NEWSTAR documentation overview

NOTE CAREFULLY: Most of the documentation is not up-to-date in its details. Referencesthat are are shown in boldface. The others are left in place because theydo provide useful general information.

Contents

• Contents
• Introduction
• Data files
• Source models
• NEWSTAR Programs
• Bulk data: Batch processing
• Processing recipes
• Miscellaneous information
• Programmers' documentation

Introduction

• Introduction to Newstar for new and prospective users
• Source models and their construction.
• Models in Newstar
• Overview diagram of programs and data files

Data files

• Indexing and navigation
• Visibilities: The .SCN file
  • Data-structure definitions: sector header; scan header;
• Images: The .WMP file
  • Data-structure definitions: map header
• Source model: The .MDL file
  • Data-structure definitions:
• Low-level inspection/editing of .SCN and .WMP files
• See also: The WSRT tape format.

Source models

• The .MDL file
• Model-making
• Models in Newstar
• Calibrator models in Dutch

NEWSTAR Programs

• Overview of functionality
• The parameter interface:
  • General features common to all programs
  • Advanced common features
• NATNF: Descriptions of parameters;
• NCALIB: Descriptions of program and parameters;
  • Redundancy, Align and Selfcal; Polarisation; Utilities
• NCLEAN: Descriptions of program and parameters; interface diagram
• NCOPY: Descriptions of program and parameters;
• NFLAG: Descriptions of program and parameters;
• NGCALC: Descriptions of program and parameters; interface diagram
  • Application example
• NGIDS: Descriptions of program and parameters;
• NMAP: Descriptions of program and parameters; interface diagrams: map-making, with hidden details
  • Use of models in map-making;
• NMODEL: Descriptions of parameters; interface diagrams: general, modelhandling, modelconversions
• NPLOT: Descriptions of program and parameters;
• NSCAN: Descriptions of program and parameters;
• Descriptions ofpublic parameters, shared by more than oneprogram:
  • .SCN-file access: file, sector and hour-angle, interferometer, polarisation selection
    • Magtape/disk selection
  • .WMP-file access: file and image selection
  • .MDL-file access: file selection
  • Model manipulation; diagram
  • Mapping parameters: NMAP group
  • Plot-device selection
  • .FLF file and .NGF sector selection
  • Low-level inspection/editing of .SCN and .WMP files
  • Advanced control of hidden parameters

Bulk data: Batch processing

• Recording/replaying program runs
• Batch processing in NEWSTAR
  • Hints

Processing recipes

• 21cm-continuum observation
• 21cm-mosaic observation
• 21cm-line observation
• Linear-polarisation obdervation
• Lightcurves using NGCALC

Miscellaneous information

• WSRT fact sheet
• Category codes in the WSRT Observation Header (OH)

Programmers' documentation

• Style guides:
  • Document-writing; parameter definition
• Programming techniques:
  • Dynamic setting of parameter prompts: WNDPOH
  • control-C handling
  • dbx debugging on SUN workstations
  • Obscure bugs in Newstar programs
  • Inspection/editing of /.SCN/.WMP files
• Program/subsystem documentation:
  • NCOPY
  • NCALIB VZERO algorithm
  • Table-definition compiler
  • Hypertext browser restart protocol
  • Accessing .SCN data in various sort orders
  • Least-squares package
• System maintenance:
  • Bug reporting (in Dutch)
  • Documentation organisation; diagrams: hypertext system, printable system,
  • DEC Alpha portability; 32/64 bit issues
  • PPD buffer size adjustment (in Dutch)
  • NFRA Configuration management
  • Newstar maintenance outside NFRA
  
• The WSRT tape format:
  • File descriptor (FD); observation header (OH); system calibration block (SC); set header (SH); interferometer header (IH).
  • Category codes in the Observation Header (OH)

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