JObserve

File Menu

Save working environment

Save the working environment to a series of files. You will be asked to specify a filename (any extension, i.e. ".SET", is ignored) for the set of files. The complete working environment comprises several lists, which are saved in separate files: the Starting Conditions, the User Defaults, the Observe List, and the Source List. JObserve will select standard extensions for the files as follows: The files are in a self-identifying ASCII text format. You may read or modify them with any standard text editor. An empty list is not written.

Restore working environment

Restore the working environment from a series of files previously created using "Save working environment." You will be asked to specify a filename (extension ignored) for the set of files. The complete working environment comprises several lists, which are saved in separate files: the Starting Conditions, the User Defaults, the Observe List, and the Source List. JObserve will select standard extensions for the files as follows: The files are in a self-identifying ASCII text format. You may read or modify them with any standard text editor. If a list was empty then the corresponding file will be absent.

Write Observe file

Write an observe file from the information in the Observe List. You will be prompted for a filename. It is suggested that you use the extension ".obs" for the observe file. You should have (re)scheduled the observations before writing the file. Any important errors will be written as a comment line in the file. The file may be examined by selecting "Edit a file" item from the Edit Menu.

Read Observe file

Read an JObserve file and place the information into the Observe List. Select the file using the file browser.

Any entries in the Observe List will be discarded before adding the new list. If you wish to save existing entries, copy them to the Paste List and the paste them back into the Observe List after reading the observe file. Since an observe file contains no item names, the names that will appear in the Observe List contain the source name.

VLA Note: Scans read from an observe file generally have Stop LST times set; before modifying the schedule it is generally necessary to convert to durations or dwell times using the appropriate items in the Schedule menu. Otherwise the scans are "frozen in time".

VLA Note: Scans read from an observe file generally have explicit LO settings rather than an explicit sky frequency. If the frequencies are to be changes using global or block edits, be sure to explicitly set the computed LO settings on the LO page of the editing template by setting the button under each LO item.

Save/Read Lists

User editable lists may be saved or read individually. It is generally advisable to save and restore the entire working environment rather than the files individually.

Save Startup info

The telescope initial conditions and user information are stored in files whose names end in ".SET".

Save User Defaults

The User Default list is converted to a text file whose name ends in ".UD".

Save Observe List

The Observe list is converted to a text file whose name ends in ".OOL".

Save Source List

The Source list is converted to a text file whose name ends in ".SL".

Read Startup info

The telescope initial conditions and user information are stored in files whose names end in ".SET". Select the file from the file browser.

Read User Defaults

The User Default list is stored in a text file whose name ends in ".UD".Select the file from the file browser.

Read Observe List

The Observe list is stored a text file whose name ends in ".OOL". Select the file from the file browser.

Read Source List

The Source list is stored in a text file whose name ends in ".SL". Select the file from the file browser.

Import text files

Entire schedules or source lists may be imported from free format text files. The contents of these files are converted into the Observe and Source Lists, the previous contents being deleted. (You can't store the contents in the Paste List).

Import schedule

An entire schedule can be entered from a text file consisting of a series of scans, one line per scan, with comma delimited entries. Select the file from the file browser.

Entries may be defaulted (generally to the previously entered value) by a blank entry but the comma must be included. Trailing commas may be omitted. The details of the line depends on whether the scan is for an NRAO calibrator or not. For noncalibrators:
Source,Qualifier,Duration,[B|J],Ra,Dec,Bands,Bandwidth,UserDefault,NraoDefault
and for calibrators
Source,Qualifier,Duration,C,Bands,Bandwidth,UserDefault,NraoDefault

The entries are as follows:
Source The name of the source
Qualifier Numeric qualifier
Duration Scan duration in the form hhmmss
B J or C Specifies the type of position
B B1950
J J2000
C Calibrator. The Ra and Dec must not
be specified. They will be looked up
in the calibrator database.
If this field is omitted, B1950 is assumed.
Ra Right Ascension as hhmmss.ssss. Leading zeros may be omitted
Dec Declination as [+|-]ddmmss.sss. Leading sign and zeros may be omitted.
Bands One or two characters representing the bands for the AB and CD IFs. If only one character is specified, it is used for both.
Bandwidth Up to four bandwidth codes for the A, B, C, and D IFs.
0: 50 MHz, 1: 25 MHz, 2: 12.5 MHz
UserDefault The name of a default specification from the User Defaults List
NraoDefault The name of a default specification from the NRAO Defaults List
An example:
1331+305,,1500,C,LL,1111,L3,
1331+305,,0230,C,CC,0000,,CC
1331+305,,0400,C,PP,4444,,PP
2350+646,,0700,C,PP,4444,,PP
2005+778,,0400,C,LL,1111,L3,
2005+778,,0230,C,CC,0000,,CC
2030+839,,0300,J,213009.0,+835727.0,LL,1111,L3,
2030+839,,1300,J,213009.0,+835727.0,PP,4444,,PP
2146+82 ,,1600,J,214530.84,+815455.4,PP,4444,,PP
2146+82N,,0500,J,214612.8,+820137.1,LL,1111,L3,
2146+82 ,,0500,J,214530.84,+815455.4,LL,1111,L3,
2146+82S,,0500,J,214428.6,+814819.2,LL,1111,L3,
2005+778,,0500,C,LL,1111,L3,

Import source list

The source list may be read from a text file one source per line with comma delimited entries. Select the file from the file browser.

The format is of the form:
Name, Qual, Epoch, RA (hh mm ss.s), Dec (+dd mm ss.s)
where Name=source name, Qual=numeric qualifier, Epoch = B for B1950, J for J2000, C = calibrator (search list). Entries may be defaulted (generally to the previously entered value) by a blank entry but the comma must be included.

An example:
2030+839,,J,21 30 09.0, +83 57 27.0
2146+82N,,J,21 46 12.8, +82 01 37.1
2146+82 ,,J,21 45 30.84,+81 54 55.4
2146+82S,,J,21 44 28.6, +81 48 19.2

Exit from Observe

Quit JObserve. If you want to save your work, do it before Exiting JObserve.