Location of this document: http://www.obs.carnegiescience.edu/~birk/IMACS/dataacq.html

Data Acquistion

CCDServer

DSP communicaton / provide data for camgui

CamGUI

Data acquisition user interface

QlTool

Quick look data display

1.0 : CCDServer

1. Controls
2. TCP/IP-Interface

The imacserver program handles the communication with the DSP. It sends commands to the DSP, receives the data from the DSP and stores it in memory for retrieval by the user level program camgui. imacserver usually runs as a background program without direct user access ('-X' switch) and is controlled by camgui. For tests it is possible to run it with a GUI as shown below.

Syntax: imacserver [-h pixels] [-c mode] [-X] [-o]

-h : font height in pixels (eg. '-h 18' uses a height of 18)

-X : no GUI mode

-c : 'mode' may be "short" or "long" (Note: this switch is ignored until we have 2 dewars)

-o : offline (data simulator)

1.1 : Controls

File : [menu] :

Reset : reset the DSP and upload its code

Help : show locations of the documentation in a dialog box

Exit : close GUI

Options : [menu] :

DataPath : set data (save) path

DewarStatus : open a window with CCD temperature(s) and dewar pressure

CCD-Voltages: open a window to set the CCD bias- and clock-voltages

Disk : [bar] : disk status

ExpTime

[edit] : set exposure time (seconds)

[output] : current time during exposure

Loops

[edit] : set (repeat) loop number

[output] : current loop number

ExpMode

[menu] :

• Auto : open during exposure
• Dark : keep shutter closed

[menu] : readout mode

• Full : full readout of selected chips
• Subraster : define subraster(s) for readout

Binning

[menu] : {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8} readout binning factor for rows and columns

[icon] : chip selection

Start : [button] : start exposure (loop sequence)

File# : [edit] : next filename number

Pause : [button] : close shutter and pause exposure

Abort : [button] : abort readout and dump data

Shutter : [menu] : open/close shutter manually

Gain : [menu] : select {high,low} gain

CDST : [edit] : set pixel time

ClkDir : [menu] : set readout direction {right,left}

Message : [output] : server status

1.2 : TCP/IP Interface

port = _____ (BasePort+2)
Note: The port assignment will change (and depend on the dewar) when the Moscaic/2 dewar arrives.

version

return version string: "version= 1.01"

start

start exposure (exposure time + readout array)

expose

start exposure (no readout)

read

readout array

stop

stop exposure (close shutter if open, but continue with readout)

abort

abort exposure (close shutter if open, no readout)

status

returns the CCDserver status:

"readout= %.3f" : during readout; '%.3f' is the effective exposure time

"exposure= %.3f" : during exposure; '%.3f' is the current exposure time

"loop= %.3f" : during exposure loop; '%.3f' is the effective exposure time (no exposure, no readout)

"idle= %.3f" : server is idle (no exposure, no loop, no readout) '%.3f' is the last exposure time

temp

returns the CCD temperature(s); eg. "temp= -109.7 -110.1 -109.8 -110.2 -110.0 -109.8 -109.9 -109.7"

heat

returns the CCD heater value(s); eg. "heat= 99 100 99 100 98 98 101 101"

pid

returns the CCD PID-loop status; eg. "pid=1"

setp

returns the CCD heater setpoint(s); eg. "setp= -110 -110 -110 -110 -110 -110 -110 -110"

bias #

returns the bias 8 voltages for chip '#'; eg. "bias#= 4.44 4.75 4.66 6.47 2.78 4.80 4.76 4.30"

clocks #

returns the 16 clock voltages for chip '#'; eg. "clocks#= 0.3 0.5 -1.8 -2.5 -1.2 5.6 1.2 3.4 1.1 4.4 0.9 0.9 0.1 1.6 3.0 -2.2"

vacuum

returns the dewar pressure; eg. "vacuum= 0.000e+00"

shutter {open,close}

open/close shutter; returns status; eg. "closed"

pause

pause exposure (close shutter if open)

resume

resume exposure (open shutter if in "auto" mode)

exptime #

set exposure time to '#' seconds

shutmode {auto,dark}

set shutter mode

subrmode a b

set subraster mode

'a': 0= full readout, 1= subraster readout

'b': 0= full save, 1= minimal save

binning XxY

set binning to 'X' (rows) and 'Y' (columns); return: eg. "1x1"

cdst #

set pixel time to '#' units

gain {0,1}

set gain {low,high}

2.0 : CamGUI

1. Main-Controls
2. Sub-Windows
3. Scripting
4. TCP/IP-Interface

Syntax: camgui [-h pixels] [{-f2,-f4}] [{-d2,-d2}]

-h : Font height in pixels (eg. '-h 18' uses a height of 18)

-f2/4 : Dewar at f/2 or f/4 focus.

-d1/2 : Mosaic1 or Mosaic2 dewar.

The "Sience Array Control" GUI provides the following functions:

• set exposure time
• set exposure type (eg. dark)
• set readout mode (e.g. subraster)
• set focus-sequnce parameters
• set binning
• set object name (written into FITS header)
• set file-numer (FITS)
• provide status information about data acquisition (e.g. shutter, time to finish exposure, free disk space)

The data files will be written in FITS format, one for each of the eight chips. The filename convention is

ccd1234c5.fits

2.1 : CamGUI Controls

left: standard (f/4) version; right: MMTF (f/2) version (touch $HOME/.imacs_use_script)

File [menu]

Reset DSP/Server : send request to the imacserver to upload the DSP-code and re-start the DSP.

Help : open web-browser with the IMACS documentation

Exit : close GUI

Shutdown : shutdown the entire IMACS software (MechGUI, CamGUI, QlTool, Xdbserver)

Modules [menu]

QL-Tool : Open (or move to foreground) the Quick-Look tool

MechGUI : Open the IMACS mechanics GUI

Options [menu]

DataPath : set path for the FITS files (images)

LogFile : edit name of the logfile in a dialog-box

DewarStatus : opens a window that displays the CCD temperature(s) and dewar pressure

CCD-Voltages: opens a window that displays the CCD bias- and clock-voltages. (password protected)

ReadSpeeds : opens a window that sets the readout parameters (password protected)

ExpTime

[edit] : set exposure time (1..8200 seconds)

[bar] : exposure (left to right) and readout (right to left) progress

[output] : current time during exposure

Loops

[edit] : set (repeat) loop number

[output] : current loop number

ExpType

[menu] :

• Object : regular mode for science data
• Nod & Shuffle : shuffle data and move telescope (Dialog)
• MMTF-Shuffle : shuffle data and change etalon wavelength (Dialog)
• Bias : 0 seconds exposure (shutter closed)
• Dark : exposure with shutter closed
• Flat : regular shuttered exposure

[menu] : readout mode

• Full : full array readout
• Subraster : subrastered readout

Binning

[menu] : {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8} readout binning factor for rows and columns

[icon] : chip selection

Object : [edit] : set object name

Comment : [edit] : comment for FITS header

Start: [button] : start exposure

Snap: [button]: start 4x4 binned exposure (used to clean the array)

File#: [edit] : set file number (ccdXXXXcY.fits)

'XXXX' is a 4 digit exposure (file-) number

'Y' is the chip number (1..8).

Pause: [button] : pause exposure (shutter closes until button is pressed again)

Stop/Abort: [button] :

Stop during exposure: close shutter and start readout

Abort during readout: abort readout and dump data

Shutter: [icon] : shutter status

Exec: [button] : open Run Script dialog box

Create: [button] : open Create Script dialog box

Etalon: [menu] : select script creation mode

Speed: [menu] : set readout speed

Slow: 145 seconds (1x1), 50 seconds (2x)
Fast: 100 seconds (1x1), 40 seconds (2x)
Turbo: 85 seconds (1x1), 30 seconds (2x)

Disk: [bar] : disk status

2.2 : CamGUI Sub-Windows

2.2.1: Dewar Status

left: The dewar status window with 8 temperatures, heater values and pressure (VacSensor); the IonPump is disabled since the Mosaic/1 dewar is not (yet) equipped with an ion pump.
right: The Mosaic2 dewar has an ion pump. It should be operated in the 'Auto' mode. The ion pump will be turned off automatically when the 'CryoT' temperature is above -145 [C] or the VacSensor reading is above 2.0e-4 [mbar].

2.2.2: CCD-Voltages

Access to this window is password protected.

2.2.3: Read Speeds

This window allows to set the pixel-times and gain values for the 3 readout speeds (slow,fast,turbo). Access to this window is password protected.

2.2.4: Nod & Shuffle Dialog

This windows allows to set the Nod & Shuffle parameters:

Shuffle: [edit] : shuffle distance (arcsec)

[output] : rounded up to pixels

Telescope-Nod: [edit] : telescope motion [arcsec] between exposures

DwellTime: [edit] : exposure time between shuffles/nods

N-Cycles: [edit] : number of 'A-B' cycles (2 exposures per cycle)

2.2.5: MMTF Straddle & Shuffle Dialog

This windows allows to set the MMTF-Shuffle parameters:

Shuffle: [edit] : shuffle distance (arcsec)

[edit] : shuffle distance (pixels)

Straddle: Off1 [edit] : off-band z-value

On [edit] : on-band z-value

Off2 [edit] : off-band z-value

DwellTime: [edit] : exposure time between shuffles

N-Cycles: [edit] : number of 'On-Off1-Off2-On' cycles (4 exposures per cycle)

2.2.6: Event Sounds Dialog

CamGUI will play sounds after the following events:

• Shutter closed (ready for telescope moves, filter changes, etc)
• Exposure (readout) done

The sound files have to be in a directory pointed to by a environment variable called IMACSOUNDS. This variable is set in the

2.3 : Scripting

2.3.1: Run Script

File: [edit] : Script filename (the .script extensions is appended if necessary)

Run: [button] : start executing script

Stop: [button] : stop script (gracefully) after the current command is finished

Line: [output] : display current command line

Close: [button] : close this window (and stop script, if running)

2.3.2: Create Script

Create Etalon script; scan(seq) or scan(blk) modes

File: [edit] : Script filename (the .script extensions is appended if necessary)

Mode: [menu] : etalon script mode (ie. scan)

Z0: [edit] : first z-value

dZ: [edit] : delta z-value

nZ: [edit] : number of z-values

Save : [button] : save script

Create Etalon script; straddle mode

File: [edit] : Script filename (the .script extensions is appended if necessary)

Mode: [menu] : etalon script mode (ie. straddle)

Z0: [edit] : on-band z-value

dZ1: [edit] : delta off-band z-value

dZ2: [edit] : delta off-band z-value

nC: [edit] : number of cycles (4 exposures each)

Save : [button] : save script

Create Etalon script; paralellize mode

File: [edit] : Script filename (the .script extensions is appended if necessary)

Mode: [menu] : etalon script mode (ie. parallelize)

X0: [edit] : first x-value

dX: [edit] : delta x-value

nX: [edit] : number of x-values

Y0: [edit] : first y-value

dY: [edit] : delta y-value

nY: [edit] : number of y-values

Save : [button] : save script

2.4 : TCP/IP Interface

version

return version string: "version=1.05b"

status

check status of CamGUI (data acquisition); return: "idle" or "exposure= %d" or "readout= %1.f" or "-E..."

reset

reset 'CCD-Server/DSP' communication; return: "done" or "-E..."

start [#]

start a loop of '#' exposures; return: "ok" or "-E..."

3.0 : QlTool

Syntax: qltool [-h pixels]

-h : font height in pixels (eg. '-h 18' uses a height of 18)

Control window description

Mosaic overview window description

Magnifier window description