+        assert!(file.is_err(), "size{os}");
+
+        // Length 0 at the undefined heap address: libhdf5 fails the read
+        // ("addr undefined"); both readers returned "".
+        assert_eq!(h5py[&format!("undef{os}")], "78,error,797a");
+        let (wasm, file) = read(&format!("undef{os}"));
+        let e = wasm.unwrap_err();
+        assert!(
+            e.contains("undefined global heap address"),
+            "undef{os}: {e}"
+        );
+        assert!(file.is_err(), "undef{os}");
+    }
+}

crates/clawhdf5/src/lazy.rs

@@ -422,11 +422,47 @@ impl<'f, R: HDF5Read> LazyDataset<'f, R> {
         Ok(data_read::read_as_u64(&raw, &dt)?)
     }
 
-    /// Read all data as `String` values.
+    /// Read all data as `String` values: fixed- or variable-length strings
+    /// (see [`Dataset::read_string`](crate::Dataset::read_string)).
     pub fn read_string(&self) -> Result<Vec<String>, Error> {
         let raw = self.read_raw()?;
         let dt = self.datatype()?;
-        Ok(data_read::read_as_strings(&raw, &dt)?)
+        crate::vlen::decode_strings(
+            self.file.hdf5_bytes(),
+            &dt,
+            &raw,
+            self.file.offset_size(),
+            self.file.length_size(),
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Read a variable-length string dataset as the exact bytes of each
+    /// string (see
+    /// [`Dataset::read_string_bytes`](crate::Dataset::read_string_bytes)).
+    pub fn read_string_bytes(&self) -> Result<Vec<Vec<u8>>, Error> {
+        let raw = self.read_raw()?;
+        let dt = self.datatype()?;
+        crate::vlen::decode_string_bytes(
+            self.file.hdf5_bytes(),
+            &dt,
+            &raw,
+            self.file.offset_size(),
+            self.file.length_size(),
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Read a variable-length sequence dataset as one `Vec<T>` per element
+    /// (see [`Dataset::read_vlen`](crate::Dataset::read_vlen)).
+    pub fn read_vlen<T: crate::vlen::VlenValue>(&self) -> Result<Vec<Vec<T>>, Error> {
+        let raw = self.read_raw()?;
+        let dt = self.datatype()?;
+        crate::vlen::decode_vlen(
+            self.file.hdf5_bytes(),
+            &dt,
+            &raw,
+            self.file.offset_size(),
+            self.file.length_size(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// Read all attributes of this dataset.

crates/clawhdf5/src/lib.rs

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ pub mod lazy;
 pub mod mmap_file;
 pub mod reader;
 pub mod types;
+pub mod vlen;
 pub mod writer;
 
 pub use error::Error;
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ pub use lazy::{LazyDataset, LazyFile, LazyGroup};
 pub use mmap_file::{MmapDataset, MmapFile, MmapGroup};
 pub use reader::{Dataset, File, Group};
 pub use types::{AttrValue, DType};
+pub use vlen::VlenValue;
 pub use writer::FileBuilder;
 #[cfg(feature = "parallel")]
 pub use writer::{DatasetSpec, create_datasets_parallel};

crates/clawhdf5/src/mmap_file.rs

@@ -336,11 +336,47 @@ impl<'f> MmapDataset<'f> {
         Ok(data_read::read_as_u64(&raw, &dt)?)
     }
 
-    /// Read all data as `String` values.
+    /// Read all data as `String` values: fixed- or variable-length strings
+    /// (see [`Dataset::read_string`](crate::Dataset::read_string)).
     pub fn read_string(&self) -> Result<Vec<String>, Error> {
         let raw = self.read_raw()?;
         let dt = self.datatype()?;
-        Ok(data_read::read_as_strings(&raw, &dt)?)
+        crate::vlen::decode_strings(
+            self.file.hdf5_bytes(),
+            &dt,
+            &raw,
+            self.file.offset_size(),
+            self.file.length_size(),
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Read a variable-length string dataset as the exact bytes of each
+    /// string (see
+    /// [`Dataset::read_string_bytes`](crate::Dataset::read_string_bytes)).
+    pub fn read_string_bytes(&self) -> Result<Vec<Vec<u8>>, Error> {
+        let raw = self.read_raw()?;
+        let dt = self.datatype()?;
+        crate::vlen::decode_string_bytes(
+            self.file.hdf5_bytes(),
+            &dt,
+            &raw,
+            self.file.offset_size(),
+            self.file.length_size(),
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Read a variable-length sequence dataset as one `Vec<T>` per element
+    /// (see [`Dataset::read_vlen`](crate::Dataset::read_vlen)).
+    pub fn read_vlen<T: crate::vlen::VlenValue>(&self) -> Result<Vec<Vec<T>>, Error> {
+        let raw = self.read_raw()?;
+        let dt = self.datatype()?;
+        crate::vlen::decode_vlen(
+            self.file.hdf5_bytes(),
+            &dt,
+            &raw,
+            self.file.offset_size(),
+            self.file.length_size(),
+        )
     }
 
     /// For contiguous datasets, return a zero-copy slice into the mmap.

crates/clawhdf5/src/reader.rs

@@ -176,6 +176,22 @@ impl File {
         })
     }
 
+    /// A `Dataset` handle for the object header at `address` (an address
+    /// from a group listing, or one kept from an earlier lookup), without
+    /// resolving a path. Resolving a path walks every group on it, which in
+    /// a large group costs a scan of its links; keep the address instead to
+    /// open the same dataset repeatedly.
+    pub fn dataset_at(&self, address: u64) -> Result<Dataset<'_>, Error> {
+        let hdr = self.parse_header(address)?;
+        if !has_message(&hdr, MessageType::DataLayout) {
+            return Err(Error::NotADataset(format!("object at address {address}")));
+        }
+        Ok(Dataset {
+            file: self,
+            header: hdr,
+        })
+    }
+
     /// Resolve a path and return a `Group` handle.
     ///
     /// The path uses `/` separators (e.g., `"sensors"`).
@@ -262,6 +278,56 @@ impl File {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Decode the strings in `raw`, a buffer of elements of `datatype` read
+    /// from this file — for instance a variable-length string field of a
+    /// compound ([`clawhdf5_format::data_read::read_compound_fields`]) or an
+    /// [`AttrValue::Raw`] attribute. Variable-length strings are resolved in
+    /// this file's global heap; see [`Dataset::read_string`] for the values.
+    pub fn decode_strings(&self, datatype: &Datatype, raw: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<String>, Error> {
+        crate::vlen::decode_strings(
+            self.as_bytes(),
+            datatype,
+            raw,
+            self.offset_size(),
+            self.length_size(),
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Like [`decode_strings`](Self::decode_strings) for variable-length
+    /// strings, returning each string's exact bytes (see
+    /// [`Dataset::read_string_bytes`]).
+    pub fn decode_string_bytes(
+        &self,
+        datatype: &Datatype,
+        raw: &[u8],
+    ) -> Result<Vec<Vec<u8>>, Error> {
+        crate::vlen::decode_string_bytes(
+            self.as_bytes(),
+            datatype,
+            raw,
+            self.offset_size(),
+            self.length_size(),
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Decode the variable-length sequences in `raw`, a buffer of elements
+    /// of the sequence type `datatype` read from this file (a compound
+    /// field, an [`AttrValue::Raw`] attribute, ...). See
+    /// [`Dataset::read_vlen`].
+    pub fn decode_vlen<T: crate::vlen::VlenValue>(
+        &self,
+        datatype: &Datatype,
+        raw: &[u8],
+    ) -> Result<Vec<Vec<T>>, Error> {
+        crate::vlen::decode_vlen(
+            self.as_bytes(),
+            datatype,
+            raw,
+            self.offset_size(),
+            self.length_size(),
+        )
+    }
+
     fn parse_header(&self, address: u64) -> Result<ObjectHeader, FormatError> {
         ObjectHeader::parse(
             self.data.as_bytes(),
@@ -498,19 +564,74 @@ impl<'f> Dataset<'f> {
         Ok(data_read::read_as_u64(&raw, &dt)?)
     }
 
-    /// Read all data as `String` values.
+    /// Read all data as `String` values, in row-major order.
+    ///
+    /// Works for fixed-length and variable-length string datasets (h5py's
+    /// default `str` dtype). A variable-length string ends at its first NUL
+    /// and a null element (e.g. never written) is `""`, as h5py returns
+    /// them; bytes that are not valid UTF-8 are replaced with U+FFFD — use
+    /// [`read_string_bytes`](Self::read_string_bytes) for the exact bytes.
     pub fn read_string(&self) -> Result<Vec<String>, Error> {
         let raw = self.read_raw()?;
         let dt = self.datatype()?;
-        Ok(data_read::read_as_strings(&raw, &dt)?)
+        self.file.decode_strings(&dt, &raw)
+    }
+
+    /// Read a variable-length string dataset as the exact bytes of each
+    /// string (what h5py's `Dataset[()]` returns), in row-major order.
+    pub fn read_string_bytes(&self) -> Result<Vec<Vec<u8>>, Error> {
+        let raw = self.read_raw()?;
+        let dt = self.datatype()?;
+        self.file.decode_string_bytes(&dt, &raw)
+    }
+
+    /// Read the selected elements of a fixed- or variable-length string
+    /// dataset (see [`read_string`](Self::read_string)).
+    pub fn read_string_selection(
+        &self,
+        selection: &clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection,
+    ) -> Result<Vec<String>, Error> {
+        let raw = self.read_selection(selection)?;
+        let dt = self.datatype()?;
+        self.file.decode_strings(&dt, &raw)
+    }
+
+    /// Read a variable-length sequence dataset (h5py
+    /// `vlen_dtype(np.int32)`, ...) as one `Vec<T>` per element, in
+    /// row-major order. The base type must be an integer or float type; it
+    /// is converted to `T` as [`read_f64`](Self::read_f64) and the other
+    /// typed readers convert. A null element is an empty sequence.
+    pub fn read_vlen<T: crate::vlen::VlenValue>(&self) -> Result<Vec<Vec<T>>, Error> {
+        let raw = self.read_raw()?;
+        let dt = self.datatype()?;
+        self.file.decode_vlen(&dt, &raw)
+    }
+
+    /// Read the selected elements of a variable-length sequence dataset
+    /// (see [`read_vlen`](Self::read_vlen)).
+    pub fn read_vlen_selection<T: crate::vlen::VlenValue>(
+        &self,
+        selection: &clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection,
+    ) -> Result<Vec<Vec<T>>, Error> {
+        let raw = self.read_selection(selection)?;
+        let dt = self.datatype()?;
+        self.file.decode_vlen(&dt, &raw)
     }
 
     // ----- Selection-based read methods -----
 
     /// Read selected elements as raw bytes.
     ///
-    /// Only the elements matching the [`clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection`] are returned. For chunked
+    /// Only the elements matching the [`clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection`] are returned.
-    /// datasets, only intersecting chunks are decompressed.
+    ///
+    /// What is read to get them: when the selection's bounding box covers at
+    /// most half the dataset, only that box — the chunks overlapping it, or
+    /// the rows of a contiguous dataset. The whole dataset is decoded instead
+    /// when the box covers more than half (a strided selection spanning the
+    /// dataset does), for compact and virtual layouts, for a dataset with no
+    /// storage, and for a chunked dataset with a non-default fill value.
+    /// [`Selection::All`](clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection::All) goes
+    /// through the file's chunk cache; other selections do not.
     pub fn read_selection(
         &self,
         selection: &clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection,
@@ -569,9 +690,7 @@ impl<'f> Dataset<'f> {
         &self,
         selection: &clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection,
     ) -> Result<Vec<f64>, Error> {
-        let raw = self.read_selection(selection)?;
+        self.read_typed_selection(selection, data_read::read_as_f64, || self.read_f64())
-        let dt = self.datatype()?;
-        Ok(data_read::read_as_f64(&raw, &dt)?)
     }
 
     /// Read selected elements as `f32` values.
@@ -579,9 +698,7 @@ impl<'f> Dataset<'f> {
         &self,
         selection: &clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection,
     ) -> Result<Vec<f32>, Error> {
-        let raw = self.read_selection(selection)?;
+        self.read_typed_selection(selection, data_read::read_as_f32, || self.read_f32())
-        let dt = self.datatype()?;
-        Ok(data_read::read_as_f32(&raw, &dt)?)
     }
 
     /// Read selected elements as `i32` values.
@@ -589,9 +706,7 @@ impl<'f> Dataset<'f> {
         &self,
         selection: &clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection,
     ) -> Result<Vec<i32>, Error> {
-        let raw = self.read_selection(selection)?;
+        self.read_typed_selection(selection, data_read::read_as_i32, || self.read_i32())
-        let dt = self.datatype()?;
-        Ok(data_read::read_as_i32(&raw, &dt)?)
     }
 
     /// Read selected elements as `i64` values.
@@ -599,9 +714,34 @@ impl<'f> Dataset<'f> {
         &self,
         selection: &clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection,
     ) -> Result<Vec<i64>, Error> {
-        let raw = self.read_selection(selection)?;
+        self.read_typed_selection(selection, data_read::read_as_i64, || self.read_i64())
+    }
+
+    /// The typed selection readers. `All` is a full read. A contiguous dataset
+    /// that stores `T` natively is copied from the file straight into the
+    /// `Vec<T>`, one copy per contiguous run of selected elements; anything
+    /// else reads the selection's bytes and converts them with `convert`.
+    fn read_typed_selection<T: data_read::NativeElement>(
+        &self,
+        selection: &clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection,
+        convert: fn(&[u8], &Datatype) -> Result<Vec<T>, FormatError>,
+        full: impl FnOnce() -> Result<Vec<T>, Error>,
+    ) -> Result<Vec<T>, Error> {
+        if matches!(selection, clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection::All) {
+            return full();
+        }
         let dt = self.datatype()?;
-        Ok(data_read::read_as_i64(&raw, &dt)?)
+        if T::is_native(&dt)
+            && let Ok(Some(raw)) = self.read_raw_ref()
+        {
+            let dims = self.dataspace()?.dimensions;
+            if let Some(values) = data_read::read_selection_native::<T>(raw, &dims, &dt, selection)?
+            {
+                return Ok(values);
+            }
+        }
+        let raw = self.read_selection(selection)?;
+        Ok(convert(&raw, &dt)?)
     }
 
     /// Zero-copy read of contiguous raw data.

crates/clawhdf5/src/vlen.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+//! Variable-length data: VL strings and VL sequences of numbers.
+//!
+//! A variable-length element stores a reference into the file's global heap;
+//! these helpers resolve the references in a buffer of raw elements (from a
+//! dataset read, a selection, a compound field or an [`AttrValue::Raw`]
+//! attribute) against the file they came from.
+//!
+//! Values match libhdf5 (and h5py): a string ends at its first NUL, a null
+//! element is an empty string or sequence, and a heap object whose size
+//! disagrees with its element is an error rather than a truncated value.
+//!
+//! [`AttrValue::Raw`]: crate::AttrValue::Raw
+
+use clawhdf5_format::data_read;
+use clawhdf5_format::datatype::Datatype;
+use clawhdf5_format::error::FormatError;
+use clawhdf5_format::vl_data::{VlResolver, check_element_size};
+
+use crate::error::Error;
+
+mod sealed {
+    pub trait Sealed {}
+}
+
+/// A number type that [`Dataset::read_vlen`](crate::Dataset::read_vlen) can
+/// return: the sequence's base type is converted to it as libhdf5 converts
+/// numbers (the same rules as `read_f64`, `read_i64`, ...).
+pub trait VlenValue: sealed::Sealed + Sized {
+    #[doc(hidden)]
+    fn decode(raw: &[u8], base: &Datatype) -> Result<Vec<Self>, FormatError>;
+}
+
+macro_rules! vlen_value {
+    ($t:ty, $f:path) => {
+        impl sealed::Sealed for $t {}
+        impl VlenValue for $t {
+            fn decode(raw: &[u8], base: &Datatype) -> Result<Vec<Self>, FormatError> {
+                $f(raw, base)
+            }
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+vlen_value!(f64, data_read::read_as_f64);
+vlen_value!(f32, data_read::read_as_f32);
+vlen_value!(i64, data_read::read_as_i64);
+vlen_value!(i32, data_read::read_as_i32);
+vlen_value!(u64, data_read::read_as_u64);
+
+fn class_name(dt: &Datatype) -> &'static str {
+    match dt {
+        Datatype::FixedPoint { .. } => "integer",
+        Datatype::FloatingPoint { .. } => "float",
+        Datatype::Time { .. } => "time",
+        Datatype::String { .. } => "fixed-length string",
+        Datatype::BitField { .. } => "bitfield",
+        Datatype::Opaque { .. } => "opaque",
+        Datatype::Compound { .. } => "compound",
+        Datatype::Reference { .. } => "reference",
+        Datatype::Enumeration { .. } => "enum",
+        Datatype::VariableLength {
+            is_string: true, ..
+        } => "variable-length string",
+        Datatype::VariableLength { .. } => "variable-length sequence",
+        Datatype::Array { .. } => "array",
+    }
+}
+
+/// The strings in `raw`, elements of `dt`: fixed-length strings decoded as
+/// `read_string` always has, variable-length strings resolved in the heap.
+pub(crate) fn decode_strings(
+    file_data: &[u8],
+    dt: &Datatype,
+    raw: &[u8],
+    offset_size: u8,
+    length_size: u8,
+) -> Result<Vec<String>, Error> {
+    match dt {
+        Datatype::VariableLength {
+            size,
+            is_string: true,
+            ..
+        } => {
+            check_element_size(*size, offset_size)?;
+            Ok(VlResolver::new(file_data, offset_size, length_size).strings(raw)?)
+        }
+        _ => Ok(data_read::read_as_strings(raw, dt)?),
+    }
+}
+
+/// The exact bytes of the variable-length strings in `raw`.
+pub(crate) fn decode_string_bytes(
+    file_data: &[u8],
+    dt: &Datatype,
+    raw: &[u8],
+    offset_size: u8,
+    length_size: u8,
+) -> Result<Vec<Vec<u8>>, Error> {
+    match dt {
+        Datatype::VariableLength {
+            size,
+            is_string: true,
+            ..
+        } => {
+            check_element_size(*size, offset_size)?;
+            Ok(VlResolver::new(file_data, offset_size, length_size).string_bytes(raw)?)
+        }
+        other => Err(Error::Format(FormatError::TypeMismatch {
+            expected: "variable-length string",
+            actual: class_name(other),
+        })),
+    }
+}
+
+/// The sequences in `raw`, elements of the variable-length sequence type
+/// `dt`, converted to `T`.
+pub(crate) fn decode_vlen<T: VlenValue>(
+    file_data: &[u8],
+    dt: &Datatype,
+    raw: &[u8],
+    offset_size: u8,
+    length_size: u8,
+) -> Result<Vec<Vec<T>>, Error> {
+    let Datatype::VariableLength {
+        size,
+        is_string: false,
+        base_type,
+        ..
+    } = dt
+    else {
+        return Err(Error::Format(FormatError::TypeMismatch {
+            expected: "variable-length sequence",
+            actual: class_name(dt),
+        }));
+    };
+    check_element_size(*size, offset_size)?;
+    let base_size = base_type.type_size() as usize;
+    VlResolver::new(file_data, offset_size, length_size)
+        .sequences(raw, base_size)?
+        .iter()
+        .map(|bytes| Ok(T::decode(bytes, base_type)?))
+        .collect()
+}

crates/clawhdf5/src/writer.rs

@@ -42,14 +42,17 @@ impl FileBuilder {
         }
     }
 
-    /// Create a dataset at the root level. Returns a mutable reference to
+    /// Create a dataset. Returns a mutable reference to a `DatasetBuilder`
-    /// a `DatasetBuilder` for configuring data, shape, and attributes.
+    /// for configuring data, shape, and attributes. `name` may be a path
+    /// (`"a/b/x"`): missing intermediate groups are created, as in h5py.
     pub fn create_dataset(&mut self, name: &str) -> &mut FormatDatasetBuilder {
         self.writer.create_dataset(name)
     }
 
     /// Create a group builder. Call `.finish()` on the returned builder
-    /// to complete it, then pass to `add_group()`.
+    /// to complete it, then pass to `add_group()`. `name` may be a path;
+    /// groups nest to any depth (see `GroupBuilder::add_group`), and a group
+    /// added at a path that already holds a group is merged into it.
     pub fn create_group(&mut self, name: &str) -> FormatGroupBuilder {
         self.writer.create_group(name)
     }
@@ -59,6 +62,40 @@ impl FileBuilder {
         self.writer.add_group(group);
     }
 
+    /// Add a soft link `name` to the path `target`, like h5py's
+    /// `f[name] = h5py.SoftLink(target)`. The target need not exist.
+    pub fn add_soft_link(&mut self, name: &str, target: &str) -> &mut Self {
+        self.writer.add_soft_link(name, target);
+        self
+    }
+
+    /// Add another hard link `name` to the object at `target`, like h5py's
+    /// `f[name] = f[target]`. The target must be written in this file.
+    pub fn add_hard_link(&mut self, name: &str, target: &str) -> &mut Self {
+        self.writer.add_hard_link(name, target);
+        self
+    }
+
+    /// Add an external link `name` to `target_path` in `target_file`.
+    pub fn add_external_link(
+        &mut self,
+        name: &str,
+        target_file: &str,
+        target_path: &str,
+    ) -> &mut Self {
+        self.writer
+            .add_external_link(name, target_file, target_path);
+        self
+    }
+
+    /// Track link creation order in every group that does not set its own
+    /// (`GroupBuilder::track_order`), as h5py's `track_order=True`: libhdf5
+    /// then lists members in the order they were added.
+    pub fn track_order(&mut self, track: bool) -> &mut Self {
+        self.writer.track_order(track);
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Set an attribute on the root group.
     pub fn set_attr(&mut self, name: &str, value: AttrValue) {
         self.writer.set_root_attr(name, value);

crates/clawhdf5/tests/contiguous_read_interop.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,403 @@
+//! Reads of contiguous datasets — full reads and hyperslab/point selections,
+//! through every typed reader — checked against h5py/libhdf5 for every
+//! integer and float width, both byte orders, ranks 1 to 4, and datasets
+//! larger than the huge-page threshold (4 MiB) the read buffers use.
+//!
+//! h5py writes the file and, for each selection, reads it with libhdf5's own
+//! hyperslab/point selection (`select_hyperslab` with stride and block,
+//! `select_elements`) and saves the raw bytes it gets back; the byte-level
+//! [`Dataset::read_selection`] must return exactly those bytes, and the typed
+//! readers the same values. Skipped when python3 with h5py is unavailable,
+//! unless `CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1`.
+
+use std::path::Path;
+use std::process::Command;
+
+use clawhdf5::File;
+use clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection;
+
+fn python() -> String {
+    std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_PYTHON").unwrap_or_else(|_| "python3".to_string())
+}
+
+fn interop_required() -> bool {
+    std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP").is_ok_and(|v| v == "1")
+}
+
+fn python_available() -> bool {
+    Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", "import h5py, numpy"])
+        .output()
+        .map(|o| o.status.success())
+        .unwrap_or(false)
+}
+
+macro_rules! skip_if_no_python {
+    () => {
+        if !python_available() {
+            assert!(
+                !interop_required(),
+                "CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1 but python3 with h5py is not available"
+            );
+            eprintln!("SKIP: python3 with h5py not available");
+            return;
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+fn run_python(script: &str) {
+    let output = Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", script])
+        .output()
+        .expect("failed to run python");
+    assert!(
+        output.status.success(),
+        "python failed:\n{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+    );
+}
+
+/// numpy type codes, with the modulus of the value pattern: every value is an
+/// integer exactly representable in the type and in every typed reader's
+/// output (f16 is exact below 2048, f32 below 2^24).
+const DTYPES: [(&str, i64, bool); 11] = [
+    ("i1", 201, true),
+    ("u1", 251, false),
+    ("i2", 2039, true),
+    ("u2", 2039, false),
+    ("i4", 1_000_003, true),
+    ("u4", 1_000_003, false),
+    ("i8", 1_000_003, true),
+    ("u8", 1_000_003, false),
+    ("f2", 2039, true),
+    ("f4", 1_000_003, true),
+    ("f8", 1_000_003, true),
+];
+
+/// Value of element `i` of a dataset of type `code` (the same formula as the
+/// Python side): a permutation-revealing pattern, centred on 0 when signed.
+fn value(code: &str, i: u64) -> i64 {
+    let (_, m, signed) = DTYPES.iter().find(|d| d.0 == code).unwrap();
+    let v = ((i as i128 * 7919) % *m as i128) as i64;
+    if *signed { v - m / 2 } else { v }
+}
+
+const SHAPES: [&[u64]; 4] = [&[1000], &[37, 53], &[7, 11, 13], &[3, 5, 7, 9]];
+
+/// Datasets past the 4 MiB huge-page threshold, as (type, shape).
+const BIG: [(&str, [u64; 2]); 4] = [
+    ("f4", [1100, 1024]),
+    ("i4", [1100, 1024]),
+    ("f8", [600, 1024]),
+    ("i8", [600, 1024]),
+];
+
+fn datasets() -> Vec<(String, String, Vec<u64>)> {
+    let mut out = Vec::new();
+    for (code, _, _) in DTYPES {
+        for (tag, _) in [("le", '<'), ("be", '>')] {
+            for shape in SHAPES {
+                out.push((
+                    format!("{code}{tag}_r{}", shape.len()),
+                    code.to_string(),
+                    shape.to_vec(),
+                ));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    for (code, shape) in BIG {
+        for tag in ["le", "be"] {
+            out.push((format!("{code}{tag}_big"), code.to_string(), shape.to_vec()));
+        }
+    }
+    out
+}
+
+fn write_file(path: &Path) {
+    let script = format!(
+        r#"
+import h5py, numpy as np
+M = {{'i1': 201, 'u1': 251, 'i2': 2039, 'u2': 2039, 'i4': 1000003, 'u4': 1000003,
+     'i8': 1000003, 'u8': 1000003, 'f2': 2039, 'f4': 1000003, 'f8': 1000003}}
+def values(code, n):
+    v = (np.arange(n, dtype=np.int64) * 7919) % M[code]
+    if code[0] != 'u':
+        v -= M[code] // 2
+    return v
+shapes = [(1000,), (37, 53), (7, 11, 13), (3, 5, 7, 9)]
+big = [('f4', (1100, 1024)), ('i4', (1100, 1024)), ('f8', (600, 1024)), ('i8', (600, 1024))]
+with h5py.File("{path}", "w") as f:
+    for code in M:
+        for tag, e in (('le', '<'), ('be', '>')):
+            for shape in shapes:
+                n = int(np.prod(shape))
+                f.create_dataset(f"{{code}}{{tag}}_r{{len(shape)}}",
+                                 data=values(code, n).astype(e + code).reshape(shape))
+    for code, shape in big:
+        for tag, e in (('le', '<'), ('be', '>')):
+            n = int(np.prod(shape))
+            f.create_dataset(f"{{code}}{{tag}}_big",
+                             data=values(code, n).astype(e + code).reshape(shape))
+"#,
+        path = path.display()
+    );
+    run_python(&script);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn full_reads_match_h5py_for_every_type_order_and_size() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("contig.h5");
+    write_file(&path);
+    let file = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    for (name, code, shape) in datasets() {
+        let ds = file.dataset(&name).unwrap();
+        assert!(ds.read_raw_ref().unwrap().is_some(), "{name} is contiguous");
+        let n: u64 = shape.iter().product();
+        let want: Vec<i64> = (0..n).map(|i| value(&code, i)).collect();
+        assert_eq!(
+            ds.read_f64().unwrap(),
+            want.iter().map(|&v| v as f64).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            "{name} read_f64"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            ds.read_f32().unwrap(),
+            want.iter().map(|&v| v as f32).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            "{name} read_f32"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(ds.read_i64().unwrap(), want, "{name} read_i64");
+        assert_eq!(
+            ds.read_i32().unwrap(),
+            want.iter().map(|&v| v as i32).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            "{name} read_i32"
+        );
+        // libhdf5 saturates negative values to 0 when reading as unsigned.
+        assert_eq!(
+            ds.read_u64().unwrap(),
+            want.iter().map(|&v| v.max(0) as u64).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            "{name} read_u64"
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+struct Rng(u64);
+impl Rng {
+    fn next(&mut self) -> u64 {
+        self.0 = self.0.wrapping_add(0x9E37_79B9_7F4A_7C15);
+        let mut z = self.0;
+        z = (z ^ (z >> 30)).wrapping_mul(0xBF58_476D_1CE4_E5B9);
+        z = (z ^ (z >> 27)).wrapping_mul(0x94D0_49BB_1331_11EB);
+        z ^ (z >> 31)
+    }
+    fn below(&mut self, n: u64) -> u64 {
+        self.next() % n.max(1)
+    }
+}
+
+/// A hyperslab from per-dimension `(start, stride, count, block)`.
+fn slab(dims: &[(u64, u64, u64, u64)]) -> Selection {
+    Selection::Hyperslab {
+        start: dims.iter().map(|d| d.0).collect(),
+        stride: dims.iter().map(|d| d.1).collect(),
+        count: dims.iter().map(|d| d.2).collect(),
+        block: dims.iter().map(|d| d.3).collect(),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Selections of every shape the read paths distinguish, all valid for `dims`.
+fn selections(rng: &mut Rng, dims: &[u64]) -> Vec<Selection> {
+    let mut out = Vec::new();
+    // Unit-stride box.
+    out.push(slab(
+        &dims
+            .iter()
+            .map(|&n| {
+                let c = 1 + rng.below(n);
+                (rng.below(n - c + 1), 1, c, 1)
+            })
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+    ));
+    // Strided (block 1), blocked (stride > block), and adjacent blocks
+    // (stride == block, which reads like a box): (block, stride - block).
+    for (block, gap) in [(1, 1), (2, 1), (2, 0)] {
+        out.push(slab(
+            &dims
+                .iter()
+                .map(|&n| {
+                    let b = (block + rng.below(2)).min(n);
+                    let st = b + gap + rng.below(2) * gap;
+                    let s = rng.below(n - b + 1);
+                    let c = 1 + rng.below((n - s - b) / st + 1);
+                    (s, st, c, b)
+                })
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+        ));
+    }
+    // Whole inner rows (one run across rows), and the whole dataset.
+    let r0 = rng.below(dims[0]);
+    let mut rows = vec![(r0, 1, 1 + rng.below(dims[0] - r0), 1)];
+    rows.extend(dims[1..].iter().map(|&n| (0, 1, n, 1)));
+    out.push(slab(&rows));
+    out.push(slab(
+        &dims.iter().map(|&n| (0, 1, n, 1)).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+    ));
+    // One element.
+    out.push(slab(
+        &dims
+            .iter()
+            .map(|&n| (rng.below(n), 1, 1, 1))
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+    ));
+    // Distinct points in no particular order.
+    let mut points: Vec<Vec<u64>> = Vec::new();
+    for _ in 0..1 + rng.below(15) {
+        let p: Vec<u64> = dims.iter().map(|&n| rng.below(n)).collect();
+        if !points.contains(&p) {
+            points.push(p);
+        }
+    }
+    out.push(Selection::Points(points));
+    out
+}
+
+fn join(v: &[u64]) -> String {
+    v.iter().map(u64::to_string).collect::<Vec<_>>().join(",")
+}
+
+/// One element of type `code`, given as its raw file-order bytes, as an
+/// integer (every value in these files is one).
+fn decode(code: &str, big_endian: bool, bytes: &[u8]) -> i64 {
+    let mut b = bytes.to_vec();
+    if big_endian {
+        b.reverse();
+    }
+    let mut w = [0u8; 8];
+    w[..b.len()].copy_from_slice(&b);
+    let u = u64::from_le_bytes(w);
+    match code {
+        "i1" => u as u8 as i8 as i64,
+        "i2" => u as u16 as i16 as i64,
+        "i4" => u as u32 as i32 as i64,
+        "i8" => u as i64,
+        "u1" | "u2" | "u4" | "u8" => u as i64,
+        "f2" => clawhdf5_format::float16::f16_bits_to_f32(u as u16) as i64,
+        "f4" => f32::from_bits(u as u32) as i64,
+        "f8" => f64::from_bits(u) as i64,
+        _ => unreachable!(),
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn selection_reads_match_h5py_for_every_type_order_and_rank() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("contig.h5");
+    write_file(&path);
+
+    let mut rng = Rng(2026);
+    let mut cases: Vec<(String, String, Selection)> = Vec::new();
+    for (name, code, shape) in datasets() {
+        for sel in selections(&mut rng, &shape) {
+            cases.push((name.clone(), code.clone(), sel));
+        }
+        // Empty: a zero count, and Selection::None.
+        let mut empty = shape.iter().map(|&n| (0, 1, n, 1)).collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        empty[shape.len() - 1].2 = 0;
+        cases.push((name.clone(), code.clone(), slab(&empty)));
+        cases.push((name, code, Selection::None));
+    }
+    let mut spec = String::new();
+    for (k, (name, _, sel)) in cases.iter().enumerate() {
+        let line = match sel {
+            Selection::Hyperslab { count, .. } if count.contains(&0) => "N".to_string(),
+            Selection::Hyperslab {
+                start,
+                stride,
+                count,
+                block,
+            } => format!(
+                "H {};{};{};{}",
+                join(start),
+                join(stride),
+                join(count),
+                join(block)
+            ),
+            Selection::Points(points) => format!(
+                "P {}",
+                points.iter().map(|p| join(p)).collect::<Vec<_>>().join(";")
+            ),
+            Selection::None => "N".to_string(),
+            Selection::All => unreachable!(),
+        };
+        spec.push_str(&format!("{k} {name} {line}\n"));
+    }
+    let spec_path = dir.path().join("cases.txt");
+    std::fs::write(&spec_path, spec).unwrap();
+    run_python(&format!(
+        r#"
+import h5py, numpy as np
+with h5py.File("{path}", "r") as f:
+    for line in open("{spec}"):
+        k, name, kind, *rest = line.split()
+        d = f[name]
+        space = d.id.get_space()
+        if kind == 'H':
+            start, stride, count, block = (tuple(int(x) for x in part.split(','))
+                                           for part in rest[0].split(';'))
+            space.select_hyperslab(start, count, stride, block)
+        elif kind == 'P':
+            pts = np.array([[int(x) for x in p.split(',')] for p in rest[0].split(';')],
+                           dtype=np.uint64)
+            space.select_elements(pts)
+        else:
+            space.select_none()
+        n = space.get_select_npoints()
+        out = np.empty(n, dtype=d.dtype)
+        if n:
+            d.id.read(h5py.h5s.create_simple((n,)), space, out)
+        open("{dir}/sel_" + k + ".bin", "wb").write(out.tobytes())
+"#,
+        path = path.display(),
+        spec = spec_path.display(),
+        dir = dir.path().display(),
+    ));
+
+    let file = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    for (k, (name, code, sel)) in cases.iter().enumerate() {
+        let ds = file.dataset(name).unwrap();
+        let want_bytes = std::fs::read(dir.path().join(format!("sel_{k}.bin"))).unwrap();
+        let got_bytes = ds.read_selection(sel).unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            got_bytes == want_bytes,
+            "{name} {sel:?}: raw bytes differ from libhdf5's ({} vs {} bytes)",
+            got_bytes.len(),
+            want_bytes.len()
+        );
+        let size = ds.raw_datatype().unwrap().type_size() as usize;
+        let want: Vec<i64> = want_bytes
+            .chunks_exact(size)
+            .map(|e| decode(code, name.contains("be_"), e))
+            .collect();
+        assert_eq!(
+            ds.read_f64_selection(sel).unwrap(),
+            want.iter().map(|&v| v as f64).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            "{name} {sel:?} as f64"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            ds.read_f32_selection(sel).unwrap(),
+            want.iter().map(|&v| v as f32).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            "{name} {sel:?} as f32"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            ds.read_i64_selection(sel).unwrap(),
+            want,
+            "{name} {sel:?} as i64"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            ds.read_i32_selection(sel).unwrap(),
+            want.iter().map(|&v| v as i32).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            "{name} {sel:?} as i32"
+        );
+    }
+}

crates/clawhdf5/tests/integration_tests.rs

@@ -986,3 +986,35 @@ fn u64_data_roundtrip() {
         values
     );
 }
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Opening a dataset by address
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#[test]
+fn dataset_at_opens_the_same_dataset_as_its_path() {
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    let mut g = b.create_group("grp");
+    g.create_dataset("vals").with_f64_data(&[1.0, 2.5, -3.0]);
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let file = File::from_bytes(b.finish().unwrap()).unwrap();
+
+    let addr =
+        clawhdf5_format::group_v2::resolve_path_any(file.as_bytes(), file.superblock(), "grp/vals")
+            .unwrap();
+    let by_addr = file.dataset_at(addr).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(by_addr.read_f64().unwrap(), vec![1.0, 2.5, -3.0]);
+    assert_eq!(
+        by_addr.shape().unwrap(),
+        file.dataset("grp/vals").unwrap().shape().unwrap()
+    );
+
+    // The group's own header is not a dataset.
+    let group_addr =
+        clawhdf5_format::group_v2::resolve_path_any(file.as_bytes(), file.superblock(), "grp")
+            .unwrap();
+    assert!(matches!(
+        file.dataset_at(group_addr),
+        Err(clawhdf5::Error::NotADataset(_))
+    ));
+}

crates/clawhdf5/tests/single_thread_decode_pool.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+//! With a one-thread rayon pool, full reads of chunked datasets must decode
+//! on the calling thread.
+//!
+//! Handing a read's chunks to a one-worker pool made every reading thread
+//! queue behind that single worker: N threads reading through one `File`
+//! decoded on one core, and full reads stopped scaling at about 2x in the
+//! `concurrent_read` benchmark with `--decode-threads 1` (see
+//! `docs/known-issues.md`). The test makes that queueing observable: it keeps
+//! the pool's only worker busy and requires reads to finish anyway.
+//!
+//! One test in its own binary: it configures the process-wide rayon pool.
+
+#![cfg(feature = "parallel")]
+
+use std::sync::mpsc;
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+use clawhdf5::{File, FileBuilder};
+
+const N: usize = 4096; // 64 chunks of 64 elements
+
+fn values() -> Vec<f64> {
+    (0..N).map(|i| i as f64 * 0.5).collect()
+}
+
+fn build() -> File {
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    b.create_dataset("data")
+        .with_f64_data(&values())
+        .with_shape(&[N as u64])
+        .with_chunks(&[64])
+        .with_deflate(1)
+        .with_provenance("test-suite", "2026-09-26T00:00:00Z", None);
+    File::from_bytes(b.finish().unwrap()).unwrap()
+}
+
+/// Run `f` on a fresh thread; `None` if it has not finished within `limit`.
+fn finishes_within<T: Send + 'static>(
+    limit: Duration,
+    f: impl FnOnce() -> T + Send + 'static,
+) -> Option<T> {
+    let (tx, rx) = mpsc::channel();
+    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+        let _ = tx.send(f());
+    });
+    rx.recv_timeout(limit).ok()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn full_reads_do_not_wait_for_a_busy_one_thread_pool() {
+    rayon::ThreadPoolBuilder::new()
+        .num_threads(1)
+        .build_global()
+        .expect("this test binary configures the global pool first");
+
+    // Built first: the writer compresses on the pool too.
+    let file = std::sync::Arc::new(build());
+    let file2 = std::sync::Arc::clone(&file);
+
+    // Occupy the pool's only worker until the reads are done.
+    let (started_tx, started_rx) = mpsc::channel();
+    let (release_tx, release_rx) = mpsc::channel::<()>();
+    rayon::spawn(move || {
+        started_tx.send(()).unwrap();
+        let _ = release_rx.recv();
+    });
+    started_rx.recv().unwrap();
+
+    let limit = Duration::from_secs(20);
+    // Cached full read (the path `read_*` uses), then the uncached reader
+    // behind `verify_provenance`.
+    let read = finishes_within(limit, move || {
+        file.dataset("data").unwrap().read_f64().unwrap()
+    });
+    let verified = finishes_within(limit, move || {
+        file2.dataset("data").unwrap().verify_provenance().unwrap()
+    });
+    // Free the worker before asserting, so a failure does not hang the
+    // blocked reader threads forever.
+    release_tx.send(()).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        read.expect("a full read waited for the busy one-thread rayon pool"),
+        values()
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        verified.expect("verify_provenance waited for the busy one-thread rayon pool"),
+        clawhdf5::provenance::VerifyResult::Ok
+    );
+}

crates/clawhdf5/tests/v4_chunk_index_selection.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,241 @@
+//! Partial hyperslab reads of every v4 (`libver='latest'`) chunk index type,
+//! compared element for element with h5py.
+//!
+//! `Dataset::read_selection` takes two routes: `partial_read` materialises
+//! the selection's bounding box when it covers at most half the dataset, and
+//! `data_read::read_raw_data_selection` handles the rest. The second route
+//! once passed the layout's full chunk dimensions (which carry the element
+//! size as an extra, last dimension) to the implicit-index chunk generator,
+//! which then indexed past the dataset's rank and panicked. So every case
+//! below reads both a small window and one covering most of the dataset.
+//!
+//! Each case asserts which chunk index the file actually uses (parsed from
+//! the layout message), so a change in how h5py lays the file out can't turn
+//! this into a test of the wrong index.
+//!
+//! Skipped when python3 with h5py is unavailable, unless
+//! `CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1`.
+
+use std::process::Command;
+
+use clawhdf5::File;
+use clawhdf5_format::data_layout::DataLayout;
+use clawhdf5_format::message_type::MessageType;
+use clawhdf5_format::object_header::ObjectHeader;
+use clawhdf5_format::selection::Selection;
+use clawhdf5_format::superblock::Superblock;
+
+fn python() -> String {
+    std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_PYTHON").unwrap_or_else(|_| "python3".to_string())
+}
+
+fn interop_required() -> bool {
+    std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP").is_ok_and(|v| v == "1")
+}
+
+fn python_available() -> bool {
+    Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", "import h5py"])
+        .output()
+        .map(|o| o.status.success())
+        .unwrap_or(false)
+}
+
+fn run_python(script: &str) -> String {
+    let output = Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", script])
+        .output()
+        .expect("failed to run python");
+    assert!(
+        output.status.success(),
+        "Python script failed:\nSTDOUT: {}\nSTDERR: {}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout),
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+    );
+    String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout).trim().to_string()
+}
+
+/// The v4 chunk index type recorded in `name`'s layout message
+/// (1 single chunk, 2 implicit, 3 fixed array, 4 extensible array, 5 B-tree v2).
+fn chunk_index_type(path: &std::path::Path, name: &str) -> u8 {
+    let data = std::fs::read(path).unwrap();
+    let sb = Superblock::parse(&data, 0).unwrap();
+    let addr = clawhdf5_format::group_v2::resolve_path_any(&data, &sb, name).unwrap();
+    let hdr = ObjectHeader::parse(&data, addr as usize, sb.offset_size, sb.length_size).unwrap();
+    let msg = hdr
+        .messages
+        .iter()
+        .find(|m| m.msg_type == MessageType::DataLayout)
+        .expect("layout message");
+    match DataLayout::parse(&msg.data, sb.offset_size, sb.length_size).unwrap() {
+        DataLayout::Chunked {
+            version: 4,
+            chunk_index_type: Some(t),
+            ..
+        } => t,
+        other => panic!("{name}: expected a v4 chunked layout, got {other:?}"),
+    }
+}
+
+struct Case {
+    name: &'static str,
+    /// Python keyword arguments to `create_dataset` besides `data`.
+    kwargs: &'static str,
+    index_type: u8,
+}
+
+const SHAPE: [u64; 2] = [37, 23];
+
+const CASES: &[Case] = &[
+    Case {
+        name: "implicit",
+        // Early allocation, no filters, fixed maximum: the implicit index.
+        kwargs: "chunks=(5, 4), dcpl=early()",
+        index_type: 2,
+    },
+    Case {
+        name: "fixed_array",
+        kwargs: "chunks=(5, 4), compression='gzip'",
+        index_type: 3,
+    },
+    Case {
+        name: "extensible_array",
+        kwargs: "chunks=(5, 4), maxshape=(None, 23), compression='gzip'",
+        index_type: 4,
+    },
+    Case {
+        name: "btree2",
+        kwargs: "chunks=(5, 4), maxshape=(None, None), compression='gzip'",
+        index_type: 5,
+    },
+    Case {
+        name: "single_chunk",
+        kwargs: "chunks=(37, 23), compression='gzip'",
+        index_type: 1,
+    },
+    Case {
+        name: "single_chunk_unfiltered",
+        kwargs: "chunks=(37, 23)",
+        index_type: 1,
+    },
+];
+
+/// `(start, stride, count, block)` per dimension; the first few stay below
+/// half the dataset (bounding-box path), the rest exceed it (full path).
+/// `(start, stride, count, block)` of a 2-D hyperslab.
+type Hyperslab2 = ([u64; 2], [u64; 2], [u64; 2], [u64; 2]);
+
+fn selections() -> Vec<Hyperslab2> {
+    vec![
+        ([0, 0], [1, 1], [3, 23], [1, 1]),  // ds[0:3]
+        ([7, 3], [1, 1], [9, 6], [1, 1]),   // interior window across chunks
+        ([36, 22], [1, 1], [1, 1], [1, 1]), // last element (edge chunk)
+        ([2, 1], [3, 4], [4, 3], [1, 1]),   // strided, small
+        ([0, 0], [1, 1], [30, 23], [1, 1]), // most rows
+        ([1, 0], [2, 1], [18, 23], [1, 1]), // every other row, spanning all
+        ([0, 2], [1, 1], [37, 20], [1, 1]), // columns 2..22 of every row
+        ([3, 1], [5, 3], [7, 7], [2, 2]),   // strided blocks over everything
+    ]
+}
+
+fn py_slice(start: u64, stride: u64, count: u64, block: u64) -> String {
+    // Each case is expressible as a numpy index when block == 1; with a block
+    // the selected indices are listed explicitly.
+    let idx: Vec<String> = (0..count)
+        .flat_map(|c| (0..block).map(move |b| start + c * stride + b))
+        .map(|i| i.to_string())
+        .collect();
+    format!("[{}]", idx.join(","))
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn partial_hyperslabs_of_every_v4_chunk_index_match_h5py() {
+    if !python_available() {
+        assert!(
+            !interop_required(),
+            "CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1 but python3 with h5py is not available"
+        );
+        eprintln!("SKIP: python3 with h5py not available");
+        return;
+    }
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("v4_index_selection.h5");
+    let path_str = path.display().to_string();
+
+    // h5py writes the file, then reads every selection back and prints the
+    // values, one line per (case, selection).
+    let mut script = format!(
+        "import h5py, numpy as np\n\
+         def early():\n\
+         \x20   p = h5py.h5p.create(h5py.h5p.DATASET_CREATE)\n\
+         \x20   p.set_alloc_time(h5py.h5d.ALLOC_TIME_EARLY)\n\
+         \x20   return p\n\
+         data = (np.arange({n}, dtype='<i4') * 7 - 1000).reshape({r}, {c})\n\
+         with h5py.File(r'{path_str}', 'w', libver='latest') as f:\n",
+        n = SHAPE[0] * SHAPE[1],
+        r = SHAPE[0],
+        c = SHAPE[1],
+    );
+    for case in CASES {
+        script += &format!(
+            "    f.create_dataset('{}', data=data, {})\n",
+            case.name, case.kwargs
+        );
+    }
+    script += &format!("with h5py.File(r'{path_str}', 'r') as f:\n");
+    for case in CASES {
+        for (start, stride, count, block) in selections() {
+            let rows = py_slice(start[0], stride[0], count[0], block[0]);
+            let cols = py_slice(start[1], stride[1], count[1], block[1]);
+            script += &format!(
+                "    print(' '.join(map(str, f['{}'][{rows}][:, {cols}].ravel())))\n",
+                case.name
+            );
+        }
+    }
+    let out = run_python(&script);
+    let mut expected = out.lines();
+
+    let file = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    for case in CASES {
+        assert_eq!(
+            chunk_index_type(&path, case.name),
+            case.index_type,
+            "{}: h5py did not produce the intended chunk index",
+            case.name
+        );
+        let ds = file.dataset(case.name).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(ds.shape().unwrap(), SHAPE);
+        for (start, stride, count, block) in selections() {
+            let sel = Selection::Hyperslab {
+                start: start.to_vec(),
+                stride: stride.to_vec(),
+                count: count.to_vec(),
+                block: block.to_vec(),
+            };
+            let want: Vec<i32> = expected
+                .next()
+                .expect("h5py printed too few lines")
+                .split_whitespace()
+                .map(|v| v.parse().unwrap())
+                .collect();
+            let raw = ds
+                .read_selection(&sel)
+                .unwrap_or_else(|e| panic!("{}: read_selection {sel:?} failed: {e}", case.name));
+            let got: Vec<i32> = raw
+                .as_chunks::<4>()
+                .0
+                .iter()
+                .map(|b| i32::from_le_bytes(*b))
+                .collect();
+            assert_eq!(got, want, "{}: selection {sel:?}", case.name);
+            assert_eq!(
+                ds.read_i32_selection(&sel).unwrap(),
+                want,
+                "{}: read_i32_selection {sel:?}",
+                case.name
+            );
+        }
+    }
+    assert!(expected.next().is_none(), "h5py printed extra lines");
+}

crates/clawhdf5/tests/vl_data_interop.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,494 @@
+//! Variable-length data (VL strings and VL sequences) read through the
+//! facade, checked against h5py/libhdf5.
+//!
+//! h5py writes each file — once with the default 8-byte offsets and once
+//! with 4-byte offsets and lengths (`sizeof_addr = 4`) — and prints what
+//! libhdf5 reads back; `File`, `MmapFile` and `LazyFile` must return the same
+//! values. Skipped when python3 with h5py is unavailable, unless
+//! `CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1`.
+
+// `Selection::slice(&[0..1])` is one range per dimension, not a Vec of a range.
+#![allow(clippy::single_range_in_vec_init)]
+
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::path::Path;
+use std::process::Command;
+
+use clawhdf5::{AttrValue, File, LazyFile, MmapFile, Selection};
+
+fn python() -> String {
+    std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_PYTHON").unwrap_or_else(|_| "python3".to_string())
+}
+
+fn interop_required() -> bool {
+    std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP").is_ok_and(|v| v == "1")
+}
+
+fn python_available() -> bool {
+    Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", "import h5py, numpy"])
+        .output()
+        .map(|o| o.status.success())
+        .unwrap_or(false)
+}
+
+macro_rules! skip_if_no_python {
+    () => {
+        if !python_available() {
+            assert!(
+                !interop_required(),
+                "CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1 but python3 with h5py is not available"
+            );
+            eprintln!("SKIP: python3 with h5py not available");
+            return;
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+/// Run `script` and return its stdout as `key -> value`, one
+/// `key<TAB>value` line per key.
+fn run_python(script: &str) -> HashMap<String, String> {
+    let output = Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", script])
+        .output()
+        .expect("failed to run python");
+    assert!(
+        output.status.success(),
+        "python failed:\n{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+    );
+    String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout)
+        .lines()
+        .filter_map(|line| {
+            let (k, v) = line.split_once('\t')?;
+            Some((k.to_string(), v.to_string()))
+        })
+        .collect()
+}
+
+/// `hex,hex,...` -> the strings' bytes.
+fn parse_strings(v: &str) -> Vec<Vec<u8>> {
+    v.split(',')
+        .map(|h| {
+            (0..h.len())
+                .step_by(2)
+                .map(|i| u8::from_str_radix(&h[i..i + 2], 16).unwrap())
+                .collect()
+        })
+        .collect()
+}
+
+/// `1 2 3|| -5` -> sequences.
+fn parse_seqs(v: &str) -> Vec<Vec<f64>> {
+    v.split('|')
+        .map(|s| s.split_whitespace().map(|x| x.parse().unwrap()).collect())
+        .collect()
+}
+
+fn utf8(bytes: &[Vec<u8>]) -> Vec<String> {
+    bytes
+        .iter()
+        .map(|b| String::from_utf8(b.clone()).unwrap())
+        .collect()
+}
+
+/// Writes `vl8.h5` (8-byte offsets) and `vl4.h5` (4-byte offsets and
+/// lengths) into `dir` and prints h5py's reading of both.
+const SCRIPT: &str = r#"
+import sys, h5py, numpy as np
+d = sys.argv[1]
+S = h5py.string_dtype('utf-8'); A = h5py.string_dtype('ascii')
+def make(path, sizes):
+    if sizes:
+        fcpl = h5py.h5p.create(h5py.h5p.FILE_CREATE); fcpl.set_sizes(*sizes)
+        f = h5py.File(h5py.h5f.create(path.encode(), h5py.h5f.ACC_TRUNC, fcpl=fcpl))
+    else:
+        f = h5py.File(path, 'w')
+    f.create_dataset('scalar_utf8', data='héllo', dtype=S)
+    f.create_dataset('scalar_ascii', data=b'hello', dtype=A)
+    f.create_dataset('d1', data=np.array(['a', '', 'ccc', 'δδ'], dtype=object), dtype=S)
+    f.create_dataset('d2', data=np.array([['x', 'yy', 'zzz'], ['', 'w', 'vv']], dtype=object), dtype=S)
+    f.create_dataset('chunked', data=np.array(['s%d' % i * (i % 5) for i in range(100)], dtype=object),
+                     dtype=S, chunks=(7,), compression='gzip')
+    f.create_dataset('chunked2d', data=np.array([['r%dc%d' % (r, c) for c in range(9)] for r in range(11)], dtype=object),
+                     dtype=S, chunks=(4, 4), compression='gzip', shuffle=True)
+    f.create_dataset('unwritten', shape=(5,), dtype=S, chunks=(2,))
+    p = f.create_dataset('partial', shape=(6,), dtype=S, chunks=(2,)); p[0] = 'first'; p[5] = 'last'
+    f.create_dataset('contig_empty', shape=(3,), dtype=S)
+    dcpl = h5py.h5p.create(h5py.h5p.DATASET_CREATE); dcpl.set_layout(h5py.h5d.COMPACT)
+    f.create_dataset('compact', data=np.array(['c1', '', 'c3'], dtype=object), dtype=S, dcpl=dcpl)
+    assert f['compact'].id.get_create_plist().get_layout() == h5py.h5d.COMPACT
+    f.attrs['vlattr'] = 'attr-value'
+    f.attrs.create('vlattr_arr', np.array(['p', 'qq', ''], dtype=object), dtype=S)
+    ct = np.dtype([('id', '<i4'), ('name', S), ('v', '<f8')])
+    arr = np.zeros(3, dtype=ct); arr['id'] = [1, 2, 3]; arr['name'] = ['one', '', 'three']; arr['v'] = [.5, 1.5, 2.5]
+    f.create_dataset('compound', data=arr)
+    f.attrs.create('compound_attr', arr)
+    v = f.create_dataset('vlen_i4', shape=(3,), dtype=h5py.vlen_dtype(np.dtype('<i4')))
+    v[0] = [1, 2, 3]; v[1] = []; v[2] = [-5]
+    v = f.create_dataset('vlen_f8', shape=(2, 2), dtype=h5py.vlen_dtype(np.dtype('<f8')), chunks=(1, 2), compression='gzip')
+    v[0, 0] = [1.5]; v[0, 1] = [2.5, 3.5]; v[1, 1] = [9.0]
+    v = f.create_dataset('vlen_u2_be', shape=(2,), dtype=h5py.vlen_dtype(np.dtype('>u2')))
+    v[0] = [1, 65535]; v[1] = [300]
+    f.attrs.create('vlen_attr', np.array([np.array([1, 2], dtype='<i8'), np.array([3], dtype='<i8')], dtype=object),
+                   dtype=h5py.vlen_dtype(np.dtype('<i8')))
+    f.close()
+
+def hexes(a):
+    return ','.join(bytes(x).hex() for x in np.asarray(a, dtype=object).ravel())
+def seqs(a):
+    return '|'.join(' '.join(repr(float(x)) for x in s) for s in np.asarray(a, dtype=object).ravel())
+
+for tag, sizes in (('8', None), ('4', (4, 4))):
+    path = '%s/vl%s.h5' % (d, tag)
+    make(path, sizes)
+    with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:
+        for name in ('compact', 'scalar_utf8', 'scalar_ascii', 'd1', 'd2', 'chunked', 'chunked2d', 'unwritten',
+                     'partial', 'contig_empty'):
+            v = f[name][()]
+            print('%s:%s\t%s' % (tag, name, hexes([v] if np.ndim(v) == 0 else v)))
+        print('%s:d2[1,1:3]\t%s' % (tag, hexes(f['d2'][1, 1:3])))
+        print('%s:chunked[5:60:3]\t%s' % (tag, hexes(f['chunked'][5:60:3])))
+        print('%s:chunked2d[2:9:2,3:8]\t%s' % (tag, hexes(f['chunked2d'][2:9:2, 3:8])))
+        print('%s:compound.name\t%s' % (tag, hexes(f['compound']['name'])))
+        print('%s:compound_attr.name\t%s' % (tag, hexes(f.attrs['compound_attr']['name'])))
+        print('%s:vlattr\t%s' % (tag, hexes([f.attrs['vlattr'].encode()])))
+        print('%s:vlattr_arr\t%s' % (tag, hexes([s.encode() for s in f.attrs['vlattr_arr']])))
+        for name in ('vlen_i4', 'vlen_f8'):
+            print('%s:%s\t%s' % (tag, name, seqs(f[name][()])))
+        print('%s:vlen_f8[1,:]\t%s' % (tag, seqs(f['vlen_f8'][1, :])))
+        print('%s:vlen_attr\t%s' % (tag, seqs(f.attrs['vlen_attr'])))
+"#;
+
+fn make_files(dir: &Path) -> HashMap<String, String> {
+    let script = format!(
+        "import sys; sys.argv = ['x', {:?}]\n{SCRIPT}",
+        dir.display().to_string()
+    );
+    run_python(&script)
+}
+
+const STRING_DATASETS: [&str; 10] = [
+    "compact",
+    "scalar_utf8",
+    "scalar_ascii",
+    "d1",
+    "d2",
+    "chunked",
+    "chunked2d",
+    "unwritten",
+    "partial",
+    "contig_empty",
+];
+
+#[test]
+fn vl_string_datasets_read_like_h5py() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let expected = make_files(dir.path());
+    for tag in ["8", "4"] {
+        let path = dir.path().join(format!("vl{tag}.h5"));
+        let file = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+        let mmap = MmapFile::open(&path).unwrap();
+        let lazy = LazyFile::open_mmap(&path).unwrap();
+        for name in STRING_DATASETS {
+            let want = parse_strings(&expected[&format!("{tag}:{name}")]);
+            let ctx = format!("vl{tag}.h5 {name}");
+            let ds = file.dataset(name).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(ds.read_string_bytes().unwrap(), want, "{ctx}");
+            assert_eq!(ds.read_string().unwrap(), utf8(&want), "{ctx}");
+            let m = mmap.dataset(name).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(m.read_string_bytes().unwrap(), want, "{ctx} (mmap)");
+            assert_eq!(m.read_string().unwrap(), utf8(&want), "{ctx} (mmap)");
+            let l = lazy.dataset(name).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(l.read_string_bytes().unwrap(), want, "{ctx} (lazy)");
+            assert_eq!(l.read_string().unwrap(), utf8(&want), "{ctx} (lazy)");
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn vl_string_selections_read_like_h5py() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let expected = make_files(dir.path());
+    let hyperslab = |start: &[u64], stride: &[u64], count: &[u64]| Selection::Hyperslab {
+        start: start.to_vec(),
+        stride: stride.to_vec(),
+        count: count.to_vec(),
+        block: vec![1; start.len()],
+    };
+    let cases = [
+        ("d2", "d2[1,1:3]", Selection::slice(&[1..2, 1..3])),
+        ("chunked", "chunked[5:60:3]", hyperslab(&[5], &[3], &[19])),
+        (
+            "chunked2d",
+            "chunked2d[2:9:2,3:8]",
+            hyperslab(&[2, 3], &[2, 1], &[4, 5]),
+        ),
+    ];
+    for tag in ["8", "4"] {
+        let file = File::open(dir.path().join(format!("vl{tag}.h5"))).unwrap();
+        for (name, key, sel) in &cases {
+            let want = utf8(&parse_strings(&expected[&format!("{tag}:{key}")]));
+            let got = file
+                .dataset(name)
+                .unwrap()
+                .read_string_selection(sel)
+                .unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(got, want, "vl{tag}.h5 {key}");
+        }
+        // A selection of VL integers is not strings.
+        assert!(
+            file.dataset("vlen_i4")
+                .unwrap()
+                .read_string_selection(&Selection::slice(&[0..1]))
+                .is_err()
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn vl_values_in_compounds_and_attributes_read_like_h5py() {
+    // With 4-byte offsets these failed with GlobalHeapObjectNotFound or came
+    // back as `AttrValue::Raw`: the VL type claimed 16-byte elements and the
+    // global heap was read without the padding libhdf5 puts after its
+    // headers.
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let expected = make_files(dir.path());
+    for tag in ["8", "4"] {
+        let file = File::open(dir.path().join(format!("vl{tag}.h5"))).unwrap();
+        let want = |key: &str| utf8(&parse_strings(&expected[&format!("{tag}:{key}")]));
+
+        let attrs = file.root().attrs().unwrap();
+        match &attrs["vlattr"] {
+            AttrValue::String(s) => assert_eq!(*s, want("vlattr")[0], "vl{tag}.h5"),
+            other => panic!("vl{tag}.h5 vlattr: {other:?}"),
+        }
+        match &attrs["vlattr_arr"] {
+            AttrValue::StringArray(s) => assert_eq!(*s, want("vlattr_arr"), "vl{tag}.h5"),
+            other => panic!("vl{tag}.h5 vlattr_arr: {other:?}"),
+        }
+
+        // Compound with a VL string member: dataset and attribute.
+        let ds = file.dataset("compound").unwrap();
+        let dt = ds.raw_datatype().unwrap();
+        let raw = ds.read_selection(&Selection::All).unwrap();
+        let fields = clawhdf5_format::data_read::read_compound_fields(&raw, &dt).unwrap();
+        let name = fields.iter().find(|f| f.name == "name").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            file.decode_strings(&name.datatype, &name.raw_data).unwrap(),
+            want("compound.name"),
+            "vl{tag}.h5 compound"
+        );
+        let id = fields.iter().find(|f| f.name == "id").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            clawhdf5_format::data_read::read_as_i64(&id.raw_data, &id.datatype).unwrap(),
+            vec![1, 2, 3]
+        );
+        let v = fields.iter().find(|f| f.name == "v").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            clawhdf5_format::data_read::read_as_f64(&v.raw_data, &v.datatype).unwrap(),
+            vec![0.5, 1.5, 2.5]
+        );
+
+        let AttrValue::Raw { datatype, data, .. } = &attrs["compound_attr"] else {
+            panic!("compound attribute is Raw");
+        };
+        let fields = clawhdf5_format::data_read::read_compound_fields(data, datatype).unwrap();
+        let name = fields.iter().find(|f| f.name == "name").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            file.decode_strings(&name.datatype, &name.raw_data).unwrap(),
+            want("compound_attr.name"),
+            "vl{tag}.h5 compound attribute"
+        );
+
+        // A VL sequence attribute.
+        let AttrValue::Raw { datatype, data, .. } = &attrs["vlen_attr"] else {
+            panic!("vlen attribute is Raw");
+        };
+        let got: Vec<Vec<i64>> = file.decode_vlen(datatype, data).unwrap();
+        let want_seqs = parse_seqs(&expected[&format!("{tag}:vlen_attr")]);
+        assert_eq!(
+            got,
+            want_seqs
+                .iter()
+                .map(|s| s.iter().map(|&x| x as i64).collect::<Vec<_>>())
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            "vl{tag}.h5 vlen_attr"
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn vl_sequence_datasets_read_like_h5py() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let expected = make_files(dir.path());
+    for tag in ["8", "4"] {
+        let path = dir.path().join(format!("vl{tag}.h5"));
+        let file = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+        let seqs = |key: &str| parse_seqs(&expected[&format!("{tag}:{key}")]);
+
+        let i4 = file.dataset("vlen_i4").unwrap();
+        let want: Vec<Vec<i32>> = seqs("vlen_i4")
+            .iter()
+            .map(|s| s.iter().map(|&x| x as i32).collect())
+            .collect();
+        assert_eq!(i4.read_vlen::<i32>().unwrap(), want, "vl{tag}.h5 vlen_i4");
+        let as_f64: Vec<Vec<f64>> = i4.read_vlen().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(as_f64, seqs("vlen_i4"));
+
+        let f8 = file.dataset("vlen_f8").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            f8.read_vlen::<f64>().unwrap(),
+            seqs("vlen_f8"),
+            "vl{tag}.h5"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            f8.read_vlen_selection::<f64>(&Selection::slice(&[1..2, 0..2]))
+                .unwrap(),
+            seqs("vlen_f8[1,:]"),
+            "vl{tag}.h5 vlen_f8[1,:]"
+        );
+
+        // h5py returns big-endian VL elements byte-swapped (an h5py bug, see
+        // CONFORMANCE.md); the values written are [1, 65535] and [300].
+        assert_eq!(
+            file.dataset("vlen_u2_be")
+                .unwrap()
+                .read_vlen::<u64>()
+                .unwrap(),
+            vec![vec![1, 65535], vec![300]]
+        );
+
+        let mmap = MmapFile::open(&path).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            mmap.dataset("vlen_f8").unwrap().read_vlen::<f64>().unwrap(),
+            seqs("vlen_f8")
+        );
+        let lazy = LazyFile::open_mmap(&path).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            lazy.dataset("vlen_f8").unwrap().read_vlen::<f64>().unwrap(),
+            seqs("vlen_f8")
+        );
+
+        // Wrong kind of data is an error, not a value.
+        assert!(i4.read_string().is_err());
+        assert!(i4.read_string_bytes().is_err());
+        assert!(file.dataset("d1").unwrap().read_vlen::<f64>().is_err());
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn vl_strings_end_at_nul_and_mis_sized_elements_fail_like_h5py() {
+    // h5py cannot write a VL string with a NUL in it, so the file is patched:
+    // one string gets an embedded NUL, and two elements get a length that
+    // disagrees with their heap object. libhdf5 returns the string up to the
+    // NUL and refuses the others ("Expected global heap object size does
+    // not match"); we used to return the NUL and a truncated string.
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("patched.h5");
+    let script = format!(
+        r#"
+import struct, h5py, numpy as np
+path = {path:?}
+with h5py.File(path, 'w') as f:
+    f.create_dataset('d', data=np.array(['aXb', 'cdefgh', 'ij', 'ok'], dtype=object),
+                     dtype=h5py.string_dtype())
+    s = f.create_dataset('seq', shape=(2,), dtype=h5py.vlen_dtype(np.dtype('<i4')))
+    s[0] = np.array([1, 2, 3], dtype='<i4'); s[1] = np.array([4], dtype='<i4')
+    off = f['d'].id.get_offset(); soff = f['seq'].id.get_offset()
+b = bytearray(open(path, 'rb').read())
+i = b.index(b'aXb'); b[i + 1] = 0
+struct.pack_into('<I', b, off + 16, 3)    # 'cdefgh': length 6 -> 3
+struct.pack_into('<I', b, off + 32, 9)    # 'ij': length 2 -> 9
+struct.pack_into('<I', b, soff, 2)        # [1, 2, 3]: length 3 -> 2
+open(path, 'wb').write(bytes(b))
+with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:
+    for i in range(4):
+        try:
+            print('d%d\t%s' % (i, f['d'][i].hex()))
+        except OSError as e:
+            print('d%d\terror' % i)
+    for i in range(2):
+        try:
+            print('seq%d\t%s' % (i, ' '.join(str(x) for x in f['seq'][i])))
+        except OSError as e:
+            print('seq%d\terror' % i)
+"#,
+        path = path.display().to_string()
+    );
+    let expected = run_python(&script);
+    assert_eq!(expected["d0"], "61", "h5py cuts 'a\\0b' at the NUL");
+    assert_eq!(expected["d1"], "error");
+    assert_eq!(expected["d2"], "error");
+    assert_eq!(expected["d3"], "6f6b");
+    assert_eq!(expected["seq0"], "error");
+    assert_eq!(expected["seq1"], "4");
+
+    let file = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    let d = file.dataset("d").unwrap();
+    let one = |i: u64| d.read_string_selection(&Selection::slice(&[i..i + 1]));
+    assert_eq!(one(0).unwrap(), vec!["a"]);
+    assert!(one(1).is_err());
+    assert!(one(2).is_err());
+    assert_eq!(one(3).unwrap(), vec!["ok"]);
+    assert!(d.read_string().is_err());
+    let seq = file.dataset("seq").unwrap();
+    let one = |i: u64| seq.read_vlen_selection::<i32>(&Selection::slice(&[i..i + 1]));
+    assert!(one(0).is_err());
+    assert_eq!(one(1).unwrap(), vec![vec![4]]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_vl_element_at_the_undefined_heap_address_fails_like_h5py() {
+    // libhdf5 writes a null element with heap address 0 (h5py reads it as
+    // b''), and an empty string as a real zero-size heap object; neither
+    // uses the undefined address. An element of length 0 at the undefined
+    // address fails in libhdf5 ("addr undefined"); we returned "".
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("undef.h5");
+    let script = format!(
+        r#"
+import struct, h5py, numpy as np
+path = {path:?}
+with h5py.File(path, 'w') as f:
+    f.create_dataset('d', data=np.array(['x', '', 'yz', ''], dtype=object), dtype=h5py.string_dtype())
+    off = f['d'].id.get_offset()
+b = bytearray(open(path, 'rb').read())
+# h5py's '' (element 3): length 0 at a real heap address, not 0 or all 0xff.
+length, addr, _ = struct.unpack_from('<IQI', b, off + 48)
+print('empty\t%d %d' % (length, addr not in (0, 2**64 - 1)))
+struct.pack_into('<IQI', b, off + 16, 0, 2**64 - 1, 1)
+open(path, 'wb').write(bytes(b))
+with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:
+    for i in range(4):
+        try:
+            print('d%d\t%s' % (i, f['d'][i].hex()))
+        except OSError as e:
+            print('d%d\terror %s' % (i, 'addr undefined' in str(e)))
+"#,
+        path = path.display().to_string()
+    );
+    let expected = run_python(&script);
+    assert_eq!(expected["empty"], "0 1", "h5py writes '' at a real address");
+    assert_eq!(expected["d0"], "78");
+    assert_eq!(expected["d1"], "error True");
+    assert_eq!(expected["d2"], "797a");
+    assert_eq!(expected["d3"], "");
+
+    let file = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    let d = file.dataset("d").unwrap();
+    let one = |i: u64| d.read_string_selection(&Selection::slice(&[i..i + 1]));
+    assert_eq!(one(0).unwrap(), vec!["x"]);
+    let e = one(1).unwrap_err().to_string();
+    assert!(e.contains("undefined global heap address"), "{e}");
+    assert_eq!(one(2).unwrap(), vec!["yz"]);
+    assert_eq!(one(3).unwrap(), vec![""]);
+    assert!(d.read_string().is_err());
+    assert!(d.read_string_bytes().is_err());
+}

crates/clawhdf5/tests/vl_offset4_interop.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+//! Variable-length values in files with 4-byte offsets and lengths
+//! (`sizeof_addr = 4`), checked against h5py/libhdf5 through the
+//! `clawhdf5_format` decoders.
+//!
+//! These failed with `GlobalHeapObjectNotFound` or came back as
+//! `AttrValue::Raw`: the VL datatype claimed 16-byte elements whatever the
+//! file's offset size, and the global heap was read without the padding
+//! libhdf5 puts after its collection and object headers. Skipped when
+//! python3 with h5py is unavailable, unless `CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1`.
+
+use std::process::Command;
+
+use clawhdf5::{AttrValue, File, Selection};
+use clawhdf5_format::data_read::{read_as_i64, read_compound_fields};
+use clawhdf5_format::vl_data::{read_vl_bytes, read_vl_strings};
+
+fn python() -> String {
+    std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_PYTHON").unwrap_or_else(|_| "python3".to_string())
+}
+
+fn interop_required() -> bool {
+    std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP").is_ok_and(|v| v == "1")
+}
+
+fn python_available() -> bool {
+    Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", "import h5py, numpy"])
+        .output()
+        .map(|o| o.status.success())
+        .unwrap_or(false)
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn vl_values_in_a_file_with_4_byte_offsets_read_like_h5py() {
+    if !python_available() {
+        assert!(
+            !interop_required(),
+            "CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1 but python3 with h5py is not available"
+        );
+        eprintln!("SKIP: python3 with h5py not available");
+        return;
+    }
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = dir.path().join("offset4.h5");
+    let script = format!(
+        r#"
+import h5py, numpy as np
+S = h5py.string_dtype()
+fcpl = h5py.h5p.create(h5py.h5p.FILE_CREATE); fcpl.set_sizes(4, 4)
+with h5py.File(h5py.h5f.create({path:?}.encode(), h5py.h5f.ACC_TRUNC, fcpl=fcpl)) as f:
+    f.attrs['vlattr'] = 'attr-value'
+    f.attrs.create('vlattr_arr', np.array(['p', 'qq', ''], dtype=object), dtype=S)
+    ct = np.dtype([('id', '<i4'), ('name', S), ('v', '<f8')])
+    arr = np.zeros(3, dtype=ct); arr['id'] = [1, 2, 3]; arr['name'] = ['one', '', 'three']
+    f.create_dataset('compound', data=arr)
+    f.attrs.create('vlen_attr', np.array([np.array([1, 2], dtype='<i8'), np.array([3], dtype='<i8')],
+                   dtype=object), dtype=h5py.vlen_dtype(np.dtype('<i8')))
+with h5py.File({path:?}, 'r') as f:
+    assert f.id.get_create_plist().get_sizes() == (4, 4)
+    print(f.attrs['vlattr'])
+    print(','.join(f.attrs['vlattr_arr']))
+    print(','.join(s.decode() for s in f['compound']['name']))
+    print(';'.join(' '.join(str(x) for x in s) for s in f.attrs['vlen_attr']))
+"#,
+        path = path.display().to_string()
+    );
+    let output = Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", &script])
+        .output()
+        .expect("failed to run python");
+    assert!(
+        output.status.success(),
+        "python failed:\n{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+    );
+    let stdout = String::from_utf8(output.stdout).unwrap();
+    let lines: Vec<&str> = stdout.lines().collect();
+    let (vlattr, vlattr_arr, names, seqs) = (lines[0], lines[1], lines[2], lines[3]);
+
+    let file = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    let sb = file.superblock();
+    assert_eq!((sb.offset_size, sb.length_size), (4, 4));
+
+    let attrs = file.root().attrs().unwrap();
+    match &attrs["vlattr"] {
+        AttrValue::String(s) => assert_eq!(s, vlattr),
+        other => panic!("vlattr: {other:?}"),
+    }
+    match &attrs["vlattr_arr"] {
+        AttrValue::StringArray(s) => assert_eq!(s.join(","), vlattr_arr),
+        other => panic!("vlattr_arr: {other:?}"),
+    }
+
+    // The compound's VL string member.
+    let ds = file.dataset("compound").unwrap();
+    let dt = ds.raw_datatype().unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(dt.type_size(), 24, "4 + 12-byte VL element + 8");
+    let raw = ds.read_selection(&Selection::All).unwrap();
+    let fields = read_compound_fields(&raw, &dt).unwrap();
+    let name = fields.iter().find(|f| f.name == "name").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(name.datatype.type_size(), 12);
+    let got = read_vl_strings(file.as_bytes(), &name.raw_data, 3, 4, 4).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(got.join(","), names);
+    let id = fields.iter().find(|f| f.name == "id").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        read_as_i64(&id.raw_data, &id.datatype).unwrap(),
+        vec![1, 2, 3]
+    );
+
+    // A VL sequence attribute.
+    let AttrValue::Raw { datatype, data, .. } = &attrs["vlen_attr"] else {
+        panic!("vlen_attr is Raw");
+    };
+    let clawhdf5_format::datatype::Datatype::VariableLength { base_type, .. } = datatype else {
+        panic!("vlen_attr is VL");
+    };
+    let got: Vec<String> = read_vl_bytes(file.as_bytes(), data, 2, 4, 4)
+        .unwrap()
+        .iter()
+        .map(|b| {
+            let v = read_as_i64(b, base_type).unwrap();
+            v.iter().map(i64::to_string).collect::<Vec<_>>().join(" ")
+        })
+        .collect();
+    assert_eq!(got.join(";"), seqs);
+}

crates/clawhdf5/tests/writer_groups_interop.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,940 @@
+//! Groups and links written by `FileBuilder`, read back by h5py (libhdf5)
+//! and h5dump, and by clawhdf5 itself.
+//!
+//! Skipped when python3 with h5py is unavailable, unless
+//! `CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1`.
+
+use std::process::Command;
+
+use clawhdf5::{AttrValue, File, FileBuilder, Group};
+
+fn python() -> String {
+    std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_PYTHON").unwrap_or_else(|_| "python3".to_string())
+}
+
+fn interop_required() -> bool {
+    std::env::var("CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP").is_ok_and(|v| v == "1")
+}
+
+fn python_available() -> bool {
+    Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", "import h5py"])
+        .output()
+        .map(|o| o.status.success())
+        .unwrap_or(false)
+}
+
+fn h5dump_available() -> bool {
+    Command::new("h5dump")
+        .arg("--version")
+        .output()
+        .map(|o| o.status.success())
+        .unwrap_or(false)
+}
+
+macro_rules! skip_if_no_python {
+    () => {
+        if !python_available() {
+            assert!(
+                !interop_required(),
+                "CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1 but python3 with h5py is not available"
+            );
+            eprintln!("SKIP: python3 with h5py not available");
+            return;
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+fn run_python(script: &str) -> String {
+    let output = Command::new(python())
+        .args(["-c", script])
+        .output()
+        .expect("failed to run python");
+    if !output.status.success() {
+        panic!(
+            "Python script failed:\nSTDOUT: {}\nSTDERR: {}",
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout),
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+        );
+    }
+    String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout).trim().to_string()
+}
+
+/// Run `body` under h5py with `path` bound to the file's path.
+fn h5py(path: &str, body: &str) -> String {
+    run_python(&format!(
+        "import h5py, numpy as np, json\npath = r'{path}'\n{body}"
+    ))
+}
+
+fn write(dir: &tempfile::TempDir, name: &str, b: FileBuilder) -> String {
+    let path = dir.path().join(name).display().to_string();
+    b.write(&path).unwrap();
+    path
+}
+
+/// h5dump must read the whole file without an error.
+fn h5dump_ok(path: &str) -> String {
+    if !h5dump_available() {
+        assert!(!interop_required(), "h5dump is not available");
+        return String::new();
+    }
+    let o = Command::new("h5dump").arg(path).output().unwrap();
+    let out = String::from_utf8_lossy(&o.stdout).to_string();
+    assert!(
+        o.status.success(),
+        "h5dump failed:\n{out}{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&o.stderr)
+    );
+    out
+}
+
+// ---- libhdf5 can modify the groups we write ----
+
+#[test]
+fn h5py_can_add_links_to_groups_we_wrote() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    // Measured before the fix: h5py in "r+" mode could not add a link to any
+    // group we wrote ("Unable to create link (message type not found)"):
+    // libhdf5 reads a group's Group Info message before inserting a link, and
+    // the writer wrote none.
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    b.create_dataset("x").with_f64_data(&[1.0, 2.0]);
+    let mut g = b.create_group("small");
+    g.create_dataset("a").with_i32_data(&[1]);
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let mut g = b.create_group("big"); // dense link storage
+    for i in 0..20 {
+        g.create_dataset(&format!("d{i:02}")).with_i32_data(&[i]);
+    }
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let path = write(&dir, "modify.h5", b);
+
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r+') as f:\n\
+         \x20   f['alias'] = f['x']\n\
+         \x20   f['small']['new'] = np.arange(3)\n\
+         \x20   f['big']['new'] = np.arange(4)\n\
+         \x20   f.create_group('added/deeper')\n\
+         with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([sorted(f), sorted(f['small']), len(f['big']),\n\
+         \x20       f['alias'][()].tolist(), f['big/new'][()].tolist(), f['big/d07'][()].tolist()]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        out,
+        r#"[["added", "alias", "big", "small", "x"], ["a", "new"], 21, [1.0, 2.0], [0, 1, 2, 3], [7]]"#
+    );
+    h5dump_ok(&path);
+    let f = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        f.dataset("big/new").unwrap().read_i64().unwrap(),
+        [0, 1, 2, 3]
+    );
+    assert_eq!(f.dataset("alias").unwrap().read_f64().unwrap(), [1.0, 2.0]);
+}
+
+// ---- the whole tree, as h5py and as clawhdf5 read it ----
+
+fn fmt_num(x: f64) -> String {
+    format!("{x:.6}")
+}
+
+fn fmt_attr(v: &AttrValue) -> String {
+    let join = |v: Vec<String>| v.join(",");
+    match v {
+        AttrValue::F64(x) => fmt_num(*x),
+        AttrValue::I64(x) => fmt_num(*x as f64),
+        AttrValue::U64(x) => fmt_num(*x as f64),
+        AttrValue::F64Array(a) => join(a.iter().map(|x| fmt_num(*x)).collect()),
+        AttrValue::I64Array(a) => join(a.iter().map(|x| fmt_num(*x as f64)).collect()),
+        AttrValue::U64Array(a) => join(a.iter().map(|x| fmt_num(*x as f64)).collect()),
+        AttrValue::String(s) => s.clone(),
+        AttrValue::StringArray(a) => a.join(","),
+        AttrValue::Raw { .. } => "raw".to_string(),
+    }
+}
+
+fn fmt_attrs(attrs: std::collections::HashMap<String, AttrValue>) -> String {
+    let mut v: Vec<_> = attrs.into_iter().collect();
+    v.sort_by(|a, b| a.0.cmp(&b.0));
+    v.iter()
+        .map(|(k, a)| format!("{k}={}", fmt_attr(a)))
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+        .join(";")
+}
+
+fn child_path(path: &str, name: &str) -> String {
+    if path == "/" {
+        format!("/{name}")
+    } else {
+        format!("{path}/{name}")
+    }
+}
+
+/// Every group and dataset reachable from `g` (following hard and soft
+/// links; the tree must be acyclic), one line each: path, kind, attributes
+/// and (datasets) values.
+fn walk(g: &Group<'_>, path: &str, out: &mut Vec<String>) {
+    out.push(format!("{path}|group|{}", fmt_attrs(g.attrs().unwrap())));
+    let mut names: Vec<(String, bool)> = g
+        .datasets()
+        .unwrap()
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|n| (n, false))
+        .chain(g.groups().unwrap().into_iter().map(|n| (n, true)))
+        .collect();
+    names.sort();
+    for (name, is_group) in names {
+        let p = child_path(path, &name);
+        if is_group {
+            walk(&g.group(&name).unwrap(), &p, out);
+        } else {
+            let ds = g.dataset(&name).unwrap();
+            let values: Vec<String> = ds.read_f64().unwrap().into_iter().map(fmt_num).collect();
+            out.push(format!(
+                "{p}|dataset|{}|{}",
+                fmt_attrs(ds.attrs().unwrap()),
+                values.join(",")
+            ));
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn clawhdf5_tree(path: &str) -> String {
+    let f = File::open(path).unwrap();
+    let mut out = Vec::new();
+    walk(&f.root(), "/", &mut out);
+    out.join("\n")
+}
+
+/// The same listing as [`walk`], from h5py. External and dangling soft
+/// links are skipped, as clawhdf5's group listings skip them.
+const H5PY_WALK: &str = r#"
+def fmt(v):
+    if isinstance(v, bytes): return v.decode()
+    if isinstance(v, str): return v
+    a = np.asarray(v)
+    if a.dtype.kind in 'SUO':
+        return ','.join(x.decode() if isinstance(x, bytes) else str(x) for x in a.ravel())
+    if a.ndim == 0: return '%.6f' % float(a)
+    return ','.join('%.6f' % float(x) for x in a.ravel())
+def attrs(o): return ';'.join(f'{k}={fmt(o.attrs[k])}' for k in sorted(o.attrs))
+out = []
+def walk(g, path):
+    out.append(f'{path}|group|{attrs(g)}')
+    for k in sorted(g.keys()):
+        if isinstance(g.get(k, getlink=True), h5py.ExternalLink): continue
+        o = g.get(k)
+        if o is None: continue
+        p = '/' + k if path == '/' else path + '/' + k
+        if isinstance(o, h5py.Group): walk(o, p)
+        else:
+            vals = ','.join('%.6f' % float(x) for x in np.asarray(o[()]).ravel())
+            out.append(f'{p}|dataset|{attrs(o)}|{vals}')
+with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:
+    walk(f, '/')
+print('\n'.join(out))
+"#;
+
+fn h5py_tree(path: &str) -> String {
+    h5py(path, H5PY_WALK)
+}
+
+/// A four-level tree with attributes on every object: nested builders,
+/// path names (with intermediate groups made on the way) and a group added
+/// twice (merged), with dense attribute storage at one level and dense link
+/// storage at another.
+fn nested_builder() -> FileBuilder {
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    b.set_attr("title", AttrValue::String("nested".into()));
+    let mut l1 = b.create_group("l1");
+    l1.set_attr("depth", AttrValue::I64(1));
+    l1.create_dataset("d1")
+        .with_f64_data(&[1.0, 1.5])
+        .set_attr("unit", AttrValue::String("m".into()));
+    let mut l2 = l1.create_group("l2");
+    l2.set_attr("depth", AttrValue::I64(2));
+    l2.create_dataset("d2").with_i32_data(&[2, 3, 4]);
+    let mut l3 = l2.create_group("l3");
+    for i in 0..10 {
+        l3.set_attr(&format!("a{i}"), AttrValue::F64(i as f64 / 4.0)); // dense
+    }
+    for i in 0..12 {
+        l3.create_dataset(&format!("x{i:02}")) // dense links
+            .with_i64_data(&[i, -i])
+            .set_attr("i", AttrValue::I64(i));
+    }
+    let mut l4 = l3.create_group("l4");
+    l4.set_attr("depth", AttrValue::I64(4));
+    l4.create_dataset("leaf")
+        .with_f64_data(&[4.0, 4.25, 4.5])
+        .set_attr(
+            "tags",
+            AttrValue::StringArray(vec!["a".into(), "bc".into()]),
+        );
+    l3.add_group(l4.finish());
+    l2.add_group(l3.finish());
+    l1.add_group(l2.finish());
+    b.add_group(l1.finish());
+    // Path names: /p, /p/q and /p/q/r are made on the way to the dataset.
+    b.create_dataset("p/q/r/s")
+        .with_f64_data(&[7.0])
+        .set_attr("deep", AttrValue::I64(4));
+    // A group at an existing path is merged into it.
+    let mut pq = b.create_group("p/q");
+    pq.set_attr("merged", AttrValue::I64(1));
+    pq.create_dataset("t").with_i32_data(&[8]);
+    b.add_group(pq.finish());
+    let mut l1b = b.create_group("l1/l2/l3/l4/l5");
+    l1b.set_attr("depth", AttrValue::I64(5));
+    b.add_group(l1b.finish());
+    b
+}
+
+const NESTED_TREE: &str = "\
+/|group|title=nested
+/l1|group|depth=1.000000
+/l1/d1|dataset|unit=m|1.000000,1.500000
+/l1/l2|group|depth=2.000000
+/l1/l2/d2|dataset||2.000000,3.000000,4.000000";
+
+#[test]
+fn nested_groups_read_the_same_in_h5py_and_clawhdf5() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let path = write(&dir, "nested.h5", nested_builder());
+    let ours = clawhdf5_tree(&path);
+    let theirs = h5py_tree(&path);
+    assert_eq!(ours, theirs);
+    assert!(ours.starts_with(NESTED_TREE), "{ours}");
+    for line in [
+        "/l1/l2/l3|group|a0=0.000000;a1=0.250000;a2=0.500000;a3=0.750000;a4=1.000000;\
+         a5=1.250000;a6=1.500000;a7=1.750000;a8=2.000000;a9=2.250000",
+        "/l1/l2/l3/l4|group|depth=4.000000",
+        "/l1/l2/l3/l4/l5|group|depth=5.000000",
+        "/l1/l2/l3/l4/leaf|dataset|tags=a,bc|4.000000,4.250000,4.500000",
+        "/l1/l2/l3/x11|dataset|i=11.000000|11.000000,-11.000000",
+        "/p|group|",
+        "/p/q|group|merged=1.000000",
+        "/p/q/r/s|dataset|deep=4.000000|7.000000",
+        "/p/q/t|dataset||8.000000",
+    ] {
+        assert!(
+            ours.lines().any(|l| l == line),
+            "missing {line:?} in\n{ours}"
+        );
+    }
+    assert_eq!(ours.lines().count(), 26, "{ours}");
+    let dump = h5dump_ok(&path);
+    if !dump.is_empty() {
+        assert!(dump.contains("GROUP \"l5\""), "{dump}");
+        assert!(dump.contains("DATASET \"leaf\""), "{dump}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn soft_hard_and_external_links() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut other = FileBuilder::new();
+    other.create_dataset("data").with_i32_data(&[42, 43]);
+    write(&dir, "other.h5", other);
+
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    b.create_dataset("x/y").with_f64_data(&[1.0, 2.0, 3.0]);
+    b.create_dataset("x/z").with_i32_data(&[9]);
+    b.add_soft_link("soft_abs", "/x/y");
+    b.add_soft_link("dangling", "/nowhere");
+    b.add_hard_link("alias", "/x/y");
+    b.add_hard_link("x_again", "x");
+    b.add_external_link("ext", "other.h5", "/data");
+    let mut g = b.create_group("a/b/c");
+    g.add_soft_link("rel", "sib"); // relative to /a/b/c
+    g.create_dataset("sib").with_i32_data(&[5]);
+    g.add_hard_link("deep_alias", "/x_again/z"); // through a hard link
+    g.add_soft_link("to_group", "/x");
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let path = write(&dir, "links.h5", b);
+
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "import os\nos.chdir(os.path.dirname(path))\n\
+         with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   def kind(g, k):\n\
+         \x20       l = g.get(k, getlink=True)\n\
+         \x20       if isinstance(l, h5py.SoftLink): return 'soft:' + l.path\n\
+         \x20       if isinstance(l, h5py.ExternalLink): return 'ext:' + l.filename + ':' + l.path\n\
+         \x20       return 'hard'\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps({\n\
+         \x20       'root': {k: kind(f, k) for k in f},\n\
+         \x20       'abc': {k: kind(f['a/b/c'], k) for k in f['a/b/c']},\n\
+         \x20       'same': [f['alias'].id == f['x/y'].id, f['x_again'].id == f['x'].id,\n\
+         \x20                f['a/b/c/deep_alias'].id == f['x/z'].id],\n\
+         \x20       'rc': [h5py.h5o.get_info(f['x/y'].id).rc, h5py.h5o.get_info(f['x'].id).rc,\n\
+         \x20              h5py.h5o.get_info(f['x/z'].id).rc, h5py.h5o.get_info(f['a'].id).rc],\n\
+         \x20       'vals': [f['soft_abs'][()].tolist(), f['ext'][()].tolist(),\n\
+         \x20                f['a/b/c/rel'][()].tolist(), sorted(f['a/b/c/to_group'])],\n\
+         \x20       'dangling': f.get('dangling') is None,\n\
+         \x20   }, sort_keys=True))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        out,
+        r#"{"abc": {"deep_alias": "hard", "rel": "soft:sib", "sib": "hard", "to_group": "soft:/x"}, "dangling": true, "rc": [2, 2, 2, 1], "root": {"a": "hard", "alias": "hard", "dangling": "soft:/nowhere", "ext": "ext:other.h5:/data", "soft_abs": "soft:/x/y", "x": "hard", "x_again": "hard"}, "same": [true, true, true], "vals": [[1.0, 2.0, 3.0], [42, 43], [5], ["y", "z"]]}"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(clawhdf5_tree(&path), h5py_tree(&path));
+    h5dump_ok(&path);
+
+    let f = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        f.dataset("alias").unwrap().read_f64().unwrap(),
+        [1.0, 2.0, 3.0]
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        f.dataset("soft_abs").unwrap().read_f64().unwrap(),
+        [1.0, 2.0, 3.0]
+    );
+    assert_eq!(f.dataset("a/b/c/rel").unwrap().read_i32().unwrap(), [5]);
+    assert_eq!(
+        f.dataset("a/b/c/deep_alias").unwrap().read_i32().unwrap(),
+        [9]
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        f.dataset("x_again/y").unwrap().read_f64().unwrap(),
+        [1.0, 2.0, 3.0]
+    );
+    drop(f);
+
+    // The reference counts let libhdf5 delete one of two hard links and
+    // keep the object; with a count of 1 it would free an object still
+    // linked from elsewhere.
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r+') as f:\n\
+         \x20   del f['alias']\n\
+         \x20   del f['x_again']\n\
+         \x20   f.create_dataset('filler', data=np.arange(1000))\n\
+         with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([f['x/y'][()].tolist(), sorted(f['x']), h5py.h5o.get_info(f['x/y'].id).rc]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(out, r#"[[1.0, 2.0, 3.0], ["y", "z"], 1]"#);
+    h5dump_ok(&path);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_hard_link_can_make_a_cycle() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    let mut g = b.create_group("g");
+    g.create_dataset("v").with_i32_data(&[1]);
+    g.add_hard_link("up", "/");
+    g.add_hard_link("me", ".");
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let path = write(&dir, "cycle.h5", b);
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([sorted(f['g/up/g']), f['g/up/g/me/me/v'][()].tolist(),\n\
+         \x20       h5py.h5o.get_info(f.id).rc, h5py.h5o.get_info(f['g'].id).rc]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(out, r#"[["me", "up", "v"], [1], 2, 2]"#);
+    h5dump_ok(&path);
+    let f = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(f.dataset("g/up/g/me/v").unwrap().read_i32().unwrap(), [1]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn bad_links_are_errors() {
+    for setup in [
+        |b: &mut FileBuilder| {
+            b.add_hard_link("h", "/missing");
+        },
+        |b: &mut FileBuilder| {
+            b.create_dataset("x").with_i32_data(&[1]);
+            b.add_soft_link("s", "/x");
+            b.add_hard_link("h", "/s"); // through a soft link
+        },
+        |b: &mut FileBuilder| {
+            b.add_hard_link("h1", "/h2");
+            b.add_hard_link("h2", "/h1");
+        },
+        |b: &mut FileBuilder| {
+            b.create_dataset("x").with_i32_data(&[1]);
+            b.add_hard_link("h", "/x/y"); // a dataset is not a group
+        },
+        |b: &mut FileBuilder| {
+            b.add_soft_link("s", "");
+        },
+        |b: &mut FileBuilder| {
+            b.add_external_link("e", "", "/x");
+        },
+        |b: &mut FileBuilder| {
+            b.create_dataset("x").with_i32_data(&[1]);
+            b.add_soft_link("x", "/y"); // name taken
+        },
+    ] {
+        let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+        setup(&mut b);
+        assert!(b.finish().is_err());
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn ten_thousand_links_in_one_group() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    let mut g = b.create_group("many");
+    for i in 0..10_000 {
+        g.create_dataset(&format!("d{i:05}")).with_i32_data(&[i]);
+    }
+    g.set_attr("n", AttrValue::I64(10_000));
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    // The same in creation order, added in reverse name order, with soft
+    // links among them.
+    let mut g = b.create_group("ordered");
+    g.track_order(true);
+    for i in (0..10_000).rev() {
+        if i % 1000 == 0 {
+            g.add_soft_link(&format!("s{i:05}"), &format!("/many/d{i:05}"));
+        }
+        g.create_dataset(&format!("d{i:05}")).with_i32_data(&[i]);
+    }
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let path = write(&dir, "many.h5", b);
+
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   m, o = f['many'], f['ordered']\n\
+         \x20   names = list(m)\n\
+         \x20   onames = list(o)\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([len(names), names == sorted(names), names[:2], int(m.attrs['n']),\n\
+         \x20       [int(m['d%05d' % i][0]) for i in (0, 1, 4096, 9999)],\n\
+         \x20       len(onames), onames[:3], onames[-2:], int(o['s05000'][0]),\n\
+         \x20       o.id.get_create_plist().get_link_creation_order()]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        out,
+        r#"[10000, true, ["d00000", "d00001"], 10000, [0, 1, 4096, 9999], 10010, ["d09999", "d09998", "d09997"], ["s00000", "d00000"], 5000, 3]"#
+    );
+    h5dump_ok(&path);
+    let f = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    let g = f.group("many").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(g.datasets().unwrap().len(), 10_000);
+    assert_eq!(g.dataset("d09999").unwrap().read_i32().unwrap(), [9999]);
+    assert_eq!(
+        f.dataset("ordered/s05000").unwrap().read_i32().unwrap(),
+        [5000]
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn more_links_than_one_index_leaf_holds_is_an_error() {
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    for i in 0..70_000 {
+        b.add_soft_link(&format!("s{i}"), "/x");
+    }
+    let err = b.finish().unwrap_err().to_string();
+    assert!(
+        err.contains("70000 links in one group: at most 65535"),
+        "{err}"
+    );
+    // Dense attributes have the same one-leaf index. Their count used to
+    // be written modulo 65 536.
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    let x = b.create_dataset("x");
+    x.with_i32_data(&[1]);
+    for i in 0..70_000 {
+        x.set_attr(&format!("a{i}"), AttrValue::I64(i));
+    }
+    let err = b.finish().unwrap_err().to_string();
+    assert!(
+        err.contains("70000 attributes on one object: at most 65535"),
+        "{err}"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn track_order_lists_members_in_creation_order() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let names = ["zeta", "alpha", "mid", "beta"];
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    b.track_order(true); // the root and every group without its own setting
+    for n in names {
+        b.create_dataset(n).with_i32_data(&[1]);
+    }
+    let mut g = b.create_group("by_name");
+    g.track_order(false);
+    for n in names {
+        g.create_dataset(n).with_i32_data(&[2]);
+    }
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let mut g = b.create_group("dense");
+    for i in (0..20).rev() {
+        g.create_dataset(&format!("n{i:02}")).with_i32_data(&[i]);
+    }
+    g.add_soft_link("soft", "/zeta");
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    b.create_dataset("made/on/the/way").with_i32_data(&[3]);
+    let path = write(&dir, "order.h5", b);
+
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([list(f), list(f['by_name']), list(f['dense'])[:3],\n\
+         \x20       list(f['dense'])[-2:], list(f['made/on'])]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        out,
+        r#"[["zeta", "alpha", "mid", "beta", "by_name", "dense", "made"], ["alpha", "beta", "mid", "zeta"], ["n19", "n18", "n17"], ["n00", "soft"], ["the"]]"#
+    );
+    h5dump_ok(&path);
+    assert_eq!(clawhdf5_tree(&path), h5py_tree(&path));
+
+    // libhdf5 keeps the order when it adds to (and converts) these groups.
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r+') as f:\n\
+         \x20   f['aaa'] = np.arange(2)\n\
+         \x20   f['dense']['aaa'] = np.arange(2)\n\
+         \x20   del f['dense/n10']\n\
+         with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([list(f)[-1], list(f['dense'])[-2:], len(f['dense'])]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(out, r#"["aaa", ["soft", "aaa"], 21]"#);
+    h5dump_ok(&path);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn non_ascii_names_are_utf8() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    b.create_dataset("größe/wert").with_i32_data(&[1]);
+    let path = write(&dir, "utf8.h5", b);
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   l = f.id.links.get_info('größe'.encode())\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([list(f), list(f['größe']), l.cset], ensure_ascii=False))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(out, r#"[["größe"], ["wert"], 1]"#);
+    let f = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(f.dataset("größe/wert").unwrap().read_i32().unwrap(), [1]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_group_attribute_set_again_takes_the_new_value() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    // Setting a group attribute twice wrote two attribute messages with one
+    // name. Now the later value replaces the earlier, as `attrs[name] = v`
+    // does in h5py — also across a group merged from two builders.
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    b.set_attr("v", AttrValue::I64(1));
+    b.set_attr("v", AttrValue::I64(2));
+    let mut g = b.create_group("g");
+    g.set_attr("w", AttrValue::I64(1));
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let mut g = b.create_group("g");
+    g.set_attr("w", AttrValue::String("two".into()));
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let path = write(&dir, "attrs.h5", b);
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([list(f.attrs), int(f.attrs['v']), list(f['g'].attrs),\n\
+         \x20       f['g'].attrs['w'].decode()]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(out, r#"[["v"], 2, ["w"], "two"]"#);
+    let f = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    assert!(matches!(f.root().attrs().unwrap()["v"], AttrValue::I64(2)));
+}
+
+// ---- big dense storage: child indirect blocks in the fractal heap ----
+
+/// A name `len` bytes long, unique per `i`.
+fn long_name(i: usize, len: usize) -> String {
+    let n = format!("link_{i:06}_");
+    format!("{n}{}", "x".repeat(len - n.len()))
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn dense_links_past_the_direct_blocks_of_the_root() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    // A dense group's links live in a fractal heap whose root indirect
+    // block holds direct blocks up to 64 KiB: 512 KiB of link messages.
+    // Rows past that are child indirect blocks. The writer used to write
+    // them as direct blocks, which libhdf5 cannot read ("incorrect metadata
+    // checksum"), from about 17 000 links with 20-byte names.
+    // `g` crosses the first boundary (0.6 MB of links); `deep` has 65 535
+    // links of about 110 bytes (7 MB), so its heap reaches the child indirect
+    // blocks that hold indirect blocks themselves.
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    b.create_dataset("x").with_i32_data(&[7]);
+    let mut g = b.create_group("g");
+    for i in 0..20_000 {
+        g.create_dataset(&format!("dataset_number_{i:06}"))
+            .with_i32_data(&[i]);
+    }
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let mut g = b.create_group("deep");
+    g.track_order(true);
+    for i in 0..usize::from(u16::MAX) {
+        g.add_hard_link(&long_name(i, 100), "/x");
+    }
+    b.add_group(g.finish());
+    let path = write(&dir, "big_links.h5", b);
+
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   g, d = f['g'], f['deep']\n\
+         \x20   names = list(g)\n\
+         \x20   dn = list(d)\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([len(names), names[-1], int(g[names[-1]][0]),\n\
+         \x20       sum(int(g[n][0]) for n in names), len(dn), dn[0][:12], dn[-1][:12],\n\
+         \x20       int(d[dn[-1]][0]), h5py.h5o.get_info(f['x'].id).rc]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        out,
+        r#"[20000, "dataset_number_019999", 19999, 199990000, 65535, "link_000000_", "link_065534_", 7, 65536]"#
+    );
+    h5dump_ok(&path);
+    let f = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    let g = f.group("g").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(g.datasets().unwrap().len(), 20_000);
+    assert_eq!(
+        g.dataset("dataset_number_019999")
+            .unwrap()
+            .read_i32()
+            .unwrap(),
+        [19999]
+    );
+    let d = f.group("deep").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(d.datasets().unwrap().len(), usize::from(u16::MAX));
+    assert_eq!(
+        d.dataset(&long_name(65_534, 100))
+            .unwrap()
+            .read_i32()
+            .unwrap(),
+        [7]
+    );
+
+    // libhdf5 can add to and delete from the heap. It could not when the
+    // header's block allocation offset was 0: its next block overwrote the
+    // first ("bad version number for message"). Adding to `deep` also
+    // needs its index's leaf node to have room for at most 65 535 records:
+    // a bigger node made libhdf5 overflow the leaf's 2-byte record count
+    // (a crash, or "unknown link class" when listing).
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r+') as f:\n\
+         \x20   f['g']['zz_new'] = np.arange(3)\n\
+         \x20   f['deep']['zz_new'] = np.arange(4)\n\
+         \x20   del f['g/dataset_number_000005']\n\
+         with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([len(f['g']), int(f['g/zz_new'][2]), len(f['deep']),\n\
+         \x20       list(f['deep'])[-1], int(f['g/dataset_number_019998'][0])]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(out, r#"[20000, 2, 65536, "zz_new", 19998]"#);
+    h5dump_ok(&path);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn dense_attributes_past_the_direct_blocks_of_the_root() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    // Dense attributes share the heap writer. 150 attributes of up to 56 KB
+    // (8 MB) need child indirect blocks, and a big attribute after small
+    // ones must skip the small blocks rather than overrun one.
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    let ds = b.create_dataset("x");
+    ds.with_i32_data(&[1]);
+    for i in 0..150usize {
+        let len = if i % 3 == 0 { 7_000 } else { 1 + i };
+        let v: Vec<f64> = (0..len).map(|k| (i * 100_000 + k) as f64).collect();
+        ds.set_attr(&format!("a{i:03}"), AttrValue::F64Array(v));
+    }
+    let path = write(&dir, "big_attrs.h5", b);
+
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   a = f['x'].attrs\n\
+         \x20   ok = all(np.array_equal(a['a%03d' % i],\n\
+         \x20       np.arange(7000 if i % 3 == 0 else 1 + i) + i * 100000) for i in range(150))\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([len(a), ok]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(out, "[150, true]");
+    h5dump_ok(&path);
+    let f = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    let attrs = f.dataset("x").unwrap().attrs().unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(attrs.len(), 150);
+    for i in [0usize, 1, 147, 149] {
+        let len = if i % 3 == 0 { 7_000 } else { 1 + i };
+        let want: Vec<f64> = (0..len).map(|k| (i * 100_000 + k) as f64).collect();
+        match &attrs[&format!("a{i:03}")] {
+            AttrValue::F64Array(v) => assert_eq!(*v, want, "a{i:03}"),
+            other => panic!("a{i:03}: {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_link_too_big_for_dense_storage_is_an_error() {
+    // A link message must fit one fractal heap direct block (64 KiB less
+    // its header); the writer has no huge-object path. It used to be
+    // written anyway, cut off, and libhdf5 could not list the group.
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    for i in 0..10 {
+        b.create_dataset(&format!("d{i}")).with_i32_data(&[i]);
+    }
+    b.add_soft_link("s", &"/y".repeat(40_000));
+    let err = b.finish().unwrap_err().to_string();
+    assert!(err.contains("fractal heap object holds at most"), "{err}");
+    // The same for a dense attribute.
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    let x = b.create_dataset("x");
+    x.with_i32_data(&[1]);
+    for i in 0..9 {
+        x.set_attr(&format!("a{i}"), AttrValue::I64(i));
+    }
+    x.set_attr("big", AttrValue::F64Array(vec![0.5; 9_000]));
+    let err = b.finish().unwrap_err().to_string();
+    assert!(err.contains("fractal heap object holds at most"), "{err}");
+
+    // Just under the limit is fine, and libhdf5 reads it back.
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    for i in 0..10 {
+        b.create_dataset(&format!("d{i}")).with_i32_data(&[i]);
+    }
+    let target = format!("/{}", "y".repeat(65_000));
+    b.add_soft_link("s", &target);
+    let path = write(&dir, "long_soft.h5", b);
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([len(f), len(f.get('s', getlink=True).path)]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(out, "[11, 65001]");
+    h5dump_ok(&path);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn chained_hard_links_resolve_in_linear_time() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    // Each link's target goes through the previous link twice. Resolving
+    // them without remembering resolved links doubled the work per link:
+    // 26 links took 46 s in a debug build, so 60 would never finish.
+    fn chain(reverse: bool) -> FileBuilder {
+        let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+        let mut g = b.create_group("g");
+        g.create_dataset("v").with_i32_data(&[5]);
+        b.add_group(g.finish());
+        let mut order: Vec<usize> = (0..60).collect();
+        if reverse {
+            order.reverse();
+        }
+        for i in order {
+            if i == 0 {
+                b.add_hard_link("g/s0", "/g");
+            } else {
+                b.add_hard_link(&format!("g/s{i}"), &format!("/g/s{}/s{}", i - 1, i - 1));
+            }
+        }
+        b
+    }
+    let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
+    std::thread::spawn(move || {
+        let bytes = [false, true].map(|r| chain(r).finish().unwrap());
+        tx.send(bytes).unwrap();
+    });
+    let [forward, reverse] = rx
+        .recv_timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(60))
+        .expect("resolving 60 chained hard links took over a minute");
+
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    for (name, bytes) in [("forward.h5", forward), ("reverse.h5", reverse)] {
+        let path = dir.path().join(name).display().to_string();
+        std::fs::write(&path, bytes).unwrap();
+        let out = h5py(
+            &path,
+            "with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+             \x20   print(json.dumps([h5py.h5o.get_info(f['g'].id).rc, len(f['g']),\n\
+             \x20       int(f['g/s59/s30/s0/v'][0]), f['g/s59'] == f['g']]))",
+        );
+        assert_eq!(out, "[61, 61, 5, true]", "{name}");
+        let f = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(f.dataset("g/s59/s0/v").unwrap().read_i32().unwrap(), [5]);
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_dataset_attribute_set_again_takes_the_new_value() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    // Setting a dataset attribute twice wrote two attribute messages with
+    // one name, and h5py read back the first value. Also with dense
+    // attribute storage (more than 8).
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    b.create_dataset("x")
+        .with_f64_data(&[1.0])
+        .set_attr("a", AttrValue::I64(1))
+        .set_attr("a", AttrValue::I64(2));
+    let d = b.create_dataset("dense");
+    d.with_i32_data(&[1]);
+    for i in 0..12 {
+        d.set_attr(&format!("k{i:02}"), AttrValue::I64(i));
+    }
+    d.set_attr("k03", AttrValue::String("three".into()));
+    let path = write(&dir, "ds_attrs.h5", b);
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   a, d = f['x'].attrs, f['dense'].attrs\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([list(a), int(a['a']), len(d), d['k03'].decode(), int(d['k04'])]))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(out, r#"[["a"], 2, 12, "three", 4]"#);
+    let f = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    assert!(matches!(
+        f.dataset("x").unwrap().attrs().unwrap()["a"],
+        AttrValue::I64(2)
+    ));
+}
+
+#[cfg(feature = "provenance")]
+#[test]
+fn provenance_attributes_replace_ones_set_by_hand() {
+    skip_if_no_python!();
+    // A hand-set attribute with a provenance attribute's name was written
+    // next to the computed one, and h5py read the hand-set value.
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let mut b = FileBuilder::new();
+    b.create_dataset("p")
+        .with_i32_data(&[1, 2])
+        .with_provenance("me", "2026-09-26T00:00:00Z", None)
+        .set_attr("_provenance_sha256", AttrValue::String("forged".into()));
+    let path = write(&dir, "prov.h5", b);
+    let out = h5py(
+        &path,
+        "with h5py.File(path, 'r') as f:\n\
+         \x20   a = f['p'].attrs\n\
+         \x20   h = a['_provenance_sha256']\n\
+         \x20   h = h.decode() if isinstance(h, bytes) else h\n\
+         \x20   print(json.dumps([list(a).count('_provenance_sha256'), h != 'forged']))",
+    );
+    assert_eq!(out, "[1, true]");
+    let f = File::open(&path).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        f.dataset("p").unwrap().verify_provenance().unwrap(),
+        clawhdf5_format::provenance::VerifyResult::Ok
+    );
+}

docs/QUICKSTART.md

@@ -395,19 +395,22 @@ clawhdf5 --path agent.h5 snapshot backup_2026-03-19.h5
 Read HDF5 files from Python without libhdf5:
 
 ```bash
-pip install clawhdf5  # coming soon — build from source for now
+# Not on PyPI yet: build from source into a virtualenv
-cd crates/clawhdf5-py && maturin develop
+pip install maturin numpy
+cd crates/clawhdf5-py && maturin develop --release
 ```
 
 ```python
 import clawhdf5
 
-# Read
+# Read (h5py-style)
-f = clawhdf5.open("data.h5")
+with clawhdf5.File("data.h5", "r") as f:
-temps = f.read_f64("temperatures")
+    temps = f["temperatures"][:]
-print(temps)  # [22.5, 23.1, 21.8]
+    print(temps)  # [22.5 23.1 21.8]
 ```
 
+See `crates/clawhdf5-py/README.md` for the supported types and indexing.
+
 ---
 
 ## Common Patterns

docs/known-issues.md

@@ -7,16 +7,60 @@ deleting it.
 
 ---
 
+## Selection reads that decode more than the selection
+
+**Status:** open (documented 2026-09-26). `Dataset::read_selection` (and so
+the Python `ds[...]`) materialises only the selection's bounding box when
+that box covers at most half the dataset (`partial_read`). It decodes the
+whole dataset and extracts the selection instead when:
+- the bounding box covers more than half the dataset — which a strided
+  selection across a chunked dataset (`ds[::100]`) always does, although
+  it may touch few chunks;
+- the dataset is compact or virtual, or has no storage;
+- it is chunked with a non-default fill value (the box path does not fill
+  unallocated chunks, so the fill-aware full read is used).
+Values are correct in every case; this is cost only. Selections other than
+`Selection::All` also bypass the file's chunk cache. The bounding-box
+heuristic's other cost is measured under "Concurrent and contiguous read
+performance" below.
+
 ## Concurrent and contiguous read performance (measured 2026-09-26)
 
-**Status:** open. Measured on tank with `concurrent_read` against h5py
+**Status:** open for chunked full reads (one cause fixed 2026-09-26); the
-3.16 / HDF5 2.0 (`BENCHMARKS.md`, "Concurrent reads"):
+contiguous item is fixed (2026-09-26). Measured on
-- Full reads of chunked datasets from several threads through one `File`
+tank with `concurrent_read` against h5py 3.16 / HDF5 2.0 (`BENCHMARKS.md`,
-  stop scaling at about 4 threads (880 MB/s on deflate data vs 4424 MB/s
+"Concurrent reads"):
-  for 16 h5py processes). Hyperslab reads, which skip the chunk cache,
+- **Partly fixed 2026-09-26.** Full reads of chunked datasets from several threads
-  scale to 1244 MB/s, so the `File`'s shared chunk cache is the suspect.
+  through one `File` stop scaling at about 4 threads (880 MB/s on deflate
+  data vs 4424 MB/s for 16 h5py processes). Hyperslab reads, which skip the
+  chunk cache, scale to 1244 MB/s, so the `File`'s shared chunk cache is the
+  suspect. *Cause:* not the cache. Those numbers were taken with
+  `--decode-threads 1`, a one-thread rayon pool, and every full read handed
+  its chunks to that pool, so all reader threads queued behind its single
+  worker (per-thread CPU time: one thread did all the decoding, the 16
+  readers almost none). Hyperslab reads touch one chunk each and never used
+  the pool. Reads now decode on the calling thread when the pool has one
+  thread (`tests/single_thread_decode_pool.rs`); re-measured at
+  `408f69e`, 8 threads went from 887 to 2943 MB/s (h5py processes: 3042).
+  **Still open:** at 16 threads full chunked reads reach 2142-2341 MB/s,
+  0.69x-0.76x 16 h5py processes (3083 MB/s in the same run), with the
+  default pool as with a one-thread one; with a small pool (2-4 threads)
+  readers outside it still wait on its workers. Datasets larger than the
+  cache's budget were already read without inserting into it, and skipping
+  its lookups entirely gained only a few percent at 16 threads. Remaining
+  per-read overhead, not yet addressed: each full `read_f32` of a chunked
+  dataset faults in about three times its size in fresh pages (the output,
+  the `f32` copy of it, and a new buffer per decoded chunk).
 - Contiguous datasets read 4x slower than h5py on one thread (2.5 vs
   9.8 GB/s full, 0.12x for 256 x 256 hyperslabs).
+  **Fixed 2026-09-26** (re-measured on tank at `408f69e`: 13665 MB/s
+  full and 31991 MB/s for 256 x 256 hyperslabs on one thread, 1.44x and
+  6.3x h5py; `BENCHMARKS.md`): full
+  reads were dominated by 4 KiB page faults on the fresh output buffer,
+  which is now backed by transparent huge pages as numpy's is; hyperslab
+  reads copied the selection three times, element by element, and now copy
+  each contiguous run once, straight from the file into the output (see
+  `CHANGELOG.md`). The chunked-read scaling item above is still open.
 Values are correct; this is speed only.
 
 ## Silent wrong data found by the 2026-09-25 HDF5 audit
@@ -140,13 +184,24 @@ fill-value item that did is fixed).
   is left out of `attrs()` (reported by `attrs_with_errors()`) instead of
   failing the others.
 - **Other readers:**
-  - VL-string datasets are not readable through `File`.
+  - VL-string datasets are not readable through `File`. **Fixed
+    2026-09-26:** `read_string` reads them (also `read_string_bytes`,
+    `read_string_selection`, and on `MmapFile`/`LazyFile`), with h5py's
+    values: strings end at a NUL, null elements (heap address 0) are `""`,
+    and an element at the undefined heap address is an error as in libhdf5
+    (it read as `""` until 2026-09-26); VL sequences of
+    numbers read with `read_vlen::<T>()`, and VL values inside compounds or
+    `AttrValue::Raw` attributes decode with `File::decode_strings` /
+    `File::decode_vlen` (`crates/clawhdf5/tests/vl_data_interop.rs`).
   - Variable-length values inside a compound (and VL-string attributes) in
     a file with 4-byte offsets (`sizeof_addr = 4`) fail with
     `GlobalHeapObjectNotFound` or come back as `Raw`: these paths assume
     the 16-byte element of an 8-byte-offset file. The datatype itself reads
     (it was refused as "member overlaps with previous member" until
-    2026-09-26).
+    2026-09-26). **Fixed 2026-09-26:** a VL type's element size is the one
+    its datatype message stores (12 with 4-byte offsets), and the global
+    heap is read with libhdf5's header padding
+    (`crates/clawhdf5/tests/vl_offset4_interop.rs`).
   - Metadata cache images are not supported.
   - x87 long double and binary128 are refused.
   - N-Bit on 64-bit scale-offset data and some N-Bit parameter layouts fail.
@@ -198,13 +253,32 @@ fill-value item that did is fixed).
   - (`cve-2024-32616` `/group1/dset3` and `cve-2025-2309`'s `Comp_OBJREF`
     attribute are h5py/numpy type-mapping failures, not libhdf5 refusals.)
   - `h5rs check` validates with the library's parsers, so it inherits what
-    they accept: of the 150 CVE and fuzzer files, `check --data` passes 16,
+    they accept: of the 150 CVE and fuzzer files, `check --data` passes 15,
-    and h5dump 1.14.6 rejects 9 of those (tank, 2026-09-26; 28 and 21
+    and h5dump 1.14.6 rejects 8 of those (tank, 2026-09-26; 28 and 21
-    before these checks).
+    before these checks, 16 and 9 before a VL type's stored element size
+    was checked, which flags `cve-2024-32608`).
 - **Writer:**
-  - Nested groups beyond one level: path-like names are now refused, not
+  - ~~Nested groups beyond one level: path-like names are now refused, not
-    created.
+    created.~~ **Fixed 2026-09-26:** groups nest to any depth (path names
-  - Dense attribute storage for attributes over 64 KiB.
+    create intermediate groups, as h5py does), with soft, extra hard and
+    external links at any depth and optional creation-order tracking;
+    h5py, h5dump and `h5rs check --data` read them
+    (`crates/clawhdf5/tests/writer_groups_interop.rs`,
+    `crates/clawhdf5-tools/tests/h5rs_interop.rs`). Still missing: a group
+    with more than 65 535 links, or an object with more than 65 535 dense
+    attributes, is an error (the index is one B-tree leaf), and attribute
+    creation order is not tracked.
+  - ~~Dense link or attribute storage past 512 KiB of messages was written
+    unreadable (child indirect blocks of the fractal heap written as direct
+    blocks).~~ **Fixed 2026-09-26** (it affected 2.7.0 too): tested with
+    20 000 and 65 535 links and with 8 MB of dense attributes, read by
+    h5py, h5dump, `h5rs check` and clawhdf5, and h5py can add links to
+    such groups.
+  - ~~libhdf5 could not add a link to a group we wrote (no Group Info
+    message).~~ **Fixed 2026-09-26.**
+  - Huge fractal heap objects: in dense storage (more than 8 attributes on
+    an object, or more than 8 links in a group) one attribute or link
+    message over 65 515 bytes is an error.
   - Output that HDF5 1.8 can read.
   - A B-tree v2 chunk index larger than one leaf, so datasets with several
     unlimited dimensions are limited to 65 535 chunks.
@@ -400,6 +474,32 @@ has produced more records than the file could physically hold.
 
 ---
 
+## Crafted global heaps exhaust the variable-length reader's memory
+
+**Status:** fixed on `feat/p2-vl-strings` (2026-09-26). Not a regression of
+that branch: every earlier release is affected through `read_vl_strings`.
+
+Reading variable-length values kept an owned copy of every object of every
+global heap collection visited, for the whole read. A file whose collections
+nest inside one another's object data (32 bytes apart, each element pointing
+at a different one) made retained memory O(elements × file size): a 744 KB
+file reached 1.58 GB. Letting every collection's object chain jump to one
+shared run of tiny objects made the parse time O(elements × objects) too.
+libhdf5 refuses such files.
+
+Now `VlResolver` caches where each object lies instead of a copy, drops its
+cache past a 32 MiB budget, and refuses a collection that overlaps one it
+has already read (libhdf5 gives each collection its own block, so only a
+crafted file has them). `GlobalHeapCollection::parse` (and the new
+`parse_index`) also refuse a collection that runs past the end of the file,
+or an object that runs past the end of its collection. Guarded by
+`crates/clawhdf5-format/tests/vl_heap_bounds.rs`, which measures peak heap
+use with a counting allocator. Still open: a file may point many elements
+at one large heap object, and a VL-*sequence* read then returns that
+object once per element, as h5py would.
+
+---
+
 ## Extensible Array chunk indexes read back wrong data past the inline elements
 
 **Status:** fixed on `main` (2026-09-20), after v2.6.0. **Every release up to
@@ -502,7 +602,9 @@ which is what libhdf5 itself writes.
   followed (no file system).
 - Variable-length string datasets are read by decoding `read_selection`'s
   bytes with `clawhdf5_format::vl_data` in the wasm crate; `File` itself still
-  cannot (see the audit gaps above).
+  cannot (see the audit gaps above). (`File` can since 2026-09-26. Since
+  2026-09-26 the wasm crate resolves them with the same `VlResolver` as
+  `File` and `h5rs`, so all three return h5py's values.)
 
 ## The Node.js package (`packages/clawhdf5-node`) does not work
 

scripts/ci-test.sh

@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
 #
 # Environment:
 #   CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1  Fail (instead of skip) when python3 with
-#                               h5py/netCDF4/xarray is missing. CI sets this.
+#                               h5py/netCDF4/xarray is missing, or without
+#                               maturin/pytest for the Python package step.
+#                               CI sets this.
 #                               Unset locally, the interop steps are skipped
 #                               if python3+h5py is not importable.
 #   CLAWHDF5_FUZZ_SECONDS=N     Run each cargo-fuzz target for N seconds
@@ -55,7 +57,8 @@ run_step "cargo fmt --check" cargo fmt --check
 
 # 2. Clippy over every target (lib, bins, tests, benches, examples). Without
 #    --all-targets, test and bench code is never linted. clawhdf5-py is
-#    excluded because it needs PyO3/Python headers.
+#    excluded here: PyO3 needs a Python interpreter to build, so it is
+#    linted in the Python package step (5b) instead.
 run_step "cargo clippy --all-targets" cargo clippy \
     --workspace \
     --exclude clawhdf5-py \
@@ -216,6 +219,36 @@ else
     STEPS+=("SKIP: h5py interop (format, ignored tests)")
 fi
 
+# 5b. The Python package (crates/clawhdf5-py): lint it, build the wheel with
+#     maturin and run its pytest suite, which compares every read with h5py.
+#     The wheel is unpacked under target/ and put on PYTHONPATH, so the
+#     interpreter's environment is left as it was. Needs maturin and pytest
+#     in $PYTHON (CI installs both); skipped without them, and a failure
+#     instead when CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1.
+python_package() {
+    local root="$SCRIPT_DIR/.." out
+    out="${CARGO_TARGET_DIR:-$root/target}/py-package"
+    rm -rf "$out" && mkdir -p "$out/wheel" "$out/site" || return 1
+    cargo clippy -p clawhdf5-py --all-targets -- -D warnings || return 1
+    "$PYTHON" -m maturin build \
+        -m "$root/crates/clawhdf5-py/Cargo.toml" \
+        -i "$PYTHON" \
+        --out "$out/wheel" || return 1
+    "$PYTHON" -m pip install --quiet --no-deps --target "$out/site" "$out"/wheel/*.whl || return 1
+    PYTHONPATH="$out/site" "$PYTHON" -m pytest -q -p no:cacheprovider \
+        "$root/crates/clawhdf5-py/tests"
+}
+if "$PYTHON" -m maturin --version >/dev/null 2>&1 && "$PYTHON" -c "import pytest" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    run_step "Python package (maturin build + pytest vs h5py)" python_package
+elif [ "${CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP:-0}" = "1" ]; then
+    run_step "Python package (maturin build + pytest vs h5py)" \
+        bash -c "echo \"maturin and pytest are required in $PYTHON (CLAWHDF5_REQUIRE_INTEROP=1)\"; exit 1"
+else
+    echo ""
+    echo "==> [Python package] SKIPPED: needs maturin and pytest in $PYTHON"
+    STEPS+=("SKIP: Python package (maturin build + pytest)")
+fi
+
 # 6. Benches must keep compiling (they are not run).
 run_step "cargo bench --no-run" cargo bench \
     --workspace \