RetroCam Software Documentation - Release Notes

The Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science (Carnegie Observatories), Pasadena, CA

Location of this document: http://instrumentation.obs.carnegiescience.edu/Software/RetroCam/notes.html

Version History

3.3 , 3.2 , 3.1 , 3.0
2.1 , 2.0
1.0

v3.3 (2017-03-20)
  • The default data path is /Volumes/DATA_DUPONT/RETROCAM/utYYMMD1_D2.
  • Open the data path(s) in a Finder window via the File--Show DataFolder menu.
  • Removed the "Cass. Encoder == fixed value" feature from the Preferences panel.
    • This feature allowed to enter the cassegrain rotator position manually to avoid erratic encoder readings.
  • Fixed a logfile permissions bug and made some other code improvements.
  • Interaction with the M2-GUI:
    • Read the FF-Lamp status and M2-Focus from the M2-GUI running on vinchuca (iMac on TO console).
    These are written to the FITS header (keywords: FFLAMPS, M2FOCUS).

    v3.2 (2015-03-16)
  • 64-bit, Mavericks (10.9) deployment target.
  • "AppSupport" menu (File)
    • Opens the 'Application Support' folder in a Finder window.
    This folder contains the Macros and Objects directories.
  • Removed File Number from the Preferences window.
    When the Preferences window was open during an exposure and closed afterwards it reset the File Number.
    The File Number may now be changed on the Camera GUI after selecting the Camera-FileNumber menu.

    • v3.1 (2014-06-10)
  • FITS keyword "TELFOCUS" ("%.1f") replaces keyword "FOCUS".
  • The Preferences window allows to set the cassegrain rotator angle to a fixed value (ie. ignoring the encoder readout).
    • Note: A Cass.Enc. value of '180' corresponds to a position angle of '0' (N-up, E-left).

    v3.0 (2014-05-06)
  • Automatically update the telescope position at the beginning of every exposure loop.
  • Insert 'RetroCam' into the default data path.
  • Overwrite some FITS records created by the IRcamServer
    • DATE (was fixed at the start of the GUI)
    DATE-OBS (relied on the Win98 PC clock)
    OBJECT (had sometimes stray characters)
    FILE (was fixed at '1' to avoid filling the Win98 disk)

    v3-beta-0901 (2014-04-14)
  • Fixed a bug that crashed the QuickLook tool when the saturation level was updated (via the Preferences pane) before any data was displayed.
    • v3-beta-0900 (2014-04-14)
  • Added the saturation level to the QuickLook tool (red pixels) and store that value in the Shared Preferences.
  • Removed the module keyword from the macro language (ie. 'camera' and 'telescope').
    • v3-beta-0803 (2014-04-10)
  • Store some of the Preferences in /Users/Shared/Library/Preferences/
  • Store the .objects files in /Users/Shared/Library/Application Support/RetroCam/
    • This allows these files to "survive" an account Reset.
    v3-beta-0707 (2014-04-03)
  • First Light of the new (macOS/Cocoa) GUI.

    • Windows-NT version (retired)

    2014-05-06 Christoph C. Birk, Carnegie Observatories