Running MAlign

Taking the data (malacq)

Currently we are using a prototype tcl/tk tool to run MAlign. Log onto kanaha as "esieng," do a "cd bin" and set your DISPLAY variable. Then type "malacq.tcl &" and the GUI should appear. There will be output on the xterm in which you launched the GUI, so keep it handy.

The tool has radio buttons for 1-sided or 2-sided MAlign, and normal buttons for taking a pre-image (a stacked image before taking the MAlign frames) and a post-image (a stacked image after MAlign moves have been sent).

There is also a box to input the exposure time in seconds, the pmfm in nm, and the number of frames at each pmfm value. All of these things should default to reasonable values, and all of them are "live" in the sense that if you change the value of the exposure time, e.g., the next time you hit a button to take more data the exposure time should get updated. (Note that it may not; I have not necessarily programmed it for every button function, so let me know if there are situations when you think it should update things, but it doesn't.)

Make your selections, if you are doing anything different than the defaults, then click on the "GO!" button. This will:

  1. Save the current observer settings.
  2. Set the instrument to the MAlign settings.
  3. Make sure pmfm = 0 and take a pre-image if requested.
  4. Put in the requested pmfm and take a focus-mode image.
  5. Pause to let you look at the image and confirm that it is good.

If the image looks OK, click "CONTINUE" and it will take the remaining focus-mode images. If the star is not good (maybe there is a nearby star that fouls up the pattern), click "NEW STAR." This removes focus mode, but leaves the instrument in the MAlign setup (i.e. it does not reset to the observer settings!). If the star is OK, but maybe the exposure time needs adjustment, change the exposure time (or pmfm), and click "REDO." This will simple take another focus-mode image and give you the same three options.

After you have taken all of the focus-mode images the blue buttons will change to a single button "TAKE STACKED" if you have a post-image selected. The informational line below the button tells you to analyze the images and send telescope moves before pressing this button. Once pressed it will set pmfm to 0 and take the stacked image. Note that stacked images are generally taken with a different exposure time, defined within the instrument-specific part of the code. For ESI this is 1 second, the minimum. Presumably LRIS and NIRC will use the same, minimum exposure times. The "TAKE STACKED" button also automatically resets to the observer parameters when it is finished.

The "QUIT" button is very important. Do not quit the tool from the pulldown menu on the title bar unless there is no other way of quitting. Doing so will not reset to the observer's setup. Hitting the "QUIT" button at any time (assuming the button is active; there are still issues to resolve there...) will reset to the observer's setup and quit the tool. Under normal operation, the "TAKE STACKED" button will have already done this, but for now I am being safe and leaving that function also in the "QUIT" button. Also, if you start an MAlign and decide, when presented with the first focus-mode image, that you don't want to continue, you would hit "QUIT" and that would need to restore the observer's setup.

In the lower left is a "RESTORE" button that will restore the observer's settings at any time (...that the button is active...). I believe that this is redundant and should never find any use. If "RESTORE" is active, presumably "QUIT" is, too. However, I leave it there just in case...

Recovery Procedures

There is a new recovery procedure available that should help solve any problems when malacq hangs or otherwise malfunctions. The procedure should get you back to the observer's original instrument settings, including those pesky "hidden" CCD keywords.

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