Before compiling software which uses AST facilities, you may like to ``log in'' for AST software development with the following command:
ast_dev
This will create links in your current directory which refer to the AST include files (for both Fortran and C). You may then refer to the ``ast.h'' header file without having to know where it actually resides, for example:
#include "ast.h"
This file defines the external interface to the AST library, including all constants, function prototypes, macros, etc. The links created by ``ast_dev'' will persist, but may be removed at any time, either explicitly or with the command:
ast_dev remove
If you do not log in in this way, then the ``ast.h'' header file should be located using the usual compiler options for finding C include files, for instance:
cc prog.c -I/star/include -o prog
This is preferable to specifying the file's absolute name within your software.
AST A Library for Handling World Coordinate Systems in Astronomy