Changes

'''Instrument software issues:''' Carel van Gend 076 818 1312**050 (0768181312)

===IMPORTANT NOTES===* '''IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT THE NEW SOFTWARECONSIDER DECREASING DETECTOR TEMPERATURE IF TAKING LONG EXPOSURES''' Reports in 2016 indicated that the dark current is higher than expected (by a factor of ~ 100; more information to follow). This is most noticeable for long (>=10 minute) exposures. The camera is automatically cooled to -50C. It can be cooled down to -70 C; however, if the ambient temperature is high, the cooler will be stressed and cannot reach minimum temperatures. If you do adjust the temperature to -60, -65 or -70, please listen carefully so that if the temperature alarm triggers (a high-pitched, continuous beep) you can stop cooling and prevent hardware failure. March 2017* '''THE NEW SOFTWARE HAS DIFFERENT FILE NAMES AND HEADER KEYWORDS THAN PREVIOUS DATA.''' If you use this information in your analyses, you will have to update it. The filename format has been standardized to <Instrument>_YYYYMMDD.####.fits, where the instrument is sha (shocnawe), shd (shocndisbelief), or SHH to designate which SHOC box is being used. Please check the header of a new data file or the wiki [http://topswiki.saao.ac.za/index.php/SHOC#FITS_Header_Keywords FITS header keywords] (the "new" keywords are directly from the Andor iXon camera under Linux). March 2015* '''THE FILE SIZE IS NO LONGER LIMITED TO 2 GB. ''' This means that if you take large data cubes, the file size has ''no limit'' (this is because we are no longer on a Window-based, 32-bit, operating system). If you end up with a very large file, data analysis can be difficult. We are working on an efficient method to automatically split files into smaller sizes, but for now users need to be aware that requesting a large number of images in one file could return a very large file size (and if you mistakenly delete your file, you have lost alot of work!). It is recommended that multiple files be manually taken. ''If you have any questions or problems with the data, feel free to contact carel@ saao.ac.za or amanda@ saao.ac.za.''March 2015

'''Most recent chances changes at the top'''* '''v1.4.2 Release date 3 January 2018<br>'''** Feature: Better error reporting** Feature: TCS info now available when mounted on the 40-inch * '''v1.4.0 Release date 23 November 2016<br>'''** Bug: Camera interface doesn't revert to "manual mode" when reloading the page while it's in scripting mode** Feature: Upgraded to JS9 v1.10 ([https://github.com/ericmandel/js9/releases/tag/v1.10 Release Notes])** Feature: Display and plot total counts for active regions on image display * '''v1.3.5 Release date 16 November 2016<br>'''** Feature: GPS driver now has access to a general-purpose SHOC config file** Feature: GPS antenna delay is now set from the config file  * '''v1.3.4 Release date 19 October 2016<br>'''** Bug: Default image display orientation. The image shown on-screen in conventional mode should now be correctly oriented.

can be useful to make use of the automated acquisition mode on the camera tab.'''NOTE: SCRIPTING ALWAYS USES THE INTERNAL TRIGGER'''

name and click the <span style="color: red;">'''(2)'''</span> "Create Script" button to create a new one. ''NOTE: Please ensure that your script has an easily identifiable name for the observer and run, e.g. Gulbis_20150617Script1Sickafoose_20150617Script1. All scripts are currently being stored in the drop-down web interface -- this means you will see other people's scripts and will have to look there for your own in order to load the script in subsequent observing runs.''

There is an automatic transfer of data from the instrument to the file servers in Sutherland and Cape Town, every morning at 7:30. So you should not need to worry about the security of your data. However, you'll still need to access your data! We describe here how to do this. There are two ways to transfer get the data: (1) directly to your computer from the instrument PC or (2) onto from the SAAO storage area network (SAN). The data are automatically copied to the server every morning (at 7:30am).* To use method (1) To transfer data directly to your computer, use the command line.:

* (2) To move data to the SAN on the Sutherland plateau (from which you can access it by connecting to the SAAO server), there is a data copy script on the SHOC computer. ** From a command line, connect to the instrument computer. As appropriate for your telescope, use either of the following commands: ssh shoc74in@shoc74in.suth.saao.ac.za ssh shoc40in@shoc40in.suth.saao.ac.za ---- When prompted for the password, use the password for the 74in or 40in user.**Run the shocdatacopy.sh script. Options can be: shocdatacopy.sh -d yesterday # to transfer yesterday's data shocdatacopy.sh -d YYYYMMDD # to transfer data from some specified date ---- Without parameters, it will try to transfer today's data.** To collect your data from the SAN, you'll have to secure copy it from '''astro.suth.saao.ac.za'''. The usernames for this are '''ccd40''' and '''ccd74''' depending on your telescope. Ask for the password. Data are in the path /data/telescopedata/<TELESCOPE>/sh?/<YYYY>/<MMDD>

* The last setting is the Electron Multiplying (EM) gain. <span style="color: red">NOTE: DO NOT USE ELECTRON MULTIPLYING MODE UNLESS YOU HAVE SPECIFICALLY OBTAINED PERMISSION FROM DR AMANDA GULBIS SICKAFOOSE TO DO SO, AND YOU UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHEN TO USE IT. PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE SENSOR CAN RESULT FROM INCORRECT USAGE. If you are using EM mode, choose the EM output amplifier, and then select a gain. BEGIN WITH LOW GAIN VALUES, BECAUSE IF THERE IS TOO MUCH SIGNAL''' YOU CAN DAMAGE THE CAMERA.'''</span>

''Currently, this This functionality is only should be available on the 74". Eventually, it should also be on the 40" and the new 1m. It has only been tested on the 74".''The idea is to take a long, GPS-triggered data cube with SHOC at high cadence, while running the LED at 1 PPS (which has a longer pulse on the minute and can thus be used to test absolute timing accuracy).*The dome and mirror covers must be OPEN for this test to work. (The GPS needs to get satellite signal, and the LED must be seen through the light path.)

*Instructions Check that the LED is visible by turning on what data a pulse and seeing if it is apparent in the preview images. For example, take 0.2-s exposure and set the LED to 1 PPS, then look for increased counts/flashes on the display every 5th frame.* '''To take a timing data cube:''' ** start the LED at 1 PPS** in preview mode, increase the SHOC binning and how readout speed to reach the desired exposure cadence (< 0.05s). ** set SHOC to external timing, select >=10000 frames, and start the GPS with repeated pulses at the chosen cadence ** REMEMBER TO TURN OFF THE LED PULSES WHEN DONE.* '''Analysis:''' you are free to analyze your own timing data! Otherwise, an analysis pipeline has been written by Marissa Kotze and is supported by Carel van Gend. Carel can assist with data analysis.* Download the SHOCpipeline.tar and PULSEtiming.tar software. Create a directory for the software (e.g. timingtests) and extract the software to that directory: mkdir timingtests cd timingtests tar -xvf ../SHOCpipeline.tar tar -xvf ../PULSEtiming.tar * In the README file, follow the instructions on setting up iraf. * Then make a further subdirectory for the testdata: mkdir testdata * Copy the data cube to this directory, and run the testPULSEtiming.py script: cd testdata python testPULSEtiming.py <SHOC fits file name> * The software will be posted soonexamine the header, ask the user for confirmation of a few values, and then verify the timing. A report is printed out at the end.

** $ ssh <user>@<shocndisbelief|shocnawe>.suth.saao.ac.za** $ cd /home/ccd/programming/shoc-gps** $ python -cli.py

Notify the IT standby person, so that the DNS records can be altered - they should use the information below.

The shoc computer should be reachable by an '''alias ''' containing the telescope name. Usually '''shoc74in ''' is an alias to '''shocnawe''', and '''shoc40in ''' is an alias to '''shocndisbelief'''. If, e.g. '''shocndisbelief ''' is mounted on the 74 inch '''74inch''' telescope, the alias '''shoc74in ''' should be changed to point to '''shocndisbelief'''.

IT should '''ONLY''' change the '''CNAME record'''. The '''A records''' should '''NEVER''' change. Even if only one of the instruments is being moved to another dome, BOTH records must be switched or DNS resolution will be intermittent. Example of a switched DNS setup:

'''Instrument switched setup'''

The '''above''' setup was always the '''normal''' setup but now the shocndisbelief machine is in the 1m dome (old 30Inch). The '''shocndisbelief''' will no longer be in the 40inch and will not move around, only the '''shocnawe''' machine will move between the telescopes. Therefore the setup below is what needs to change when the '''shocnawe''' is moved.

Note that the '''shocnawe''' now points to '''shoc40in.suth.saao.ac.za'''. If it is configured like this, that means the '''shocnawe''' machine is in the '''40inch'''. When it is moved, '''only''' change the '''40''' to '''74''' like below:

  With the CNAME setup below, both the shocndisbelief and shocnawe can be connected in the new '''1m'''. Please ask the IT standby person to help you with this DNS setup. At this moment '''only''' the '''shocnawe''' will be moved between the 40inch and 74inch. The '''shocndisbelief''' is in the '''1m''' and will '''not''' be moved between the 40inch and 74inch.

Run the script shocboxswitch.sh. The default option reverts to the standard mapping between shoc computers and telescopes. If the default is not chosen , you'll be prompted for the name of the telescope the shoc computer is being mounted on.