Slice *slice;
  const int buffer_size = (img->width * img->height * 4); // AH 190202: There can be data expansion with 
                                                          // low QP values. So, we make sure that buffer 
                                                          // does not overflow. 4 is probably safe multiplier.

  if ((slice = (Slice *) calloc(1, sizeof(Slice))) == NULL) no_mem_exit ("malloc_slice: slice structure");

  if (input->symbol_mode == CABAC)
    {
      // create all context models
      slice->mot_ctx = create_contexts_MotionInfo();
      slice->tex_ctx = create_contexts_TextureInfo();
    }

  slice->max_part_nr = input->partition_mode==0?1:3;

  //for IDR img there should be only one partition
  if(img->currentPicture->idr_flag)
    slice->max_part_nr = 1;
  
  assignSE2partition[0] = assignSE2partition_NoDP;
  //ZL 
  //for IDR img all the syntax element should be mapped to one partition        
  if(!img->currentPicture->idr_flag&&input->partition_mode==1)
    assignSE2partition[1] =  assignSE2partition_DP;
  else
    assignSE2partition[1] =  assignSE2partition_NoDP;        



  slice->num_mb = 0;          // no coded MBs so far

  if ((slice->partArr = (DataPartition *) calloc(slice->max_part_nr, sizeof(DataPartition))) == NULL) no_mem_exit ("malloc_slice: partArr");
  for (i=0; i<slice->max_part_nr; i++) // loop over all data partitions
  {
    dataPart = &(slice->partArr[i]);
    if ((dataPart->bitstream = (Bitstream *) calloc(1, sizeof(Bitstream))) == NULL) no_mem_exit ("malloc_slice: Bitstream");
    if ((dataPart->bitstream->streamBuffer = (byte *) calloc(buffer_size, sizeof(byte))) == NULL) no_mem_exit ("malloc_slice: StreamBuffer");
    // Initialize storage of bitstream parameters
  }
  return slice;
}


/*!
 ************************************************************************
 * \brief
 *    Memory frees of all Slice structures and of its dependent
 *    data structures
 * \par Input:
 *    Image Parameters struct struct img_par *img
 ************************************************************************
 */
void free_slice_list(Picture *currPic)
{
  int i;

  for (i=0; i<currPic->no_slices; i++)
  {
    free_slice (currPic->slices[i]);
    currPic->slices[i]=NULL;
  }
}


/*!
 ************************************************************************
 * \brief
 *    Memory frees of the Slice structure and of its dependent
 *    data structures
 * \param slice:
 *    Slice to be freed
 ************************************************************************
 */
static void free_slice(Slice *slice)
{
  int i;
  DataPartition *dataPart;

  if (slice != NULL)
  {
    for (i=0; i<slice->max_part_nr; i++) // loop over all data partitions
    {
      dataPart = &(slice->partArr[i]);
      if (dataPart != NULL)
      {
        if (dataPart->bitstream->streamBuffer != NULL)
          free(dataPart->bitstream->streamBuffer);
        if (dataPart->bitstream != NULL)
          free(dataPart->bitstream);
      }
    }
    if (slice->partArr != NULL)
      free(slice->partArr);
    if (input->symbol_mode == CABAC)
    {
      delete_contexts_MotionInfo(slice->mot_ctx);
      delete_contexts_TextureInfo(slice->tex_ctx);
    }
    //free(img->currentSlice);
    free(slice);
  }
}


/*!
 ************************************************************************
 * \brief
 *    This function set the value of a bit in a bitstream to 1
 ************************************************************************
 */
void modify_redundant_pic_cnt(unsigned char *buffer)
{
  unsigned char tmp = 1 << (rpc_bits_to_go-1);
  buffer[rpc_bytes_to_go] |= tmp;
}

void set_ref_pic_num()
{
  int i,j;
  
  //! need to add field ref_pic_num that handles field pair.

  for (i=0;i<listXsize[LIST_0];i++)
  {
    enc_picture->ref_pic_num        [LIST_0][i]=listX[LIST_0][i]->poc * 2 + ((listX[LIST_0][i]->structure==BOTTOM_FIELD)?1:0) ; 
    enc_picture->frm_ref_pic_num    [LIST_0][i]=listX[LIST_0][i]->frame_poc * 2; 
    enc_picture->top_ref_pic_num    [LIST_0][i]=listX[LIST_0][i]->top_poc * 2; 
    enc_picture->bottom_ref_pic_num [LIST_0][i]=listX[LIST_0][i]->bottom_poc * 2 + 1; 
  }

  for (i=0;i<listXsize[LIST_1];i++)
  {
    enc_picture->ref_pic_num        [LIST_1][i]=listX[LIST_1][i]->poc  *2 + ((listX[LIST_1][i]->structure==BOTTOM_FIELD)?1:0);
    enc_picture->frm_ref_pic_num    [LIST_1][i]=listX[LIST_1][i]->frame_poc * 2; 
    enc_picture->top_ref_pic_num    [LIST_1][i]=listX[LIST_1][i]->top_poc * 2; 
    enc_picture->bottom_ref_pic_num [LIST_1][i]=listX[LIST_1][i]->bottom_poc * 2 + 1; 
  }

  if (img->structure==FRAME)
    for (j=2;j<6;j++)
      for (i=0;i<listXsize[j];i++)
      {    
        enc_picture->ref_pic_num[j][i] = listX[j][i]->poc * 2 + ((listX[j][i]->structure==BOTTOM_FIELD)?1:0);
        enc_picture->frm_ref_pic_num[j][i] = listX[j][i]->frame_poc * 2 ;
        enc_picture->top_ref_pic_num[j][i] = listX[j][i]->top_poc * 2 ;
        enc_picture->bottom_ref_pic_num[j][i] = listX[j][i]->bottom_poc * 2 + 1;
      }

}

/*!
************************************************************************
* \brief
*    decide reference picture reordering, Frame only
************************************************************************
*/
void poc_ref_pic_reorder(StorablePicture **list, unsigned num_ref_idx_lX_active, int *remapping_of_pic_nums_idc, int *abs_diff_pic_num_minus1, int *long_term_pic_idx, int weighted_prediction, int list_no)
{
  unsigned i,j,k;
  
  int currPicNum, picNumLXPred;

  int default_order[32];
  int re_order[32];
  int tmp_reorder[32];
  int list_sign[32];
  int reorder_stop, no_reorder;
  int poc_diff[32];
  int tmp_value, diff;  

  int abs_poc_dist;
  
  if (img->structure==FRAME)
  {
    currPicNum = img->frame_num;
  }
  else
  {
    currPicNum = 2 * img->frame_num + 1;
  }
  
  picNumLXPred = currPicNum;
  
  // First assign default list order. 
  for (i=0; i<num_ref_idx_lX_active; i++)
  {
    default_order[i] = list[i]->pic_num;
  }
  
  // Now access all references in buffer and assign them
  // to a pottential reordering list. For each one of these 
  // references compute the poc distance compared to current
  // frame.
  for (i=0; i<dpb.ref_frames_in_buffer; i++)
  {
    re_order[i] = dpb.fs_ref[i]->frame->pic_num;
  
    if (dpb.fs_ref[i]->is_used==3 && (dpb.fs_ref[i]->frame->used_for_reference)&&(!dpb.fs_ref[i]->frame->is_long_term))
    {
      abs_poc_dist = abs(dpb.fs_ref[i]->frame->poc - enc_picture->poc) ;
      poc_diff[i] = abs_poc_dist;
      if (list_no == LIST_0)
      {
        if ( enc_picture->poc < dpb.fs_ref[i]->frame->poc)
        {
          list_sign[i] = +1;
        }
        else
        {
          list_sign[i] = -1;
        }
      }
      else
      {
        if (enc_picture->poc > dpb.fs_ref[i]->frame->poc)
        {
          list_sign[i] = +1;
        }
        else
        {
          list_sign[i] = -1;
        }
      }
    }
  }
  
  
  // now sort these references based on poc (temporal) distance
  for (i=0; i< dpb.ref_frames_in_buffer-1; i++)
  {
    for (j=i+1; j< dpb.ref_frames_in_buffer; j++)
    {
      
      if (poc_diff[i]>poc_diff[j] || (poc_diff[i] == poc_diff[j] && list_sign[j] > list_sign[i]))
      {
        
        tmp_value = poc_diff[i];
        poc_diff[i] = poc_diff[j];
        poc_diff[j] = tmp_value;
        tmp_value  = re_order[i];
        re_order[i] = re_order[j];
        re_order[j] = tmp_value ;
        tmp_value  = list_sign[i];
        list_sign[i] = list_sign[j];        
        list_sign[j] = tmp_value ;
      }
    }
  }
  
  // Check versus default list to see if any
  // change has happened
  no_reorder = 1;
  for (i=0; i<num_ref_idx_lX_active; i++)
  {
    if (default_order[i] != re_order[i])
    {
      no_reorder = 0;
    }
  }
  
  // If different, then signal reordering
  if (no_reorder==0)
  {
    for (i=0; i<num_ref_idx_lX_active; i++)
    {
      diff = re_order[i]-picNumLXPred;
      if (diff <= 0)
      {
        remapping_of_pic_nums_idc[i] = 0;
        abs_diff_pic_num_minus1[i] = abs(diff)-1;
      }
      else
      {
        remapping_of_pic_nums_idc[i] = 1;
        abs_diff_pic_num_minus1[i] = abs(diff)-1;
      }
      picNumLXPred = re_order[i];
      
      tmp_reorder[i] = re_order[i];
      
      k = i;
      for (j=i; j<num_ref_idx_lX_active; j++)
      {
        if (default_order[j] != re_order[i])
        {
          ++k;
          tmp_reorder[k] = default_order[j];
        }
      }
      reorder_stop = 1;
      for(j=i+1; j<num_ref_idx_lX_active; j++)
      {
        if (tmp_reorder[j] != re_order[j])
        {
          reorder_stop = 0;
          break;
        }
      }
      
      if (reorder_stop==1)
      {
        ++i;
        break;
      }
      
      
      for(j=0; j<num_ref_idx_lX_active; j++)
      {
        default_order[j] = tmp_reorder[j];
      }
      
      
    }
    remapping_of_pic_nums_idc[i] = 3;
    
    for(j=0; j<num_ref_idx_lX_active; j++)
    {
      default_order[j] = tmp_reorder[j];
    }
    
    if (list_no==0)
    {
      img->currentSlice->ref_pic_list_reordering_flag_l0=1;
    }
    else
    {
      img->currentSlice->ref_pic_list_reordering_flag_l1=1;
    }
  }
}