MMT Spectrograph Control System User Manual


PLEASE NOTE: Observer control of the Blue and Red Channel Spectrographs can be performed through a GUI on the observer's data acquisition computer or via the IRAF ccdacq interface. Please see our SCCS Notes for details and up-to-date information on the ccdacq interface. The SCCS GUI can be accessed via shortcuts labeled 'BCCS' for Blue Channel and 'RCCS' for Red Channel. These are available via the panel at the bottom of the screen as well as in the MMTO menu. They can also be brought up from a command-line as /mmt/bin/bccs and /mmt/bin/rccs, respectively.

The interface should be relatively straightforward and easy to use.  The only visible difference between the Blue and Red Channel GUIs is the lack of a shutter control for Red Channel (it has no internal spectrograph shutter).  Here are screenshots of the two interfaces:


Blue Channel Control System

Blue Channel Control System Interface

Red Channel Control System

Red Channel Control System Interface


The Blue Channel shutter control causes the shutter to move as soon as the button is clicked.  All other commands are queued until the 'Configure Spectrograph' button is clicked.  If a setting is changed from it's current value, the icon to its right will change to reflect this immediately.  After clicking 'Configure Spectrograph' the icon will flash while the spectrograph is in the process of changing that setting.  If the move completes successfully, the icon will return to it's normal green light state.  If a non-fatal error occured, a warning icon will appear.  A stop icon will appear if there's a fatal error.  Spectrograph motion can be stopped by clicking the 'Stop Spectrograph' button. Note that this button will only stop the motor that's currently moving. Subsequent queued commands will still be processed and sent.

Non-fatal errors are frequently due to a motor nearly achieving its commanded position, but not quite getting there.  Retrying the command will usually clear these up.  The most likely fatal error is caused when one tries to start a GUI when there's already another GUI connected to the spectrograph.  Only one GUI at a time is allowed to communicate with the spectrograph.  Other fatal or persistent errors should be reported to the telescope operator.

The numerical entry fields can be edited by typing in a number directly, clicking the left or middle mouse buttons, or by turning the mouse wheel while the cursor is over the entry field.  If a number is typed in directly, hit 'Enter' so that the icon will reflect the change.  Even if the icon doesn't reflect the change, the new value will be still read when 'Configure Spectrograph' is clicked.

The File menu provides the following entries:

Open:
 Load a saved spectrograph configuration
Save:
 Save current configuration to a default filename (bccs_save.xml for Blue and rccs_save.xml for Red)
Save as:
 Save current configuration and prompt for a filename to save to
Query Spectrograph:
 Query spectrograph for its current configuration and refresh GUI accordingly
Engineering Interface:
 This is only accessible to MMT staff
Quit:
 Exit the GUI

The Help menu currently provides an entry for 'User Manual' which brings up this page in a browser window.

Please report any problems or bugs to Tim Pickering (tim@mmto.org).

Last modified: Thu Nov 2 17:09:31 MST 2006