1.12 eliminate unnecessary errors in the error stack (#1880)

* Eliminate unnecessary error output

* Fix merge typo

* fix format

* Fix object address to tokens

* Fix conflict

17 files changed, 560 insertions, 2679 deletions

diff --git a/java/src/hdf/hdf5lib/H5.java b/java/src/hdf/hdf5lib/H5.java
index 25a1f8d..133cd2c 100644
--- a/java/src/hdf/hdf5lib/H5.java
+++ b/java/src/hdf/hdf5lib/H5.java
@@ -1242,10 +1242,6 @@ public class H5 implements java.io.Serializable {
             log.trace("H5Aread_string type");
             status = H5Aread_string(attr_id, mem_type_id, (String[])obj);
         }
-        else if (H5.H5Tget_class(mem_type_id) == HDF5Constants.H5T_VLEN) {
-            log.trace("H5AreadVL type");
-            status = H5AreadVL(attr_id, mem_type_id, (Object[])obj);
-        }
         else {
             // Create a data buffer to hold the data into a Java Array
             HDFArray theArray = new HDFArray(obj);
@@ -1792,10 +1788,6 @@ public class H5 implements java.io.Serializable {
             log.trace("H5Dwrite_string type");
             status = H5Awrite_string(attr_id, mem_type_id, (String[])obj);
         }
-        else if (H5.H5Tget_class(mem_type_id) == HDF5Constants.H5T_VLEN) {
-            log.trace("H5AwriteVL type");
-            status = H5AwriteVL(attr_id, mem_type_id, (Object[])obj);
-        }
         else {
             HDFArray theArray = new HDFArray(obj);
             byte[] buf        = theArray.byteify();
@@ -2780,11 +2772,6 @@ public class H5 implements java.io.Serializable {
             status = H5Dread_string(dataset_id, mem_type_id, mem_space_id, file_space_id, xfer_plist_id,
                                     (String[])obj);
         }
-        else if (H5.H5Tget_class(mem_type_id) == HDF5Constants.H5T_VLEN) {
-            log.trace("H5DreadVL type");
-            status =
-                H5DreadVL(dataset_id, mem_type_id, mem_space_id, file_space_id, xfer_plist_id, (Object[])obj);
-        }
         else {
             // Create a data buffer to hold the data into a Java Array
             HDFArray theArray = new HDFArray(obj);
@@ -3463,11 +3450,6 @@ public class H5 implements java.io.Serializable {
             status = H5Dwrite_string(dataset_id, mem_type_id, mem_space_id, file_space_id, xfer_plist_id,
                                      (String[])obj);
         }
-        else if (H5.H5Tget_class(mem_type_id) == HDF5Constants.H5T_VLEN) {
-            log.trace("H5DwriteVL type");
-            status = H5DwriteVL(dataset_id, mem_type_id, mem_space_id, file_space_id, xfer_plist_id,
-                                (Object[])obj);
-        }
         else {
             HDFArray theArray = new HDFArray(obj);
             byte[] buf        = theArray.byteify();
@@ -9374,8 +9356,9 @@ public class H5 implements java.io.Serializable {
         byte[] buf        = theArray.emptyBytes();
 
         int status = H5Pget_fill_value(plist_id, type_id, buf);
-        if (status >= 0)
+        if (status >= 0) {
             obj = theArray.arrayify(buf);
+        }
 
         return status;
     }
@@ -11035,6 +11018,8 @@ public class H5 implements java.io.Serializable {
     public synchronized static native void H5Rdestroy(byte[] ref_ptr)
         throws HDF5LibraryException, NullPointerException, IllegalArgumentException;
 
+    // Info //
+
     /**
      * H5Rget_type retrieves the type of a reference.
      *
@@ -11091,6 +11076,8 @@ public class H5 implements java.io.Serializable {
     public synchronized static native byte[] H5Rcopy(byte[] src_ref_ptr)
         throws HDF5LibraryException, NullPointerException, IllegalArgumentException;
 
+    // Dereference //
+
     /**
      * H5Ropen_object opens that object and returns an identifier.
      * The object opened with this function should be closed when it is no longer needed
@@ -11237,6 +11224,8 @@ public class H5 implements java.io.Serializable {
     public synchronized static native int H5Rget_obj_type3(byte[] ref_ptr, long rapl_id)
         throws HDF5LibraryException, NullPointerException, IllegalArgumentException;
 
+    // Get name //
+
     /**
      * H5Rget_file_name retrieves the file name for the object, region or attribute reference pointed to.
      *
@@ -11411,29 +11400,6 @@ public class H5 implements java.io.Serializable {
         throws HDF5LibraryException, NullPointerException, IllegalArgumentException;
 
     /**
-     * H5Rget_name_string retrieves a name for the object identified by ref.
-     *
-     * @param loc_id
-     *            IN: Identifier for the dataset containing the reference or for the group that dataset is in.
-     * @param ref_type
-     *            IN: Type of reference.
-     * @param ref
-     *            IN: An object or dataset region reference.
-     *
-     * @return Returns the name if successful, returning null if no name is associated with
-     *         the identifier.
-     *
-     * @exception HDF5LibraryException
-     *            Error from the HDF-5 Library.
-     * @exception NullPointerException
-     *            size is null.
-     * @exception IllegalArgumentException
-     *            Argument is illegal.
-     **/
-    public synchronized static native String H5Rget_name_string(long loc_id, int ref_type, byte[] ref)
-        throws HDF5LibraryException, NullPointerException, IllegalArgumentException;
-
-    /**
      * H5Rget_obj_type Given a reference to an object ref, H5Rget_obj_type returns the type of the object
      * pointed to.
      *
diff --git a/java/src/hdf/hdf5lib/HDF5Constants.java b/java/src/hdf/hdf5lib/HDF5Constants.java
index 2f5ec91..1b85c1f 100644
--- a/java/src/hdf/hdf5lib/HDF5Constants.java
+++ b/java/src/hdf/hdf5lib/HDF5Constants.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ package hdf.hdf5lib;
 import hdf.hdf5lib.structs.H5O_token_t;
 
 /**
- * This class contains C constants and enumerated types of HDF5 library. The
+ * /** This class contains C constants and enumerated types of HDF5 library. The
  * values of these constants are obtained from the library by calling J2C(int
  * jconstant), where jconstant is any of the private constants which start their
  * name with "JH5" need to be converted.
@@ -62,62 +62,31 @@ public class HDF5Constants {
     public static final int H5_ITER_NATIVE = H5_ITER_NATIVE();
     /** Common iteration orders, Number of iteration orders */
     public static final int H5_ITER_N = H5_ITER_N();
-    /** The version of the H5AC_cache_config_t in use */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5AC_CURR_CACHE_CONFIG_VERSION = H5AC_CURR_CACHE_CONFIG_VERSION();
-    /** The maximum length of the trace file path */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5AC_MAX_TRACE_FILE_NAME_LEN = H5AC_MAX_TRACE_FILE_NAME_LEN();
-    /**
-     *    When metadata_write_strategy is set to this value, only process
-     *    zero is allowed to write dirty metadata to disk.  All other
-     *    processes must retain dirty metadata until they are informed at
-     *    a sync point that the dirty metadata in question has been written
-     *    to disk.
-     */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5AC_METADATA_WRITE_STRATEGY_PROCESS_ZERO_ONLY =
         H5AC_METADATA_WRITE_STRATEGY_PROCESS_ZERO_ONLY();
-    /**
-     *    In the distributed metadata write strategy, process zero still makes
-     *    the decisions as to what entries should be flushed, but the actual
-     *    flushes are distributed across the processes in the computation to
-     *    the extent possible.
-     */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5AC_METADATA_WRITE_STRATEGY_DISTRIBUTED =
         H5AC_METADATA_WRITE_STRATEGY_DISTRIBUTED();
-    /** Don't attempt to increase the size of the cache automatically */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5C_incr_off = H5C_incr_off();
-    /**
-     *  Attempt to increase the size of the cache
-     *              whenever the average hit rate over the last epoch drops
-     *              below the value supplied in the lower_hr_threshold
-     *              field
-     */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5C_incr_threshold = H5C_incr_threshold();
-    /** Don't perform flash increases in the size of the cache */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5C_flash_incr_off = H5C_flash_incr_off();
-    /** increase the current maximum cache size by x * flash_multiple less any free space in the cache */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5C_flash_incr_add_space = H5C_flash_incr_add_space();
-    /** Don't attempt to decrease the size of the cache automatically */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5C_decr_off = H5C_decr_off();
-    /**
-     *  Attempt to decrease the size of the cache
-     *              whenever the average hit rate over the last epoch rises
-     *              above the value supplied in the upper_hr_threshold
-     *              field
-     */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5C_decr_threshold = H5C_decr_threshold();
-    /**
-     *  At the end of each epoch, search the cache for
-     *              entries that have not been accessed for at least the number
-     *              of epochs specified in the epochs_before_eviction field, and
-     *              evict these entries
-     */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5C_decr_age_out = H5C_decr_age_out();
-    /**
-     *  Same as age_out, but we only
-     *              attempt to reduce the cache size when the hit rate observed
-     *              over the last epoch exceeds the value provided in the
-     *              upper_hr_threshold field
-     */
+    /** */
     public static final int H5C_decr_age_out_with_threshold = H5C_decr_age_out_with_threshold();
     /** */
     public static final int H5D_CHUNK_IDX_BTREE = H5D_CHUNK_IDX_BTREE();
@@ -941,11 +910,11 @@ public class HDF5Constants {
     /** */
     public static final int H5R_MAXTYPE = H5R_MAXTYPE();
     /** */
-    public static final int H5R_DSET_REG_REF_BUF_SIZE = H5R_DSET_REG_REF_BUF_SIZE();
+    public static final int H5R_REF_BUF_SIZE = H5R_REF_BUF_SIZE();
     /** */
     public static final int H5R_OBJ_REF_BUF_SIZE = H5R_OBJ_REF_BUF_SIZE();
     /** */
-    public static final int H5R_REF_BUF_SIZE = H5R_REF_BUF_SIZE();
+    public static final int H5R_DSET_REG_REF_BUF_SIZE = H5R_DSET_REG_REF_BUF_SIZE();
     /** */
     public static final int H5R_OBJECT = H5R_OBJECT();
     /** */
@@ -2424,11 +2393,11 @@ public class HDF5Constants {
 
     private static native final int H5R_MAXTYPE();
 
-    private static native final int H5R_DSET_REG_REF_BUF_SIZE();
+    private static native final int H5R_REF_BUF_SIZE();
 
     private static native final int H5R_OBJ_REF_BUF_SIZE();
 
-    private static native final int H5R_REF_BUF_SIZE();
+    private static native final int H5R_DSET_REG_REF_BUF_SIZE();
 
     private static native final int H5R_OBJECT();
 
diff --git a/java/src/jni/h5aImp.c b/java/src/jni/h5aImp.c
index 32bae07..6bf86d0 100644
--- a/java/src/jni/h5aImp.c
+++ b/java/src/jni/h5aImp.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ static herr_t H5A_iterate_cb(hid_t g_id, const char *name, const H5A_info_t *inf
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    _H5Acreate
+ * Method:    H5Acreate
  * Signature: (JLjava/lang/String;JJJ)J
  */
 JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ done:
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    _H5Aopen_name
+ * Method:    H5Aopen_name
  * Signature: (JLjava/lang/String;)J
  */
 JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ done:
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    _H5Aopen_idx
+ * Method:    H5Aopen_idx
  * Signature: (JI)J
  */
 JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL
@@ -158,10 +158,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_t
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
     jbyte *  readBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -169,20 +166,18 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_t
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if (vl_data_class) {
-        /* Get size of data array */
-        if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-            H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-        }
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: variable length type not supported");
 
-        dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-        if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    }
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: variable length type not supported");
 
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_BYTE_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
@@ -192,17 +187,11 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_t
         PIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy, "H5Aread: read buffer not pinned");
     }
 
-    if ((status = H5Aread((hid_t)attr_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, (void *)readBuf)) < 0)
+    if ((status = H5Aread((hid_t)attr_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, readBuf)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class) {
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-            if (sid >= 0)
-                H5Sclose(sid);
-        }
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -225,10 +214,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
     jbyte *  writeBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -236,19 +222,19 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
-
-    dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-    if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite: variable length type not supported");
+
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_BYTE_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
                                 "H5Awrite: write buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -262,9 +248,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -287,10 +270,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlon
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
     jshort * readBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -298,20 +278,18 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlon
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_short: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if (vl_data_class) {
-        /* Get size of data array */
-        if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-            H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-        }
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_short: variable length type not supported");
 
-        dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-        if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    }
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_short: variable length type not supported");
 
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_SHORT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
@@ -326,12 +304,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlon
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class) {
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-            if (sid >= 0)
-                H5Sclose(sid);
-        }
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -354,10 +326,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlo
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
     jshort * writeBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -365,19 +334,19 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlo
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_short: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
-
-    dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-    if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_short: variable length type not supported");
+
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_short: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_SHORT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
                                  "H5Awrite_short: write buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -391,9 +360,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlo
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -415,32 +381,27 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1int(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong
                                  jboolean isCriticalPinning)
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     jint *   readBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
-    herr_t   status = FAIL;
+    herr_t   status  = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (buf == NULL)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_int: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if (vl_data_class) {
-        /* Get size of data array */
-        if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-            H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-        }
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_int: variable length type not supported");
 
-        dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-        if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    }
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_int: variable length type not supported");
 
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_INT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
@@ -455,12 +416,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1int(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class) {
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-            if (sid >= 0)
-                H5Sclose(sid);
-        }
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -483,10 +438,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1int(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
     jint *   writeBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -494,19 +446,19 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1int(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong
     if (buf == NULL)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_int: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
-
-    dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-    if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_int: variable length type not supported");
+
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_int: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_INT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
                                "H5Awrite_int: write buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -520,9 +472,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1int(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -545,10 +494,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1long(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
     jlong *  readBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -556,20 +502,18 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1long(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_long: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if (vl_data_class) {
-        /* Get size of data array */
-        if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-            H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-        }
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_long: variable length type not supported");
 
-        dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-        if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    }
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_long: variable length type not supported");
 
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_LONG_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
@@ -584,12 +528,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1long(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class) {
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-            if (sid >= 0)
-                H5Sclose(sid);
-        }
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -612,10 +550,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1long(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlon
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
     jlong *  writeBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -623,19 +558,19 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1long(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlon
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_long: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
-
-    dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-    if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_long: variable length type not supported");
+
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_long: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_LONG_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
                                 "H5Awrite_long: write buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -649,9 +584,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1long(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlon
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -674,10 +606,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1float(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlon
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
     jfloat * readBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -685,20 +614,18 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1float(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlon
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_float: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if (vl_data_class) {
-        /* Get size of data array */
-        if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-            H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-        }
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_float: variable length type not supported");
 
-        dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-        if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    }
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_float: variable length type not supported");
 
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_FLOAT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
@@ -713,12 +640,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1float(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlon
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class) {
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-            if (sid >= 0)
-                H5Sclose(sid);
-        }
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -741,10 +662,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1float(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlo
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
     jfloat * writeBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -752,19 +670,19 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1float(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlo
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_float: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
-
-    dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-    if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_float: variable length type not supported");
+
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_float: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_FLOAT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
                                  "H5Awrite_float: write buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -778,9 +696,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1float(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlo
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -803,10 +718,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlo
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
     jdouble *readBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -814,20 +726,18 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlo
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_double: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if (vl_data_class) {
-        /* Get size of data array */
-        if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-            H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-        }
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_double: variable length type not supported");
 
-        dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-        if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    }
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_double: variable length type not supported");
 
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_DOUBLE_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
@@ -842,12 +752,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlo
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class) {
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-            if (sid >= 0)
-                H5Sclose(sid);
-        }
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -870,10 +774,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jl
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
     jdouble *writeBuf = NULL;
-    hsize_t  dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t    sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize    n;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -881,18 +782,19 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jl
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_double: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_double: buf length < 0");
-    }
-
-    dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-    if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_double: variable length type not supported");
+
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_double: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_DOUBLE_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
                                   "H5Awrite_double: write buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -906,9 +808,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jl
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -1059,454 +958,10 @@ done:
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
  * Method:    H5AreadVL
- * Signature: (JJ[java/util/ArrayList;)I
- */
-JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL
-Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5AreadVL(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_type_id, jobjectArray buf)
-{
-    H5T_class_t type_class;
-    hsize_t     dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t       sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize       n;
-    htri_t      vl_data_class;
-    herr_t      status = FAIL;
-    jboolean    readBufIsCopy;
-    jbyteArray *readBuf = NULL;
-
-    UNUSED(clss);
-
-    if (NULL == buf)
-        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5AreadVL: read buffer is NULL");
-
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-    if (vl_data_class) {
-        /* Get size of data array */
-        if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-            H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-        }
-
-        dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-        if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    }
-
-    if ((type_class = H5Tget_class((hid_t)mem_type_id)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    if (type_class == H5T_VLEN) {
-        size_t      typeSize;
-        hid_t       memb = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        H5T_class_t vlClass;
-        size_t      vlSize;
-        void *      rawBuf = NULL;
-        jobject *   jList  = NULL;
-
-        size_t i, j, x;
-        char * cp_vp = NULL;
-
-        if (!(typeSize = H5Tget_size(mem_type_id)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-        if (!(memb = H5Tget_super(mem_type_id)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-        if ((vlClass = H5Tget_class((hid_t)memb)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-        if (!(vlSize = H5Tget_size(memb)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-        if (NULL == (rawBuf = HDcalloc((size_t)n, typeSize)))
-            H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5AreadVL: failed to allocate raw VL read buffer");
-
-        if ((status = H5Aread((hid_t)attr_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, (void *)rawBuf)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-        /* Cache class types */
-        jclass cBool   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Boolean");
-        jclass cByte   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Byte");
-        jclass cShort  = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Short");
-        jclass cInt    = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Integer");
-        jclass cLong   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Long");
-        jclass cFloat  = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Float");
-        jclass cDouble = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Double");
-
-        jmethodID boolValueMid =
-            ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cBool, "valueOf", "(Z)Ljava/lang/Boolean;");
-        jmethodID byteValueMid = ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cByte, "valueOf", "(B)Ljava/lang/Byte;");
-        jmethodID shortValueMid =
-            ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cShort, "valueOf", "(S)Ljava/lang/Short;");
-        jmethodID intValueMid = ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cInt, "valueOf", "(I)Ljava/lang/Integer;");
-        jmethodID longValueMid = ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cLong, "valueOf", "(J)Ljava/lang/Long;");
-        jmethodID floatValueMid =
-            ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cFloat, "valueOf", "(F)Ljava/lang/Float;");
-        jmethodID doubleValueMid =
-            ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cDouble, "valueOf", "(D)Ljava/lang/Double;");
-
-        // retrieve the java.util.List interface class
-        jclass    cList     = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/util/List");
-        jmethodID addMethod = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cList, "add", "(Ljava/lang/Object;)Z");
-
-        /* Convert each element to a list */
-        for (i = 0; i < (size_t)n; i++) {
-            // The list we're going to return:
-            if (NULL == (jList = ENVPTR->GetObjectArrayElement(ENVONLY, (jobjectArray)buf, (jsize)i)))
-                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-            cp_vp = (char *)rawBuf + i * typeSize;
-            /* Get the number of sequence elements */
-            jsize nelmts = ((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->len;
-
-            jobject jobj = NULL;
-            for (j = 0; j < nelmts; j++) {
-                switch (vlClass) {
-                    /* case H5T_BOOL: {
-                        jboolean boolValue;
-                        for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                            ((char *)&boolValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j*vlSize+x];
-                        }
-
-                        jobj = ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cBool, boolValueMid, boolValue);
-                        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                        break;
-                    } */
-                    case H5T_INTEGER: {
-                        switch (vlSize) {
-                            case sizeof(jbyte): {
-                                jbyte byteValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&byteValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj =
-                                    ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cByte, byteValueMid, byteValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jshort): {
-                                jshort shortValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&shortValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj = ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cShort, shortValueMid,
-                                                                      shortValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jint): {
-                                jint intValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&intValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj = ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cInt, intValueMid, intValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jlong): {
-                                jlong longValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&longValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj =
-                                    ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cLong, longValueMid, longValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    case H5T_FLOAT: {
-                        switch (vlSize) {
-                            case sizeof(jfloat): {
-                                jfloat floatValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&floatValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj = ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cFloat, floatValueMid,
-                                                                      floatValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jdouble): {
-                                jdouble doubleValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&doubleValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj = ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cDouble, doubleValueMid,
-                                                                      doubleValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    case H5T_REFERENCE: {
-                        jboolean bb;
-                        jbyte *  barray = NULL;
-                        if (NULL == (jobj = ENVPTR->NewByteArray(ENVONLY, vlSize)))
-                            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-                        PIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, (jbyteArray)jobj, barray, &bb,
-                                       "readVL reference: byte array not pinned");
-
-                        for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                            barray[x] = ((jbyte *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                        }
-                        if (barray)
-                            UNPIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, (jbyteArray)jobj, barray, jobj ? 0 : JNI_ABORT);
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    default:
-                        H5_UNIMPLEMENTED(ENVONLY, "H5AreadVL: invalid class type");
-                        break;
-                }
-
-                // Add it to the list
-                ENVPTR->CallBooleanMethod(ENVONLY, jList, addMethod, jobj);
-                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-            }
-        } /* end for */
-
-        if (rawBuf)
-            HDfree(rawBuf);
-    }
-    else {
-        if ((status = H5Aread((hid_t)attr_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, (void *)readBuf)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    }
-
-done:
-    if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class) {
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-            if (sid >= 0)
-                H5Sclose(sid);
-        }
-
-        UNPIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
-    }
-
-    return (jint)status;
-} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5AreadVL */
-
-/*
- * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    H5AwriteVL
- * Signature: (JJ[java/util/ArrayList;)I
- */
-JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL
-Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5AwriteVL(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_type_id, jobjectArray buf)
-{
-    H5T_class_t type_class;
-    hsize_t     dims[H5S_MAX_RANK];
-    hid_t       sid = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    jsize       n;
-    htri_t      vl_data_class;
-    herr_t      status = FAIL;
-    jboolean    writeBufIsCopy;
-    jbyteArray *writeBuf = NULL;
-
-    UNUSED(clss);
-
-    if (NULL == buf)
-        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5AwriteVL: write buffer is NULL");
-
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5AwriteVL: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
-
-    dims[0] = (hsize_t)n;
-    if ((sid = H5Screate_simple(1, dims, NULL)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-    if ((type_class = H5Tget_class((hid_t)mem_type_id)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    if (type_class == H5T_VLEN) {
-        size_t      typeSize;
-        hid_t       memb = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        H5T_class_t vlClass;
-        size_t      vlSize;
-        void *      rawBuf = NULL;
-        jobject *   jList  = NULL;
-
-        size_t i, j, x;
-        char * cp_vp = NULL;
-
-        if (!(typeSize = H5Tget_size(mem_type_id)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-        if (!(memb = H5Tget_super(mem_type_id)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-        if ((vlClass = H5Tget_class((hid_t)memb)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-        if (!(vlSize = H5Tget_size(memb)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-        if (NULL == (rawBuf = HDcalloc((size_t)n, typeSize)))
-            H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5AwriteVL: failed to allocate raw VL write buffer");
-
-        /* Cache class types */
-        jclass cBool   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Boolean");
-        jclass cByte   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Byte");
-        jclass cShort  = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Short");
-        jclass cInt    = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Integer");
-        jclass cLong   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Long");
-        jclass cFloat  = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Float");
-        jclass cDouble = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Double");
-
-        jmethodID boolValueMid   = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cBool, "booleanValue", "()Z");
-        jmethodID byteValueMid   = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cByte, "byteValue", "()B");
-        jmethodID shortValueMid  = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cShort, "shortValue", "()S");
-        jmethodID intValueMid    = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cInt, "intValue", "()I");
-        jmethodID longValueMid   = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cLong, "longValue", "()J");
-        jmethodID floatValueMid  = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cFloat, "floatValue", "()F");
-        jmethodID doubleValueMid = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cDouble, "doubleValue", "()D");
-
-        /* Convert each list to a vlen element */
-        for (i = 0; i < (size_t)n; i++) {
-            if (NULL == (jList = ENVPTR->GetObjectArrayElement(ENVONLY, (jobjectArray)buf, (jsize)i)))
-                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-            // retrieve the java.util.List interface class
-            jclass cList = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/util/List");
-
-            // retrieve the toArray method and invoke it
-            jmethodID mToArray = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cList, "toArray", "()[Ljava/lang/Object;");
-            if (mToArray == NULL)
-                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-            jobjectArray array   = (jobjectArray)ENVPTR->CallObjectMethod(ENVONLY, jList, mToArray);
-            jsize        jnelmts = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, array);
-
-            cp_vp                 = (char *)rawBuf + i * typeSize;
-            ((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->len = jnelmts;
-
-            if (NULL == (((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p = HDmalloc(jnelmts * vlSize)))
-                H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5AwriteVL: failed to allocate vlen ptr buffer");
-
-            jobject jobj = NULL;
-            for (j = 0; j < (int)jnelmts; j++) {
-                if (NULL == (jobj = ENVPTR->GetObjectArrayElement(ENVONLY, (jobjectArray)array, (jsize)j)))
-                    CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-                switch (vlClass) {
-                    /* case H5T_BOOL: {
-                            jboolean boolValue = ENVPTR->CallBooleanMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, boolValueMid);
-                            for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&boolValue)[x];
-                            }
-                            break;
-                    } */
-                    case H5T_INTEGER: {
-                        switch (vlSize) {
-                            case sizeof(jbyte): {
-                                jbyte byteValue = ENVPTR->CallByteMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, byteValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&byteValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jshort): {
-                                jshort shortValue = ENVPTR->CallShortMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, shortValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&shortValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jint): {
-                                jint intValue = ENVPTR->CallIntMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, intValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&intValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jlong): {
-                                jlong longValue = ENVPTR->CallLongMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, longValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&longValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    case H5T_FLOAT: {
-                        switch (vlSize) {
-                            case sizeof(jfloat): {
-                                jfloat floatValue = ENVPTR->CallFloatMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, floatValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&floatValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jdouble): {
-                                jdouble doubleValue = ENVPTR->CallDoubleMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, doubleValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&doubleValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    case H5T_REFERENCE: {
-                        jbyte *barray = (jbyte *)ENVPTR->GetByteArrayElements(ENVONLY, jobj, 0);
-                        for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                            ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)barray)[x];
-                        }
-                        ENVPTR->ReleaseByteArrayElements(ENVONLY, jobj, barray, 0);
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    default:
-                        H5_UNIMPLEMENTED(ENVONLY, "H5AwriteVL: invalid class type");
-                        break;
-                }
-                ENVPTR->DeleteLocalRef(ENVONLY, jobj);
-            }
-            ENVPTR->DeleteLocalRef(ENVONLY, jList);
-        } /* end for (i = 0; i < n; i++) */
-
-        if ((status = H5Awrite((hid_t)attr_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, rawBuf)) < 0)
-            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-        if (rawBuf)
-            HDfree(rawBuf);
-    }
-    else {
-        PIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy, "H5AwriteVL: write buffer not pinned");
-        if ((status = H5Awrite((hid_t)attr_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, writeBuf)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    }
-
-done:
-    if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(attr_id, sid, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
-        if (type_class != H5T_VLEN)
-            UNPIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
-    }
-
-    return (jint)status;
-} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5AwriteVL */
-
-/*
- * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    H5Aread_VLStrings
  * Signature: (JJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL
-Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1VLStrings(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_type_id,
-                                       jobjectArray buf)
+Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5AreadVL(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_type_id, jobjectArray buf)
 {
     H5T_class_t type_class;
     htri_t      isStr      = 0;
@@ -1519,7 +974,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1VLStrings(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id,
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
-        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread_VLStrings: read buffer is NULL");
+        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5AreadVL: read buffer is NULL");
 
     if ((isStr = H5Tdetect_class((hid_t)mem_type_id, H5T_STRING)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
@@ -1569,7 +1024,7 @@ done:
         H5Tclose(nested_tid);
 
     return (jint)status;
-} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1VLStrings */
+} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1VL */
 
 /*
  * Helper method to read in a buffer of variable-length strings from an HDF5
@@ -1705,12 +1160,11 @@ done:
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    H5Awrite_VLStrings
+ * Method:    H5AwriteVL
  * Signature: (JJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL
-Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1VLStrings(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_type_id,
-                                        jobjectArray buf)
+Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5AwriteVL(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id, jlong mem_type_id, jobjectArray buf)
 {
     H5T_class_t type_class;
     htri_t      isStr      = 0;
@@ -1723,7 +1177,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1VLStrings(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong attr_id,
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
-        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Awrite_VLStrings: write buffer is NULL");
+        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5AwriteVL: write buffer is NULL");
 
     if ((isStr = H5Tdetect_class((hid_t)mem_type_id, H5T_STRING)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
@@ -1773,7 +1227,7 @@ done:
         H5Tclose(nested_tid);
 
     return (jint)status;
-} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1VLStrings */
+} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1VL */
 
 /*
  * Helper method to convert an array of Java strings into a buffer of C-strings.
@@ -1819,7 +1273,7 @@ H5AwriteVL_str(JNIEnv *env, hid_t aid, hid_t tid, jobjectArray buf)
         if (NULL == (writeBuf[i] = (char *)HDmalloc((size_t)length + 1)))
             H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5AwriteVL_str: failed to allocate string buffer");
 
-        HDstrncpy(writeBuf[i], utf8, (size_t)length + 1);
+        HDstrncpy(writeBuf[i], utf8, (size_t)length);
         writeBuf[i][length] = '\0';
 
         UNPIN_JAVA_STRING(ENVONLY, obj, utf8);
@@ -1843,8 +1297,8 @@ done:
         HDfree(writeBuf);
     }
 
-    return status;
-} /* end H5AwriteVL_str */
+    return (jint)status;
+}
 
 /*
  * Helper method to convert an array of Java strings into a buffer of
@@ -1931,7 +1385,7 @@ done:
         H5Sclose(sid);
 
     return status;
-} /* end H5AwriteVL_asstr */
+} /* end H5AwriteVL_str */
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
diff --git a/java/src/jni/h5aImp.h b/java/src/jni/h5aImp.h
index 094f990..aee0e40 100644
--- a/java/src/jni/h5aImp.h
+++ b/java/src/jni/h5aImp.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    _H5Acreate
+ * Method:    H5Acreate
  * Signature: (JLjava/lang/String;JJJ)J
  */
 JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5__1H5Acreate(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong, jstring, jlong, jlong,
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@ JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5__1H5Acreate(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong,
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    _H5Aopen_name
+ * Method:    H5Aopen_name
  * Signature: (JLjava/lang/String;)J
  */
 JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5__1H5Aopen_1name(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong, jstring);
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    _H5Aopen_idx
+ * Method:    H5Aopen_idx
  * Signature: (JI)J
  */
 JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5__1H5Aopen_1idx(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong, jint);
@@ -137,14 +137,14 @@ JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Awrite_1double(JNIEnv *, jclass, jl
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
  * Method:    H5AreadVL
- * Signature: (JJ[Ljava/util/ArrayList;)I
+ * Signature: (JJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5AreadVL(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong, jlong, jobjectArray);
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
  * Method:    H5AwriteVL
- * Signature: (JJ[Ljava/util/ArrayList;)I
+ * Signature: (JJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5AwriteVL(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong, jlong, jobjectArray);
 
@@ -185,14 +185,14 @@ JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Aread_1reg_1ref(JNIEnv *, jclass, j
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    _H5Aget_space
+ * Method:    H5Aget_space
  * Signature: (J)J
  */
 JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5__1H5Aget_1space(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong);
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    _H5Aget_type
+ * Method:    H5Aget_type
  * Signature: (J)J
  */
 JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5__1H5Aget_1type(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong);
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Adelete(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong, js
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    _H5Aclose
+ * Method:    H5Aclose
  * Signature: (J)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5__1H5Aclose(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong);
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5__1H5Aopen_1by_1name(JNIEnv *, jclass
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    _H5Aget_create_plist
+ * Method:    H5Aget_create_plist
  * Signature: (J)J
  */
 JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5__1H5Aget_1create_1plist(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong);
diff --git a/java/src/jni/h5dImp.c b/java/src/jni/h5dImp.c
index a20bb6c..73b252a 100644
--- a/java/src/jni/h5dImp.c
+++ b/java/src/jni/h5dImp.c
@@ -183,24 +183,28 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlong me
                             jboolean isCriticalPinning)
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     jbyte *  readBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
-    herr_t   status = FAIL;
+    herr_t   status  = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread: variable length type not supported");
+
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_BYTE_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
                                 "H5Dread: read buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -215,9 +219,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlong me
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -240,24 +241,28 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlong m
                              jboolean isCriticalPinning)
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     jbyte *  writeBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
-    herr_t   status = FAIL;
+    herr_t   status   = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite:  variable length type not supported");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_BYTE_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
                                 "H5Dwrite: write buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -272,9 +277,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlong m
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -381,7 +383,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, j
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
     jshort * readBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -389,15 +391,19 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, j
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_short: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_short: variable length type not supported");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_short: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_SHORT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
                                  "H5Dread_short: read buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -412,9 +418,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, j
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -438,7 +441,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id,
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
     jshort * writeBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -446,15 +449,19 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id,
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_short: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_short: variable length type not supported");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_short: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_SHORT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
                                  "H5Dwrite_short: write buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -469,9 +476,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1short(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id,
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -494,24 +498,28 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1int(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlo
                                  jboolean isCriticalPinning)
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     jint *   readBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
-    herr_t   status = FAIL;
+    herr_t   status  = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_int: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_int: variable length type not supported");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_int: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_INT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
                                "H5Dread_int: read buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -526,9 +534,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1int(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlo
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -551,24 +556,28 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1int(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jl
                                   jboolean isCriticalPinning)
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     jint *   writeBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
-    herr_t   status = FAIL;
+    herr_t   status   = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_int: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_int: variable length type not supported");
+
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_int: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_INT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
                                "H5Dwrite_int: write buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -583,9 +592,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1int(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jl
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -608,24 +614,28 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1long(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jl
                                   jlongArray buf, jboolean isCriticalPinning)
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     jlong *  readBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
-    herr_t   status = FAIL;
+    herr_t   status  = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_long: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_long: variable length type not supported");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_long: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_LONG_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
                                 "H5Dread_long: read buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -640,9 +650,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1long(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jl
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -665,24 +672,28 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1long(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, j
                                    jlongArray buf, jboolean isCriticalPinning)
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     jlong *  writeBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
-    herr_t   status = FAIL;
+    herr_t   status   = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_long: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_long: variable length type not supported");
+
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_long: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_LONG_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
                                 "H5Dwrite_long: write buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -697,9 +708,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1long(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, j
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -722,24 +730,28 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1float(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, j
                                    jfloatArray buf, jboolean isCriticalPinning)
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     jfloat * readBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
-    herr_t   status = FAIL;
+    herr_t   status  = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_float: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_float: variable length type not supported");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_float: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_FLOAT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
                                  "H5Dread_float: read buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -754,9 +766,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1float(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, j
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -779,23 +788,27 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1float(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id,
                                     jfloatArray buf, jboolean isCriticalPinning)
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     jfloat * writeBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
-    herr_t   status = FAIL;
+    herr_t   status   = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_float: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_float: variable length type not supported");
+
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_float: variable length type not supported");
 
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_FLOAT_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
@@ -811,9 +824,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1float(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id,
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -837,7 +847,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id,
 {
     jboolean readBufIsCopy;
     jdouble *readBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -845,15 +855,19 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id,
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_double: read buffer is NULL");
 
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Aread: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_double: variable length type not supported");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_double: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_DOUBLE_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, &readBufIsCopy,
                                   "H5Dread_double: read buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -868,9 +882,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id,
 
 done:
     if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -894,7 +905,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id,
 {
     jboolean writeBufIsCopy;
     jdouble *writeBuf = NULL;
-    htri_t   vl_data_class;
+    htri_t   data_class;
     herr_t   status = FAIL;
 
     UNUSED(clss);
@@ -902,14 +913,19 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id,
     if (NULL == buf)
         H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_double: write buffer is NULL");
 
-    if (ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_double: buf length < 0");
-    }
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_class(mem_type_id, H5T_VLEN)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_double: variable length type not supported");
 
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
+    /* Recursively detect any vlen string in type (compound, array ...) */
+    if ((data_class = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mem_type_id)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
+    if (data_class)
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_double: variable length type not supported");
+
     if (isCriticalPinning) {
         PIN_DOUBLE_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy,
                                   "H5Dwrite_double: write buffer not critically pinned");
@@ -924,9 +940,6 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1double(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id,
 
 done:
     if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
         if (isCriticalPinning) {
             UNPIN_ARRAY_CRITICAL(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
         }
@@ -1081,445 +1094,13 @@ done:
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
  * Method:    H5DreadVL
- * Signature: (JJJJJ[java/util/ArrayList;)I
+ * Signature: (JJJJJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL
 Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5DreadVL(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlong mem_type_id,
                               jlong mem_space_id, jlong file_space_id, jlong xfer_plist_id, jobjectArray buf)
 {
     H5T_class_t type_class;
-    jsize       n;
-    htri_t      vl_data_class;
-    herr_t      status = FAIL;
-    jboolean    readBufIsCopy;
-    jbyteArray *readBuf = NULL;
-
-    UNUSED(clss);
-
-    if (NULL == buf)
-        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5DreadVL: read buffer is NULL");
-
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5DreadVL: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
-
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-    if ((type_class = H5Tget_class((hid_t)mem_type_id)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    if (type_class == H5T_VLEN) {
-        size_t      typeSize;
-        hid_t       memb = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        H5T_class_t vlClass;
-        size_t      vlSize;
-        void *      rawBuf = NULL;
-        jobject *   jList  = NULL;
-
-        size_t i, j, x;
-        char * cp_vp = NULL;
-
-        if (!(typeSize = H5Tget_size(mem_type_id)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-        if (!(memb = H5Tget_super(mem_type_id)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-        if ((vlClass = H5Tget_class((hid_t)memb)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-        if (!(vlSize = H5Tget_size(memb)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-        if (NULL == (rawBuf = HDcalloc((size_t)n, typeSize)))
-            H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5DreadVL: failed to allocate raw VL read buffer");
-
-        if ((status = H5Dread((hid_t)dataset_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, (hid_t)mem_space_id,
-                              (hid_t)file_space_id, (hid_t)xfer_plist_id, (void *)rawBuf)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-        /* Cache class types */
-        jclass cBool   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Boolean");
-        jclass cByte   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Byte");
-        jclass cShort  = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Short");
-        jclass cInt    = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Integer");
-        jclass cLong   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Long");
-        jclass cFloat  = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Float");
-        jclass cDouble = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Double");
-
-        jmethodID boolValueMid =
-            ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cBool, "valueOf", "(Z)Ljava/lang/Boolean;");
-        jmethodID byteValueMid = ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cByte, "valueOf", "(B)Ljava/lang/Byte;");
-        jmethodID shortValueMid =
-            ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cShort, "valueOf", "(S)Ljava/lang/Short;");
-        jmethodID intValueMid = ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cInt, "valueOf", "(I)Ljava/lang/Integer;");
-        jmethodID longValueMid = ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cLong, "valueOf", "(J)Ljava/lang/Long;");
-        jmethodID floatValueMid =
-            ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cFloat, "valueOf", "(F)Ljava/lang/Float;");
-        jmethodID doubleValueMid =
-            ENVPTR->GetStaticMethodID(ENVONLY, cDouble, "valueOf", "(D)Ljava/lang/Double;");
-
-        // retrieve the java.util.List interface class
-        jclass    cList     = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/util/List");
-        jmethodID addMethod = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cList, "add", "(Ljava/lang/Object;)Z");
-
-        /* Convert each element to a list */
-        for (i = 0; i < (size_t)n; i++) {
-            // The list we're going to return:
-            if (NULL == (jList = ENVPTR->GetObjectArrayElement(ENVONLY, (jobjectArray)buf, (jsize)i)))
-                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-            cp_vp = (char *)rawBuf + i * typeSize;
-            /* Get the number of sequence elements */
-            jsize nelmts = ((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->len;
-
-            jobject jobj = NULL;
-            for (j = 0; j < nelmts; j++) {
-                switch (vlClass) {
-                    /*case H5T_BOOL: {
-                        jboolean boolValue;
-                        for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                            ((char *)&boolValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j*vlSize+x];
-                        }
-
-                        jobj = ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cBool, boolValueMid, boolValue);
-                        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                        break;
-                    } */
-                    case H5T_INTEGER: {
-                        switch (vlSize) {
-                            case sizeof(jbyte): {
-                                jbyte byteValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&byteValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj =
-                                    ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cByte, byteValueMid, byteValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jshort): {
-                                jshort shortValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&shortValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj = ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cShort, shortValueMid,
-                                                                      shortValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jint): {
-                                jint intValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&intValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj = ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cInt, intValueMid, intValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jlong): {
-                                jlong longValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&longValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj =
-                                    ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cLong, longValueMid, longValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    case H5T_FLOAT: {
-                        switch (vlSize) {
-                            case sizeof(jfloat): {
-                                jfloat floatValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&floatValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj = ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cFloat, floatValueMid,
-                                                                      floatValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jdouble): {
-                                jdouble doubleValue;
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)&doubleValue)[x] = ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                                }
-
-                                jobj = ENVPTR->CallStaticObjectMethod(ENVONLY, cDouble, doubleValueMid,
-                                                                      doubleValue);
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    case H5T_REFERENCE: {
-                        jboolean bb;
-                        jbyte *  barray = NULL;
-                        if (NULL == (jobj = ENVPTR->NewByteArray(ENVONLY, vlSize)))
-                            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-                        PIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, (jbyteArray)jobj, barray, &bb,
-                                       "readVL reference: byte array not pinned");
-
-                        for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                            barray[x] = ((jbyte *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x];
-                        }
-                        if (barray)
-                            UNPIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, (jbyteArray)jobj, barray, jobj ? 0 : JNI_ABORT);
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    default:
-                        H5_UNIMPLEMENTED(ENVONLY, "H5DreadVL: invalid class type");
-                        break;
-                }
-
-                // Add it to the list
-                ENVPTR->CallBooleanMethod(ENVONLY, jList, addMethod, jobj);
-                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-            }
-        } /* end for */
-
-        if (rawBuf)
-            HDfree(rawBuf);
-    }
-    else {
-        if ((status = H5Dread((hid_t)dataset_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, (hid_t)mem_space_id,
-                              (hid_t)file_space_id, (hid_t)xfer_plist_id, (void *)readBuf)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    }
-
-done:
-    if (readBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, readBuf);
-
-        UNPIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, buf, readBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
-    }
-
-    return (jint)status;
-} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5DreadVL */
-
-/*
- * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    H5DwriteVL
- * Signature: (JJJJJ[java/util/ArrayList;)I
- */
-JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL
-Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5DwriteVL(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlong mem_type_id,
-                               jlong mem_space_id, jlong file_space_id, jlong xfer_plist_id, jobjectArray buf)
-{
-    H5T_class_t type_class;
-    jsize       n;
-    htri_t      vl_data_class;
-    herr_t      status = FAIL;
-    jboolean    writeBufIsCopy;
-    jbyteArray *writeBuf = NULL;
-
-    UNUSED(clss);
-
-    if (NULL == buf)
-        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5DwriteVL: write buffer is NULL");
-
-    /* Get size of data array */
-    if ((n = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, buf)) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5DwriteVL: readBuf length < 0");
-    }
-
-    if ((vl_data_class = h5str_detect_vlen(mem_type_id)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-    if ((type_class = H5Tget_class((hid_t)mem_type_id)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    if (type_class == H5T_VLEN) {
-        size_t      typeSize;
-        hid_t       memb = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        H5T_class_t vlClass;
-        size_t      vlSize;
-        void *      rawBuf = NULL;
-        jobject *   jList  = NULL;
-
-        size_t i, j, x;
-        char * cp_vp = NULL;
-
-        if (!(typeSize = H5Tget_size(mem_type_id)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-        if (!(memb = H5Tget_super(mem_type_id)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-        if ((vlClass = H5Tget_class((hid_t)memb)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-        if (!(vlSize = H5Tget_size(memb)))
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-        if (NULL == (rawBuf = HDcalloc((size_t)n, typeSize)))
-            H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5DwriteVL: failed to allocate raw VL write buffer");
-
-        /* Cache class types */
-        jclass cBool   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Boolean");
-        jclass cByte   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Byte");
-        jclass cShort  = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Short");
-        jclass cInt    = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Integer");
-        jclass cLong   = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Long");
-        jclass cFloat  = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Float");
-        jclass cDouble = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/lang/Double");
-
-        jmethodID boolValueMid   = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cBool, "booleanValue", "()Z");
-        jmethodID byteValueMid   = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cByte, "byteValue", "()B");
-        jmethodID shortValueMid  = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cShort, "shortValue", "()S");
-        jmethodID intValueMid    = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cInt, "intValue", "()I");
-        jmethodID longValueMid   = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cLong, "longValue", "()J");
-        jmethodID floatValueMid  = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cFloat, "floatValue", "()F");
-        jmethodID doubleValueMid = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cDouble, "doubleValue", "()D");
-
-        /* Convert each list to a vlen element */
-        for (i = 0; i < (size_t)n; i++) {
-            if (NULL == (jList = ENVPTR->GetObjectArrayElement(ENVONLY, (jobjectArray)buf, (jsize)i)))
-                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-            // retrieve the java.util.List interface class
-            jclass cList = ENVPTR->FindClass(ENVONLY, "java/util/List");
-
-            // retrieve the toArray method and invoke it
-            jmethodID mToArray = ENVPTR->GetMethodID(ENVONLY, cList, "toArray", "()[Ljava/lang/Object;");
-            if (mToArray == NULL)
-                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-            jobjectArray array   = (jobjectArray)ENVPTR->CallObjectMethod(ENVONLY, jList, mToArray);
-            jsize        jnelmts = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, array);
-
-            cp_vp                 = (char *)rawBuf + i * typeSize;
-            ((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->len = jnelmts;
-
-            if (NULL == (((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p = HDmalloc(jnelmts * vlSize)))
-                H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5DwriteVL: failed to allocate vlen ptr buffer");
-            jobject jobj = NULL;
-            for (j = 0; j < (int)jnelmts; j++) {
-                if (NULL == (jobj = ENVPTR->GetObjectArrayElement(ENVONLY, (jobjectArray)array, (jsize)j)))
-                    CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-                switch (vlClass) {
-                    /* case H5T_BOOL: {
-                            jboolean boolValue = ENVPTR->CallBooleanMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, boolValueMid);
-                            for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&boolValue)[x];
-                            }
-                            break;
-                    } */
-                    case H5T_INTEGER: {
-                        switch (vlSize) {
-                            case sizeof(jbyte): {
-                                jbyte byteValue = ENVPTR->CallByteMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, byteValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&byteValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jshort): {
-                                jshort shortValue = ENVPTR->CallShortMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, shortValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&shortValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jint): {
-                                jint intValue = ENVPTR->CallIntMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, intValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&intValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jlong): {
-                                jlong longValue = ENVPTR->CallLongMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, longValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&longValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    case H5T_FLOAT: {
-                        switch (vlSize) {
-                            case sizeof(jfloat): {
-                                jfloat floatValue = ENVPTR->CallFloatMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, floatValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&floatValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            case sizeof(jdouble): {
-                                jdouble doubleValue = ENVPTR->CallDoubleMethod(ENVONLY, jobj, doubleValueMid);
-                                for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                                    ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)&doubleValue)[x];
-                                }
-                                break;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    case H5T_REFERENCE: {
-                        jbyte *barray = (jbyte *)ENVPTR->GetByteArrayElements(ENVONLY, jobj, 0);
-                        for (x = 0; x < (int)vlSize; x++) {
-                            ((char *)((hvl_t *)cp_vp)->p)[j * vlSize + x] = ((char *)barray)[x];
-                        }
-                        ENVPTR->ReleaseByteArrayElements(ENVONLY, jobj, barray, 0);
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    default:
-                        H5_UNIMPLEMENTED(ENVONLY, "H5DwriteVL: invalid class type");
-                        break;
-                }
-                ENVPTR->DeleteLocalRef(ENVONLY, jobj);
-            }
-            ENVPTR->DeleteLocalRef(ENVONLY, jList);
-        } /* end for (i = 0; i < n; i++) */
-
-        if ((status = H5Dwrite((hid_t)dataset_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, (hid_t)mem_space_id,
-                               (hid_t)file_space_id, (hid_t)xfer_plist_id, rawBuf)) < 0)
-            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-        if (rawBuf)
-            HDfree(rawBuf);
-    }
-    else {
-        PIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, &writeBufIsCopy, "H5DwriteVL: write buffer not pinned");
-        if ((status = H5Dwrite((hid_t)dataset_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, (hid_t)mem_space_id,
-                               (hid_t)file_space_id, (hid_t)xfer_plist_id, writeBuf)) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    }
-
-done:
-    if (writeBuf) {
-        if ((status >= 0) && vl_data_class)
-            H5Treclaim(dataset_id, mem_space_id, H5P_DEFAULT, writeBuf);
-
-        if (type_class != H5T_VLEN)
-            UNPIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, buf, writeBuf, (status < 0) ? JNI_ABORT : 0);
-    }
-
-    return (jint)status;
-} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5DwriteVL */
-
-/*
- * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    H5Dread_VLStrings
- * Signature: (JJJJJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
- */
-JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL
-Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1VLStrings(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlong mem_type_id,
-                                       jlong mem_space_id, jlong file_space_id, jlong xfer_plist_id,
-                                       jobjectArray buf)
-{
-    H5T_class_t type_class;
     htri_t      isStr      = 0;
     htri_t      isVlenStr  = 0;
     htri_t      isComplex  = 0;
@@ -1530,7 +1111,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1VLStrings(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_i
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
-        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5DreadVLStrings: read buffer is NULL");
+        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5DreadVL: read buffer is NULL");
 
     if ((isStr = H5Tdetect_class((hid_t)mem_type_id, H5T_STRING)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
@@ -1582,7 +1163,7 @@ done:
         H5Tclose(nested_tid);
 
     return (jint)status;
-} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1VLStrings */
+} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1VL */
 
 /*
  * Helper method to read in a buffer of variable-length strings from an HDF5
@@ -1734,15 +1315,54 @@ done:
     return status;
 }
 
+/**
+ *  Read VLEN data into array of arrays.
+ *  Object[] buf contains VL arrays of data points
+ *  Currently only deal with variable length of atomic data types
+ */
+/* old version */
+
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    H5Dwrite_VLStrings
+ * Method:    H5Dread_VLStrings
  * Signature: (JJJJJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL
-Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1VLStrings(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlong mem_type_id,
-                                        jlong mem_space_id, jlong file_space_id, jlong xfer_plist_id,
-                                        jobjectArray buf)
+Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1VLStrings(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlong mem_type_id,
+                                       jlong mem_space_id, jlong file_space_id, jlong xfer_plist_id,
+                                       jobjectArray buf)
+{
+    htri_t isVlenStr = 0;
+    herr_t status    = FAIL;
+
+    UNUSED(clss);
+
+    if (NULL == buf)
+        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_VLStrings: read buffer is NULL");
+
+    if ((isVlenStr = H5Tdetect_class((hid_t)mem_type_id, H5T_STRING)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (isVlenStr) {
+        if ((status = H5DreadVL_str(env, (hid_t)dataset_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, (hid_t)mem_space_id,
+                                    (hid_t)file_space_id, (hid_t)xfer_plist_id, buf)) < 0)
+            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+    }
+    else
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dread_VLStrings: datatype is not variable length String");
+
+done:
+    return (jint)status;
+} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dread_1VLStrings */
+
+/*
+ * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
+ * Method:    H5DwriteVL
+ * Signature: (JJJJJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
+ */
+JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL
+Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5DwriteVL(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlong mem_type_id,
+                               jlong mem_space_id, jlong file_space_id, jlong xfer_plist_id, jobjectArray buf)
 {
     H5T_class_t type_class;
     htri_t      isStr      = 0;
@@ -1755,7 +1375,7 @@ Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1VLStrings(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_
     UNUSED(clss);
 
     if (NULL == buf)
-        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5DwriteVLStrings: write buffer is NULL");
+        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5DwriteVL: write buffer is NULL");
 
     if ((isStr = H5Tdetect_class((hid_t)mem_type_id, H5T_STRING)) < 0)
         H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
@@ -1807,7 +1427,7 @@ done:
         H5Tclose(nested_tid);
 
     return (jint)status;
-} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1VLStrings */
+} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1VL */
 
 /*
  * Helper method to convert an array of Java strings into a buffer of C-strings.
@@ -1820,7 +1440,7 @@ H5DwriteVL_str(JNIEnv *env, hid_t dataset_id, hid_t mem_type_id, hid_t mem_space
     const char *utf8 = NULL;
     jstring     obj;
     jsize       size;
-    jint        i;
+    jsize       i;
     char **     writeBuf = NULL;
     herr_t      status   = FAIL;
 
@@ -1892,7 +1512,7 @@ H5DwriteVL_asstr(JNIEnv *env, hid_t did, hid_t tid, hid_t mem_sid, hid_t file_si
                  jobjectArray buf)
 {
     const char *utf8            = NULL;
-    jstring     jstr            = NULL;
+    jstring     obj             = NULL;
     hbool_t     close_mem_space = FALSE;
     size_t      typeSize;
     size_t      i;
@@ -1929,7 +1549,7 @@ H5DwriteVL_asstr(JNIEnv *env, hid_t did, hid_t tid, hid_t mem_sid, hid_t file_si
         H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5AwriteVL_asstr: failed to allocate write buffer");
 
     for (i = 0; i < (size_t)n; ++i) {
-        if (NULL == (jstr = (jstring)ENVPTR->GetObjectArrayElement(ENVONLY, (jobjectArray)buf, (jsize)i))) {
+        if (NULL == (obj = (jstring)ENVPTR->GetObjectArrayElement(ENVONLY, (jobjectArray)buf, (jsize)i))) {
             CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
 
             /*
@@ -1940,11 +1560,11 @@ H5DwriteVL_asstr(JNIEnv *env, hid_t did, hid_t tid, hid_t mem_sid, hid_t file_si
         }
 
         /*
-         * length = ENVPTR->GetStringUTFLength(ENVONLY, jstr);
+         * length = ENVPTR->GetStringUTFLength(ENVONLY, obj);
          * CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
          */
 
-        PIN_JAVA_STRING(ENVONLY, jstr, utf8, NULL, "H5DwriteVL_asstr: failed to pin string buffer");
+        PIN_JAVA_STRING(ENVONLY, obj, utf8, NULL, "H5DwriteVL_asstr: failed to pin string buffer");
 
         /*
          * TODO: If the string isn't a copy, we should probably make
@@ -1954,10 +1574,10 @@ H5DwriteVL_asstr(JNIEnv *env, hid_t did, hid_t tid, hid_t mem_sid, hid_t file_si
         if (!h5str_convert(ENVONLY, (char **)&utf8, did, tid, &(((char *)writeBuf)[i * typeSize]), 0))
             CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
 
-        UNPIN_JAVA_STRING(ENVONLY, jstr, utf8);
+        UNPIN_JAVA_STRING(ENVONLY, obj, utf8);
         utf8 = NULL;
 
-        ENVPTR->DeleteLocalRef(ENVONLY, jstr);
+        ENVPTR->DeleteLocalRef(ENVONLY, obj);
     } /* end for (i = 0; i < size; ++i) */
 
     if ((status = H5Dwrite(did, tid, mem_sid, file_sid, xfer_plist_id, writeBuf)) < 0)
@@ -1965,7 +1585,7 @@ H5DwriteVL_asstr(JNIEnv *env, hid_t did, hid_t tid, hid_t mem_sid, hid_t file_si
 
 done:
     if (utf8)
-        UNPIN_JAVA_STRING(ENVONLY, jstr, utf8);
+        UNPIN_JAVA_STRING(ENVONLY, obj, utf8);
     if (writeBuf) {
         H5Treclaim(tid, mem_space, xfer_plist_id, writeBuf);
         HDfree(writeBuf);
@@ -1978,6 +1598,39 @@ done:
 
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
+ * Method:    H5Dwrite_VLStrings
+ * Signature: (JJJJJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
+ */
+JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL
+Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1VLStrings(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong dataset_id, jlong mem_type_id,
+                                        jlong mem_space_id, jlong file_space_id, jlong xfer_plist_id,
+                                        jobjectArray buf)
+{
+    htri_t isVlenStr = 0;
+    herr_t status    = FAIL;
+
+    UNUSED(clss);
+
+    if (NULL == buf)
+        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_VLStrings: write buffer is NULL");
+
+    if ((isVlenStr = H5Tis_variable_str((hid_t)mem_type_id)) < 0)
+        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+    if (isVlenStr) {
+        if ((status = H5DwriteVL_str(env, (hid_t)dataset_id, (hid_t)mem_type_id, (hid_t)mem_space_id,
+                                     (hid_t)file_space_id, (hid_t)xfer_plist_id, buf)) < 0)
+            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+    } /* end if */
+    else
+        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Dwrite_VLStrings: datatype is not variable length String");
+
+done:
+    return (jint)status;
+} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1VLStrings */
+
+/*
+ * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
  * Method:    H5Dread_reg_ref
  * Signature: (JJJJJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
  */
diff --git a/java/src/jni/h5dImp.h b/java/src/jni/h5dImp.h
index f79cc2c..e339dad 100644
--- a/java/src/jni/h5dImp.h
+++ b/java/src/jni/h5dImp.h
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Dwrite_1double(JNIEnv *, jclass, jl
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
  * Method:    H5DreadVL
- * Signature: (JJJJJ[Ljava/util/ArrayList;)I
+ * Signature: (JJJJJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5DreadVL(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong, jlong, jlong, jlong, jlong,
                                                      jobjectArray);
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5DreadVL(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong, jl
 /*
  * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
  * Method:    H5DwriteVL
- * Signature: (JJJJJ[Ljava/util/ArrayList;)I
+ * Signature: (JJJJJ[Ljava/lang/String;)I
  */
 JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5DwriteVL(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong, jlong, jlong, jlong, jlong,
                                                       jobjectArray);
diff --git a/java/src/jni/h5rImp.c b/java/src/jni/h5rImp.c
index 58b5522..9fe0701 100644
--- a/java/src/jni/h5rImp.c
+++ b/java/src/jni/h5rImp.c
@@ -877,67 +877,6 @@ done:
     return ret_val;
 } /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Rget_1name */
 
-/*
- * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    H5Rget_name_string
- * Signature: (JI[B)Ljava/lang/String;
- */
-JNIEXPORT jstring JNICALL
-Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Rget_1name_1string(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jlong loc_id, jint ref_type,
-                                         jbyteArray ref)
-{
-    jboolean isCopy;
-    jstring  str;
-    jsize    refBufLen;
-    jbyte *  refBuf   = NULL;
-    char *   aName    = NULL;
-    ssize_t  buf_size = -1;
-    jlong    ret_val  = -1;
-
-    UNUSED(clss);
-
-    if (NULL == ref)
-        H5_NULL_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Rget_name: reference buffer is NULL");
-
-    if ((refBufLen = ENVPTR->GetArrayLength(ENVONLY, ref)) < 0) {
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_TRUE);
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Rget_name: ref array length < 0");
-    }
-
-    if ((H5R_OBJECT == ref_type) && (refBufLen != H5R_OBJ_REF_BUF_SIZE))
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Rget_name: reference input array length != H5R_OBJ_REF_BUF_SIZE");
-    else if ((H5R_DATASET_REGION == ref_type) && (refBufLen != H5R_DSET_REG_REF_BUF_SIZE))
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(
-            ENVONLY, "H5Rget_name: region reference input array length != H5R_DSET_REG_REF_BUF_SIZE");
-    else if ((H5R_OBJECT != ref_type) && (H5R_DATASET_REGION != ref_type))
-        H5_BAD_ARGUMENT_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Rget_name: unknown reference type");
-
-    PIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, ref, refBuf, &isCopy, "H5Rget_name: reference buffer not pinned");
-
-    /* Get the length of the name */
-    if ((buf_size = H5Rget_name((hid_t)loc_id, (H5R_type_t)ref_type, refBuf, NULL, 0)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-    if (NULL == (aName = HDmalloc(sizeof(char) * (size_t)buf_size + 1)))
-        H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(ENVONLY, "H5Rget_name: failed to allocate referenced object name buffer");
-
-    if ((ret_val = (jlong)H5Rget_name((hid_t)loc_id, (H5R_type_t)ref_type, refBuf, aName,
-                                      (size_t)buf_size + 1)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    aName[(size_t)buf_size] = '\0';
-
-    if (NULL == (str = ENVPTR->NewStringUTF(ENVONLY, aName)))
-        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-done:
-    if (aName)
-        HDfree(aName);
-    if (refBuf)
-        UNPIN_BYTE_ARRAY(ENVONLY, ref, refBuf, JNI_ABORT);
-
-    return str;
-} /* end Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Rget_1name_1string */
-
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 } /* end extern "C" */
 #endif /* __cplusplus */
diff --git a/java/src/jni/h5rImp.h b/java/src/jni/h5rImp.h
index 5865495..ffd7737 100644
--- a/java/src/jni/h5rImp.h
+++ b/java/src/jni/h5rImp.h
@@ -170,13 +170,6 @@ JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Rget_1obj_1type2(JNIEnv *, jclass,
 JNIEXPORT jlong JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Rget_1name(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong, jint, jbyteArray,
                                                          jobjectArray, jlong);
 
-/*
- * Class:     hdf_hdf5lib_H5
- * Method:    H5Rget_name_string
- * Signature: (JI[B)Ljava/lang/String;
- */
-JNIEXPORT jstring JNICALL Java_hdf_hdf5lib_H5_H5Rget_1name_1string(JNIEnv *, jclass, jlong, jint, jbyteArray);
-
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 } /* end extern "C" */
 #endif /* __cplusplus */
diff --git a/java/src/jni/h5util.c b/java/src/jni/h5util.c
index a1a1eda..2de5d87 100644
--- a/java/src/jni/h5util.c
+++ b/java/src/jni/h5util.c
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ void *      edata;
 /* Local Prototypes */
 /********************/
 
-int h5str_old_region_dataset(JNIEnv *env, h5str_t *out_str, hid_t container, void *ref_buf, int expand_data);
 int h5str_region_dataset(JNIEnv *env, h5str_t *out_str, H5R_ref_t *ref_vp, int expand_data);
 
 static int    h5str_dump_region_blocks(JNIEnv *env, h5str_t *str, hid_t region, hid_t region_obj,
@@ -64,6 +63,7 @@ static int    h5str_is_zero(const void *_mem, size_t size);
 static hid_t  h5str_get_native_type(hid_t type);
 static hid_t  h5str_get_little_endian_type(hid_t type);
 static hid_t  h5str_get_big_endian_type(hid_t type);
+static htri_t h5str_detect_vlen(hid_t tid);
 static htri_t h5str_detect_vlen_str(hid_t tid);
 static int    h5str_dump_simple_data(JNIEnv *env, FILE *stream, hid_t container, hid_t type, void *_mem,
                                      hsize_t nelmts);
@@ -642,33 +642,6 @@ done:
 } /* end h5str_convert */
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- * Function:    h5str_sprint_old_reference
- *
- * Purpose: Object reference -- show the name of the 1.10 referenced object.
- *
- * Return:  SUCCEED or FAIL
- *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- */
-int
-h5str_sprint_old_reference(JNIEnv *env, h5str_t *out_str, hid_t region_obj, void *ref_buf)
-{
-    hid_t region = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    char  ref_name[1024];
-
-    int ret_value = FAIL;
-
-    if ((H5Rget_name(region_obj, H5R_DATASET_REGION, ref_buf, (char *)ref_name, 1024)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    if (!h5str_append(out_str, ref_name))
-        H5_ASSERTION_ERROR(ENVONLY, "Unable to append string.");
-
-    ret_value = SUCCEED;
-done:
-
-    return ret_value;
-} /* h5str_sprint_reference */
-
-/*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Function:    h5str_sprint_reference
  *
  * Purpose: Object reference -- show the name of the referenced object.
@@ -732,48 +705,6 @@ done:
 } /* h5str_sprint_reference */
 
 int
-h5str_old_region_dataset(JNIEnv *env, h5str_t *out_str, hid_t container, void *ref_buf, int expand_data)
-{
-    H5S_sel_type region_type = H5S_SEL_ERROR;
-    hid_t        region_obj  = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-    hid_t        region_sid  = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-
-    int ret_value = FAIL;
-
-    if ((region_obj = H5Rdereference2(container, H5P_DEFAULT, H5R_DATASET_REGION, ref_buf)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-    if ((region_sid = H5Rget_region(container, H5R_DATASET_REGION, ref_buf)) < 0)
-        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-    if (expand_data == 0)
-        if (h5str_sprint_old_reference(ENVONLY, out_str, region_obj, ref_buf) < 0)
-            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-
-    if ((region_type = H5Sget_select_type(region_sid)) > H5S_SEL_ERROR) {
-        if (H5S_SEL_POINTS == region_type) {
-            if (h5str_dump_region_points(ENVONLY, out_str, region_sid, region_obj, expand_data) < 0)
-                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-        }
-        else if (H5S_SEL_HYPERSLABS == region_type) {
-            if (h5str_dump_region_blocks(ENVONLY, out_str, region_sid, region_obj, expand_data) < 0)
-                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-        }
-    }
-
-    ret_value = SUCCEED;
-done:
-    if (region_sid >= 0)
-        if (H5Sclose(region_sid) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-    if (region_obj >= 0)
-        if (H5Dclose(region_obj) < 0)
-            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-    return ret_value;
-}
-
-int
 h5str_region_dataset(JNIEnv *env, h5str_t *out_str, H5R_ref_t *ref_vp, int expand_data)
 {
     hid_t        new_obj_id  = H5I_INVALID_HID;
@@ -1175,217 +1106,125 @@ h5str_sprintf(JNIEnv *env, h5str_t *out_str, hid_t container, hid_t tid, void *i
         }
 
         case H5T_REFERENCE: {
-            if (H5R_DSET_REG_REF_BUF_SIZE == typeSize) {
-                if (h5str_old_region_dataset(ENVONLY, out_str, container, cptr, expand_data) < 0)
-                    CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-            }
-            else if (H5R_OBJ_REF_BUF_SIZE == typeSize) {
-                H5O_info2_t oi;
-                hid_t       obj         = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-                char *      obj_tok_str = NULL;
-
-                /*
-                 * Object references -- show the type and OID of the referenced
-                 * object.
-                 */
-
-                if (NULL == (this_str = (char *)HDmalloc(64)))
-                    H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: failed to allocate string buffer");
-
-                if ((obj = H5Rdereference2(container, H5P_DEFAULT, H5R_OBJECT, cptr)) < 0)
-                    H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-                if (H5Oget_info3(obj, &oi, H5O_INFO_ALL) < 0)
-                    H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-                /* Print object data and close object */
-                H5Otoken_to_str(obj, &oi.token, &obj_tok_str);
-
-                switch (oi.type) {
-                    case H5O_TYPE_GROUP:
-                        if (HDsprintf(this_str, "%s %s", H5_TOOLS_GROUP, obj_tok_str) < 0)
-                            H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: HDsprintf failure");
+            /* H5T_STD_REF */
+            hid_t      new_obj_id = H5I_INVALID_HID;
+            H5O_type_t obj_type   = -1; /* Object type */
+            H5R_type_t ref_type;        /* Reference type */
+
+            H5R_ref_t *ref_vp = (H5R_ref_t *)cptr;
+
+            ref_type = H5Rget_type(ref_vp);
+            if (!h5str_is_zero(ref_vp, H5Tget_size(H5T_STD_REF))) {
+                switch (ref_type) {
+                    case H5R_OBJECT1:
+                        if (H5Rget_obj_type3(ref_vp, H5P_DEFAULT, &obj_type) >= 0) {
+                            switch (obj_type) {
+                                case H5O_TYPE_DATASET:
+                                    if (h5str_region_dataset(ENVONLY, out_str, ref_vp, expand_data) < 0)
+                                        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
+                                    break;
+
+                                case H5O_TYPE_GROUP:
+                                case H5O_TYPE_NAMED_DATATYPE:
+                                case H5O_TYPE_MAP:
+                                case H5O_TYPE_UNKNOWN:
+                                case H5O_TYPE_NTYPES:
+                                default: {
+                                    /* Object references -- show the type and OID of the referenced object. */
+                                    H5O_info2_t oi;
+                                    char *      obj_tok_str = NULL;
+                                    if ((new_obj_id = H5Ropen_object(ref_vp, H5P_DEFAULT, H5P_DEFAULT)) >=
+                                        0) {
+                                        H5Oget_info3(new_obj_id, &oi, H5O_INFO_BASIC);
+                                        H5Otoken_to_str(new_obj_id, &oi.token, &obj_tok_str);
+                                        if (H5Dclose(new_obj_id) < 0)
+                                            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+                                    }
+                                    else
+                                        H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+
+                                    size_t this_len = 14;
+                                    if (NULL == (this_str = (char *)HDmalloc(this_len)))
+                                        H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(
+                                            ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: failed to allocate string buffer");
+                                    if (HDsnprintf(this_str, this_len, "%u-", (unsigned)oi.type) < 0)
+                                        H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: HDsnprintf failure");
+                                    if (!h5str_append(out_str, this_str))
+                                        H5_ASSERTION_ERROR(ENVONLY, "Unable to append string.");
+                                    HDfree(this_str);
+                                    this_str = NULL;
+
+                                    /* Print OID */
+                                    {
+                                        char *token_str;
+
+                                        H5Otoken_to_str(tid, &oi.token, &token_str);
+
+                                        size_t that_len = 64 + strlen(token_str) + 1;
+                                        if (NULL == (this_str = HDmalloc(that_len)))
+                                            H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(
+                                                ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: failed to allocate string buffer");
+                                        if (HDsnprintf(this_str, that_len, "%lu:%s", oi.fileno, token_str) <
+                                            0)
+                                            H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: HDsnprintf failure");
+
+                                        H5free_memory(token_str);
+                                    }
+                                } break;
+                            } /* end switch */
+                        }
+                        else
+                            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
                         break;
-
-                    case H5O_TYPE_DATASET:
-                        if (HDsprintf(this_str, "%s %s", H5_TOOLS_DATASET, obj_tok_str) < 0)
-                            H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: HDsprintf failure");
+                    case H5R_DATASET_REGION1:
+                        if (h5str_region_dataset(ENVONLY, out_str, ref_vp, expand_data) < 0)
+                            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
                         break;
-
-                    case H5O_TYPE_NAMED_DATATYPE:
-                        if (HDsprintf(this_str, "%s %s", H5_TOOLS_DATATYPE, obj_tok_str) < 0)
-                            H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: HDsprintf failure");
+                    case H5R_OBJECT2:
+                        if (H5Rget_obj_type3(ref_vp, H5P_DEFAULT, &obj_type) >= 0) {
+                            switch (obj_type) {
+                                case H5O_TYPE_GROUP:
+                                    break;
+
+                                case H5O_TYPE_DATASET:
+                                    if (h5str_region_dataset(ENVONLY, out_str, ref_vp, expand_data) < 0)
+                                        CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
+                                    break;
+
+                                case H5O_TYPE_NAMED_DATATYPE:
+                                    break;
+
+                                case H5O_TYPE_MAP:
+                                case H5O_TYPE_UNKNOWN:
+                                case H5O_TYPE_NTYPES:
+                                default:
+                                    break;
+                            } /* end switch */
+                        }
+                        else
+                            H5_ASSERTION_ERROR(ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: H5R_OBJECT2 failed");
                         break;
-
-                    case H5O_TYPE_UNKNOWN:
-                    case H5O_TYPE_NTYPES:
+                    case H5R_DATASET_REGION2:
+                        if (h5str_region_dataset(ENVONLY, out_str, ref_vp, expand_data) < 0)
+                            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
+                        break;
+                    case H5R_ATTR:
+                        if ((new_obj_id = H5Ropen_attr(ref_vp, H5P_DEFAULT, H5P_DEFAULT)) >= 0) {
+                            if (h5str_dump_region_attribute(ENVONLY, out_str, new_obj_id) < 0)
+                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
+                            if (H5Aclose(new_obj_id) < 0)
+                                H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
+                        }
+                        break;
+                    case H5R_BADTYPE:
+                    case H5R_MAXTYPE:
                     default:
-                        if (HDsprintf(this_str, "%u-%s", (unsigned)oi.type, obj_tok_str) < 0)
-                            H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: HDsprintf failure");
                         break;
-                }
-
-                if (obj_tok_str) {
-                    H5free_memory(obj_tok_str);
-                    obj_tok_str = NULL;
-                }
-
-                if (H5Oclose(obj) < 0)
-                    H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-                obj = H5I_INVALID_HID;
+                } /* end switch */
             }
-            else {
-                /* H5T_STD_REF */
-                hid_t      new_obj_id = H5I_INVALID_HID;
-                H5O_type_t obj_type   = -1; /* Object type */
-                H5R_type_t ref_type;        /* Reference type */
-
-                H5R_ref_t *ref_vp = (H5R_ref_t *)cptr;
-
-                ref_type = H5Rget_type(ref_vp);
-                if (!h5str_is_zero(ref_vp, H5Tget_size(H5T_STD_REF))) {
-                    switch (ref_type) {
-                        case H5R_OBJECT1:
-                            if (H5Rget_obj_type3(ref_vp, H5P_DEFAULT, &obj_type) >= 0) {
-                                switch (obj_type) {
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_DATASET:
-                                        if (h5str_region_dataset(ENVONLY, out_str, ref_vp, expand_data) < 0)
-                                            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                        break;
-
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_GROUP:
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_NAMED_DATATYPE:
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_MAP:
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_UNKNOWN:
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_NTYPES:
-                                    default: {
-                                        /* Object references -- show the type and
-                                         * OID of the referenced object. */
-                                        H5O_info2_t oi;
-                                        char *      obj_tok_str = NULL;
-                                        if ((new_obj_id = H5Ropen_object(ref_vp, H5P_DEFAULT, H5P_DEFAULT)) >=
-                                            0) {
-                                            H5Oget_info3(new_obj_id, &oi, H5O_INFO_BASIC);
-                                            H5Otoken_to_str(new_obj_id, &oi.token, &obj_tok_str);
-                                            if (H5Dclose(new_obj_id) < 0)
-                                                H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-                                        }
-                                        else
-                                            H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-
-                                        size_t this_len = 14;
-                                        if (NULL == (this_str = (char *)HDmalloc(this_len)))
-                                            H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(
-                                                ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: failed to allocate string buffer");
-                                        switch (oi.type) {
-                                            case H5O_TYPE_GROUP:
-                                                if (HDsnprintf(this_str, this_len, "%s ", H5_TOOLS_GROUP) < 0)
-                                                    H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY,
-                                                                       "h5str_sprintf: HDsnprintf failure");
-                                                break;
-
-                                            case H5O_TYPE_DATASET:
-                                                if (HDsnprintf(this_str, this_len, "%s ", H5_TOOLS_DATASET) <
-                                                    0)
-                                                    H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY,
-                                                                       "h5str_sprintf: HDsnprintf failure");
-                                                break;
-
-                                            case H5O_TYPE_NAMED_DATATYPE:
-                                                if (HDsnprintf(this_str, this_len, "%s ", H5_TOOLS_DATATYPE) <
-                                                    0)
-                                                    H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY,
-                                                                       "h5str_sprintf: HDsnprintf failure");
-                                                break;
-
-                                            case H5O_TYPE_UNKNOWN:
-                                            case H5O_TYPE_NTYPES:
-                                            default:
-                                                if (HDsnprintf(this_str, this_len, "%u-", (unsigned)oi.type) <
-                                                    0)
-                                                    H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY,
-                                                                       "h5str_sprintf: HDsnprintf failure");
-                                                break;
-                                        } /* end switch */
-                                        if (!h5str_append(out_str, this_str))
-                                            H5_ASSERTION_ERROR(ENVONLY, "Unable to append string.");
-                                        HDfree(this_str);
-                                        this_str = NULL;
-
-                                        /* Print OID */
-                                        {
-                                            char *token_str;
-
-                                            H5Otoken_to_str(tid, &oi.token, &token_str);
-
-                                            size_t that_len = 64 + strlen(token_str) + 1;
-                                            if (NULL == (this_str = HDmalloc(that_len)))
-                                                H5_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR(
-                                                    ENVONLY,
-                                                    "h5str_sprintf: failed to allocate string buffer");
-                                            if (HDsnprintf(this_str, that_len, "%lu:%s", oi.fileno,
-                                                           token_str) < 0)
-                                                H5_JNI_FATAL_ERROR(ENVONLY,
-                                                                   "h5str_sprintf: HDsnprintf failure");
-
-                                            H5free_memory(token_str);
-                                        }
-                                    } break;
-                                } /* end switch */
-                            }
-                            else
-                                H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-                            break;
-                        case H5R_DATASET_REGION1:
-                            if (h5str_region_dataset(ENVONLY, out_str, ref_vp, expand_data) < 0)
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                            break;
-                        case H5R_OBJECT2:
-                            if (H5Rget_obj_type3(ref_vp, H5P_DEFAULT, &obj_type) >= 0) {
-                                switch (obj_type) {
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_GROUP:
-                                        break;
-
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_DATASET:
-                                        if (h5str_region_dataset(ENVONLY, out_str, ref_vp, expand_data) < 0)
-                                            CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                        break;
-
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_NAMED_DATATYPE:
-                                        break;
-
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_MAP:
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_UNKNOWN:
-                                    case H5O_TYPE_NTYPES:
-                                    default:
-                                        break;
-                                } /* end switch */
-                            }
-                            else
-                                H5_ASSERTION_ERROR(ENVONLY, "h5str_sprintf: H5R_OBJECT2 failed");
-                            break;
-                        case H5R_DATASET_REGION2:
-                            if (h5str_region_dataset(ENVONLY, out_str, ref_vp, expand_data) < 0)
-                                CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                            break;
-                        case H5R_ATTR:
-                            if ((new_obj_id = H5Ropen_attr(ref_vp, H5P_DEFAULT, H5P_DEFAULT)) >= 0) {
-                                if (h5str_dump_region_attribute(ENVONLY, out_str, new_obj_id) < 0)
-                                    CHECK_JNI_EXCEPTION(ENVONLY, JNI_FALSE);
-                                if (H5Aclose(new_obj_id) < 0)
-                                    H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-                            }
-                            break;
-                        case H5R_BADTYPE:
-                        case H5R_MAXTYPE:
-                        default:
-                            break;
-                    } /* end switch */
-                }
 
-                if (H5Rdestroy(ref_vp) < 0)
-                    H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
-            }
+            if (H5Rdestroy(ref_vp) < 0)
+                H5_LIBRARY_ERROR(ENVONLY);
 
             break;
         }
@@ -1922,7 +1761,7 @@ h5str_is_zero(const void *_mem, size_t size)
  *    Negative value: error occurred
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
-htri_t
+static htri_t
 h5str_detect_vlen(hid_t tid)
 {
     htri_t ret = FAIL;
@@ -3279,65 +3118,29 @@ done:
     return ret_value;
 }
 
-/*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- * Function: H5Tdetect_variable_str
- *
- * Purpose:  Recursive check for variable length string of a datatype.
- *
- * Return:   TRUE : type contains any variable length string
- *           FALSE : type doesn't contain any variable length string
- *           Negative value: failed
- *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- */
 htri_t
 H5Tdetect_variable_str(hid_t tid)
 {
-    H5T_class_t tclass = -1;
-    htri_t      ret    = FALSE;
-
-    ret = H5Tis_variable_str(tid);
-    if ((ret == TRUE) || (ret < 0))
-        goto done;
-
-    tclass = H5Tget_class(tid);
-    if (tclass == H5T_ARRAY || tclass == H5T_VLEN) {
-        hid_t btid = H5Tget_super(tid);
-
-        if (btid < 0) {
-            ret = (htri_t)btid;
-            goto done;
-        }
-        ret = H5Tdetect_variable_str(btid);
-        if ((ret == TRUE) || (ret < 0)) {
-            H5Tclose(btid);
-            goto done;
-        }
-    }
-    else if (tclass == H5T_COMPOUND) {
-        unsigned nmembs;
-        int      snmembs = H5Tget_nmembers(tid);
-        unsigned u;
-
-        if (snmembs < 0) {
-            ret = FAIL;
-            goto done;
-        }
-        nmembs = (unsigned)snmembs;
-
-        for (u = 0; u < nmembs; u++) {
-            hid_t mtid = H5Tget_member_type(tid, u);
-
-            ret = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mtid);
-            if ((ret == TRUE) || (ret < 0)) {
-                H5Tclose(mtid);
-                goto done;
-            }
+    htri_t ret_val = 0;
+
+    if (H5Tget_class(tid) == H5T_COMPOUND) {
+        unsigned i;
+        unsigned nm = (unsigned)H5Tget_nmembers(tid);
+        for (i = 0; i < nm; i++) {
+            htri_t status = 0;
+            hid_t  mtid   = 0;
+            if ((mtid = H5Tget_member_type(tid, i)) < 0)
+                return FAIL; /* exit immediately on error */
+            if ((status = H5Tdetect_variable_str(mtid)) < 0)
+                return status; /* exit immediately on error */
+            ret_val |= status;
             H5Tclose(mtid);
-        }
-    }
+        } /* end for */
+    }     /* end if */
+    else
+        ret_val = H5Tis_variable_str(tid);
 
-done:
-    return ret;
+    return ret_val;
 } /* end H5Tdetect_variable_str */
 
 static int
diff --git a/java/src/jni/h5util.h b/java/src/jni/h5util.h
index 3146c06..6c568e1 100644
--- a/java/src/jni/h5util.h
+++ b/java/src/jni/h5util.h
@@ -39,10 +39,8 @@ extern void   h5str_new(h5str_t *str, size_t len);
 extern void   h5str_free(h5str_t *str);
 extern void   h5str_resize(h5str_t *str, size_t new_len);
 extern char * h5str_append(h5str_t *str, const char *cstr);
-extern htri_t h5str_detect_vlen(hid_t tid);
 extern size_t h5str_convert(JNIEnv *env, char **in_str, hid_t container, hid_t tid, void *out_buf,
                             size_t out_buf_offset);
-extern int    h5str_sprint_old_reference(JNIEnv *env, h5str_t *out_str, hid_t region_obj, void *ref_buf);
 extern int    h5str_sprint_reference(JNIEnv *env, h5str_t *out_str, void *ref_p);
 extern size_t h5str_sprintf(JNIEnv *env, h5str_t *out_str, hid_t container, hid_t tid, void *in_buf,
                             int expand_data);
diff --git a/java/src/jni/nativeData.c b/java/src/jni/nativeData.c
index ac9168b..9e63f4f 100644
--- a/java/src/jni/nativeData.c
+++ b/java/src/jni/nativeData.c
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ extern "C" {
 
 /* returns int [] */
 JNIEXPORT jintArray JNICALL
-Java_hdf_hdf5lib_HDFNativeData_byteToInt___3B(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss, jbyteArray bdata)
+Java_hdf_hdf5lib_HDFNativeData_byteToInt___3B(JNIEnv *env, jclass clss,
+                                              jbyteArray bdata) /* IN: array of bytes */
 {
     jintArray rarray = NULL;
     jboolean  bb;
diff --git a/java/test/TestH5A.java b/java/test/TestH5A.java
index 96ce5b5..fed13ce 100644
--- a/java/test/TestH5A.java
+++ b/java/test/TestH5A.java
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.Arrays;
-import java.util.List;
 
 import hdf.hdf5lib.H5;
 import hdf.hdf5lib.HDF5Constants;
@@ -639,8 +637,9 @@ public class TestH5A {
             attr_info = H5.H5Aget_info_by_idx(H5did, ".", HDF5Constants.H5_INDEX_CRT_ORDER,
                                               HDF5Constants.H5_ITER_INC, 0, lapl_id);
             assertNotNull(attr_info);
-            assertTrue("Corder ", attr_info.corder ==
-                                      0); // should equal 0 as this is the order of 1st attribute created.
+            assertTrue("Corder ",
+                       attr_info.corder ==
+                           0); // should equal 0 as this is the order of 1st attribute created.
             assertEquals(attr_info.data_size, H5.H5Aget_storage_size(attr_id));
 
             // Verify info for 2nd attribute, in increasing creation order
@@ -654,29 +653,33 @@ public class TestH5A {
             attr_info = H5.H5Aget_info_by_idx(H5did, ".", HDF5Constants.H5_INDEX_CRT_ORDER,
                                               HDF5Constants.H5_ITER_DEC, 0, lapl_id);
             assertNotNull(attr_info);
-            assertTrue("Corder", attr_info.corder ==
-                                     1); // should equal 1 as this is the order of 2nd attribute created.
+            assertTrue("Corder",
+                       attr_info.corder ==
+                           1); // should equal 1 as this is the order of 2nd attribute created.
 
             // verify info for 1st attribute, in decreasing creation order
             attr_info = H5.H5Aget_info_by_idx(H5did, ".", HDF5Constants.H5_INDEX_CRT_ORDER,
                                               HDF5Constants.H5_ITER_DEC, 1, lapl_id);
             assertNotNull(attr_info);
-            assertTrue("Corder", attr_info.corder ==
-                                     0); // should equal 0 as this is the order of 1st attribute created.
+            assertTrue("Corder",
+                       attr_info.corder ==
+                           0); // should equal 0 as this is the order of 1st attribute created.
 
             // verify info for 1st attribute, in increasing name order
             attr_info = H5.H5Aget_info_by_idx(H5did, ".", HDF5Constants.H5_INDEX_NAME,
                                               HDF5Constants.H5_ITER_INC, 1, lapl_id);
             assertNotNull(attr_info);
-            assertTrue("Corder", attr_info.corder ==
-                                     0); // should equal 0 as this is the order of 1st attribute created.
+            assertTrue("Corder",
+                       attr_info.corder ==
+                           0); // should equal 0 as this is the order of 1st attribute created.
 
             // verify info for 2nd attribute, in decreasing name order
             attr_info = H5.H5Aget_info_by_idx(H5did, ".", HDF5Constants.H5_INDEX_NAME,
                                               HDF5Constants.H5_ITER_DEC, 1, lapl_id);
             assertNotNull(attr_info);
-            assertTrue("Corder", attr_info.corder ==
-                                     1); // should equal 1 as this is the order of 2nd attribute created.
+            assertTrue("Corder",
+                       attr_info.corder ==
+                           1); // should equal 1 as this is the order of 2nd attribute created.
         }
         catch (Throwable err) {
             err.printStackTrace();
@@ -1072,7 +1075,7 @@ public class TestH5A {
                                    HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT);
             assertTrue("testH5Awrite_readVL: ", attr_id >= 0);
 
-            H5.H5Awrite_VLStrings(attr_id, atype_id, str_data);
+            H5.H5AwriteVL(attr_id, atype_id, str_data);
 
             H5.H5Fflush(H5fid, HDF5Constants.H5F_SCOPE_LOCAL);
 
@@ -1084,7 +1087,7 @@ public class TestH5A {
                 strs[j] = "";
             }
             try {
-                H5.H5Aread_VLStrings(attr_id, atype_id, strs);
+                H5.H5AreadVL(attr_id, atype_id, strs);
             }
             catch (Exception ex) {
                 ex.printStackTrace();
@@ -1159,12 +1162,12 @@ public class TestH5A {
                 fail("H5.H5Acreate: " + err);
             }
 
-            // Close the property list, and get the attribute's property list
+            /* Close the property list, and get the attribute's property list */
             H5.H5Pclose(plist_id);
             plist_id = H5.H5Aget_create_plist(attribute_id);
             assertTrue(plist_id > 0);
 
-            // Get the character encoding and ensure that it is the default (ASCII)
+            /* Get the character encoding and ensure that it is the default (ASCII) */
             try {
                 char_encoding = H5.H5Pget_char_encoding(plist_id);
             }
@@ -1368,212 +1371,4 @@ public class TestH5A {
                 }
         }
     }
-
-    @Test
-    public void testH5AVLwr()
-    {
-        String attr_int_name = "VLIntdata";
-        String attr_dbl_name = "VLDbldata";
-        long attr_int_id     = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long attr_dbl_id     = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long atype_int_id    = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long atype_dbl_id    = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long aspace_id       = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long[] dims          = {4};
-        long lsize           = 1;
-
-        ArrayList[] vl_int_data = new ArrayList[4];
-        ArrayList[] vl_dbl_data = new ArrayList[4];
-        try {
-            // Write Integer data
-            vl_int_data[0]  = new ArrayList<Integer>(Arrays.asList(1));
-            vl_int_data[1]  = new ArrayList<Integer>(Arrays.asList(2, 3));
-            vl_int_data[2]  = new ArrayList<Integer>(Arrays.asList(4, 5, 6));
-            vl_int_data[3]  = new ArrayList<Integer>(Arrays.asList(7, 8, 9, 10));
-            Class dataClass = vl_int_data.getClass();
-            assertTrue("testH5AVLwr.getClass: " + dataClass, dataClass.isArray());
-
-            try {
-                atype_int_id = H5.H5Tvlen_create(HDF5Constants.H5T_STD_U32LE);
-                assertTrue("testH5AVLwr.H5Tvlen_create: ", atype_int_id >= 0);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (atype_int_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(atype_int_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5AVLwr: " + err);
-            }
-
-            try {
-                aspace_id = H5.H5Screate_simple(1, dims, null);
-                assertTrue(aspace_id > 0);
-                attr_int_id = H5.H5Acreate(H5did, attr_int_name, atype_int_id, aspace_id,
-                                           HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT);
-                assertTrue("testH5AVLwr: ", attr_int_id >= 0);
-
-                H5.H5AwriteVL(attr_int_id, atype_int_id, vl_int_data);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (attr_int_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Aclose(attr_int_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                if (atype_int_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(atype_int_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5AVLwr: " + err);
-            }
-            finally {
-                if (aspace_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Sclose(aspace_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-            }
-
-            // Write Double data
-            vl_dbl_data[0] = new ArrayList<Double>(Arrays.asList(1.1));
-            vl_dbl_data[1] = new ArrayList<Double>(Arrays.asList(2.2, 3.3));
-            vl_dbl_data[2] = new ArrayList<Double>(Arrays.asList(4.4, 5.5, 6.6));
-            vl_dbl_data[3] = new ArrayList<Double>(Arrays.asList(7.7, 8.8, 9.9, 10.0));
-            dataClass      = vl_dbl_data.getClass();
-            assertTrue("testH5AVLwr.getClass: " + dataClass, dataClass.isArray());
-
-            try {
-                atype_dbl_id = H5.H5Tvlen_create(HDF5Constants.H5T_NATIVE_DOUBLE);
-                assertTrue("testH5AVLwr.H5Tvlen_create: ", atype_dbl_id >= 0);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (atype_dbl_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(atype_dbl_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5AVLwr: " + err);
-            }
-
-            try {
-                aspace_id = H5.H5Screate_simple(1, dims, null);
-                assertTrue(aspace_id > 0);
-                attr_dbl_id = H5.H5Acreate(H5did, attr_dbl_name, atype_dbl_id, aspace_id,
-                                           HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT);
-                assertTrue("testH5AVLwr: ", attr_dbl_id >= 0);
-
-                H5.H5AwriteVL(attr_dbl_id, atype_dbl_id, vl_dbl_data);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (attr_dbl_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Aclose(attr_dbl_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                if (atype_dbl_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(atype_dbl_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5AVLwr: " + err);
-            }
-            finally {
-                if (aspace_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Sclose(aspace_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-            }
-
-            H5.H5Fflush(H5fid, HDF5Constants.H5F_SCOPE_LOCAL);
-
-            for (int j = 0; j < dims.length; j++) {
-                lsize *= dims[j];
-            }
-
-            // Read Integer data
-            ArrayList[] vl_readbuf = new ArrayList[4];
-            for (int j = 0; j < lsize; j++)
-                vl_readbuf[j] = new ArrayList<Integer>();
-
-            try {
-                H5.H5AreadVL(attr_int_id, atype_int_id, vl_readbuf);
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex) {
-                ex.printStackTrace();
-            }
-            assertTrue("testH5AVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[0].get(0),
-                       vl_int_data[0].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[0].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5AVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[1].get(0),
-                       vl_int_data[1].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[1].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5AVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[2].get(0),
-                       vl_int_data[2].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[2].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5AVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[3].get(0),
-                       vl_int_data[3].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[3].get(0)));
-
-            // Read Double data
-            vl_readbuf = new ArrayList[4];
-            for (int j = 0; j < lsize; j++)
-                vl_readbuf[j] = new ArrayList<Double>();
-
-            try {
-                H5.H5AreadVL(attr_dbl_id, atype_dbl_id, vl_readbuf);
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex) {
-                ex.printStackTrace();
-            }
-            assertTrue("testH5AVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[0].get(0),
-                       vl_dbl_data[0].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[0].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5AVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[1].get(0),
-                       vl_dbl_data[1].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[1].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5AVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[2].get(0),
-                       vl_dbl_data[2].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[2].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5AVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[3].get(0),
-                       vl_dbl_data[3].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[3].get(0)));
-        }
-        catch (Throwable err) {
-            err.printStackTrace();
-            fail("H5.testH5AVLwr: " + err);
-        }
-        finally {
-            if (attr_dbl_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Aclose(attr_dbl_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (attr_int_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Aclose(attr_int_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (atype_dbl_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Tclose(atype_dbl_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (atype_int_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Tclose(atype_int_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-        }
-    }
 }
diff --git a/java/test/TestH5D.java b/java/test/TestH5D.java
index f7e5702..4bab1a9 100644
--- a/java/test/TestH5D.java
+++ b/java/test/TestH5D.java
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
 import java.io.File;
-import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.Arrays;
-import java.util.List;
 
 import hdf.hdf5lib.H5;
 import hdf.hdf5lib.HDF5Constants;
@@ -964,8 +961,8 @@ public class TestH5D {
         assertTrue("H5Dvlen_get_buf_size " + vl_size + " == " + str_data_bytes, vl_size == str_data_bytes);
     }
 
-    @Test
-    public void testH5Dvlen_read_default_buffer() throws Throwable
+    @Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+    public void testH5Dvlen_read_invalid_buffer() throws Throwable
     {
         String[] str_data = {"Parting", "is such", "sweet", "sorrow.", "Testing",  "one", "two",   "three.",
                              "Dog,",    "man's",   "best",  "friend.", "Diamonds", "are", "a",     "girls!",
@@ -1016,218 +1013,4 @@ public class TestH5D {
             assertTrue("testH5Dvlen_write_read " + str_wdata[v] + " == " + str_rdata[v],
                        str_wdata[v] == str_wdata[v]);
     }
-
-    @Test
-    public void testH5DVLwr()
-    {
-        String dset_int_name = "VLIntdata";
-        String dset_dbl_name = "VLDbldata";
-        long dset_int_id     = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long dset_dbl_id     = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long dtype_int_id    = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long dtype_dbl_id    = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long dspace_id       = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long[] dims          = {4};
-        long lsize           = 1;
-
-        ArrayList[] vl_int_data = new ArrayList[4];
-        ArrayList[] vl_dbl_data = new ArrayList[4];
-        try {
-            // Write Integer data
-            vl_int_data[0]  = new ArrayList<Integer>(Arrays.asList(1));
-            vl_int_data[1]  = new ArrayList<Integer>(Arrays.asList(2, 3));
-            vl_int_data[2]  = new ArrayList<Integer>(Arrays.asList(4, 5, 6));
-            vl_int_data[3]  = new ArrayList<Integer>(Arrays.asList(7, 8, 9, 10));
-            Class dataClass = vl_int_data.getClass();
-            assertTrue("testH5DVLwr.getClass: " + dataClass, dataClass.isArray());
-
-            try {
-                dtype_int_id = H5.H5Tvlen_create(HDF5Constants.H5T_STD_U32LE);
-                assertTrue("testH5DVLwr.H5Tvlen_create: ", dtype_int_id >= 0);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (dtype_int_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(dtype_int_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5DVLwr: " + err);
-            }
-
-            try {
-                dspace_id = H5.H5Screate_simple(1, dims, null);
-                assertTrue(dspace_id > 0);
-                dset_int_id =
-                    H5.H5Dcreate(H5fid, dset_int_name, dtype_int_id, dspace_id, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT,
-                                 HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT);
-                assertTrue("testH5DVLwr: ", dset_int_id >= 0);
-
-                H5.H5DwriteVL(dset_int_id, dtype_int_id, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL,
-                              HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, vl_int_data);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (dset_int_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Dclose(dset_int_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                if (dtype_int_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(dtype_int_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5DVLwr: " + err);
-            }
-            finally {
-                if (dspace_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Sclose(dspace_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-            }
-
-            // Write Double data
-            vl_dbl_data[0] = new ArrayList<Double>(Arrays.asList(1.1));
-            vl_dbl_data[1] = new ArrayList<Double>(Arrays.asList(2.2, 3.3));
-            vl_dbl_data[2] = new ArrayList<Double>(Arrays.asList(4.4, 5.5, 6.6));
-            vl_dbl_data[3] = new ArrayList<Double>(Arrays.asList(7.7, 8.8, 9.9, 10.0));
-            dataClass      = vl_dbl_data.getClass();
-            assertTrue("testH5DVLwr.getClass: " + dataClass, dataClass.isArray());
-
-            try {
-                dtype_dbl_id = H5.H5Tvlen_create(HDF5Constants.H5T_NATIVE_DOUBLE);
-                assertTrue("testH5DVLwr.H5Tvlen_create: ", dtype_dbl_id >= 0);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (dtype_dbl_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(dtype_dbl_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5DVLwr: " + err);
-            }
-
-            try {
-                dspace_id = H5.H5Screate_simple(1, dims, null);
-                assertTrue(dspace_id > 0);
-                dset_dbl_id =
-                    H5.H5Dcreate(H5fid, dset_dbl_name, dtype_dbl_id, dspace_id, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT,
-                                 HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT);
-                assertTrue("testH5DVLwr: ", dset_dbl_id >= 0);
-
-                H5.H5DwriteVL(dset_dbl_id, dtype_dbl_id, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL,
-                              HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, vl_dbl_data);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (dset_dbl_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Dclose(dset_dbl_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                if (dtype_dbl_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(dtype_dbl_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5DVLwr: " + err);
-            }
-            finally {
-                if (dspace_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Sclose(dspace_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-            }
-
-            H5.H5Fflush(H5fid, HDF5Constants.H5F_SCOPE_LOCAL);
-
-            for (int j = 0; j < dims.length; j++) {
-                lsize *= dims[j];
-            }
-
-            // Read Integer data
-            ArrayList[] vl_readbuf = new ArrayList[4];
-            for (int j = 0; j < lsize; j++)
-                vl_readbuf[j] = new ArrayList<Integer>();
-
-            try {
-                H5.H5DreadVL(dset_int_id, dtype_int_id, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL,
-                             HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, vl_readbuf);
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex) {
-                ex.printStackTrace();
-            }
-            assertTrue("testH5DVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[0].get(0),
-                       vl_int_data[0].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[0].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5DVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[1].get(0),
-                       vl_int_data[1].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[1].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5DVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[2].get(0),
-                       vl_int_data[2].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[2].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5DVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[3].get(0),
-                       vl_int_data[3].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[3].get(0)));
-
-            // Read Double data
-            vl_readbuf = new ArrayList[4];
-            for (int j = 0; j < lsize; j++)
-                vl_readbuf[j] = new ArrayList<Double>();
-
-            try {
-                H5.H5DreadVL(dset_dbl_id, dtype_dbl_id, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL,
-                             HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, vl_readbuf);
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex) {
-                ex.printStackTrace();
-            }
-            assertTrue("testH5DVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[0].get(0),
-                       vl_dbl_data[0].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[0].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5DVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[1].get(0),
-                       vl_dbl_data[1].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[1].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5DVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[2].get(0),
-                       vl_dbl_data[2].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[2].get(0)));
-            assertTrue("testH5DVLwr:" + vl_readbuf[3].get(0),
-                       vl_dbl_data[3].get(0).equals(vl_readbuf[3].get(0)));
-        }
-        catch (Throwable err) {
-            err.printStackTrace();
-            fail("H5.testH5DVLwr: " + err);
-        }
-        finally {
-            if (dset_dbl_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Dclose(dset_dbl_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (dset_int_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Dclose(dset_int_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (dtype_dbl_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Tclose(dtype_dbl_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (dtype_int_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Tclose(dtype_int_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-        }
-    }
 }
diff --git a/java/test/TestH5R.java b/java/test/TestH5R.java
index dd8634b..4e610bc 100644
--- a/java/test/TestH5R.java
+++ b/java/test/TestH5R.java
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
 import java.io.File;
-import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.Arrays;
-import java.util.List;
 
 import hdf.hdf5lib.H5;
 import hdf.hdf5lib.HDF5Constants;
@@ -531,470 +528,4 @@ public class TestH5R {
         byte[] ref = null;
         H5.H5Rget_attr_name(ref);
     }
-
-    @Test
-    public void testH5RVLattr_ref()
-    {
-        String attr_obj_name = "VLObjRefdata";
-        String attr_reg_name = "VLRegRefdata";
-        long attr_obj_id     = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long attr_reg_id     = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long atype_obj_id    = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long atype_reg_id    = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long aspace_id       = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long[] dims          = {4};
-        long lsize           = 1;
-        byte[] ref1          = null;
-        byte[] ref2          = null;
-        byte[] ref3          = null;
-        byte[] ref4          = null;
-
-        try {
-            // Create reference on dataset
-            ref1 = H5.H5Rcreate(H5fid, "/dset", HDF5Constants.H5R_DATASET_REGION, H5dsid);
-            assertNotNull(ref1);
-            ref2 = H5.H5Rcreate(H5gid, "dset2", HDF5Constants.H5R_DATASET_REGION, H5dsid);
-            assertNotNull(ref2);
-            ref3 = H5.H5Rcreate(H5gid, "/dset", HDF5Constants.H5R_OBJECT, -1);
-            assertNotNull(ref3);
-
-            // Create reference on group
-            ref4 = H5.H5Rcreate(H5gid, "/Group1", HDF5Constants.H5R_OBJECT, -1);
-            assertNotNull(ref3);
-        }
-        catch (Throwable err) {
-            err.printStackTrace();
-            fail("testH5RVLattr_ref: " + err);
-        }
-
-        ArrayList[] vl_obj_data = new ArrayList[4];
-        ArrayList[] vl_reg_data = new ArrayList[4];
-        try {
-            // Write Object Reference data
-            vl_obj_data[0]  = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref3));
-            vl_obj_data[1]  = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref3, ref4));
-            vl_obj_data[2]  = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref3, ref3, ref3));
-            vl_obj_data[3]  = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref4, ref4, ref4, ref4));
-            Class dataClass = vl_obj_data.getClass();
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref.getClass: " + dataClass, dataClass.isArray());
-
-            try {
-                atype_obj_id = H5.H5Tvlen_create(HDF5Constants.H5T_STD_REF_OBJ);
-                assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref.H5Tvlen_create: ", atype_obj_id >= 0);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (atype_obj_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(atype_obj_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5RVLattr_ref: " + err);
-            }
-
-            try {
-                aspace_id = H5.H5Screate_simple(1, dims, null);
-                assertTrue(aspace_id > 0);
-                attr_obj_id = H5.H5Acreate(H5did, attr_obj_name, atype_obj_id, aspace_id,
-                                           HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT);
-                assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref: ", attr_obj_id >= 0);
-
-                H5.H5AwriteVL(attr_obj_id, atype_obj_id, vl_obj_data);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (attr_obj_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Aclose(attr_obj_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                if (atype_obj_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(atype_obj_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5RVLattr_ref: " + err);
-            }
-            finally {
-                if (aspace_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Sclose(aspace_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-            }
-
-            // Write Region Reference data
-            vl_reg_data[0] = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref1));
-            vl_reg_data[1] = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref1, ref2));
-            vl_reg_data[2] = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref1, ref1, ref1));
-            vl_reg_data[3] = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref2, ref2, ref2, ref2));
-            dataClass      = vl_reg_data.getClass();
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref.getClass: " + dataClass, dataClass.isArray());
-
-            try {
-                atype_reg_id = H5.H5Tvlen_create(HDF5Constants.H5T_STD_REF_DSETREG);
-                assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref.H5Tvlen_create: ", atype_reg_id >= 0);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (atype_reg_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(atype_reg_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5RVLattr_ref: " + err);
-            }
-
-            try {
-                aspace_id = H5.H5Screate_simple(1, dims, null);
-                assertTrue(aspace_id > 0);
-                attr_reg_id = H5.H5Acreate(H5did, attr_reg_name, atype_reg_id, aspace_id,
-                                           HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT);
-                assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref: ", attr_reg_id >= 0);
-
-                H5.H5AwriteVL(attr_reg_id, atype_reg_id, vl_reg_data);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (attr_reg_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Aclose(attr_reg_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                if (atype_reg_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(atype_reg_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5RVLattr_ref: " + err);
-            }
-            finally {
-                if (aspace_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Sclose(aspace_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-            }
-
-            H5.H5Fflush(H5fid, HDF5Constants.H5F_SCOPE_LOCAL);
-
-            for (int j = 0; j < dims.length; j++) {
-                lsize *= dims[j];
-            }
-
-            // Read Object Reference data
-            ArrayList[] vl_readbuf = new ArrayList[4];
-            for (int j = 0; j < lsize; j++)
-                vl_readbuf[j] = new ArrayList<byte[]>();
-
-            try {
-                H5.H5AreadVL(attr_obj_id, atype_obj_id, vl_readbuf);
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex) {
-                ex.printStackTrace();
-            }
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[0].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_obj_data[0].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[0].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[1].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_obj_data[1].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[1].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[2].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_obj_data[2].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[2].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[3].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_obj_data[3].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[3].get(0))[0]);
-
-            // Read Region Reference data
-            vl_readbuf = new ArrayList[4];
-            for (int j = 0; j < lsize; j++)
-                vl_readbuf[j] = new ArrayList<byte[]>();
-
-            try {
-                H5.H5AreadVL(attr_reg_id, atype_reg_id, vl_readbuf);
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex) {
-                ex.printStackTrace();
-            }
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[0].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_reg_data[0].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[0].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[1].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_reg_data[1].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[1].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[2].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_reg_data[2].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[2].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLattr_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[3].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_reg_data[3].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[3].get(0))[0]);
-        }
-        catch (Throwable err) {
-            err.printStackTrace();
-            fail("H5.testH5RVLattr_ref: " + err);
-        }
-        finally {
-            if (attr_reg_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Aclose(attr_reg_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (attr_obj_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Aclose(attr_obj_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (atype_reg_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Tclose(atype_reg_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (atype_obj_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Tclose(atype_obj_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-        }
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void testH5RVLdset_ref()
-    {
-        String dset_obj_name = "VLObjRefdata";
-        String dset_reg_name = "VLRegRefdata";
-        long dset_obj_id     = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long dset_reg_id     = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long dtype_obj_id    = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long dtype_reg_id    = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long dspace_id       = HDF5Constants.H5I_INVALID_HID;
-        long[] dims          = {4};
-        long lsize           = 1;
-        byte[] ref1          = null;
-        byte[] ref2          = null;
-        byte[] ref3          = null;
-        byte[] ref4          = null;
-
-        try {
-            // Create reference on dataset
-            ref1 = H5.H5Rcreate(H5fid, "/dset", HDF5Constants.H5R_DATASET_REGION, H5dsid);
-            assertNotNull(ref1);
-            ref2 = H5.H5Rcreate(H5gid, "dset2", HDF5Constants.H5R_DATASET_REGION, H5dsid);
-            assertNotNull(ref2);
-            ref3 = H5.H5Rcreate(H5gid, "/dset", HDF5Constants.H5R_OBJECT, -1);
-            assertNotNull(ref3);
-
-            // Create reference on group
-            ref4 = H5.H5Rcreate(H5gid, "/Group1", HDF5Constants.H5R_OBJECT, -1);
-            assertNotNull(ref3);
-        }
-        catch (Throwable err) {
-            err.printStackTrace();
-            fail("testH5RVLattr_ref: " + err);
-        }
-
-        ArrayList[] vl_obj_data = new ArrayList[4];
-        ArrayList[] vl_reg_data = new ArrayList[4];
-        try {
-            // Write Object Reference data
-            vl_obj_data[0]  = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref3));
-            vl_obj_data[1]  = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref3, ref4));
-            vl_obj_data[2]  = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref3, ref3, ref3));
-            vl_obj_data[3]  = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref4, ref4, ref4, ref4));
-            Class dataClass = vl_obj_data.getClass();
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref.getClass: " + dataClass, dataClass.isArray());
-
-            try {
-                dtype_obj_id = H5.H5Tvlen_create(HDF5Constants.H5T_STD_REF_OBJ);
-                assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref.H5Tvlen_create: ", dtype_obj_id >= 0);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (dtype_obj_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(dtype_obj_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5RVLdset_ref: " + err);
-            }
-
-            try {
-                dspace_id = H5.H5Screate_simple(1, dims, null);
-                assertTrue(dspace_id > 0);
-                dset_obj_id =
-                    H5.H5Dcreate(H5fid, dset_obj_name, dtype_obj_id, dspace_id, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT,
-                                 HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT);
-                assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref: ", dset_obj_id >= 0);
-
-                H5.H5DwriteVL(dset_obj_id, dtype_obj_id, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL,
-                              HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, vl_obj_data);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (dset_obj_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Dclose(dset_obj_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                if (dtype_obj_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(dtype_obj_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5RVLdset_ref: " + err);
-            }
-            finally {
-                if (dspace_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Sclose(dspace_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-            }
-
-            // Write Region Reference data
-            vl_reg_data[0] = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref1));
-            vl_reg_data[1] = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref1, ref2));
-            vl_reg_data[2] = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref1, ref1, ref1));
-            vl_reg_data[3] = new ArrayList<byte[]>(Arrays.asList(ref2, ref2, ref2, ref2));
-            dataClass      = vl_reg_data.getClass();
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref.getClass: " + dataClass, dataClass.isArray());
-
-            try {
-                dtype_reg_id = H5.H5Tvlen_create(HDF5Constants.H5T_STD_REF_DSETREG);
-                assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref.H5Tvlen_create: ", dtype_reg_id >= 0);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (dtype_reg_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(dtype_reg_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5RVLdset_ref: " + err);
-            }
-
-            try {
-                dspace_id = H5.H5Screate_simple(1, dims, null);
-                assertTrue(dspace_id > 0);
-                dset_reg_id =
-                    H5.H5Dcreate(H5fid, dset_reg_name, dtype_reg_id, dspace_id, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT,
-                                 HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT);
-                assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref: ", dset_reg_id >= 0);
-
-                H5.H5DwriteVL(dset_reg_id, dtype_reg_id, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL,
-                              HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, vl_reg_data);
-            }
-            catch (Exception err) {
-                if (dset_reg_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Dclose(dset_reg_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                if (dtype_reg_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Tclose(dtype_reg_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-                err.printStackTrace();
-                fail("H5.testH5RVLdset_ref: " + err);
-            }
-            finally {
-                if (dspace_id > 0)
-                    try {
-                        H5.H5Sclose(dspace_id);
-                    }
-                    catch (Exception ex) {
-                    }
-            }
-
-            H5.H5Fflush(H5fid, HDF5Constants.H5F_SCOPE_LOCAL);
-
-            for (int j = 0; j < dims.length; j++) {
-                lsize *= dims[j];
-            }
-
-            // Read Object Reference data
-            ArrayList[] vl_readbuf = new ArrayList[4];
-            for (int j = 0; j < lsize; j++)
-                vl_readbuf[j] = new ArrayList<byte[]>();
-
-            try {
-                H5.H5DreadVL(dset_obj_id, dtype_obj_id, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL,
-                             HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, vl_readbuf);
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex) {
-                ex.printStackTrace();
-            }
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[0].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_obj_data[0].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[0].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[1].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_obj_data[1].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[1].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[2].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_obj_data[2].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[2].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[3].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_obj_data[3].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[3].get(0))[0]);
-
-            // Read Region Reference data
-            vl_readbuf = new ArrayList[4];
-            for (int j = 0; j < lsize; j++)
-                vl_readbuf[j] = new ArrayList<byte[]>();
-
-            try {
-                H5.H5DreadVL(dset_reg_id, dtype_reg_id, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL, HDF5Constants.H5S_ALL,
-                             HDF5Constants.H5P_DEFAULT, vl_readbuf);
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex) {
-                ex.printStackTrace();
-            }
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[0].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_reg_data[0].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[0].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[1].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_reg_data[1].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[1].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[2].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_reg_data[2].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[2].get(0))[0]);
-            assertTrue("testH5RVLdset_ref:" + ((byte[])vl_readbuf[3].get(0))[0],
-                       ((byte[])vl_reg_data[3].get(0))[0] == ((byte[])vl_readbuf[3].get(0))[0]);
-        }
-        catch (Throwable err) {
-            err.printStackTrace();
-            fail("H5.testH5RVLdset_ref: " + err);
-        }
-        finally {
-            if (dset_reg_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Dclose(dset_reg_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (dset_obj_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Dclose(dset_obj_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (dtype_reg_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Tclose(dtype_reg_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-            if (dtype_obj_id > 0)
-                try {
-                    H5.H5Tclose(dtype_obj_id);
-                }
-                catch (Exception ex) {
-                }
-        }
-    }
 }
diff --git a/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5A.txt b/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5A.txt
index efdd4a2..2026d21 100644
--- a/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5A.txt
+++ b/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5A.txt
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ JUnit version 4.11
 .testH5Aiterate
 .testH5Aopen_by_idx
 .testH5Aopen_invalidname
-.testH5AVLwr
 .testH5Aopen
 .testH5Aget_info_by_name
 .testH5Aget_create_plist
@@ -31,5 +30,5 @@ JUnit version 4.11
 
 Time:  XXXX
 
-OK (29 tests)
+OK (28 tests)
 
diff --git a/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5D.txt b/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5D.txt
index 288e6d0..987655b 100644
--- a/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5D.txt
+++ b/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5D.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ JUnit version 4.11
 .testH5Dcreate
 .testH5Dget_offset
 .testH5Dget_type
-.testH5DVLwr
 .testH5Dfill
 .testH5Dopen
 .testH5Dcreate_anon
@@ -12,15 +11,15 @@ JUnit version 4.11
 .testH5Dget_storage_size_empty
 .testH5Diterate
 .testH5Dget_access_plist
+.testH5Dvlen_read_invalid_buffer
 .testH5Dvlen_get_buf_size
 .testH5Dget_space_closed
 .testH5Dget_space_status
 .testH5Dvlen_write_read
 .testH5Dget_space
 .testH5Dget_type_closed
-.testH5Dvlen_read_default_buffer
 
 Time:  XXXX
 
-OK (20 tests)
+OK (19 tests)
 
diff --git a/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5R.txt b/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5R.txt
index 2420d62..a96fbb4 100644
--- a/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5R.txt
+++ b/java/test/testfiles/JUnit-TestH5R.txt
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ JUnit version 4.11
 .testH5Ropen_region_Nullref
 .testH5Requal_Nullref1
 .testH5Requal_Nullref2
-.testH5RVLdset_ref
-.testH5RVLattr_ref
 .testH5Rget_object
 .testH5Rget_obj_type3_Nullref
 .testH5Ropen_object_Nullref
@@ -26,5 +24,5 @@ JUnit version 4.11
 
 Time:  XXXX
 
-OK (24 tests)
+OK (22 tests)