Here is a list of all DRAMA actions supported by TELD; a more detailed explanation of TCS commands and their use can be found in the relevant TCS user manual. Most DRAMA actions have the same syntax as the corresponding TCS command. Note that not all commands are available at all telescopes.
DRAMA actions with no timeout will complete when the TCS returns an acknowledgement status; if an error status is returned it is copied to the action's completion status. The completion status TCS__TIMEOUT indicates that TELD tried ten times to send the command to the TCS, and then gave up.
DRAMA actions with timeouts send TCS commands that move mechanisms and will usually complete when the mechanism has reached its demanded position (and is tracking reliably in the case of the telescope axes). The completion status TCS__LIMIT indicates that the mechanism reached some limit before it attained its demanded position. The completion status TCS__TIMEOUT indicates that the timeout period expired before the TCS had reported that the mechanism had reached its demanded position.
ADD
If no parameter is given, writes the current contents of the edit source
block as a new
entry in the user catalogue.
If a parameter is given, writes the current telescope position as a named entry
in the user catalogue (MARK command).
Format: | ADD [source-name] |
Parameters: | source name (string) |
Timeout: | None |
AGPROBE
JKT specific command. Returns status of the autoguider probe movement,
either COMPLETE or TIMEOUT.
APERTURE
Offset the telescope so that an image moves by a vector fixed in the
focal plane.
Format: | APERTURE aperture-number |
Parameters: | Aperture number (integer) in the range 0 - 20. |
Timeout: | 5 minutes !! |
Comments: | Offsets corresponding to each aperture number must have been set up previously by using the ENTER or STORE command. |
AUTOGUIDE
Lock or unlock the autoguider loop.
Format: | AUTOGUIDE state [x y [EW-gain NS-gain]] |
Parameters: | state (string) {ON | OFF | SUSPEND | RESUME | CENTRE} |
x, y (double) desired pixel coordinates of guide star | |
not used EW-gain, NS-gain (double) autoguider gains | |
Timeout: | 5 seconds |
Comments: | EW-gain, NS-gain are not used, but are accepted for compatibility with old scripts. |
DFOCUS
Offset the focus to compensate for additional optical elements.
Format | DFOCUS focus-offset |
Parameters: | focus offset (double) in mm |
Timeout: | None |
DOME
Move the dome to the specified azimuth and stop it.
Format: | DOME angle |
Parameters: | angle (double) in degrees |
Timeout: | 3 minutes |
FOCOFF
Ancient history, was used by the Perkin-Elmer TCS at the INT and JKT, included for compatibility
with old ICS code. Deprecated, use DFOCUS instead.
FOCUS
Drive the focus to a specified setting and stop it.
Format: | FOCUS setting |
Parameters: | focus setting (double) in mm |
Timeout: | 3 minutes |
GOCAT
Retrieve the entry for the named source from the user or system catalogue
and then send the telescope to track it.
Format: | GOCAT source-name |
Parameters: | source-name (string of up to 20 characters) - it must be enclosed in double quotes if it contains any spaces |
Timeout: | 5 minutes |
NEXT
Sends the telescope to track the source whose data are in the edit
source block
Format: | NEXT |
Parameters: | None |
Timeout: | 5 minutes |
OFFSET
To offset the telescope by a given amount.
Format: | OFFSET {ARC | TIME} delta-ra delta-dec |
Parameters: | ARC - tangent plane offset; TIME - RA, Dec offset |
delta-ra (double) in radians, range -0.1 to 0.1 radians | |
delta-dec (double) in radians, range -0.1 to 0.1 radians | |
Timeout: | 30 seconds |
Comments: | The origin of a tangent plane offset is the nominal offset position, which is zero by default. |
PARK
Causes the telescope to move to a defined park position and stop.
Format: | PARK [ZENITH | AP1] |
Parameters: | ZENITH (default) - park telescope at zenith |
AP1 - park telescope at Access Park 1 | |
Timeout: | 5 minutes |
POINT
Log, in TPOINT format, the present position of the telescope as derived
from the raw encoder readings.
Format: | POINT [OLD | NEW | CALIBRATE] |
Parameters: | OLD (default) appends to the latest set of log files, unless none exist, in which case a new set of pointing files are opened in the POINTING directory. |
NEW opens a new set of log files in the POINTING directory, and logs the telescope position. | |
CALIBRATE opens a new set of log files in the CALIBRATE directory, and logs the telescope position. | |
Timeout: | None |
PULLIN
Autoguide on specified pixel position, command returns when guide star is in position.
Format: | PULLIN x y |
Parameters: | x, y (double) pixel coordinates of guide star |
Timeout: | 3 minutes |
Comments: | Sends the TCS command AUTOGUIDE ON x y WAIT |
ROTATOR
Causes the rotator to move to the specified position angle and stop.
Format: | ROTATOR {SKY | MOUNT} angle |
ROTATOR {FLOAT | VERTICAL | VFLOAT} | |
Parameters: | SKY - sky position angle |
MOUNT - mount position angle | |
angle (double) in degrees | |
Timeout: | 5 minutes |
SLOWOFF
Applies a tangent plane offset at the specified rate.
Format: | SLOWOFF delta-ra delta-dec rate [ABS | ADD] |
Parameters: | delta-ra (double) in arcseconds |
delta-dec (double) in arcseconds | |
rate (double) in arcseconds/second | |
ABS (default) - offset origin is the nominal offset position | |
ADD - offset origin is the current offset position (ie. cumulative) | |
Timeout: | 1 minute |
SOURCE
Enters new source data into the edit source block.
Format: | SOURCE target-position |
Parameters: | target-position (SDS structure of type target_t). |
Timeout: | None |
TWEAK
Applies a given aperture offset.
Format: | TWEAK x-off y-off [rot-off] |
Parameters: | x-off, y-off (double) aperture offset in arcseconds. |
rot-off (double) rotational offset in arcseconds | |
Timeout: | 10 seconds |
USER
Allows any TCS command to be sent as a parameter
Format: | USER command |
Parameters: | command is any valid TCS command, including all required parameters. The command must be encased in double quotes if it consists of more than one word. |
Timeout: | None |
Commands not supported by TELD can be entered as a parameter to the USER command; if there are any spaces in the command, the command must be enclosed in quotes. For example, the command STATION PRIME is sent as USER "STATION PRIME".
WARNING: If an unsupported command is missing a required parameter, the TCS will prompt for the parameter on its own USER interface and will not accept any more commands until either the parameter is given or CTRL-Z is typed to abort the command on the TCS USER interface.
Parameter | Type | Units | Description |
---|---|---|---|
TELESCOPE | String | Telescope name, eg. INT | |
LATITUDE | double | radians | Geodetic latitude of telescope |
LONGITUDE | double | radians | Geodetic longitude of telescope |
HEIGHT | double | metres | Height above mean sea level |
SCALE | double | radians/mm | Plate scale |
STATION | String | Focal station | |
INSTRU | String | Instrument | |
AUTOG | String | Autoguider | |
MESSAGE | String | TCS informational message | |
TUBE | double | degrees C | Temperature of telescope tube |
POSITION | tcsTrack_t | current state of telescope, etc | |
TARGET | tcsTarget_t | target parameters |
tcsTrack_t and tcsTarget_t are defined in the file tcstypes.h, their definitions are reproduced here.
/* Structured type defining a target for the TCS: */
typedef struct { char name[21]; /* Name of object. */
double ra; /* Right Ascension (radians). */
double dec; /* Declination (radians). */
double diffRa; /* Diff. track, RA (radians/day). */
double diffDec; /* Diff. track, Dec (radians/day). */
double equinox; /* Equinox of position (years). */
double properRa; /* Proper motion, RA (radians/year). */
double properDec;/* Proper motion, Dec (radians/year).*/
double epoch; /* Epoch for proper motions (years). */
double parallax; /* Annual parallax (arcsec). */
double radVel; /* Radial velocity (km/s). */
char coordType;/* Coord. system ('B', 'J' or 'A'). */
} tcsTarget_t;
/* Structured type describing the telescope's current tracking:
*/
typedef struct { double mjd; /* Modified Julian date (days). */
double last; /* Local Apparent Sideral Time (rad).*/
double ra; /* RA being tracked (radians). */
double dec; /* Dec. being tracked (radians). */
double equinox; /* Equinox of position (years). */
char coordType; /* Coord. system ('B', 'J' or 'A'). */
double alt; /* Altitude of Telescope (radians). */
double altErr; /* Error in declination or altitude (radians). */
double az; /* Azimuth of telescope (radians). */
double azErr; /* Error in hour angle or azimuth (radians). */
double rot; /* Position angle of rotator (rad). */
double roterr; /* Error in rotator position. */
double parallactic;/* Parallactic angle (radians). */
double focus; /* Telescope focus (mm). */
double actFocus; /* Actual telescope focus (mm). */
double azDome; /* Azimuth of dome aperture (rad). */
double airMass; /* Air mass (dimensionless). */
double xApNom; /* Nominal Aperture X */
double yApNom; /* Nominal Aperture Y */
double xApOff; /* Aperture offset in x (rad). */
double yApOff; /* Aperture offset in y (rad). */
double raOff; /* Positional offset in RA (rad). */
double decOff; /* Positional offset in Dec. (rad). */
double skyPa; /* Rotator sky-position-angle (rad). */
char rotMode; /* Code for rotator mode. */
double guideX; /* Guiding point in x (A/G pixels). */
double guideY; /* Guiding point in y (A/G pixels). */
char guiMode; /* Guiding mode. */
double telTemp; /* Telescope temperature */
double focTmpCorr; /* Focus temperature correction (mm) */
double focAltCorr; /* Focus elevation correction (mm) */
double focFltCorr; /* Focus correction for filter (mm) */
int vignette; /* True when beam is vignetted. */
char telstat[21];/* Tracking/moving status */
} tcsTrack_t;
TARGET is updated by the TCS when the telescope is sent to a new target, POSITION is updated every second, the other parameters are updated when they change. POSITION.telstat can take the values GUIDING, TRACKING, MOVING, STOPPED, LIMIT or ENGMODE.