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Reference

Cross-cutting reference material that doesn't belong to a single class or recipe.

Pages

  • Error handling — exception hierarchy (hipo::file_error, hipo::schema_error, hipo::record_error), safe-access patterns (hasSchema, getEntryOrder returning -1, checking getRows() > 0), and the bounds-check warning every user should read once.
  • Performance — concrete optimization tips (cache column indices, reuse banks, cache Parser objects, prefer banklist), throughput numbers for read, decompression and column access, and the current limitations (no parallel writing, 128 KB event buffer, no in-place modification).
  • FAQ & troubleshooting — short answers to the gotchas that come up most often: missing banks, getEntryOrder == -1, the 128 KB event limit, parallel writing, reading from ROOT and Python, and bounds-checking guards.
  • Glossary — alphabetical reference for every HIPO term used in this documentation (Bank, Banklist, Chain, Composite, Dictionary, Event, Group, Item, Magic Number, Record, Row List, Schema, Structure, Trailer, Type, …).

When in doubt

If you can't find what you need here, check the API reference for method-level docs or the Concepts section for the model.