Re: suggestion/TASS FOR DUMMIES

["Shawn Dvorak" <sdvorak@bright.net>]

Thanks for the response.  I guess I'm just looking for too much right now;
it's still very much a work in progress.  My biggest complaint is that
there isn't much organization to what *is* there - like the messages posted
to this list like "file x is now in /pub on server-y", without any
information about the format of the data or even the complete address of
server-y (which is fine if you're an old-timer but not much help to the
uninitiated).  I appreciate your suggestion about just picking a piece and
asking some questions to understand the data and processes.  Okay, I'll
start doing something constructive just as soon as I get relocated in our
new house and get everything settled.

Shawn Dvorak

----------
> From: Chris Albertson <chris@topdog.pas1.logicon.com>
> To: Shawn Dvorak <sdvorak@bright.net>; chrisa@wavenet.com
> Subject: Re: suggestion/TASS FOR DUMMIES
> Date: Tuesday, April 14, 1998 4:47 PM
> 
> 
> Here is an outline.  Perhaps you could pretty it up and point out
> any big holes it may have.  If you need more specific info just ask.
> If I don't know I can point you so where it may be.  The point that
> Tom made is that if you appear to be doing some work people will
> help.  I agree getting started is hard.  The idea is "start small"
> 
> If you are looking for how data is processed end to end you will not find
> it.  Reason: It is not yet being done.  This could be the reason for your
> dificulty in unscrabling all the unorganized stuff you we on the web
site.
> 
> With the above in mind here goes.
> 
> 1) There are a few people who have cameras.  Not all are identical.  Most
> have three CCDs some have one, one I think now has only two.  There are
> three kinds of filters V, R and I.,  You can figure out who has what be
> looking at the data. ZIP files at the FTP site (see below)  I don't think

> there is a master list.  I would like to compile one.
> 
> 2) Each site collects data with one of two control programs
>     a) A DOS based one called tm3get11 or,
>     b) A Linux based one called ?? it has no name that I know of
>    Most everyone uses "a".  These programs each output "FITS Files"
>    These are images. (there is a "FITS Standrd" and a whole host of
>    programs for dealing  with FITS format data on the web.
> 
> 3) These FITS files are reduced to ASCII text files called star lists.
>   There are any number of programs that can do this.  IMO the jury is
still
>   out on which one is best but for now everyone is using "STAR.EXE" for
>   "production" work.  "sextractor", IRAF/DAOPHOT, DoPhot and other
>   may work better.
> 
> 4) Output from STAR is batched into ZIP files and FTP'd to 
>    ftp.tass-survey.org/pub/incoming where Michael can get it and process
it into
>    his database system.  Also most people process these STAR output
locally
>    with whatever tools they may have on hand.  You will have to ask each
>    camera owner what if anything they do with thier data.  Not all of the
>    collected data is sent, as Michael is "backed up".  (I would download
>    just one small sample)
> 
> 5) The "TASS Database" that Micheal runs is Postgresql.  To get at the
data
>    you can use his WWW interface or if you have Postgres client software
>    (runs on any UNIX/Linux system) you can do SQL queries directly and
bypas
>   the WWW interface.  Postgresql also supporots ODBC and JDBC.  ODBC
drivers
>    for win95 are available with Postgresql at http://www.posgresql.org  I
have
> used
>   MS Excel to access his database using MS Query and OBDC.
> 
> I would suggest _not_ trying to set up an end-to-end system.  Pick a
point.
> learn how that works then maybe expand.  For example maybe you are
interrested
> in the process of converting images to lists and want to first run the
> curent version of STAR then see if you can do better.  Or perhaps you
take
> a look at the current WWW interface to the Data and figure you can do a
littel
> better.  Ask for details that interrest you.  Let's go one file type at a
> time.  If you want an image file get a few an spend a couple weeks
learning
> how to look at them that move on to something else.  (Images are not to
be
> found on the FTP site except if you ask for a few samples)
> 
> Once you have a few images.  You may ask "How do I look at these?"  IF
you
> do I'll tell you all about IRAF. (http://iraf.noao.edu/) Someone else
will 
> tell you about some
> Windows95 IP program he likes.  You will likely get a bunch of answers.
> 
> 
> I am working on two chunks of software and know them pretty well as I am
> the one who is doing the work.  Other areas I haven't as much as a clue.
> 
> The two areas I can talk about in detail if you want are: 
> 
> 1) Linux based real-time camera driver.  This thing runs under Linux
> and twiddles bits inside the TASS CCD hardware and writs out FITS format
> image files.  It takes full advantage of it's UNIX enviroment and is
> designed as a set of client/server processes.
> 
> 2) The TASS Database SOftware.  I am writting software that reads those
> ZIP'd starlist files and loads them into a Postgres Database system. 
Along
> the way the software figures out _what_ stars where observed, updates a
> "master catalog" and so on.
> 
> Both the above are functioning now but require more work before I will
> asign a version ID or "1.0".
> 
> So if TASS is like playing that old game "Zork" I hope the above is like
> a kind of map.  Just explore one area at a time.  You can see I am asking
> some very basic questions still. like "how to apply a transform to data
> we don't have?"
> 
> One whole area that is not yet addressed by TASS is what I call "Data
> exploitation"  That is where we look at the data in Michael's databas and
> try to figure out what it all means.  I fugure there are some supper nova
> in there waiting to be discovrred.  I haven't any idea (yet) how to
> find them but that's the fun part, figuring out how to discover them.
> One you do that finding them will be an automatic process.
> --Chris Albertson
> 
>   chris@topdog.logicon.com                Voice:  626-351-0089  X127
>   Logicon RDA, Pasadena California          Fax:  626-351-0699