Writing
command files:
A command file is a way to run a series of SRT commands on
“automatic pilot” a method to run the SRT when you are not present, and a way
to reduce errors which may occur when using manual input (command line)
instructions.
Command files can be written using any word processing
program. In naming a command file any name is useable for the first part of the
name and the file must end in .cmd as a suffix for example, anyname.cmd will
work as a file name and run the file command file called “anyname”. The file
must be saved as a text file.
When you are finished writing your command file, it must be
saved in the same folder as your SRT is operating out of. You tell the SRT to
run a command file by clicking on the Rcmdfl button on the command
toolbar with the mouse. The SRT will then ask you to type the name of the
command file in the text input area. After you enter the name of the command
file click the enter key. The SRT should acknowledge the command.
It is probably best to test your command file before
actually running it on the SRT in real time. To do this,
start the SRT up in simulation mode (Java srt 1 1 or Java srt 1 10 for the
speeded up simulation mode). Then run the command file as described
above and see if it works!
As the SRT runs the command file the line which is running
will be displayed in green in the message board area below the text input area.
The file that is being recorded will appear in red at the bottom of the
information sidebar. You may name your output file; again any name will work,
followed by .rad as the suffix (anyoutput.rad) otherwise the SRT will create a output file which will be named by date.
Command file rules:
1)
One line is read at a time. Blank lines and lines that start with an asterisk
“*” are skipped. Lines to be executed must start with a colon “:”. There is a
space after the colon for all commands except numeric commands (times &
dates) which should not have a space after the colon.
2) The SRT will stop and execute any line that is a current
or future time. If the time is in the future it will hold on that line until
the appropriate time.
Time format:
A)
yyyy:ddd:hh:mm:ss command.
Where the day is the numerical day of the year. (example 2002:198:
B)
LST:hh:mm:ss When using Local Sideral Time.
Command
Keywords:
Items shown in
brackets [] are optional.
Sourcename: (any name in source catalog – ex. Sun, Moon,
Cass, Orion, Crab)
mode: n (for 25 point n scan) or b
(beamswitch)
note:
the 25 point scan (n point) runs only once, beamswitching runs until the
next command.
radec: hh:mm:ss [sign]dd:mm:ss
[epoch]
azel: azimuth degrees elevation degrees, ex. 145 45
galactic: galactic latitude in
degrees galactic longitude in degrees
offset: azimuth degrees elevation degrees
stow: return to stow position –
always should end a file
record: [filename] [recordmode
(0=normal, 1=short, 2=add vlsr, 3=special, 4=summary only)], file name is
optional because the SRT will create a default file if no name is given.
roff: record off
freq: - for analog receiver give
frequency number [followed by number of bins]
ex. 1415.0 64
freq: - for digital receiver give
frequency number [followed by mode] ex.
1415.0 1
calibrate: to calibrate a SRT which
has a vane calibration set up.
noisecal: to calibrate a SRT with
electronic calibration
Command
File Examples:
Notes
after the backslash (/) are explanations.
Example #1
*moonman.cmd
/name of file
*command
file to measure effective aperture
*using moon /file notes not executed because of the *
2002:184:
: frequency 1415.0 1
/freq and mode for digital receiver
: record moonman1.rad
/starts recording into file
: azel 130 20 /azimuth and elevation to go to
: calibrate /calibrates SRT using vane
: Moon /using coordinates in source catalog, go
to Moon & track
: mode b /start
beamswitching
:2000 /beamswitch for 2000 seconds
: roff /turn
recording off
2002:184:
: frequency 1415.0 1
: record moonman2.rad
: azel 130 40
: calibrate
: Moon
: mode b
:2000
: roff
2002:184:
: frequency 1415.0 1
: record moonman3.rad
: azel 170 50
: calibrate
: Moon
: mode b
:2000
: roff
: stow /returns SRT to stowed position
Notice that date and the length of observation (2000) do
not get a space after the colon. All other commands do get a space after the
colon.
A very basic command file to calibrate the SRT then measure
output from Orion.
Example #2
*Calibrationtest.cmd
/name of command file
: stow /making sure the SRT was stowed
: record
calibrationtest.rad /name of file to
record into
: azel 140 40 /azimuth and elevation to move to
: frequency 1420.4 4 /freq and mode for digital receiver
: calibrate
/calibrate SRT using vane
: Orion /go to the source Orion & track it
:60 /record data at Orion for 60 seconds
: roff /turn off file recording
: stow /return SRT to stowed position
Since no date
is entered into the command file, this program will run as soon as it is
entered into the command line.