Lick Observatory Techref: nomenclature

Lick data-taking, instrument control, and autoguiding software nomenclature

DATA TAKING

Name Description Application Platform Notes

scr observers' alphanumeric data-taking interface Kast, Hamilton, PFCam, Nickel Direct, and Nickel Spectrograph shane or shanepc, catpc, nickel or nickelpc We sometimes call scr "dtake," but dtake is actually the code that lies between scr and the CCD controller (dtake also happens to be the name of a Vista command that allows exposure control and telescope offsetting from Vista).

data-taking system display display and display control windows invoked by scr for display of science images Kast, Hamilton, PFCam, Nickel Direct, and Nickel Spectrograph shane or shanepc, catpc, nickel or nickelpc The display uses Vista's "xtv" module for image display and display control.

dtake code that lies between scr and the Lick CCD controllers Kast, Hamilton, PFCam, Nickel Direct, and Nickel Spectrograph shanebox, catboxpc, nickelbox

dts used to refer to a generic data-taking system, including all software that lies between an instrument and the user any instrument
"dts" is sometimes used to refer to the code which lies between the Lick CCD interface (scr) and the Lick CCD controller, but this code is properly called 'dtake'.

DATA TAKING
Name	Description	Application	Platform	Notes
scr	observers' alphanumeric data-taking interface	Kast, Hamilton, PFCam, Nickel Direct, and Nickel Spectrograph	shane or shanepc, catpc, nickel or nickelpc	We sometimes call scr "dtake," but dtake is actually the code that lies between scr and the CCD controller (dtake also happens to be the name of a Vista command that allows exposure control and telescope offsetting from Vista).
data-taking system display	display and display control windows invoked by scr for display of science images	Kast, Hamilton, PFCam, Nickel Direct, and Nickel Spectrograph	shane or shanepc, catpc, nickel or nickelpc	The display uses Vista's "xtv" module for image display and display control.
dtake	code that lies between scr and the Lick CCD controllers	Kast, Hamilton, PFCam, Nickel Direct, and Nickel Spectrograph	shanebox, catboxpc, nickelbox
dts	used to refer to a generic data-taking system, including all software that lies between an instrument and the user	any instrument		"dts" is sometimes used to refer to the code which lies between the Lick CCD interface (scr) and the Lick CCD controller, but this code is properly called 'dtake'.

Additional Notes:

Above does not apply to Gemini and IRCAL, which have their own, unique dts's.

General layout of old Lick dts: scr <---> dtake <---> CCD controller

INSTRUMENT CONTROL

Name Description Application Platform Notes

Kast control program (aka "kast") observer's alphanumeric interface for control of Kast spectrograph functions, exclusive of detector (e.g. grism select, user filter, grating tilt) Kast spectrograph shane Invoked by typing 'kast' from a shane xterm.

Hamilton control program (aka "hamit") observer's alphanumeric interface for control of Hamilton spectrograph functions, exclusive of detector (e.g. grating, height, aperture) Hamilton spectrograph shane Invoked by typing 'hamit' from a catpc xterm.

PFCam dashboard observer's GUI for control of PFCam functions, exclusive of detector (e.g. filters, dewar focus) PFCam shanepc Invoked, along with other modules, with "pfcam start" from pfcam account.

INSTRUMENT CONTROL
Name	Description	Application	Platform	Notes
Kast control program (aka "kast")	observer's alphanumeric interface for control of Kast spectrograph functions, exclusive of detector (e.g. grism select, user filter, grating tilt)	Kast spectrograph	shane	Invoked by typing 'kast' from a shane xterm.
Hamilton control program (aka "hamit")	observer's alphanumeric interface for control of Hamilton spectrograph functions, exclusive of detector (e.g. grating, height, aperture)	Hamilton spectrograph	shane	Invoked by typing 'hamit' from a catpc xterm.
PFCam dashboard	observer's GUI for control of PFCam functions, exclusive of detector (e.g. filters, dewar focus)	PFCam	shanepc	Invoked, along with other modules, with "pfcam start" from pfcam account.

Additional Notes:

Non-detector functions on Nickel Camera and Spectrograph are controlled by the observer from within scr.

ACQUISITION & AUTOGUIDING

Name Description Application Platform Notes

guider GUI for control of new Lick guide cameras and autoguiding functions 3-m cassegrain and coude (prime to follow), CAT, Nickel redeye1, 2, and 3 Guider is often used to refer collectively to the camera, underlying control software, guider interface, and guider image display. Here we suggest it be used to refer specifically to the camera and guider interface.

guider display display and display control windows invoked by autoguider for display of guider images 3-m cassegrain and coude (prime to follow), CAT, Nickel redeye1, 2, and 3 Guider uses Vista's "xtv" module for image display and display control.

ACQUISITION & AUTOGUIDING
Name	Description	Application	Platform	Notes
guider	GUI for control of new Lick guide cameras and autoguiding functions	3-m cassegrain and coude (prime to follow), CAT, Nickel	redeye1, 2, and 3	Guider is often used to refer collectively to the camera, underlying control software, guider interface, and guider image display. Here we suggest it be used to refer specifically to the camera and guider interface.
guider display	display and display control windows invoked by autoguider for display of guider images	3-m cassegrain and coude (prime to follow), CAT, Nickel	redeye1, 2, and 3	Guider uses Vista's "xtv" module for image display and display control.

Additional Notes:

PFCam will continue to use the "old" Lick autoguider until a new Lick guide camera is installed.

Neither 'dtake' nor 'scr' are part of the Lick autoguider.