NATIONAL RADIO ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

TO: Observers and Operators

FROM: Ronald J. Maddalena

SUBJECT: CLOOP, Another New Facility for Operators and Observers

I have written a UniPops procedure that operators and observers might be interested in using. The procedure, called CLOOP, basically watches for new data and then displays it. Operators and some observers will find the procedure useful as a way of visually monitoring the data as it is taken. Some observers with a good background in UniPops procedure writing could modify the procedure and have it automatically reduce data as it is taken.

The CLOOP procedure can be used with either gbcondar or gbline. For now I have stored it in the directory /e/rmaddale/UniStuff/Procedures but eventually I will move it to the UniPops procedure library after we have had some experience with it and I have had a chance to incorporate user's comments and criticisms.

To use CLOOP, start up gbcondar and gbline like you normally do. Operators or staff might want to specify the secret project code that gives them access to all observer's data. Others should enter the code for their authorized project. Once in the program, you need to batch in the procedure. Since some operators, observers, and staff members have set a procedure path which includes where I have or will put the procedure there is a good chance that the following command will batch in the procedure:

> batch cloop.prc

If this doesn't work, try:

> batch /e/rmaddale/UniStuff/Procedures/cloop.prc

If neither command is successful, give me a call. If CLOOP is already a part of your UniPops environment (i.e., if you type within UniPops help proc and CLOOP is listed) you won't have to batch it in again.

The above commands will create two procedures, CLOOP and RSTCLOOP. You start up CLOOP by typing within UniPops:

> cloop(10)

where the 10 refers the number of seconds UniPops will sleep before it looks for new data. Ten seconds seems appropriate for almost all the data we currently take.

CLOOP should display up to four scans, one for each of the four AutoCorrelator channels or one for the first four continuum channels. Each scan will be drawn with a different color. The colors are coded on the left of the display. The scan number and object name also appear on the plot. New data is defined as when either the scan number changes or when the integration time changes. Thus, for multi-record scans you will get a new display after every record. There can be up to a 30 second delay between when data is taken and when the display updates.

If you are running gbcondar but only line data is being taken, the display will stop updating until a new continuum scan is taken. Likewise, if you are running gbline and continuum data is being taken. Thus, if you want to look at both continuum and line data you may want to run gbcondar and gbline and have CLOOP running in both programs. If you don't have permission to look at the current observation, CLOOP will crash with an error message telling you this. You might have some problems right after the operator's workstation is re-booted so just be patient and try again after a few scans are taken.

Since CLOOP runs continuously, the only way to stop it is to type a Ctrl-C (i.e., hold the Ctrl key down while typing a the lower-case character 'c'). After you stop CLOOP, or if it crashes on its own, you should reset some of the variables set by CLOOP by typing:

> rstcloop

Please try the procedure out and give me your comments and suggestions. Have fun!