On a kanaha window, run testAll. This will
test the connection to the Lantronics, communications with the Galil
controllers, communication with the software dispatchers, the CCD crate,
CCD keywords, and check to see whether the ion pump is on. In case
of a problem, the command will either output a list of suggested
fixes or try to fix the problem itself. In particular, if the ion
pump is not on the software will try to turn it on. See the
Ion Pump Page
for a daily summary of the ESI Ion Pump. The order of
testing is roughly in the correct order for diagnosing and fixing any problems.
Once testAll passes all subsystems, bring up the GUI by selecting
"***Start ESI observing software" under "ESI Control Menu" on the
desktop pull-down menu. This will bring up the DashBoard GUI.
Click "Tricorder" on the GUI to confirm that
the CCD is at temperature and the air pressure is OK. Dismiss the
Tricorder window.
Click "Start Here" and disable disk writing (button at the top).
Initialize the instrument (button near the middle of the Start
Here window). This should take 4.5 minutes. Dismiss the initialization
window and the "Start Here" window.
Select an observation type of "Bias" (button near top right of
main screen).
Take an image. Click the "Expose" button on right side of screen.
Once the image starts to read out, the test pattern on FIGDISP should
disappear and the image should show up. On the FIGDISP GUI, click
"Center" and "Normal" at the left side. Then click "Histogram"
near the top and right of center. Click and drag the middle mouse button
in the image window to change brightness and contrast. You should be
able to see a typical bias frame, with bright columns to lower left of the
image and a vertical boundary in the middle representing the two amplifiers.
On the first exposure of a night an alarm saying that the shutter
did not fire properly may appear. Dismiss the alarm and take a second frame
to see whether the alarm repeats.
Once satisfied, shutdown the software by selecting
"***Shutdown ESI" from "ESI Control Menu" on the desktop menu.
