C or C++: create a compound datatype of double arrays with runtime size - determination

Hello all,

I tried to be precise in my subject.
I am completely new to hdf5 and do not know whether I use the correct words.
What I want to do is maybe best illustrated by a python script that already does what I want on the python side; I now want to define
this same structure on the C++ side for reading and writing access. Simple data exchange.

Short description:
I have three arrays of double: om1, om2, tau.
These arrays have a runtime-determined length N.
These arrays represent a snapshot of the state of a dynamical system.
I want to write these three arrays to disk for every time step of my simulation.

Here is the implementation on the python side (writing only one time step):

    import scipy
    from tables import *

    N = 100
    class Particle(IsDescription):
      om1 = Float64Col(shape=(N+1))
      om2 = Float64Col(shape=(N+1))
      tau = Float64Col(shape=(N+1))
      pass

    fileh = openFile("data.h5", mode = "w")

    root = fileh.root
    group = fileh.createGroup(root, "mygroup")
    gparticles = root.mygroup
    table = fileh.createTable(gparticles, "mytable", Particle, "A Snapshot")
    
    om1=scipy.randn(N+1)
    om2=scipy.randn(N+1)
    tau=scipy.randn(N+!)

    particle['om1'] = om1
    particle['om2'] = om2
    particle['tau'] = tau

    # Flush the table buffers
    table.flush()
    fileh.close()
    
This thing works exactly as expected. I am, however, not capable of defining the proper compound struct on the C++ side that would be able to read and write this thing. I am capable of creating the correct compound struct IF I FIX THE SIZE N+1 of the arrays on the C++ side
at compile time.
I have not found a way to do this, if N is determined at runtime.

Here is the code that writes a similar file on the C++ side; as I say, with compile-time-determined size of the arrays (the group part on the python side is not yet implemented):

/***********************************************************************
* Example for compound structures with multiple datatypes. *
* blw 4/16/03 *
***********************************************************************/

/* Include the HDF5 library */
#include "hdf5.h"

/* System libraries to include */
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <assert.h>

/* Name of file for database output */
#define DATAFILE "compound_native.h5"

/* Name of dataset to create in datafile */
#define DATASETNAME "CompoundNative"

/* Dataset dimensions */
#define LENGTH 15
#define RANK 1
#define ARRAY_RANK 1

int
main(void)
{
  const int ARRAY_DIM = 101;
/* Structure and array for compound types */
    typedef struct Array1Struct {
  double om1[ARRAY_DIM];
  double om2[ARRAY_DIM];
  double tau[ARRAY_DIM];
    } Array1Struct;
    Array1Struct Array1[LENGTH];

    hid_t Array1Structid; /* File datatype identifier */
    hid_t array_tid; /* Array datatype handle */
    hid_t datafile, dataset;
    hid_t dataspace;
    herr_t status;
    hsize_t dim[] = {LENGTH}; /* Dataspace dimensions */
    hsize_t array_dim[] = {ARRAY_DIM}; /* Array dimensions */

    int m, n; /* Array init loop vars */

    /* Initialize the data in the arrays */
    for (m = 0; m< LENGTH; m++) {
        for (n = 0; n < ARRAY_DIM; n++) {
            Array1[m].om1[n] = m+n;
  }
        for (n = 0; n < ARRAY_DIM; n++) {
            Array1[m].om2[n] = m+n;
  }
        for (n = 0; n < ARRAY_DIM; n++) {
            Array1[m].tau[n] = m+n;
  }
    }

    /* Create the dataspace */
    dataspace = H5Screate_simple(RANK, dim, NULL);

    /* Create the file */
    datafile = H5Fcreate(DATAFILE, H5F_ACC_TRUNC, H5P_DEFAULT,
        H5P_DEFAULT);

    /* Create the array data type */
    array_tid = H5Tarray_create(H5T_NATIVE_DOUBLE, ARRAY_RANK,
        array_dim, NULL);

    /* Create the memory data type */
    Array1Structid = H5Tcreate (H5T_COMPOUND, sizeof(Array1Struct));
    H5Tinsert(Array1Structid, "om1", HOFFSET(Array1Struct, om1),
        array_tid);
    H5Tinsert(Array1Structid, "om2", HOFFSET(Array1Struct, om2),
        array_tid);
    H5Tinsert(Array1Structid, "tau", HOFFSET(Array1Struct, tau),
        array_tid);

    /* Create the dataset */
    dataset = H5Dcreate(datafile, DATASETNAME, Array1Structid,
        dataspace, H5P_DEFAULT);

    /* Write data to the dataset */
    status = H5Dwrite(dataset, Array1Structid, H5S_ALL, H5S_ALL,
        H5P_DEFAULT, Array1);

    /* Release resources */
    H5Tclose(Array1Structid);
    H5Tclose(array_tid);
    H5Sclose(dataspace);
    H5Dclose(dataset);
    H5Fclose(datafile);

    /* Return value */
    return 0;
}

My aim is to be able to read, write,edit files both on the c++ and on the python side for data exchange.
All help appreciated.