Describe 3.1.6

Author: JamesParrott

README.md

@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ The Python Shapefile Library (PyShp) reads and writes ESRI Shapefiles in pure Py
 
 - **Author**: [Joel Lawhead](https://github.com/GeospatialPython)
 - **Maintainers**: [James Parrott](https://github.com/JamesParrott) & [Karim Bahgat](https://github.com/karimbahgat)
-- **Version**: 3.1.6.dev
-- **Date**: 22nd July 2026
+- **Version**: 3.1.6
+- **Date**: 25th July 2026
 - **License**: [MIT](https://github.com/GeospatialPython/pyshp/blob/master/LICENSE.TXT)
 
 ## Contents
@@ -93,6 +93,10 @@ part of your geospatial project.
 
 # Version Changes
 
+## 3.1.6
+### Feature
+ - Encodings can now be read from .cpg files (and optionally written to them).
+
 ## 3.1.5
 ### Bug fix
  - Fixed another bug causing dates before the year 1000 to be encoded as less than 8 chars under "%Y%m%d (found by [Thomas Beierlein](https://github.com/GeospatialPython/pyshp/issues/435))

changelog.txt

@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+VERSION 3.1.6
+2026-07-25
+	* Encodings can now be read from .cpg files (and optionally written to them).
+
 VERSION 3.1.5
 2026-07-22
 	* Fixed another bug causing dates before the year 1000 to be encoded as less than 8 chars under "%Y%m%d (found by [Thomas Beierlein](https://github.com/GeospatialPython/pyshp/issues/435))

src/shapefile.py

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-__version__ = "3.1.6.dev"
+__version__ = "3.1.6"
 
 import abc
 import array