Force gwcs to always return a F ordered bounding box

CHANGES.rst

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 - Add ``gwcs.examples`` module, based on the examples located in the testing ``conftest.py``. [#521]
 
+- Force ``bounding_box`` to always be returned as a ``F`` ordered box. [#522] 
+
 0.21.0 (2024-03-10)
 -------------------
 

docs/gwcs/using_wcs.rst

@@ -74,6 +74,39 @@ Calling the :meth:`~gwcs.WCS.footprint` returns the footprint on the sky.
    ...    [  5.63010439, -72.05426843],
    ...    [  5.610708  , -72.04173847]])
 
+.. warning::
+
+  GWCS and astropy default to different tuple ordering conventions for representing
+  multi-dimensional bounding boxes. 
+
+  * GWCS uses the ``"F"`` ordering convention, where the tuples are ordered
+    ``((x0min, x0max), (x1min, x1max), ..., (xnmin, xnmax))`` (x,y,z ordering).
+  * While astropy uses the ``"C"`` ordering convention, where tuples are ordered
+    ``((xnmin, xnmax), ..., (x1min, x1max), (x0min, x0max))`` (z, y, x ordering).
+
+  This means that given the same tuple of tuples, say ``((a, b), (c, d))``, setting 
+  the bounding box on the transform prior to creating the GWCS will result in a
+  different bounding box than if one sets the same tuple of tuples on the GWCS object
+  itself. Indeed, in this case the former will assume ``(c, d)`` is the bounding box
+  for ``x`` while the latter will assume ``(a, b)`` is the bounding box for ``x``.
+
+  It is recommended that when working on GWCS objects that one sets the bounding
+  box on the GWCS object itself, rather than on the transform prior to creating
+  the GWCS object.
+
+  Note if one wants to set the bounding box on the transform itself
+  rather than the GWCS object then it should be done with
+  `~astropy.modeling.bind_bounding_box` with the ``order`` argument properly set.
+
+
+.. note ::
+
+  The GWCS will always convert or assume the bounding box to the ``"F"`` ordering
+  convention when setting the bounding box on the GWCS object itself and will
+  perform this conversion on the first access to the bounding box through the GWCS
+  object. If conversion occurs on first access, GWCS will issue a warning to alert
+  the user that the bounding box has been converted.
+
 Manipulating Transforms
 -----------------------
 

gwcs/examples.py

@@ -239,7 +239,6 @@ def gwcs_3d_galactic_spectral():
     wave_model = models.Shift(-crpix2) | models.Multiply(cdelt2) | models.Shift(crval2)
 
     transform = models.Mapping((2, 0, 1)) | celestial & wave_model | models.Mapping((1, 2, 0))
-    transform.bounding_box = ((5, 50), (-2, 45), (-1, 35))
 
     sky_frame = cf.CelestialFrame(axes_order=(2, 0),
                                   reference_frame=coord.Galactic(), axes_names=("Longitude", "Latitude"))
@@ -253,6 +252,7 @@ def gwcs_3d_galactic_spectral():
                                         unit=(u.pix, u.pix, u.pix))
 
     owcs = wcs.WCS(forward_transform=transform, output_frame=frame, input_frame=detector_frame)
+    owcs.bounding_box = ((-1, 35), (-2, 45), (5, 50))
     owcs.array_shape = (30, 20, 10)
     owcs.pixel_shape = (10, 20, 30)