JObserve

List Edit Page

This editing panel is the main tool for composing the list of scans that define an observing schedule. The observing schedule is the list of scans in the "Observe" list. The list editor manipulates lists of scans but to modify the contents of a scan a telescope specific Scan Editor must be invoked by double clicking in the desired scan in the list display.

The list editor displays a number of lists containing default scans (NRAO defaults and User Defaults), sources (Calibrator and Source List) and the Observing Schedule (Observe List). In addition, there is a visible "Paste" list used for cut and paste editing of the User default, Source and Observe Lists.

Before adding scans to the Observe List it is advisible to specify the initial and global telescope parameters (Starting Conditions item in Options Menu ) and to set any global values in the template initial default Scan (Edit new source initial values item in Edit menu or "Set" button on the Starting Conditions panel).

Scans can be added to a user editable list by one of two methods.
  1. "Cut and Paste" using cut or copy to copy a scan to the Paste list and then "pasting" it into the desired list.
  2. Using the New entry button to add a new Scan to a list.

Most list editing changes can be undone (one level) using the undo button at the bottom of the list edit panel. The exceptions are than when an entire new list is read the old version is deleted.

The details of list entries can be viewed and modified (user editable lists only) by double clicking on the list item or setting the focus to that item and hitting the return (or enter) key. Scan entries contain multiple "pages" of information which can be accessed through buttons on the button bar.

In general, the schedule will be in an unscheduled state, that is the move time, azimuth, elevation, etc. will not be set. A "reschedule" operation (Compute observing schedule item on Schedule menu, or "Reschedule" button on the scan editing Schedule page).

The principle means of manipulating list is by "cut and paste" operations using the paste list. Scans may be copied to the end of the Paste list using the cut or copy functions invoked by either the button on the button bar or the Edit menu items which are also bound to keyboard accelarators. "Cut" removes the item from the initial list and "Copy" does not. The entire contents of the Paste list can be inserted into another editable list by selecting a single entry in that list and then hitting the "Paste Before" or "Paste After" button. In the special case of an empty select the blank, first entry and then hit either "Paste Before" or "Paste After". The paste list may be cleared using the "Clear Paste List" item in the "Clear a List" submenu of the Edit menu.

Most List editing functions may be undone using the "Undo" button.

NRAO Defaults List

This is a list of NRAO defined Default scans for various types of observations. You may examine, but not edit, the values used in the different Defaults. To view the contents of a Default invoke the Scan editor by double clicking on the desired list item. Explicit values in an NRAO default item can be copied to a Scan using the Scan Editor.

User Defaults List

This is a list of default Scans that you create and maintain. Explicit values in a user default item can be copied to a Scan using the Scan Editor.

To make a new entry (or Item) in the list use the "New entry" button at the bottom and specify the User Default List, or, cut and paste a scan from another list. Then, use the Scan editor (double clicking on the item) to modify its contents. Alternatively, entire lists may be stored and retrieved using the Save/Read Lists item in the File Menu. Default values may be used by specifying the UserDefault scan in the definition of a scan. All entries in this list may be removed using the "Clear User Default List" item in the "Clear a List" submenu of the Edit menu.

Calibrator List

This is a list of calibrators of known position and (mostly) small size and may not be modified. This list can be either the full calibrator list or calibrators near a given source. Initially, this list is an empty calibrators near a source list. The full calibrator list can be viewed by selecting the "Show All Calibrators" item in the Databases menu. To obtain a display of the more detailed information about the calibrator, double click on its entry. The names of the entries are the IAU position-names for a specified Epoch. The Epoch of the calibrator names can be switched between B1950 and J2000 using the "J2000 calibrator names" or "B1950 calibrator names" items in the Options menu . Entries in the Calibrator list can be copied to the Paste list and pasted into the Observe List (or other) or used via the "New entry" button.

The list can be restricted to a given distance of a specified source (a single source selected [reverse colors]) in the Observe list using the "Find Nearby Calibrator" entry in the Databases menu.

Source List

This is your private list of sources, containing your initial values, such as position, duration, band, etc. You create and maintain the list. Entries in the source list can be cut or copied and pasted into the Observe List or used via the "New entry" button.

To make a new entry (or Item) in the list use the "New entry" button at the bottom and specify the Source List, or, cut and paste a scan from another list. Then, use the Scan editor (double clicking on the item) to modify its contents. Alternatively, entire lists may be stored and retrieved using the Save/Read Lists item in the File Menu. A source list may also be imported from a free format text file using the "Import source list" item in the "Import text files" submenu of the files menu.

All entries in this list may be removed using the "Clear Source List" item in the "Clear a List" submenu of the Edit menu.

Observe List

This is your Observing List or telescope schedule. The observing program will be created from the source selections in this list, in the order they appear in the list.

To make a new entry (or Item) in the list use the "New entry" button at the bottom and specify the Observe List, or, cut and paste a scan from another list. Then, use the Scan editor (double clicking on the item) to modify its contents. Alternatively, entire lists may be stored and retrieved using the Save/Read Lists item in the File Menu.

If the "New entry" button is used to add a scan to the Observe List then the Calibrator and Source lists are searched for an entry of the same name. If a match is found then the Calibrator or Source entry is used (with the initial default Scan) to fill in Scan values. If a single scan is selected in the target list, the new scan is inserted after this scan.

An existing observing schedule may be read into the Observe List using the "Read Observe file" item in the file menu. Alternatively, an entire schedule may be imported from a free format text file using the "Import schedule" item in the "Import text files" submenu of the files menu .

All entries in this list may be removed using the "Clear Observe List" item in the "Clear a List" submenu of the Edit menu.

Paste List

This a list that is used to accumulate scans before pasting then into another list. All entries in this list may be removed using the "Clear Paste List" item in the "Clear a List" submenu of the Edit menu.

Reset Button

Doesn't really do much for this panel.

Refresh Button

Refresh the display but make no change to the contents.

Clear Button

Clears all selected (reversed color) items in the lists.

New Entry Button

This invokes a dialog box which allows choosing which list the new scan is to be appended to and the name of the new scan. If the target list is the Observe list and a source name matching the new scan name can be found in either the Calibrator list or the Source list then that calibrator or source is used to provide the initial scan values. If a single scan is selected in the target list, the new scan is inserted after this scan.

Delete Button

Delete all selected items (reversed color) in the first editable list with selected items.

Copy Button

Copy all selected (reversed color) items in the first list with selected items to the Paste List. Initial list is unchanged.

Cut Button

Copy all selected (reversed color) items in the first list with selected items to the Paste List; selected items are removed.

Paste Before Button

Insert the current contents of the Paste list before a selected scan in an editable list. The first editable list with a selected item is the target list. Only one item in the target list may be selected. If the target list is empty, Paste before and Paste after are equivalent.

Paste After Button

Like Paste before except that the contents of the Paste list are inserted after the selected scan.

Undo Button

All editing functions (except undo) may be undone using this button. Note: reading in an entire new list cannot be undone using this button. The Undo facility is only one level deep (i.e. cannot undo the last 2 changes). With a couple exceptions, the Undo function cannot be undone. The exceptions are:
  1. Undo toggles the editing of a scan (edited version swaped in and out with the original).
  2. Undo toggles global and block edits like individual scan editing.