Documentation for the CCD-Camera System
External Commands

Documentation of CCD-Camera Script Commands

Documentation of CCD-Camera Scripts Commands

The script commands are in the search-path of the obs-environment. They can be called from within any other shell (IRAF, MIDAS, in tcl/Tk or any /bin/sh-script).

There are three groups of commands:

1. Commands to set parameters only
2. Commands to do some actions (press buttons, start an exposure etc.)
3. Commands to do a combination of parameter settings and actions

Group 1.: Commands to set parameters

Syntax:

command <value> Return: 0 succes, E-n Error (n=ErrorNr), value always means to pass a value
command <stat> Return: value succes, E-n Error, stat means to pass the string "stat" instead of a value!

Commands of group 1.

camera_chip1_x1
camera_chip1_x2
camera_chip1_y1
camera_chip1_y2
camera_chip1_gain
camera_chip1_hbin
camera_chip1_vbin
camera_dewar1_exptime
camera_dewar1_exptype

Explanation of the commands:

camera_chip1_x1 <value>

<value> sets the x1-Value of the Area of Interest of CCD-Chip 1, where x1/y1 defines the lower left corner (in binned Pixels, integer Values).
<stat> Returns the actual x1-Value of CCD-Chip 1

camera_chip1_x2 <value>

<value> sets the x2-Value of the Area of Interest, where x2/y2 defines the upper right corner (in binned Pixels, integer Values).
<stat> Returns the actual x2-Value of CCD-Chip 1

camera_chip1_y1 <value>

<value> sets the y1-Value of the Area of Interest, where x1/y1 defines the lower left corner (in binned Pixels, integer Values).
<stat> Returns the actual y1-Value of CCD-Chip 1

camera_chip1_y2 <value>

<value> sets the y2-Value of the Area of Interest, where x2/y2 defines the upper right corner (in binned Pixels, integer Values).
<stat> Returns the actual y2-Value of CCD-Chip 1

camera_chip1_gain <value>

<value> sets the gain for Chip 1. Possible parameters for <value> (int) are:

<stat> Returns the actual gain for Chip 1.

camera_chip1_hbin <value>

<value> sets the horizontal binning-factor for Chip 1 (int).
<stat> Returns the actual horizontal binning-factor for Chip 1.

camera_chip1_vbin <value>

<value> sets the vertical binning-factor for Chip 1 (int).
<stat> Returns the actual vertical binning-factor for Chip 1.

camera_dewar1_exptime <value>

<value> sets the exposure-time (in sec, float Values, up to 1/10) for Dewar 1.
<stat> Returns the actual exposure-time for Dewar 1.

camera_chip1_rowshifts <value>

<value> sets the number of rows to shift for Chip 1 in the focus parameters (int).
<stat> Returns the actual value for Chip 1.

camera_dewar1_exptime <value>

<value> sets the exposure-time (in sec, float Values, up to 1/10) for Dewar 1.
<stat> Returns the actual exposure-time for Dewar 1.

camera_dewar1_exptype <value>

<value> sets the exposure-type for Dewar 1. Possible parameters for <value> (text) are:

dark
science
focus

<stat> Returns teh actual exposure-type for Dewar 1.

camera_dewar1_f_loops <value>

<value> sets the number of focus loops for Dewar 1 (int) in the focus parameters.
<stat> Returns the actual value for Dewar 1.

camera_objectname <value>

<value> sets des object-name (text).
<stat> Returns the actual object-name.

camera_expmode <value>

<value> sets des exposure-mode.
Possible parameters for <value> (text) are:

"normal"
"test"

<stat> Returns the actual exposure-mode.

Group 2.: Commands to do some actions

Syntax:

command <wait> Return: 0 succes, E-n Error (n=Error-Number)
command <nowait> Return: 0 succes, E-n Error (n=Error-Number)
command <stat> Return: value succes, E-n Error

Commands of group 2.

camera_dewar1_start

Explanation of the commands:

camera_dewar1_start <"wait"/"nowait"/"stat">

<"wait"> starts an exposure at Dewar 1 and waits, until the exposure is completed.
<"nowait"> starts an exposure at Dewar 1, but does NOT wait, until the exposure is completed.
<"stat"> Returns flags (1 or 0).

Group 3.: Commands to do a combination of parameter settings and actions

Syntax:

command <value> Return: 0 succes, E-n Error (n=Error-Number)
command <stat> Return: value succes, E-n Error

commands of group 2.

camera_chip1_rspeed
camera_chip1_readout
camera_configfile

Explanation of the commands:

camera_chip1_rspeed <value>

<value> (int) sets the readout-speed of CCD-Chips 1. Possible parameter for < value> are:

0 for "normal"
1 for "fast"
2 for "very fast"
3 for "slow"
4 for "very slow"

the CCD-Parameterfile is going to be downloaded, if <value> changes.
<stat> Returns the actual<value> ( [0..4] ).

camera_chip1_readout <value>

<value> (int) sets readout-speed of CCD-Chips 1. Possible parameters for
< value> are:

0 for "normal"
1 for "fast"
2 for "very fast"
3 for "slow"
4 for "very slow"

in addition, the button "Update" will be activated, i.e. the CCD-Parameterfile will be downloaded even if <value> did not differ from the old value (this is ever!).
<stat> Returns the actual <value> ( [0..4] ).

camera_configfile <value>

<value> uploads the User-Parameterfile, given by <value> (text).
(Only the name of the file, no path required)
<stat> Returns the actual User-Parameterfilename

Examples:

A typical Unix shell-script

#!/bin/ksh

i=1

#make 10 exposures and increase the exposure time from 1 to 10sec while (( i != 10 ))
do
#set the Objectname
camera_objectname "Star $i"

#set the exposure time
camera_dewar1_exptime "$i"

#set the exposure type
camera_dewar1_exptype "dark"

#start the expsure and wait until the exposure time and readout is over
camera_dewar1_start wait

i=`expr $i + 1`
echo $i

done

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