ANNOUNCEMENT

Version 3.5.3 of the OFFIS DCMTK (DICOM ToolKit) software is now available
for public release.  This release includes the following main changes
over the previous version (Version 3.5.2):

- DCMTK 3.5.3 builds correctly with GNU gcc 3.3 and 3.4.

- Better ISO C++ and STL compliance.

- Various enhancements in the configure system which now works correctly
  without manual interaction on more platforms, e.g. MinGW.  External
  libraries are automatically detected if installed in the standard path.

- Added CMake project files for improved configuration on Windows systems.
  MSVC 6.0 project files are still part of the source code package, though.

- The new application dcmodify allows to modify DICOM files from the
  command line, i.e. replace, insert and remove particular tags.

- The new application xml2dcm converts the XML output of dcm2xml back to
  DICOM format (uses libxml2).

- The new application xml2dsr converts the XML output of dsr2xml back to
  DICOM format (uses libxml2).

- Enhanced worklist SCP by supporting more optional matching and return
  keys.  Improved handling of sequences with multiple items and nested
  sequences.

- Findscu now supports C-FIND over TLS (Security Enhancements One).

- Print SCU and SCP now support TLS connections.  Print SCP now also
  supports the Verification Service Class.

- Added support for configuration file based association negotiation
  profiles to network module.  Currently used by storescp and storescu.

- Added support for TCP wrappers based host access control (uses libwrap).
  Currently used by storescp, movescu, wlmscpfs and imagectn.

- Introduced wrapper class for creating DICOMDIR files, used by dcmgpdir
  and dcmmkdir.  Improved performance when adding a large number of 
  DICOM files.

- Enhanced Structured Reporting module: added support for the Identical
  Documents Sequence, the Content Template Sequence, the Coding Scheme
  Identification Sequence, new SOP classes, etc.

- Added PNG export option to dcm2pnm and dcmj2pnm (uses libpng).

- Added support for minimum and maximum density to calibration routines
  (required for printers).

- Enhanced handling of Icon Image Sequence, e.g. uncompressed icon image
  in a compressed image dataset.

- Added new helper methods to access and/or delete data elements.

- Added support for so-called command files ("@filename") which can be
  used to summarize command line options and parameters.

- Introduced new, more consistent and "standard" conformant directory
  structure for "make install".

- Enhanced documentation: switched to Doxygen for generating HTML and
  CHM files as well as man pages for all command line tools; added
  simple code examples for typical use cases.

- The DICOM data dictionary has been re-worked based on the latest
  supplements and correction proposals, as usual.

- Many bug fixes and minor improvements as usual - see the CHANGES.353
  file for more details.


Many people have contributed to this new release of DCMTK, appearing here
in alphabetical order.  Thank you very much for your support!

  Stefan Allers <stefan.allers@gmx.de>
  Herve Baekeland <h.baekeland@global-imaging.net>
  Andreas Barth <andreas.barth@bruker-biospin.de>
  Jessica Brandt <jessica.brandt@mevis.de>
  David Clunie <dclunie@dclunie.com>
  Josh Coleman <jcoleman@eigen.com>
  Diego <diego_fs@terra.com.br>
  Razvan Costea-Barlutiu <cbrazvan@laitek.com>
  Michael Doppler <m.doppler@icoserve.com>
  Syam Gadde <gadde@biac.duke.edu>
  Rick H. <rickh_2003@hotmail.com>
  Alexander Haderer <alexander.haderer@charite.de>
  Asger Halkier <Halkier@medarchiver.com>
  Michael Heber <mheber.aup@t-online.de>
  Andreas Heiduk <Andreas.Heiduk@soft-gate.de>
  Anibal Jodorcovsky <anibal@intelerad.com>
  Gordon Klos <klos@convis.de>
  Peter Klotz <p.klotz@icoserve.com>
  Bernd Kuemmerlen <bkuemmer@mevis.de>
  David Lappen <dlappen@digitalams.com>
  Kenneth Manley <kenneth.manley@philips.com>
  Arnaud Masson <arnaud.masson@kikamedical.com>
  Markus Mertens <markus.mertens@uni-muenster.de>
  Gilles Mevel <Gilles.Mevel@etiam.com>
  Henning Meyer <Henning-Meyer@web.de>
  Vladimir Milevski <milevski@gtsoft.spb.ru>
  Michael Onken <michael.onken@informatik.uni-oldenburg.de> 
  Igor Okulist <okigan@hotmail.com>
  Tony C. Pan <tpan@bmi.osu.edu>
  Dimitri Papadopoulos-Orfanos <papadopo@shfj.cea.fr>
  Philippe Puech <puech@inviweb.com>
  Eike Rietzel <e.rietzel@gsi.de>
  Pere Rodriguez Rodriguez <prr@hosppal.es>
  Markus Sabin <sabin@convis.de>
  Stein Roger Skaflotten <srs@keymind.no>
  James Soutter <james.soutter@ed.ac.uk>
  Rainer Thieme <rainer.thieme@siemens.com>
  Judit Verestoy <JVerestoy@tomtec.de>
  Stefan Vogel <stefan.vogel@med.ge.com>
  Yannick <ybgn@free.fr>
  Maryam Zibaeifard <m_zibaeifard@yahoo.com>

OFFIS staff who have worked on this release are:
  Marco Eichelberg <eichelberg@offis.de>
  Joerg Riesmeier <riesmeier@offis.de>
  Thomas Wilkens <wilkens@offis.de>

The DCMTK software can be downloaded via:
  http://dicom.offis.de/dcmtk

Kuratorium OFFIS e.V., Oldenburg, Germany, 2004-05-27