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A standard reduction

The simplest method of using the package is via the monolithic task ECHOMOP which has access to all the processing modules, along with a set of utilities along interactive tuning of parameters, and plotting of graphs of intermediate results. As reduction progresses, the details and results of each task are stored in a disk file allowing the user to repeat/alter any aspect of the reduction at any stage.

The package prompts the user for the name of this 'reduction structure' file when it starts. If the name of an existing reduction-structure file is entered then this file will be opened, otherwise the package will create a new file using the name provided. The name of the file may also be provided on the startup command line. Eg:

ECHOMOP ECH_RDCTN=<filename>

Once the reduction-structure file has been opened the main menu is presented. This menu consists of all the major steps in the reduction process, along with a set of utility options, and some more specialised options (Eg. 2-D distortion correction). An option is selected by typing its number followed by carriage return. Some options may also be selected by entering a keyword (or its first character) followed by carriage return. Eg. PLOT or P would select the graph plotting utility. The package attempts to provide the most sensible option (for a standard reduction) as the default, and the user can accept this simply by typing a carriage return. Option 0 always provides help information on the default option, and then allows the user to browse the help library for more detailed information. Most options invoke processing modules. These modules will usually require the specification of a number of parameters which will be automatically prompted for by the program. It is possible to preview/edit the parameters for any option by entering its number prefixed by a minus sign. Eg. -3 would allow preview/edit of the parameters used by option 3.

N.B. In general, once a parameter has been provided by the user it will not be re-prompted for by any module which requires it. The modules will simply re-use the value already supplied. The -option strategy overrides this behaviour and allows the user to change any parameter at any point.

All parameters can optionally be provided on the startup command line, in which case the modules will use the value provided without prompting.