INT-IDS-4

User manual for the Sparc based
INT IDS control

Daniel Matthews

Issue 1.1; 14th October 1996







Isaac Newton Group, RGO,
Aptdo 368,
Santa Cruz de La Palma, TF38780 Spain

Telephone (int+) 34 22 405500
Fax (int+) 34 33 405646
Internet drm@ing.iac.es


1 Overview of the INT IDS

1.1 Context

The INT Intermediate Dispersion Spectrograph (IDS) is the instrument most often mounted on the cassegrain of the INT, below the Acquisition and Guidance (A&G) box. The IDS is controlled by an electronics rack mounted on the telescope. This controller is in turn controlled by the IDS server task running on the system computer.

1.2 Scope of this Manual

This manual describes the facilities available from the IDS server and the commands used to invoke them. The remainder of this section is a tour of the hardware and software facilities. Observers new to the ING may find it useful to read this information. Section 2 describes, "in cook-book" style, how to use the system. Section 3 is a reference guide to the full command set.

This manual has been prepared using Interleaf. It can be found on the ING Web server, as INT-IDS-4.

1.3 References

[1] ING Observer's Guide Carter et al. 1994

[2] User manual for the Sparc based Data-Acquisition system RGO/ING document INS-DAS-11 by Daniel Matthews

[3] User manual for the Sparc based A&G box control RGO/ING document INT-AGB-4 by Daniel Matthews

[4] Interfaces to the Sparc Based IDS server RGO/ING document INT-IDS-2 by Daniel Matthews

1.4 General description

The mechanisms of the IDS are controlled by an electronics rack (MMS) mounted on the telescope at cassegrain. A technical description of the spectrograph can be found in reference [1]. The system computer communicates with this via a serial port or by a terminal server. The software running on the system computer in called the IDS server. It is through this task that the observer requests movements of the various IDS mechanisms. Movements and positions of mechanism within the IDS are indicated on a graphical mimic.

1.5 The system computer

The system computer also runs the data acquisition software, as described in reference [2] and any other instrument control task required (for example the A&G box server)

The system computer is networked to various VAXes, VAXstations and SPARCstation. If desired, data can be copied across to any other machine for more in-depth data analysis.

1.6 Notation for commands

The following conventions have been used more-or-less consistently throughout this manual:

Examples of commands entered at the terminal are in courier font: hart 1 1, as are messages from the computer;

Angle brackets denote parameter values or character strings: <central-wavelength>;

Square brackets denote optional input: e.g. [title]; all other parameters are obligatory;

All commands are case sensitive and should be used in the case given, but parameter values are not unless specifically stated.

2 Using the IDS

This section contains practical advice on how to drive the IDS General information on the functions of the system is in section 1, and detailed information on the command set is in section 3.

2.1 Access to the system computer

As an observer, you can control the data-acquisition system and instrument control from a single console; this is the SPARCstation in the control room identified as the system computer. From the SPARCstation, you can enter commands in the terminal window and receive feedback information both as messages to the terminal window and on the status display/mimic, also on the SPARCstation screen. The command window is running a unix t-shell, so all the standard unix commands are also available, as well as the ability to write scripts (type man csh for help on this)

Data assessment can be carried out on a further xterm window, running for example IRAF, in association with SAOimage or ximtool. Note also that SAOimage alone can be used to view the data, by entering the fits filename under the etc/new menu. It can be found at /star/bin/saoimage.

2.2 Starting up the system

Instructions on how to start the observing system are given in the user manual of the Data Acquisition system (ref [2]). If prompted you should indicate that you are using the INT telescope with the A&G box and IDS.

When the IDS server starts up, all the contents of the filter wheels, the grating and collimator names are loaded. These used are assumed to be those last used. If this is not the case, or you wish to change one of the filters in a wheel, or a whole wheel for that matter, you should enter the change_ids command (section 2.4 below)

Once the observing system is running, you should identify the IDS mimic. This is the right-hand portion of the general instrument control mimic. The other window you should note is the "Talker". This reports messages to the user from the various tasks running during normal operation. This window should be checked if an error occurs.

2.3 Entering IDS commands

IDS commands are entered on the xterm that you started the system from, at the shell prompt which will be the time of day: 23:47:25> If you don't see this prompt the system is not ready for IDS commands.

Most commands take parameters, which you must give on the command line. e.g.

01:33:22> <command> <p1> <p2 <p3>
If you leave out a parameter, the system will reject the command and indicate the correct usage. The parameters are passed by relative position on the command line so you cannot omit parameters from the middle of the command.

The commands are case sensitive and should all be entered in lower case. Parameters however are not. Titles and commentary will have mixed case preserved in the observing log.

If enough characters have been entered to uniquely identify the command, pressing <TAB> will cause the t-shell to complete the command name.

The time prompt (eg 01:33:22>) will return when the command has completed. You will also informed by a message on the Talker screen. All commands can be executed in the shell background, by appending a "&" to the command. Some commands can be overlapped and carried out in parallel, but those that can not will return an error message indicating why. For example, entering:

02:34:45> cenwave 6500 &
will allow you to enter other commands while the grating is moving.

If you forget to put a command into the background, you can do so by typing <ctrlZ> and then bg. It is ESSENTIAL that you put the task into the background once you have stopped it with <ctrlZ>.

2.4 Changing the exchangeable optics

If it is required to change the contents of a filter wheel, a dekker, or change the grating or collimator, you should enter the following command:

18:25:53> change_ids

The following image will be displayed. It allows the user to list the contents of all the mechanisms that have exchangeable optics. This can be used just to view the contents of a filter slide or to change any of them, as well as providing access to the instrument by opening the appropriate access ports.



If you wish to change a slide, grating or collimator, then clicking on the slide name, will pop up a list of available options. Sliding the mouse down to the desired one in the list, to highlight it, will select it. Once selected it's name will appear as the slide name in the top level screen. This will not have any effect until the "Save Changes" button is clicked.

If as part of the change you need access to one of the ports in the instrument, click on the appropriate "Access port" button. This will unlatch the port to make it possible to enter the instrument. The IDS shutters on BOTH cameras must be shut to allow the access ports to be unlatched.

To view the contents of one of the slides, click on the "View slide conents" button next to the name of the slide in place. This will pop up a screen showing the slide conents, an example is shown below.

The position indicates which slot in the slide a filter is in. COnventionally position 0 is clear. This number is used to select a filter. The Id, WaveBand and PhotoSys are combined to produce the FITs identifier for the filter that will appear on the mimic (see section 2.5 below) and in the FITs header for the instrument. The focus offset is not currently used with this instrument.

If you wish to change one of the filters in the slide, then edit the appropiate Id/WaveBand/PhotoSys fields in the above window, and then click on Change. this will have changed the contents of the file describing the slide. The Save changes button on the top level screen should be clicked to cause these changes to be loaded into the current server. Once they are loaded in the current server, they will automatically be loaded on startup of the server in future, until they are changed again.

The IDS has two cameras, one with a focal length of 235mm and one of 500mm. The change_ids command should also be used to change the camera in use. See reference [1] for a technical description of the instrument.

2.5 Mimic

When the system is started up, a mimic will start up showing the state of the instrument. Mechanisms in Green are stationary. Those in Blue are moving, and those in red are in a fault condition. The right hand side of the mimic described the status of the IDS, with the left hand describing the A&G box.

2.6 Shutting down

To shut-down the observing system, use the shutdownobssys command:

07:32:12> shutdownobssys
2.7 System Recovery

If there is a problem with the system, such as a stuck command, the system recovery procedure outlined in the DAS user manual (ref[1]) should be followed.

3 Command Reference

This section is a reference section, describing all commands concerned with the IDS box. Commands are first listed alphabetically, then are defined in detail (in alphabetical order).

Commands for operating the telescope, the data acquisition and other instruments are listed in the associated users manuals.

With all commands, entering the command name iwth no argument, when one is expected, will cause the usage to be described.

Notation used in this section

Examples of commands entered at the terminal are in courier font: compfilta

Angle brackets denote parameter values or character strings: <position>

Square brackets denote optional input: [title]; all other parameters are obligatory

3.1 Commands listed alphabetically

bscf Move the below slit colour filter
bsnd Move the below slit neutral density filter
camshut Move the IDS camera shutter
cenwave Change the grating angle to give the give central wavelength
change_ids List all exchangeable optics and allow changing
collimator Move the position of the collimator
dekker Move the dekker slide
gshut Move the grating shutter
hart Move the hartmanns
slit Set the slit width in microns
slitarc Set the slit width in arcseconds

3.2 Command descriptions

3.2.1 bscf

Format: bscf <position>
position:
Requested filter position (0 to 2)
Example:
bscf 1
Comments:
This moves the below slit colour filter to the position requested. The command change_ids can be used to see the names of the filters currently mounted. By convention, position 0 is clear.

3.2.2 bsnd

Format: bsnd <position>
position:
Requested filter position (0 to 2)
Example:
bsnd 1
Comments:
This moves the below slit neutral density filter to the position requested. The command change_ids can be used to see the names of the filters currently mounted. By convention, position 0 is clear.

3.2.3 camshut

Format: camshut <position>
position:
Requested camera shutter action ("open" or "close")
Example:
camshut open
Comments:
This opens or closes the IDS camera shutter. The shutter moved is that of the current camera in use. The mimic shows which camera is in use, as well as the command change_ids which can also allow it to be changed it if necessary.

3.2.4 cenwave

Format: cenwave <position>
position:
Requested central wavelength in Angstroms
Example:
cenwave 6500
Comments:
This moves the grating angle to place the indicated wavelength approximately central on the CCD image. The grating sensitivity can be improved by moving the grating before settling on your final wavelength. This will only usually be necessary if the IDS MMS has been powered off. After changing the grating, the grating shutter must be opened using "gshut open", before this command will be accepted.

3.2.5 change_ids

Format: change_ids
Comments:
This command is used to view the contents of the various filter wheels and the grating and collimator types in the IDS, and can also be used to change these if required. See section 2.4 for more detail.

3.2.6 collimator

Format: collimator <position>
position:
Requested collimator position (108 - 277)
Example:
collimator 228
Comments:
This moves the collimator to the required position. The move may take some time. The nominal position is 228, and the acceptable range, optically, is 215 to 240. (Measured 11/95)

3.2.7 dekker

Format: dekker <position>
position:
Requested filter position (0 to 8)
Example:
dekker 5
Comments:
This moves the dekker to the requested position The command change_ids can be used to see the description of each of the dekkers in the slide.

3.2.8 gshut

Format: gshut <position>
position:
Requested grating shutter action ( "open" or "close")
Example:
gshut open
Comments:
This moves the grating shutter to the requested position. When the grating is changed this will automatically be put in. The grating is moved to the change position of 90 degrees when the shutter is moved to the close position. This shutter must be out before the cenwave command is issued.

3.2.9 hart

Format: hart <l-position> <r-position>
l-position:
Position of the Left Hartmann ( "0" for out, "1" for in)
r-position:
Position of the Right Hartmann ( "0" for out, "1" for in)
Example:
hart 1 0
Comments:
This moves the two hartmanns to the desired positions. It is important that the hartmanns are removed from the beam once focussing is complete. The mimic will clearly show when a hartmann is still in.

3.2.10 slit

Format: slit <position>
position:
Requested slit width in microns (125 to 10000)
Example:
slit 250
Comments:
This will change the width of the slit to the position requested in microns

3.2.11 slitarc

Format: slitarc <position>
position:
Requested slit width in arcseconds
Example:
slitarc 1.2
Comments:
This will change the width of the slit to the position requested in arcseconds.

Appendix A. Engineering interfaces

Mechanisms can be moved directly by sending commands straight to the server. This is not recommended as it misses out some of the safety features built into the user commands. More details of this interface can be found in reference [3]. Below is a list of a few useful ones:

ditscmd IDS IDS_DEKKER <n>

ditscmd IDS IDS_BSND <n>

ditscmd IDS IDS_BSCF <n>

ditscmd IDS IDS_HART <n> <n>

Where <n> represents the required position of the mechanism.

A simple engineering interface can be started up running "idsEng.tcl". Again this short circuits any safety features of the user commands and should be avoided.

The command to run the IDS server is "ids" and so should be present every time the observing system is running. This can be checked with:

ps -elf | grep ids

When the server logs into DRAMA, it used the name IDS. The following command will return without error if the server is both logged into DRAMA and responding correctly:

ditscmd IDS PING

The server produces a log file indicating all the actions that have taken place on the server since it was started. this can be found in the same directory as the other system log files - ie that defined by yhe LOGS environment variable, and is called "IDS_nnnn.log" where nnn is the date as defined in the LOGDATE environment variable. If the files already exsisted when the system started up, it will be appended to.

Appendix B. Document History

Issue 0.1 06/08/96 First draft release for review

Issue 0.2 14/10/96 Second draft release with change command.

Issue 1.1 1997-02-05 Issue 0.2 was formally released.