Using the IGRINS Data Taking Software

Here we summarize the IGRINS Data Taking Software, what it does, and how to use it. First make sure you have started up the data taking software. If not, go to Starting up IGRINS computers & data taking software.

Take a 'Single' and 'Start Exposure' with autosave enabled to check the detector readout when the instrument control software is first started.

The IGRINS data taking software is split up into the following four parts:

House Keeping Package
Quick Look Package
Data Taking Package
Slit Camera View

The House Keeping Package gives you temperatures, vacuum pressure, motor, and power status. It just passively provides statistics.
1. Click Periodic Monitoring to make it work.
The Quick Look Package does quick and dirty data-reduction in semi-real time.
1. The QLP does not start automatically with icsrun. To run the QLP:
  1. Open a new terminal.
  2. type, 'cd /IGRINS_QLP_v3.0.1_Hband'
  3. type 'python QL_Main.py &'
2. Run the H and K band versions separately to get the desired wavelength output.
3. To auto-refresh the images while observing:
  1. Click on the 'Obs Log' toggle.
  2. Click 'Open' and identify the log file for the current night.
  3. Click on 'Auto Refresh'.
  4. When a new image is loaded the file number in the upper right and the thumbnail image on the left will update .
  5. Click on the thumbnail image to update the larger image.
4. Currently the 'Zoom', 'N_Col Y' and 'N_Line X' pulldown menus cause the software to crash and should not be used.
Data Taking Package reads out H & K detectors.
1. Left side displays images off of detectors
  1. Also gives some basic telescope information.
2. "Image Information"
  1. This is the things that will get filled in the fits header and observing logs.
    1. Group # is a way to group A0 standards to targets and should not be used.
    2. The RAUser and DecUser fields are not saved and should be ignored.
    3. Check boxes allow you to turn off H & K bands. Why anyone would do this, I don't know... best to keep them both checked.
3. "H-band" & "K-band"
  1. Set exposure time
  2. Set Folwer #
    1. This is the number of readouts that make up the difference between the first and last readouts. Used to beat down read noise.
  3. Displays timekeeping stats
4. "Start Exposures" - self explanatory
5. "Abort" - self explanatory
6. "Save FITS File"
  1. Check if you want the data taking package to save the fits files
  2. Uncheck to take test images
  3. The rest is self explanatory
  4. NOTE: You need to click "Path" to save the path
7. "Calibration Mode"
  1. Does any combination of darks, flats, & arcs at any exposure time and # of exposures.
  2. Run to automatically take calibrations, should work well
  3. Check the House Keeping Package to make sure it is working fine.
8. "Observing Mode"
  1. Currently non-functional script mode to automate observing.
9. "Status"
  1. Log of stuff happening - Self Explanatory
Slit Camera Package
1. Image window shows slit view camera field
  1. Clicking on it shows zoomed in view and an attempt at gaussian fitting a point source for guiding.
  2. Below is a zoomed in view of the slit
  3. UPDATE LATER