1 INTRODUCTION

The INS Common Software Part 3, INS System Tools (ist) described in this User Manual, provides system services for instrument developers. The currently supported services are: disk space monitoring and conversion of MIDAS tables[5] into the on-line database.

Disk space monitoring is useful for INS applications that are performing data acquisition e.g. DCS where the certainty of enough available disk space e.g. for storing an observation is essential.

Conversion of MIDAS tables in the on-line database is useful in the following areas:

· The result of a quick-look operation performed with MIDAS is typically stored in MIDAS tables. Once the result is converted into the OLDB the Sequencer has an easy access to this data.

· Data provided from an instrument simulator implemented in MIDAS can be stored into the OLDB via the ist conversion facility and displayed with the VLT GUI that has access to the OLDB.

1.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this manual is to describe the usage of the functions and tools implemented for the INS System Tools. Furthermore, the information necessary for installing the SW and using it in applications is provided.

1.2 SCOPE

The scope of this document is to cover how the ist can be used by users in applications which have a need for the provided services.

It is beyond the scope of the document to explain the prerequisites to the services e.g. for the conversion of MIDAS table to the OLDB how tables in MIDAS are used and produced.

1.3 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

This document and the work performed for the ist module is based on the following documents:

[1] VLT-PRO-ESO-10000-0228, 1.0 10/03/93 -- VLT Software Programming Standards

1.4 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

The following documents are referenced in this document:

[2] VLT-SPE-ESO-17240-0385, 2.0, 04/05/95 -- INS Common Software Specification.

[3] VLT-MAN-ESO-17210-0690, 2.2, 28/02/95 -- VLT User Interface User Manual

[4] Tcl and the Tk toolkit, John K. Ousterhout, ISBN 0-201-6337-X

[5] MIDAS Users Guide - MIDAS Release 94NOV

1.5 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

The following abbreviations and acronyms are used in this document:

CCS Central Control Software

FITS Flexible Image Transport System

MIDAS Munich Data Analysis System

OLDB On Line Database

SW Software

VLT Very Large Telescope

WS Workstation

1.6 STYLISTIC CONVENTIONS

The following styles are used:

teletype
for examples extracted from the source code, directory and file names, names of programs and functions, and commands as they have to be typed (e.g. in the installation procedure).

<name>
in the examples, for parts that have to be substituted with the real contents before typing.

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