==SpUpNIC User Interfaces==
SpUpNIC's displays are labelled "Monitor 1" and "Monitor 2", and are located to the right of the TCS monitor in the warm room. To launch the SpUpNIC Control GUI, click on the absorption spectrum icon in the menu bar on the left-hand-side of Monitor 1. All of the spectrograph sub-systems (e.g. grating angle, slit width, arcs, exposures, guide mirror) are controlled from this GUI.
There's an accompanying SpUpNIC Quick-Look GUI https://topswiki.saao.ac.za/index.php/Quick_Look_Tool , which displays each spectrum after readout and allows basic extraction and wavelength calibration. To launch the SpUpNIC Quick-Look, click on the emission line icon below the absorption spectrum icon on the left-hand edge of Monitor 1.
==The Instrument Schematic==
Normal operations are performed in the ''Main View'' tab of the SpUpNIC Control interface. [[File:Control_Arc.png|thumbnail]] [[File:Control_Science.png|thumbnail]] On the right-hand-side is a graphical representation of the instrument, which shows the light path through the various components controlled by the GUI. You can click on the guide mirror, arc mirror, rear-of-slit mirror and Hartmann shutters to move them in and out of the beam, and on the arc lamps and slit illumination to switch them on and off. '''Note that since the installation of the instrument selector in February 2024, we no longer move the guide mirror - this has been replaced by the insertion of a fold mirror from the TCS.''' A blue border surrounding the graphic indicates that the spectrograph is configured for acquisition or calibration, i.e. some component is in the beam that would obstruct its path to the science detector. If the system is correctly set up for a science exposure, there will be no coloured frame and the red light-path will reach the detector.
== Detailed Users Guide ==
====Bias Frames====
The spectrograph camera does not have a shutter, so even though bias frames are zero second exposures, you still need to take them when no light can reach the detector. Ideally while the mirror cover is still closed, or at least not while pointing to an object, or while an . Make sure the arc lamp or the , slit illumination , dome lights, etc is on. are switched off. The bias level on SpUpNIC is stable, but these frames take next-to-no time, so just snap a bunch of them (say 25?) every day.
====Dome flat recipe====
# The slit width will automatically be set to 1.05" and the exposure type will switch to HARTMANN, then the GUI will grey out and not be available during the focus sequence (although you will see the ''Current Camera Focus'' field changing and the Hartmann shutters indicate ''Moving''.
# On completion of the sequence: in the SpUpNIC Quick-Look GUI, in the log box to the right of the spectrum display window, you will see a list of focus positions and their corresponding pixel shifts. Best focus corresponds to a shift of zero.
# The camera focus should automatically be set to the best focus value, but if it isn't, enter the best focus into the ''Requested" '' Camera Focus box on the SpUpNIC Control GUI's ''Instrument Setup'' pane and click ''Go''.
* The Hartmann sequence ends with the shutter out of the beam, but be sure to select the desired slit width in the ''Instrument Setup'' pane and click ''Go''. Check that it goes to the required position, click ''Go'' again if it does not do it the first time.
* Select "Exposure type" = ARC and take an arc to confirm that the focus looks good.
# Acquire a bright star (e.g. ~4th mag), roughly centre it in the acquisition camera field and continue exposing.
# Focus the telescope (start at ~2180) using the shortest possible exposure time (focusing is best done with a fainter star, but this will be sufficient for getting the position).
# Move the fold mirror out of the beam so that light can go down the central holein the guide mirror.
# Move the rear-of-slit mirror into the beam (On SpUpNIC, ''Lamp/Mirror Settings'' pane, RoS mirror change from ''Out of beam'' to ''In beam'').
# Turn on the slit illumination (in the ''Instrument Setup'' pane, ''Change'' to turn on the lamp). Tune the exposure time/LUT sliders on the TCS until you can clearly see the slit running horizontally across the acquisition image, approximately halfway up.
'''If the rear-of-slit (ROSCam) camera window does not produce any images (though the exposures seem to count down), it probably needs a reset'''
* Check that you've got the light path right: guide fold mirror centred out of beam and the rear-of-slit mirror in the beam
* Then check that it's not an image scaling issue, by turning on the slit illumination (which is bright enough to show up under most circumstances)
* If you still don't see anything: