M2FS GUI Documentation

Configuration and Startup

Simulator Mode

Startup Tab

The CCD popup-buttons should be set to Simulator

All other popup-buttons should be set to offline

Hosts Tab

All Hosts should be set to localhost.

Preferences

Observer

Set the 'OBSERVER' keyword in the FITS header.

Snap Windows

Keeps the 'M2FS' and both 'CCD' windows aligned. Any one may be moved, but the other two will follow.

Speak Error Messages

The GUI will announce error messages (eg. "invalid exposure time").

Engineering Mode

The following warnings are disabled in engineering mode:

• Long (60 seconds) exposure with a small (32k pixels) subraster
• Exposure in Plug mode
• Exposure without a plate selected
• Exposure without a plate-setup selected
• Exposure while the slide is in the LoRes-Setup position
• Exposure while the filter is in Load or None position
• Long (300 seconds) exposure while any calibration lamp is on
• Warning if an inappropriate calibration lamp is on

The following items are only available in engineering mode:

• CCD Voltages window
• LoElevation when the Slide is in HiRes mode
• HiElevation when the Slide is in LoRes mode
• HiAzimuth when the Slide is in LoRes mode

Shutter Closed

The text in quotes will be spoken by the system after the shutter closes. Without quotes the text is interpreted as a sound file (eg. shutter.mp3). The file has to reside in

~/Library/Application Support/M2FS

or has to include the full absolute path.

Exposure Done

Same as above for the end-of-exposure in the last exposure of a loop.

Saturation Level

Pixels above this value will be displayed in red.

Default Subraster

This is the default geometry of a subraster added by the QlTool or when adding a subraster manually without explicitly entering the geometry.

Clear Display Before Readout

Clears (blacken) the image in the OverView window before the readout starts.

Note: Some of following settings might be removed after the testing phase of M2FS.

Keep TCP/IP connection open

If checked then the connection between the M2FS GUI and the BeagleBoard in kept open; if un-checked each communication attempt will open the connection and close it afterwards.

Quiet Startup

The M2FS-GUI does not query the full M2FS status at startup.

Sample Temeratures

Read the M2FS temperature sensors at a regular interval.

Watchdog

The M2FS GUI polls the BeagleBoard at regular intervals to verify that the 'Beagle is alive'.

Alert Sound

Plays an alert sound when the BeagleBoard is running on batteries or does not respond to watchdog queries.

"MOVING" query interval

Interval (in seconds) between queries while any device is moving.

Mcal AutoOff

Timeout for the automatic power-off of the Mcal. A value of '0' keeps the power on indefinitely.

ShutDown M2FS-Instrument when GUI closes

Shut down the BeagleBoard software when the GUI closes. This allows a safe power-down of the instrument.

Stow

Move some devices to a safe position:

All slits to position 1

LoRes elevation to 89 deg.

Filter to Load

Plugmode off (not yet)

Main Menu

Menu - M2FS

About: opens a dialog box that shows the M2FS-GUI software version.

Preferences: opens the Preferences window.

Quit: closes the M2FS software.

Menu - File

Open ObjectList: loads an object list and opens the ObjectList window.

Save As: saves the current object list to the disk.

Script Template: copies the template script to

~/Library/Application Support/M2FS/Scripts/template.scpt

and opens it in the AppleScript editor.

Script...: display a file selector dialog and opens the selected file with the AppleScript editor

Configuration-Load...: displays a file selector dialog and loads the selected instrument configuration:

The Check-Boxes at the top allow to load a configuration for on color only.

Configuration-SaveAs...: displays a file selector dialog and saves the current instrument configuration.

Configuration-Folder: opens a Finder window showing the Configurations folder.

Logfile: Open the instrument logfile using the Console tool.

DataPath: opens a Finder window showing the current data path(s).

AppSuport: Opens the "Application Support" folder that contains the directories:

Configurations

Object

Scripts

Subrasters

Menu - Telescope

SkyMap: opens the SkyMap window.

Clear Savepos: clears all previously marked positions on the SkyMap window.

ObjectList: opens the ObjectList window.

Airmass: opens the Airmass window.

Menu - Instrument

Temperatures: opens the M2FS Temperatures window.

Hardhat: opens the M2FS Hardhat window (engineering mode only).

Terminal: opens the BeagleBoard Terminal window (engineering mode only).

Configuration-Load...: displays a file selector dialog and loads the selected instrument configuration (see File menu).

Configuration-SaveAs...: displays a file selector dialog and saves the current instrument configuration (see File menu).

Menu - Camera

DataPaths: opens the DataPath Selector window.

QuickLook Tool: opens the QuickLook Tool windows.

DewarStatus: opens the Dewar Status window.

CCD-Voltages: opens the CCD Voltages window (engineering mode only).

Hardhat: opens the Hardhat window.

File Number: enables (temporarily) the File number edit on the Camera GUI.

Note: Existing files will be overwritten without warning.

Show Progress: Opens a Progress window that displays a countdown until the end of the current exposure loop.

M2FS Instrument Windows

M2FS Main Window

PlugPlates and Setup

Mode

Observing: use this mode for observations.

Plug: use this mode while plugging in the fibers. (DISABLED)

Plate: Displays the currenly selected plug-plate.

Select: allows to select a plug-plate from a list of available plates.

Setup: selects the setup for the current plug-plage.

Calibration Lamps

ThAr: sets the intensity level for the 'ThAr' calibration lamp.

The voltages for each level are defined in the resource file thar.xml'

ThNe: sets the intensity level for the 'ThNe' calibration lamp.

The voltages for each level are defined in the resource file thne.xml'

Quartz: sets the intensity level for the 'Qartz' calibration lamp.

The voltages for each level are defined in the resource file quartz.xml'

Ne: sets the intensity level for the 'Ne' calibration lamp.

The voltages for each level are defined in the resource file ne.xml'

HgAr: sets the intensity level for the 'HgAr' calibration lamp.

The voltages for each level are defined in the resource file ar.xml'

Xe: sets the intensity level for the 'Xe' calibration lamp.

The voltages for each level are defined in the resource file xe.xml'

Guider

S-H: moves the SH-lens 'In' or 'Out'

Filter: selects the filter for the guider camera

LED: selects the intensity level of the LED.

Focus: displays the current guider focus position

'+'/'-': moves the guider focus

CCD-R and CCD-B

DropDowns (6): Common controls for the Slide, Filter, Slits, Exposure Type, Readout Speed and Binning.

ExpTime: sets the exposure time for both CCDs.

Loops: sets the number of exposures per loop for both CCDs.

Start: start an exposure loop for both CCDs.

Disks: displays the amount of disk space used.

Temp[C]: displays the CCD temperature .

M2FS Temperatures

This window shows the temperature [C] at several points within the instrument enclosure.

M2FS Hardhat Window

Update: Read the full instrument status from tbe BeagleBoard controller.

Open Logfile: Open the instrument logfile using the Console tool.

The logfile is written to ~/Library/Logs/M2FS and is renamed every week "m2fsYYYY_WW.log".

Open Configuration-Folder: Open the folder that contains the M2FS Configuration files in the Finder.

Tabs: Slide - Disperser - Slits - FLSIM - Lamps/Eng - Lamps/Set - Filters - Focus

Slide Tab

Encoder: Averaged encoder reading

Step: Step position

Nudge: Move the Slide by the given number of steps.

Calibrate: Run the internal calibration routine of the BeagleBoard software.

LoRes Swap: Move the slide and the LoRes elevatin to the swap position.

Disperser Tab

Step: Step position

+/-: Move the Slide by the given number of steps.

Calibrate: Run the internal calibration routine of the BeagleBoard software.

Slits Tab

Cradle: Selects the Red or Blue Cradle (not Shoe)

Help: Opens a window that explains how to set the slit Set Points.

Position: Current step position

Go: Move the given number of steps

Calibrate: Run the internal calibration routine of the BeagleBoard software.

Set Points: Displays the Set Point step-position for the selected Slit.

Set: Defines the current position as the new Set Point value.

Note: Use only for the 180-slit.

FLSIM Tab

Mirror: Moves the mirror in/out.

Mcal Power: Turns the Mcal power on/off.

Lamps/Eng Tab

#: Each slider sets the voltage (0-5 volts) of the Mcal Acromag.

UV,Blue,...: Set the LED brightness (0-4096).

Lamps/Set Tab

LEDs: Define the combos for the LED calibration lamps.

View Selects the LED combo name (display only)

Delete: Deletes the selected combo

Edit: Select the LED combo to modify or create a new combo.

Save: Saves these values as a new or modified combo.

LoRes: Define the LoRes lamp combo

View Selects the loRes combo name (display only)

Delete: Deletes the selected combo

Edit: Select the LoRes combo to modify or create a new combo.

Save: Saves these values as a new or modified combo.

Filters Tab

Set Filter Names

Take the filter names from the edit-windows on the left and apply them to all filter selection popup menus (CCD- and M2FS windows).

The names are also stored in the Preferences file and used when the M2FS-GUI is re-started.

Load

Move the filter mechanism ot the "Load" position.

None

Remove the current filter from the beam.

Focus Tab

Focus=: formula to calculate the predicted focus using the A0,A1,A2 parameters defined below.

Polling Interval: The focus control loops checks the cradle temperature every 3 minutes

and sends a new focus value to the BeagleBoard if the difference is larger than Delta Focus (see below).

A0,A1,A2: focus fit parameters.

---

BeagleBoard Terminal

Send the string in the edit window directly to the BeagleBoard.

Warning: There is no error or limit checking! Use only if you know what you are doing.

Data Acquisition Windows

Camera GUI

M2FS / Shoe-X

The title of the group box indicates which Shoe this camera is connected to.

Slide: selects the grating mode.

LoElevation: sets the 'LoRes' elevation angle.

HiAzimuth: sets the 'HiRes' azimuth angle.

HiElevation: sets the 'HiRes' elevation angle.

Focus: set the camera focus.

The Check-Mark enables the AutoFocus feature:

The GUI uses the cradle temperature to predict (see the M2FS-Hardhat) the focus and sends it to the BeagleBoard.

Filter: selects the filter.

Slit: selects the slit-position for each of the 8 slits mechanisms.

By default all slits are moved to the same position.

The Custom setting allows to move each Slit individually.

Exposure Parameters

ExpTime: sets the exposure time [s].

Loops: sets the number of exposures that will be taken.

ExpType: selects the exposure type.

The Flat and Lamp exposure types just affect the FITS header.

Readout: selects the readout mode

Binning: selects the binning

Note that some binnings require a change of the number of readout amplifiers. This requires that the DSP code has to be reloaded. Please take a Snap exposure first to cleanup the array.

Speed:

Exposure Control

Object: sets the "OBJECT" FITS keyword.

Comment: sets the "COMMENT" FITS keyword.

Start: starts an exposure loop.

Snap: takes a Snap exposure with these settings:

Loops=1, Readout=Full, Binning=4x4, Speed=Turbo

The previous settings are automatically restored after the exposure.

Note that the File number is not incremented.

File: the file number of the next exposure (ccdNNNN.fits)

Pause/Resume: pauses/resumes a running exposure.

The shutter is closed and the exposre timer stopped until the exposure is resumed.

Abort/Stop: stops/aborts an exposure (loop).

Stop: During integration the shutter is closed and the readout starts right away.

Abort: aborts the current readout and cleans the array (no data is written to disk).

Shutter: current shutter status

Note: This does not rely on any feedback (sensors) from the shutter; it is just a 'should be' status.

DataPaths Window

.../M2FS/ut...: primary data path

The Default button creates the standard path

.../M2FS/Backups/ut...: secondary data path (optional)

The Default button creates the standard backup path

/Volumes/USB/...: A third data path that may be used to write to a user supplied USB disk.

The Browse button opens a File Selector dialog.

Dewar Status

This window shows the temperature sensors and the temperature control loop status of the DSP (CCD electronics).

CCD Voltages

Note: The voltages on the images above are not the actually used ones. They are for illustration only.

This window is only available in engineering mode (Preferences).

CCD Hardhat

Reset DSP/CCD-Server: Forces an upload of the DSP code.

Exposure Progress

The Exposure Progress windows shows the time until the end of the current exposure loop. The counter stops during readout and switches to Done when the loop has finished.

QlTool Window(s)

The magnifier window allows the observer to zoom into any area and inspect the data. The tool shows the minimum and maximum pixel values and also calculates the average and standard deviation within a circular aperture of a given radius. Finally the tool calculates an estimate of the FWHM (in pixels) of an object at the cursor position.

Telescope Windows

TeleGUI

SkyMap

ObjectList

Airmass

File Formats

Object Lists

 Name  |   R.A.     |   Dec.    | Equinox | PA  | Comment
HR0024 | 00:09:21.0 | -27:59:16 | 2000.0  | 0   | V=5.4
HR0034 | 00:11:34.4 | -27:47:59 | 2000.0  | 180 | V=5.4
HR0084 | 00:21:31.2 | -28:58:54 | 2000.0  | 180 | V=5.2

FITS

Calibration Lamps