This guide is meant to remind experienced ESI users of the basics of starting and running ESI. For a more comprehensive description, see the ESI User's Guide.

One of the first tasks you may want to do is print out some logsheets.

Starting Up VNC

Whether observing from Waimea or from a mainland observing site, ESI observers should now run all instrument software within VNC desktops. Generally, VNC servers for your run should be up and running when you arrive to observe. Please follow these appropriate set of steps below to launch your VNC viewers on the primary and secondary workstations.

Waimea Startup Procedure

Run start_all_vnc.sh esi1, for user account esi1

Mainland Startup Procedure

Run start_keck_viewers esiN, where N is 1-9
Full details at Afternoon Checklist

Starting up ESI Software

Launch ESI software.: From one of the VNC desktops, right-click on the background and select
ESI Control Menu > Start ESI observing software.
Launch FACSUM and XMET.: On one of the blue background VNCs, right click on the background and launch the FACSUM window by selecting
K2 Telescope Status Menu > FACSUM
Also on the same desktop, right click on the background and launch the XMET window by selecting
K2 Telescope Status Menu > XMET
Launch MAGIQ.: The MAGIQ GUI fits well on the VNC session with the Dashboard
K2 Guider Eavesdropping > Start Observer UI

Initializing the Instrument

Check user configuration. Once the GUI has initialized itself, click on "Start Here!" to check your output directory, set your observer names, etc., and initialize the instrument to a known state. After this the button name will change to "User Config."
Check CCD settings. After this you may want to check the CCD windowing and binning. You can select 1×1 binning and either full-frame or the imaging window using the "Quick Frame" menu to the right of the Object text box on Dashboard. Alternatively, double-click on the "CCD" box to bring up the CCD details panel. Click "GO" or "Update CCD" when you change any CCD parameters, including the exposure time.

Setting the Spectrograph

View stages. The status of each stage is given in the series of brown boxes at the top of the Dashboard GUI. The top line in each box represents the current position of that stage. The bottom line is either an entry box or a pull-down menu which lets you select a different setting (such as a different filter). To change the setting for a given stage, select the new position using the entry box or menu and then click Move to start the move. You can select mutiple changes and then click Move to execute the moves in parallel. Note that the brown box will "drop" down when the stage is in motion and "raise" back into its nominal position when the move completes.
Load setups. We strongly encourage observers to use the pre-defined setup files available from the Dashboard GUI to change instrument settings; this will ensure that you don't forget to adjust the ESI focus when changing filters or observing modes! To load setups, click the Load... button at the top of the Dashboard GUI and then select Named setup... to access the setup list. Click once on each setup which you plan to use during the night; that will cachce the setup in the Dashboard's memory. Click Dismiss to close the menu.
Select setup. To reconfigure ESI to another setup, click the Setups... button at the top of the Dashboard to access the setup list. To make an immediate move, click the yellow Move button above your desired setup. To queue up a configuration without executing moves, click the orange Load button above your desired setup. You will then need to click the Move button on the main Dashboard window to execute the moves.
Control lamps. The recommended way to turn internal calibration lamps on and off is via the Panel. To bring up the Panel, click on the lamp icon (square button to right of the hatch) and select Panel. You can now click the name of any lamp on the panel to turn it on or off. Note that you do not need to click the Move button to change the lamp status; unlike other motor moves, lamp moves initiated from the Panel are immediate.

While Observing

Some other tips to bear in mind while observing:

Accessing stage details. To see details about a given stage, double-click on the brown box representing that stage on the Dashboard GUI.
Viewing exposure progress. The exposure bar at the bottom of the Dashboard indicates how much of the exposure has elapsed.
Setting object name. The object name can be set in the box just above the exposure progress bar. If you change anything in this box, simply move the cursor out of the box to effect the change.
Setting observation type. The ObsType setting is important. It allows the software to check for inconsistent settings. In particular, setting this to Bias or Dark will cause the shutter to remain closed during the exposure. If any lamps are on or the hatch is open, the Dashboard will pop up a warning asking whether you meant to take a dark under these conditions. If you are taking a Line, IntFlat or DmFlat and do not have any lamps on, it will warn you. And if you close the hatch and attempt to take an Object exposure, it will warn you. However, in no case does the Dashboard prevent you from taking data in any configuration.
Silencing alarms. Pop up warnings will inform you of unusual circumstances, such as described above. Note: Once you silence a particular warning you cannot turn it back on without shutting down and restarting the GUI. In general it is a good idea to avoid silencing alarms unless your Instrument Scientist tells you it is OK.