Summary of actions

This page is part of the ING document INS-DAS-24: client-server interface for control of cameras.

Each link below leads to a detailed descriptions of the action in a use case.

Actions grouped by function

Actions to start a new observation

RESERVE: get exclusive use of the camera.
RUN: start a new observation.

Actions to execute the current observation

CLEAR: clear the detectors
PREFLASH: light the preflash lamps.
INTEGRATE: build up an image on the detectors
READOUT: acquire an image from the detectors.

Actions to modify the current observation

ABORT: abandon the observation; do not collect the data of the observation.
FINISH: end an integration
RETIME: change the demanded integration-time.
PAUSE: suspend an exposure .
RESUME: restart a paused exposure.

Actions operating on data already acquired by the camera server

PROCESS: process image data.
ARCHIVE: save an observation to disc in a FITS file.
DISPLAY: start or stop automatic display of observations

Actions involving the shutter

OPEN: open the shutter
SHUT: shut the shutter
PARK: park the shutter
INTEGRATE: accumulate an image on the detectors
PAUSE: suspend an exposure
RESUME: restart a paused exposure.

Actions used between observations

BIN: set binning factors
WINDOW: set a readout window
RSPEED:change readout speed
RMODE: set readout mode.
OBSDATA: chose a data disc

Actions to extract calibration images

GRAB: observe, acquire and return a small image.

Utility actions

ABORT: abandon all current actions on the server.
PING: check that a task is awake.
RESET: reinitialise a camera server.
EXIT: shut down the camera server.

Actions listed alphabetically, with arguments

ARCHIVE <run-rank> <instrument> {"archive"|"scratch"|"glance"} <scratch-file-number>

BIN <x-factor> <y-factor>

DISPLAY {"input"|"output"} {"on"|"off"}

GRAB <integration time> <x1> <y1> <x2> <y2>

INTEGRATE {"expose"|"dark"} <duration>

OBSDATA [<directory-name>]

PREFLASH <duration>

PROCESS <run-rank>

RETIME <duration>

RMODE {"simple"|"cds"} <repeat-count>

RSPEED {"fast"|"slow"}

WINDOW <window-number> {<window-section>|"enable"|"disable"}

In the argument lists above:

Arguments printed in quotes are keywords: clients must provide these characters as shown, but without the quotes.
The notation {a|b|c} implies a choice of a, b or c: the client must supply one of the choices.
An argument enclosed in square brackets is optional.
The notation <x> implies a variable: the client must supply a value the suits the definition of the variable, below.

<directory-name>

path-name of a directory for storing observations. See the description of the OBSDATA action for details.

<duration>

length of an integration (exposure or dark frame) in seconds.

<window-number>

index-number of a readout window. Only numbers 1..4 are valid.

<window-section>

size and position of a readout window, written as an IRAF image-section in the format [<x1>:<x2>,<y1>:<y2>]. (In this fomat, the square brackets, colons and the comma are literal characters and the client must format in the values of the four variables.)

<run-rank>

an index number for the run that an action will act upon. Only non-negative integers are valid. The run of rank zero is the most-recently started; the run before that is at rank 1; the run before that at rank 2, etc.

<scratch-file-number>

serial number of of the scatch file to be created. Must be a positive integer. Zero is not allowed.

<x-factor>

binning factor in the x direction. Must be an integer in the range 1..10.

<y-factor>

binning factor in the y direction. Must be an integer in the range 1..10.

<x1>, <y1>

coordinates of the lower-left-hand corner of a readout window.

<x2>, <y2>

coordinates of the upper-right-hand corner of a readout window.