Go here for a list of Point commands and examples.
last updated 23 Aug 2005 MF,CM
CHANGES TO THE "POINT" PROGRAM AND RELATED COMMANDS
WHAT'S NEW
----------
The point program has been extended to provide the following
new functionality:
o Point "zeros" commands, and their values, are
recorded in a log file and can be viewed using
the new "zhist" command.
o A "default focus" value for the 82" and 107" telescopes
is now set by the Observing Support group after making
instrument changes. This value is checked when the
observer sets focus using the cosmo command (teldef*).
If an attempt is made to set focus differently than
the default setting, the observer is warned and given
the options to override or to use the default setting.
o Observing Support receives email from cosmo indicating
what focus value has been selected.
SETUP
-----
Prior to running point, you must execute the "cosmo" command.
cosmo is a C-shell alias defined in your .cshrc file. All accounts
are automatically set up with this alias. Each
cosmo alias is specific to the telescope you are using. For the
82" and 107" telescopes, you can specify a "focus" argument. For
the 30" and 36", this argument is built into the command. Here
are some examples:
- On the 82" using a focus argument where the focus is
the same as the default set by Observing Support:
miranda% cosmo cass
Model FLEX_21M_CASS.dat selected
miranda%
- On the 82" using no focus argument where the user
accepts the default set by Observing Support:
miranda% cosmo
Observing Support set default focus to: cass
Is this the correct setting? (y/n): y
Model FLEX_21M_CASS.dat selected
miranda%
- On the 82" using no focus argument where the user
does NOT accept the default set by Observing Support:
miranda% cosmo
Observing Support set default focus to: cass
Is this the correct setting? (y/n): n
Enter the correct setting
(cass | cassechell | cassoverec | coude | prime | raw): prime
WARNING: Changing focus to prime.
Model FLEX_21M_PRIME.dat selected
miranda%
- On the 82" using a focus argument that is different
than the default set by Observing Support:
% cosmo cassechell
Observing Support set default focus to: cass
Do you want to override this default with: cassechell ? (y/n): y
WARNING: Changing focus to cassechell.
Model FLEX_21M_CASSECHELL.dat selected
miranda%
cosmo is run the same way on the 107" as on the 82", only the
focus options are different.
For ICE to get coodinates properly, Telescope Name in telpars MUST
be set to mcd82x. (It should be set to that anyway.)
For the 30" and 36" telescopes, you simply execute cosmo with
no arguments (raw is the only focus setting for these scopes.)
luna% cosmo
Model FLEX_08M_RAW.dat selected
luna%
- For a list of valid focus arguments at the 82" or 107",
specify "help" as the argument. On the 82":
nereid% cosmo help
Valid arguments are:
cass
cassechell
cassoverec
prime
raw
nereid%
COSMO NOT FOUND?
----------------
If the cosmo alias is unavailable for some reason, you
can source the appropriate teldef file directly. For example,
on a Sun:
miranda% source /home/miranda/local/point/teldef-2.1m cass
Model FLEX_21M_CASS.dat selected
miranda%
and on a Linux system, currently prometheus at the 82" and
media107 at the 107":
media107% source /opt/local/point/bin/teldef-2.7m coude
Model FLEX_27M_COUDE.dat selected
media107%
ZEROS HISTORY COMMAND
---------------------
A new command, "zhist", has been added to show the history of point
"zeros" commands. The motivation behind zhist is that point only
stores the two most recent zeros commands. Thus if a previous
observer using the same focus setting as you has set the zeros
serval times, any previous settings would be lost. If you find
yourself in the undesirable situation of your predecessor having
set the zeros incorrectly, zhist allows you to go back and veiw
all previous zero settings, and hopefully find valid values.
You must run the cosmo command prior to using zhist. With no
argument, zhist prints the four most recent zeros commands and
their stored values, time stamp, user id, and the command
arguments. zhist prints the entire zeros history when the "a"
option is used.
miranda% zhist
---- Zero Command History for the 2.1 meter Telescope ----
prime Wed Jun 29 21:19:31 2005 cmason p z
-4.683528 -18.900000
ZERO -4.683528 -18.900000 (arcsec)
OZERO -107.100000 -72.000000 (arcsec)
prime Mon Jul 11 19:53:39 2005 cmason p z d
ZERO -107.100000 -72.000000 (arcsec)
OZERO -107.100000 -72.000000 (arcsec)
prime Mon Jul 11 19:54:19 2005 cmason p z d
ZERO -107.100000 -72.000000 (arcsec)
OZERO -4.683528 -18.900000 (arcsec)
cass Tue Jul 12 02:52:23 2005 fanelli p z
ZERO 43.932078 -35.100000 (arcsec)
OZERO -4.683528 -18.900000 (arcsec)
miranda%
FOCUS HISTORY COMMAND
---------------------
A second new command, "fhist", has been added to view the focus
change log.
You must run the cosmo command prior to using fhist. With no
argument, fhist prints the 10 most recent focus settings and
includes the focus, stored values, time stamp, user id, and
the command with arguments. The user id will be followed by
"Observing Support" to indicate setting of the default focus.
fhist prints the entire zeros history when the "a" option is used.
miranda% fhist
---- Focus Change Log for the 2.1 meter Telescope ----
2005-07-11 15:55 cass cmason Observing Support
2005-07-11 21:42 cass fanelli
2005-07-12 04:18 cass fanelli
2005-07-12 18:04 cass cmason
2005-07-12 18:20 cass cmason
2005-07-12 18:40 cass cmason
2005-07-12 19:02 cass cmason
2005-07-12 19:03 cass cmason
2005-07-12 19:10 cass cmason
2005-07-12 19:14 prime cmason
miranda%
DOCUMENTATION
-------------
This message and other point documentation can be accessed from
all computers in Mt. Locke telescope control rooms under:
/home/miranda/local/point/docs
----------------------------------------------
Cloud Mason, Mt. Locke Computing Services
The University of Texas McDonald Observatory
HC-75, Box 1337-MCD, C1403
Fort Davis, Texas 79734
432-426-4112
cmason@astro.as.utexas.edu