Alpha TCS : starting in simulation
Generally it will be sufficient to start the default
version of the TCS with the SIMULATE. On occasion it may be
necessary
to start another version.
The procedure is:
0) TCSEXIT
to shutdown the TCS (if necessary).
1) Log into the appropiate TCS alpha with usual id
and password (as usual)
Note
that for development purposes it may be sensible to use
development
machine
lpas3, which has the standard accounts and TCS versions
2) Type VERSION
to see list of available
releases
3) Type name of TCS release (e.g.
W29-0-0)
4) Check that the new release is shown by the
SIMULATE
option
5) Type SIMULATE
Note that if you restart the TCS, it will restart
the default TCS not the last version selected.
Example transcript (after logging in) :
This is the WHT TELESCOPE CONTROL SYSTEM
The TCS is not running.
Please enter an option -
START - Start the TCS version W29-0-0
Info display on fjgpc.ing.iac.es
USER window on fjgpc.ing.iac.es
SIMULATE - Run the TCS version W29-0-0 in simulation mode
Info display on fjgpc.ing.iac.es
USER window on fjgpc.ing.iac.es
VERSION - Select a different TCS version
DISPLAY - Select different display devices
EXIT - Exit this menu and log out
Option> VERSION
Select one of the following TCS versions -
VERSION DATE DESCRIPTION
W25-1-0 9-Nov-2004 First VMS 7.3-2 version
W25-2-0 26-Nov-2004 New menu layout
W25-TEST 3-Dec-2004 Keyboard layout for Suns and xterms.
W25-3-0 19-Feb-2005 Increased pagefile quota for Calibrate/Clone
W25-4-0 14-Mar-2005 New keyboard layout (same as W25-TEST).
W26-0-0 15-Mar-2005 DRAMA action PULLIN completes when guidestar
is in position
W27-0-0 8-Apr-2005 Reads and logs azimuth drive motors
W27-1-0 14-Jun-2005 Guidestar pullin timeout increased; focusrun fix
W27-1-1 05-Oct-2005 Corrected scale for focus lvdt logging
W27-1-2 13-Feb-2006 Leap second of 31-Dec-2005 2400
W27-1-3 13-Mar-2006 Earth Rotation Parameters updated
W27-1-4 10-May-2006 Updated Cass pointing model
W29-0-0 20-May-2006 Improved servo to fix azimuth oscillations
W30-0-0 12-Dec-2006 Do not move telescope unless axes are zeroset
Option [W29-0-0]> W30-0-0
%DCL-I-SUPERSEDE, previous value of TELESCOPE has been superseded
%DCL-I-SUPERSEDE, previous value of DRAMADISK has been superseded
%DCL-I-SUPERSEDE, previous value of TCS_VERSION has been superseded
The TCS is not running.
Please enter an option -
START - Start the TCS version W30-0-0
Info display on fjgpc.ing.iac.es
USER window on fjgpc.ing.iac.es
SIMULATE - Run the TCS version W30-0-0 in simulation mode
Info display on fjgpc.ing.iac.es
USER window on fjgpc.ing.iac.es
VERSION - Select a different TCS version
DISPLAY - Select different display devices
EXIT - Exit this menu and log out
Option> SIMULATE
6)ZEROSET
Once at the USER> do the necessary zeroset commands
At WHT
ZEROSER AZ TAR
ZEROSET ALT TAR
At INT
ZEROSET HA TAR
ZEROSET DEC TAR
7) Slewing to a source
Since the simulated TCS defaults to axis positions of 0, it is quicker
to use coordinates that avoid too much simulated movement. The following
avoid limits (object not visible) and excessive movement
At WHT
SOURCE TEST 0 0 0 85 0 0 J2000 ! near the pole
NEXT ! slew to source
At INT
SOURCE TEST hh mm ss 0 0 0 J2000 ! near equator
where hh mm ss are taken from the sidereal time shown on TCS display.
NEXT
8) Note on use of Drama
If the TCS development machine is in use it may be necesary to connect using
cmd TCS@lpas3 PING
Once a connection is established, this remains until ics is shutdown (or cleanup
is run). To avoid the ICS connecting with normal TCS one can shut down the observing
system and start drama manually
obssys
start_msg_net
cmd TCS@lpas3 PING
before starting rest of the observing system with startobssys
9) Tidying Up
Once the work is finished, shut down the simulated TCS. Don't leave it
running overnight!
TCSEXIT
This is important to ensure that the real observing systems can't remain
accidentally connected to simulated TCS.
Frank Gribbin
Last modified: 04 Mar 2011 (fjg)