1.10a1

[sgillies]

This is the first 1.10 pre-release.

Python version

Fiona 1.10 will be compatible with Numpy versions 1 and 2 and will require Python version 3.8 or higher.

Deprecations

The fiona.path module will be removed in version 2.0 and a deprecation warning is issued when the module is imported (#1334). Additionally, members of that module are no longer exported from the top level module.

New features

Python openers can now support discovery of auxiliary "sidecar" files like .aux.xml, .msk, and .tfw files for GeoTIFFs (#1331). Additionally, filesystem objects, such as those from fsspec, can be used as openers. This will become the recommended usage, supplanting the use of single file openers.

Bug fixes

• Use of pkg_resources in test_rio_info.py has been eliminated.
• gzip, tar, and zip archive URIs containing drive letters were not always parsed properly on Windows, but are now (Require Python 3.9+ #1334).

Packaging

• PyPI wheels include GDAL 3.8.4, PROJ 9.3.1, and GEOS 3.11.2.

Future 1.10 pre-releases will be announced at #1332.

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This discussion was created from the release 1.10a1.

[sgillies]

Further testing of 1.10a1 revealed that creating new datasets with sidecar files via a Python opener was a bit broken. The shapelib library used by OGR's Shapefile driver opens some files in "w" mode to write headers and then reopens them in "r+" mode to write features. It needed a VSI plugin flush() implementation and required some opener registry refactoring. Writing shapefiles to your cloud storage isn't a best practice in 2024, maybe, but you'll be able to do it with fiona 1.10a2 😄