OperatorObservingStrawman.txt

Here's a straw-man outline of what I'm envisioning will be the parts of 
an ASTRID script for operator-run observing.  Think of this as the 
starting point for our discussions during my stay in Berkeley this week.

While the steps below might seem daunting, it's probably no more 
complicated as the equivalent, behind-the-scenes steps we use for 
RadioAstron observing.  It also seems to encode the steps the humans are 
currently executing.  I'm assuming using the BTL manager way of setting 
up the hardware.  We'd have to break the below steps into 2 scripts if 
using the non-manager method of setting up the hardware.

Ron

====================

Required disk files:
     Configs for each rcvr in a file that will be exec'ed
     Primary source catalog files for each rcvr
     Secondary source catalog files for each rcvr
     File containing prioritized list of rcvrs
     Calib catalog (probably the same file for < 50 GHZ)
     Pulsar catalog for each rcvr?

Operator initiates a single script with the following steps.  I'm 
currently thinking that in each step ASTRID calls an external program 
that makes decisions that are returned to ASTRID via standard output.  
ASTRID executes what the external scripts tells it to do.

1. Which Rcvr?
     Uses:
         Weather limits
         Rcvr Priority table
         Rcvr Availability

     Algorithm:
         Picks the highest priority rcvr that is available with usable weather

     Returns:
         Name of ASTRID Config
         Name of Primary source Catalog
         Name of Secondary source Catalog
         Name of Calib Catalog (probably the same file for < 50 GHZ)
         Name of Pulsar Catalog, or blank if no pulsar available for the 
		high-freq rcvr
         Name of log file
         Flag as to whether to AutoPeak, AutoPeakFocus, or skip

     ASTRID:
         Executes config that is stored in the external file containing configs 
		for all receivers
	 Rotates turret?  Currently, Breaks so the operator can rotate turret / deploy /retract the PF boom

     Limitations:
     	Won't know which PF receiver is in place
	Won't know if a Gregorian receiver has a hardware problem.
	Need to add wind limits to the algorithm

2. Which Calib?

     Question: Always observe as 1st src in session?

     Uses:
         Rcvr name
         Calib catalog name for the rcvr
         Retrieved telescope Az/El
         Log file name, to determine if Calib has been done

     Algorithm
         Whether a Calib is needed.  If so,
             Pick minimum move time
             Whether a Peak is needed

     Returns
         Flag to skip calib if the log file indicates a successful CALIB
         Flag to skip AutoPeakFocus if the log file indicates a recent, nearby PEAK.
         Source name

     ASTRID
     If CALIB is needed:
         Slew, Balance,
         If Peak needed
             AutoPeak(Focus) on calibrator
             Logs Az,El,UT of last Peak
         On-Off on source
         Logs that a calib was observed successfully

3. Which Pulsar?

     Question: Always observe as 2nd src in session?

     Uses:
         Pulsar catalog for the rcvr
         Retrieved telescope Az/El
         Log file name, to determine Az,El,UT of last Peak
         Log file name, to determine if Pulsar obs has been done

     Algorithm
         Whether a Pulsar obs is needed
             Pick minimum move time
             Whether a Peak is needed

     Returns
         Flag to skip pulsar if the log file indicates a successful 
Pulsar obs
         Flag to skip AutoPeakFocus if the log file indicates a recent, 
nearby PEAK.
         Source name

     ASTRID
     If Pulsar needed
         Slew, balance
         If Peak needed
             AutoPeak on nearby source
             Logs Az,El,UT of last Peak
             Track on source
             Logs that a pulsar was observed successfully

4. Loops until operator terminates

     Uses:
         Primary catalog for the rcvr
         Secondary catalog for the rcvr
         Retrieved telescope Az/El
         Log file name, to determine Az,El,UT of last Peak
         Log file name, to   determine observed sources

     Algorithm
         Pick minimum move time for not-yet-observed primary source
         Pick minimum move time for 3(?) not-yet-observed secondary sources
         Whether a Peak/Focus is needed

     Returns
         Primary source name
         Three(?) secondary source names
         Flag as to whether to AutoPeak

     ASTRID
     If Peak needed:
         AutoPeak on nearby source
         Logs Az,El,UT of last Peak
     Tracks source(s)
     Logs that sources have been observed