Hi, There is a new version of DOP in place at APO. This was required because there is a new version of the data acquisition software. The new dop version is v3_1, but we will be making better use of the SDSS software environment and the most current version of DOP will be automatically available. In other words you now just type: % setup dop and the most current version is setup correctly, including the right DA software. Then, to run the system you type: % dscRun and you are off. This sequence should remain true no matter how many version of the software we make. You will have to read the primer after that point. The most current documentation may be found by doing a: % xmosiac $DOP_DIR/doc/www/dop.home.html after, of course, setting up dop. The new DOP is different structurally from the old one, but most of the changes will be invisible to the casual user. The two most noticeable changes are 1) headers (including time, ra, and dec) are now updated between frames of a drift and are handled by the DA, and 2) the message windows from the cam and tc shells have a notion of history. (For experts, the other changes are: the ccd programs are handled much differently; the camera has a notion of status; the camera shell and telescope shell no longer can talk to each other, only the main user shell can talk to both; and status is no longer handled by distributed objects, instead they are handled by remote procedure calls; much general cleaning up of code and removing of obsolete commands.) We continue to recommend the commands: goStare <expTime> <Objname> goDark <expTime> goDrift <nframes> <Objname> goDarkDrift <nframes> There is also a pair of commands to help with short driftscans: offsetDrift <nframes> endOffsetDrift that move you over n frames and starts a drift scan at the current driftscan rate (usually 0.7 sidereal, see [CAMStatusGet drift_rate]). endOffsetDrift puts you back at the home position and stops the drift. Currently, this will make you drift from south to north. For experts, the main commands remain: cc beginUnixReadout cc beginDrift cc endReadout though the first two now optionally take an argument to keep the shutter closed (i.e., beginUnixReadout 0 is a dark frame). In case something goes very wrong and you need to return to a previous of DOP, there is a command in the new DA software (versions v3_0 and higher) that will allow you to switch back. The sequence is this. % less /p/ups_database/declared/dop and see what version of astroda you need for the version of dop you want (for example, x2_0_0 for the v2_3 dop) % dscSwVer -s <version> (for example: dscSwVer -s x2_0_0 ) % setup dop <version> (for example: setup dop v2_3) % dscRun -s <version> for astroda versions greater than v3_0 OR %dscRun dsc for astroda version x2_0_0 fnstar-OAC> poolInit is required, and which will delete any data on the VME side. At that point, you may follow the primer of the corresponding version of DOP. We don't expect you to need this command, but you should be aware of it. James Annis APO APO APO APO APO Apache Point Observatory 3.5m APO APO APO APO APO This is message 17 in the apo35-dsc archive. You can find APO the archive on http://astro.princeton.edu:82/apo35-dsc/INDEX.html APO To join/leave the list, send mail to apo35-request@astro.princeton.edu APO To post a message, mail it to apo35-dsc@astro.princeton.edu APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO