obs2script

Bryan Butler

2006Dec05/06 EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR

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Introduction

• VLA users expressed a desire to continue to submit OBSERVE files during transition (transmitted via the Visiting Committee and Users Committee)

• The EVLA antennas are controlled via a jython script

• We need a program to convert old OBSERVE files to the new jython scripts

• This is “obs2script”

2006Dec05/06 EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR

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Place in the System

2006Dec05/06 EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR

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Example

VLA OBSERVE file “cards”:1331+305 19 00 00 13 31 08.2880 +30 30 32.959C XX A 0000 5.23

//DS 3

//LO 13.4 13.4 3940 3890

//FISF 100.000000 200.000000

Resultant EVLA jython script segment:loif0 = LoIfSetup("10GHz", 8460.100000, 8510.100000)

source3 = Source(3.53925777878686, +0.53248521159943)

source3.setName("1331+305")

subarray.setSource(source3)

subarray.execute(53722 + 20/24.0 + 18/1440.0 + 38.00/86400)

2006Dec05/06 EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR

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Structure

obs2script is written as a C program - major components:• Driver (“main”)• OBSERVE file card parsing routines• Jython script file printing routines• “ephemeris” routines (in large part copied directly from

Modcomp FORTRAN and hand-converted to C, for compatibility), for frequency setup and doppler tracking

• SLA library routines (for converting between coordinates of date or B1950 to J2000 and for some timing)

There are also raw jython functions, for standard observing modes (fast-switching, reference pointing, rasters, focus) which are included as needed in the jython script (via execfile())

2006Dec05/06 EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR

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Supported Modes and Modifiers

obs2script currently supports the following observing modes and modifiers:

• Normal continuum, spectral line, polarization• Single dish pointing• Interferometric pointing• Reference pointing determination and application (primary and

secondary)• TIPping• Focus• Planets (but not supported in the Executor currently)• Antenna wrap and over-the-top specification• Rasters (az/el or ra/dec)• Phased-array• DEF blocks, REW and BAC cardsTo be completed:• Delay• Solar• Correlator specification

2006Dec05/06 EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR

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The Future

Final

EVLA SBmodelEVLA

OPT

EVLA script

model2script

Executor

OBSERVE file

model2obs

jython script

obs2script

Executor

Next

EVLAOPT

EVLA SBmodel

OBSERVE file

jobserve

jython script

obs2script

Executor

New

OBSERVE file

jobserve Modcomp

Old