Modifications to CIMA

• File:Frontend/backend_mock.tcl
• This change was installed into cima STABLE version svnrev:1559

• File:Frontend/cima_startup, Frontend/backend_mock.tcl, Frontend/load.tcl
• This change was installed into cima STABLE version on 13Aug13 svnrev:1525 and in Untested version on 15Nov12

• File:Executive/obs_fixed_drift.tcl
• This change was installed into cima STABLE version on 01Aug13 svnrev:1521

• Just have one project directory. Very Important.
• For pulsar projects, put it in '/share/obs4/usr/pulsar'. For other projects in '/share/obs4/usr/', regardless of the 'line or pulsar mode'. (Just a suggestion)
• This does not have to be done right away, and I will be happy to help with moving stuff around for individual projects .
• Please be careful of merging folder, that might contain same file name, and moving files which might have absolute path for your configuration, cat and cmd files.
  • File:Startup/get_cima_project.tcl
  • This change was installed into cima STABLE version on 22Apr13 svnrev:1500

• A warning Window has been added for online observation, if the user has selected pulsar mode or alfa receivers, and the ALFA Bias Monitoring is set to ON. If having ALFA Bias MOnitoring ON does not affect your observation, continue. Otherwise, ask the operator to turn OFF the ALFA Bias Monitoring.
  • File:Frontend/iflo.tcl
  • This change was installed into cima STABLE version on 11Apr13 svnrev:1498

• The LAST line of the command file is read even if there is no end-of-line "\n" marker. However, users should make an effort to make sure their command file have proper end-of-line marker ("\n") after each line.
  • File:Frontend/command_files.tcl
  • This change was installed into cima STABLE version on 22Feb13 svnrev:1495

• Added hcorcal for S-band narrow receiver. The default cal for calibration is hcorcal. lcorcal is still avialable option.
  • File:Common/receiver_data.tcl
  • This change was installed into cima STABLE version on 13Nov12 svnrev:1481

• Added maximum waittime for the telescope while using the fixed azimuth observing. If the wait time for the telescope is more than 1 hour, then it stops the telescope, so the user/operator can identify the problem. usually this happens if a wrong source is selected or wrong command files are used.
  • File:Executive/obs_fixed_drift.tcl
  • This change was installed into cima STABLE version on 05apr12 svnrev:1475

• Modified the parsing of polyco files for pulsar observation using WAPP. Before the code used to check for increase in MJD for all sources, and exit if they are not in increasing order. This cause problem when there were two different sources with overlaping MJD in the same polyco file. The code has been modified to check if the MJD are in increasing order for only the selected source, and ignores other sources in polyco files. It is possible to include other sources in polyco files now.
  • File:Executive/parse_polyco.tcl
  • This change was installed into cima STABLE version on 05apr12 svnrev:1474

• A bug was introduced into cima with version 3.0 when the interim correlator used the 1 GHz IF. A call to dopsetdoit (to update the doppler) was added. The problem was that the sideband info had not been passed to vxWorks (via the if1_info variable). The LO for the conversion from 1 ghz IF to 260 IF could then use the wrong sideband. The fix was to update the sideband info before calling the doppler update routine.
  • File:Executive/iflo.tcl (config_iflo)
  • This change was added to the "untested" cima version oct11.
  • This change was installed into cima STABLE version on 02apr12 svnrev:1471

• The mock backend window has a bandwidth entry for each box. 7 digits had been reserved to display each bandwidth. The window system loaded the number into the window entry starting with the rightmost digit. When the number had more than 7 digits, the upper most digits were lost. The fix was to limit the number of digits loaded to 7. This bug did not affect the bandwidth that was actually used in the observation (it just looked bad..).
  • File:Frontend/backend_mock.tcl (check_mock_configuration)
  • This change was installed into cima STABLE version on 15mar12 svnrev:1451

• Time domain sampling was added. People should use 16 bit sampling until we fix the mixer feeding the mocks (to get enough power for 8bit sampling, the mixers go into compression).
  • File:Frontend/backend_mock.tcl (lots of procedures).
  • These were insalled into cima UNTESTED version on 16jun11. It was moved to cima STABLE version on 15mar12.
  • SVN revision:1451
• File:Executive/mock.tcl.tcl (config_mock). Was sending the wrong time domain code (TMDA instead of TMDMA) to mock backend. Fixed this next day (17jun11). This change is svnrev:1464

• adjpwr command for mocks now takes an argument: number of a/d counts for 1 sigma of noise.
• tcl routine ifbandsflipped used to determine the sideband of the mock 2nd if. The digital offset specified by the user is always increasing sky freq for a positive value (independant of the if2 band direction).
• mock clock can now be set from 150 to 175 Mhz menu
• mock lo's can now be set from the menu.

The second problem only affects CIMA version 3.1 where the new conditional function 'ISOK' was mixed up with the old 'ISUP' leaving none of them working. This has also been fixed. The version number of the 'Smart' version of CIMA was increased to 3.1.04 after the fixes.

29 December 2008: Upgraded restart of chat window in remote sessions (Versions 3.0 and 3.1)

• All old configuration files ('.gui', '.iflo' and '.wapp') created by version 2.2 and older are INCOMPATIBLE with version 3.0. It is thus necessary to create new configuration files ('.conf') using the new version. This can be done in off-line mode.
• Source catalogs may need updating if they don't have a a coordinate type, reference velocity, velocity frame and velocity type defined for all sources.
• There has been a number of changes of the command file syntax so most observers using command files will have to update their command file scripts.
• There is a new set of preferences to select from, including a number of options to customize the log format.

To see the full announcement, click here.

27 September 2006: WAPP pulsar file name fix (Version 2.2)

NOTE that the syntax has changed in version 2.1 for command file observing as well as for pulsar catalog observing (the latter has been merged with the command file observing). All command file observers should thus study the new CIMA command file observing page carefully and adapt their command files (pulsar catalog files) before using CIMA version 2.1.

6 February 2006: Restoration of velocity defaults (Version 2.1)

The version of CIMA called 'Test' was removed since it was identical to the 'normal' version.

31 May 2005: CIMA version description window

CIMA is now launched via the CIMA version selection system described below. Use 'cima --X' to interactively select which CIMA version to use or set up a default with the 'select_cima --X' command. When CIMA is launched from 'dtusr' on 'observer2' it will ignore any default setting and always ask for the version.

There are currently three CIMA versions available:

• Normal: which basically is the same version of CIMA that has been used since fall 2004.
• Improved: which contains some new features like a pulsar RA/Dec mapping mode and an ephemeris tracking spectral line mode.
• Test: which is a software test version.

The following programs are available:

• alfabeamwin: shows the current ALFA beam positions on the sky (numerical values displayed are approximative)
• alfadatawin: launches the data quick-look display (can still only be run on 'dataview')
• alfalogwin: launches the ALFA engineering data log display facility
• alfamonwin: launches the ALFA engineering monitor
• alfamotorwin: shows and controls the ALFA rotation
• alfaobswin: displays the WAPP power levels
• alfastatwin: displays a summary of the ALFA engineering monitor (alfamonwin)

You have not selected which version of CIMA You want to use.
I will thus select the 'normal' version of CIMA for You.
Use the command 'select_cima' to set up a default version of CIMA or use
one of the '--' options (use '--h' for help) to select a certain version.


As the annoying text indicates, running 'select_cima' or 'select_cima --X' allows you to select which version you want as your default version and will reduce the annoying message to a single line telling you which version you are using.

When running a command from the command line, you can specify which version you want to use by adding a proper argument. As an example:

• 'alfabeamwin' will launch the default version (or the 'normal' version if no default is set)
• 'alfabeamwin --v n[ormal]' will launch the 'normal' version (version names can be abbreviated as long as they are unique)
• 'alfabeamwin --V' will give you a text-based menu to choose from
• 'alfabeamwin --X' will give you an X-windows menu to choose from
• 'alfabeamwin --h' will describe the possible arguments

The main menu on 'dataview' has been changed, so that a window will pop up asking you for the version you want each time you select one of the programs, until you use 'select_cima' (or 'Select CIMA Version' in the menu) to select a default version. The only program in the menu that will always ask for a version regardless of whether you have selected a default or not is 'CIMA offline'.

Note though that the command 'cima' and the version of CIMA used on 'observer2' does not yet use the CIMA version selection system.

17 December 2004: Move of log-files

This page is administered by Prakash Atreya ( patreya (a) naic . edu ) and was last updated on 13 November 2012.