MagE Software Documentation (macOS/Aqua)

Configuration Window

Observer: Name(s) of the observers for the FITS header Overscan: number of overscan pixels per line and output Biaslines: number bias lines per frame PLC: {offline,Online} offline: Simulator mode for testing Online: The instrument electronics powered and connected to the network Telescope: {offline,Online} offline: Simulator mode for testing Online: get telescope coordinates from the Baade TCSIS

Host names or IP numbers

MagE GUI

Main Menu

Menu - MagE

About MagE: displays a window that shows the version of the GUI. Preferences: opens the Preferences window. Quit MagE: terminate this GUI.

Menu - File

Load FITS: loads a FITS file from disk into the QuickLook display tool. Show Logfile: opens a Console window that displays the logfile. Show DataFolder: opens a Finder window displaying the content of the data path folder. Show AppSupport: opens a Finder window displaying the content of the Application Support folder.

Menu - Camera

DataPath: opens a dialog that allows to set the path for the data (FITS) files. QuickLook: opens the QuickLook Tool windows. DewarStatus: opens the Dewar Status window. CCD-Hardhat: opens the CCD Hardhat window. FileNumber: enables (temporarily) the File number edit on the Data Acquisition window.

Menu - Help

Software Documentation: opens this web page. User Manual: opens the LCO User Manual.

Preferenes

Preferences - General

Speak Error Messages: Makes the computer voice say "invalid exposure time" or similar.

Engineering Mode: Some functions require to switch to engineering mode as safety feature.

eg. the CCD-Voltages.

Email: send emails to this (comma separated) list on certain events (eg. dewar warmup).

Preferences - Camera

Shutter Closed: sound (text) that plays after the shutter closes.

If the string is enclosed in quotes it will be spoken by the computer,

otherwise it will be interpreted as a path to a soundfile.

Exposure Done: sound (text) that plays after the readout has finished

Snap Binning: define the binning used for snap-exposures

Preferences - QuickLook

Saturation Level: pixels above this threshold will be displayed in red.

Default Subraster: subraster geometry when created by the QuickLook tool.

Clear Display Before Readout: Clean out (black) the image buffer before readout.

If not selected the data will simply be overwritten.

Trim bias section from loaded FITS files: This allows to display the bias sections (overscan and biaslines)

in the QuickLook tool for FITS files loaded from disk (not for data directly read from the array).

Auxilliary Windows

Data Paths

Select the data path(s) for the FITS files.

Default: sets the path following the standard at the Magellan telescopes.

Browse: opens a file selector that allows to set an optional secondary data path (eg. an external USB disk)

Dewar Status

Displays CCD- and cryo head temperatures, and the readout of the GP vacuum sensor and the ion-pump pressure gauge.

CCD Hardhat

Reset DSP/CCD-Server:

CCD Voltages:

CDST:

Gain:

---

QuickLook Tool

TODO

---

TCP/IP Server

When enabled, the GUI listens on port 51501. Each command must be terminated by a [LF] (ASCII=10, 0x0a, '\n') character. The response string will also be terminated by a [LF]. All communications are initiated by the client (your program).
An easy way to test the interface is the 'nc' (netcat) utility. It can be run like a terminal emulator (^D terminates the connection) or be used in scripts:

xterm> nc localhost 51501
version
2-beta (0037)
^D
xterm>

Command: binning # #

Response: # #

Set or request (without parameter) the binning.

#: horizontal binning {1,2,3,4}

#: vertical binning {1,2,3,4}

The GUI returns the the current binning.

Command: datapath1 [path]

Command: datapath2 [path]

Response: string

Sets/returns the primary (secondary) data path.

'datapath' may be used instead of 'datapath1'.

Command: datapath2 none

To allow clearing the 'datapath2', the special keyword 'none' (no quotes) may be used.

Command: exptime #

Response: #.#

Set the exposure time in seconds. The GUI reponds with the current exposure time.

Command: exptype { Object,Bias,Dark,Flat,ThAr-Lamp,Xe-Flash }

Response: string

Set the exposure type (as on the menu). The GUI responds with the current exposure type.

Command: focus #

Response: {1,0}

Start a focus motion.

Please note that this command does not block until the motor has stopped; you will have to check the motion using the 'status' command.

Command: frame #

Response: #

Set the frame number. Without parameter the GUI just returns the frame number.

Command: loops #

Response: #

Set the number of exposures in the loop. The GUI responds with the loop number.

Command: object string

Response: string

Set or request (without parameter) the object name.

The GUI responds with the current object name.

Command: slit { pinholes,0.50,0.70,.. }

Response: {1,0}

Start a slit move.

The GUI responds with '1' if a valid position name was requested (ie. the slit has started to move), or '0' on failure.

Please note that this command does not block until the motor has stopped; you will have to check the motion using the 'status' command.

Command: speed { Slow,Fast,Turbo }

Response: string

Set the readout speed of the CCD. The GUI returns the current speed.

Command: start

Response: {1,0}

Start an exposure loop. The GUI responds with '1' if successful, '0' on failure.

Command: status

Response: e f s

e: {0,1} exposure running

f: {0,1} focus moving

s: {0,1} slit moving

Query the exposure loop and slit motion status.

Command: version

Response: 2-beta (0037)

Query the version name (build number) of the GUI.

---

Instrument Software Documentation Index

---

2007-11-29, Christoph C. Birk, Carnegie Observatories

---