National Aeronautics and Space Administration

******************************************************************************
                        RELEASE NOTES FOR HEASOFT 6.3
                                July 5, 2007
******************************************************************************

The HEASoft 6.3 release is primarily driven by the release of the Suzaku
(version 5) and Swift (version 2.7) software, but also includes updates
to several libraries and packages which have been revised to mirror the
current development versions in use at the HEASARC.

As before, configuration-related changes thoughout the package means that
users who already have HEASoft v6.x.x installed will need to completely
replace their software installation; there is no clean way to simply
overlay this new release or to update an existing installation.

******************************************************************************
                                Configuration
******************************************************************************

- Improved support for gfortran, g95, and the Intel compilers (icc/icpc/ifort).

- Updated Readline library to version 5.2.

******************************************************************************
                      APE (Parameter Interface Library)
******************************************************************************

- Version 2.0.1:

  In response to performance issues with scripts that use pquery2 to issue
  prompts, several optimizations were made to increase the general speed
  of access to parameter fields as well as the speed of opening parameter
  files and merging system and local parameter files.

******************************************************************************
                                   ATTITUDE
******************************************************************************

- coordinator: Shut down cleanly when unable to resolve teldeffile=CALDB
  (or any other parameters).

- new atFunctions library (v2.9, 2007.04.16)

  o add atRigSet2(), atRigFree2(), atRigidity2()
  o add atInvGeodetic()
  o add atJ2000ToEcliptic(), atEclipticToJ2000()
  o add atPrecessRMJ2000()
  o update atSun() for faster calculation
  o update atPlanet() for faster calculation
  o update atAberration(), atInvAberration() for faster calculation
  o version update att v2.0, in tools/att/att.c

  The new set of routines are to calculate the cut-off rigidity.  These
  routines rely on a FITS version of Rigidity data, which also differs
  in content from the old ASCII rigidity.dat file.  Thus, the use of
  new routines should return somewhat different rigidity values; if you
  use the old routines, the results should not change compared with the
  earlier versions of atFunctions libraries.  We plan to use the new cut-
  off rigidity routines in the Suzaku FTOOLS for version 2 processing.

******************************************************************************
                                   CCFITS
******************************************************************************

New version 1.7:

This version includes bug fixes for the following problems:

- The FITS::copy function merely wrote the copied HDU to the file, but
  did not allow it to be accessed for further modifications within CCfits.

- When reading compressed images, CCfits should use the ZBITPIX and
  ZNAXIS keywords rather than BITPIX and NAXIS.  (Fix is based on a 
  patch submitted by Patrik Jonsson.)

- The BSCALE keyword was being ignored if the BZERO keyword didn't also
  exist.

- Cases of out-of-scope usage of std::string's c_str() pointers, could 
  potentially cause crash. (Fix submitted by Jeremy Sanders.) 


******************************************************************************
                                   CFITSIO
******************************************************************************

New version 3.04 - 12 March 2007

   - modified putkey.c to support USHORT_IMG when calling fits_create_img
     to create a signed byte datatype image.

   - enhanced the column histrogramming function to propagate any TCn_k and
     TPn_k keywords in the table header to the corresponding CDi_j and PCi_j
     keywords in the image header.

   - The various table calculator routines (fits_select_rows, etc.) implicitly
     assumed that the input table has not been modified immediately prior to
     the call.   To cover cases where the table has been modified a call to
     ffrdef has been added to ffprs.

   - enhanced the random, randomn, and randomp functions in the lexical
     parser to take a vector column name argument to specify the length
     of the vector of random numbers that should be generated (provided by
     Craig Markwardt, GSFC)

   - enhanced the ffmcrd routine (to modify an existing header card) to
     support long string keywords so that any CONTINUE keywords associated
     with the previous keyword will be deleted.

   - modified the ffgtbp routine to recognize the TDIMn keyword for
     ASCII string columns in a binary table.  The first dimension is
     taken to be the size of a unit string.   (The TFORMn = 'rAw'
     syntax may also be used to specify the unit string size).

   - in fits_img_decompress, the fits_get_img_param function was called
     with an invalid dimension size, which caused a fatal error on at
     least 1 platform.

   - in ffopentest, set the status value before returning in case of error.

   - in the drvrnet.c file, the string terminators needed to be changed
     from "\n" to "\r\n" to support the strict interpretation of the
     http and ftp standard that is enforced by some newer web servers.

Additional changes beyond 3.04:

   - Small changes to support WCS keywords in tables, and to support writing
     signed byte datatype images.

******************************************************************************
                                   PGPLOT
******************************************************************************

- postscript driver: 
  Increased the size of the number allowed to be written as a rotation
  angle.  The previous format was unreasonably restrictive.

******************************************************************************
                                  QDP/PLT
******************************************************************************

- Updates from Allyn Tennant:

   2007-04-05 - Contour plots written with WE should now work.
   2007-02-02 - Upper limits now plot correctly on LOG scale.
   2007-01-08 - The sequence Fit/UN/Fit now works with splines.
   2007-01-08 - MO @file/UNcer 2 is now illegal (and never worked correctly).
   2006-08-31 - STat command works again.
   2006-08-30 - Fit now works if x coordinate is decreasing.

******************************************************************************
                                    FGUI
******************************************************************************

- New task 'fgui', a graphical interface to running FTOOLS, which replaces
  the deprecated 'flaunch' task.

******************************************************************************
                                   FUTILS
******************************************************************************

- fdiff: Fixed to prevent seg fault with long filenames.

- fhelp: On Mac OS X, use the system 'open' command to display help files.

- fverify: Fixed spurious error message regarding TDISP keywords like F8.0,
  that specify 0 number of decimal places.

******************************************************************************
                                FV / POW / FITSTCL
******************************************************************************

- Give "404" message if text help file is not found.  Exit completely when
  clicking on "X".

- Make sure the yes/no question has lower case value.

- Allow "Run Ftool" to execute commands such as "fv" which do not have par
  files.

- Allow browser set filename to stay between iconify and deiconify.

- Fix run ftool log dump problem.

- Update logic 64 bit integer extraction to use condition of data
  typeSTRING_DATA (5) also.

- Fix large FLOAT number display instead of NULL when number is larger than
  FLT_MAX.

*****************************************************************************
                                   HEASARC
******************************************************************************

- extractor:

  Another rework of the code that reads event filenames from an input
  indirect file. This is much simplified and eliminates any possibility of
  the file being opened in some routine when it has already been opened
  elsewhere.

  Fix for problem running on Intel Mac using g95. If an indirect file was in
  use for the input event files it was being opened multiple times and not
  closed. Eventually this generated an error in the fortran open statement.
  Moved the ADDFN routine from extractor.f to wstdky.f because it was only
  being called from WSTDKY.

- nh: 

  Modified to use new LAB HI map by default, and to allow the user to choose
  (with the usemap input parameter) between either the new LAB HI map, the old
  Dickey & Lockman HI map, or both when calculating Nh. Also fixed a bug in
  nhmake.f, where, due to an uninitialized status variable, the first point
  examined in the map was skipped if compiled with most modern Linux/Macintosh
  compilers. Modified nh.f to write new output parameters, avnh, avwnh, alnh,
  and alwnh, corresponding to the average Nh, weighted average Nh for the
  default map, and average Nh, weighted average Nh for the alternate map
  respectively.  Also modified the Makefile to install the new and old HI
  maps into $LHEA_DATA.  Help files are updated to reflect these changes.

*****************************************************************************
                                   HEATOOLS
******************************************************************************

- ftconvert: Read all data as TSTRING to avoid truncation problems.  Previously
  ftconvert was generating e.g. "7.62939453125e" from "7.62939E-06".

- fthedit: Updated to support long string keyword values that contain
  embedded spaces.

- ftverify: Fixed spurious error message regarding TDISP keywords like F8.0,
  that specify 0 number of decimal places.

******************************************************************************
                                   XIMAGE
******************************************************************************

- Fixed King coefficient calculation to match that of A. Moretti in xrtmkarf.c.

- Fixed bug with "unknown" command leading to Seg fault.

- Fixed bug whereby non-square images were processed as square images.

*****************************************************************************
                                   XSELECT
*****************************************************************************

Change requested by Suzaku XIS team to allow multiple extensions in HK files.
The read hk command now allows an extension to be given eg filename+3. This
entire name plus extension is passed to maketime when doing a select hk.

Increased string sizes to allow longer hk and mkf selection expressions.

*****************************************************************************
                                   XSPEC 11
*****************************************************************************

XSPEC v11.3.2ag:

- Increased array sizes to allow lots of models.

- Fixed bug in setting dynamic array sizes which could cause a seg fault

- Fixed bug on 64-bit Linux

- Workaround for problems gfortran seems to be having initializing block data.

- Removed BLOCK DATA to avoid possible problems with gfortran. Note that
  this block data should have been superfluous so this _should_ have no effect.

- Moved inline function definition before data statements for --pedantic
  consistency with the fortran standard.

- Replaced BLOCK DATA code to avoid issues with gfortran.

- Replaced use of BLOCK DATA to avoid problems with gfortran.

- Install command as part of xantcl target is unnecessary/redundant.

- Added dynamic memory - this fixes a bug that caused xspec to seg fault if
  usinga response matrix with > 5000 energy bins. Also removed a bunch of
  unused variables.

*****************************************************************************
                                   XSPEC 12
*****************************************************************************

HEASOFT 6.3 includes Xspec 12.3.1 updated to patched version 12.3.1x.  See

  http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/xanadu/xspec/issues/issues.html

for information about the individual patches.



=============================================================================
                           MISSION-SPECIFIC SOFTWARE:
=============================================================================


*****************************************************************************
                                    ASCA
*****************************************************************************

- ghkdump:

  The previous version, when used with modal_check = no, did not initialize
  the list of modal parameters, leading to incorrect (and inconsistent)
  behaviors.  This happened because the routine "getint", which was called
  only if modal_check=yes, was used both to initialize these modal parameters
  and to print diagnostic messages when any of them changes during an
  observation.  The code has been changed such that the modal parameters
  are now initialized regardless of the modal_check parameter value.
  The intended difference in behavior is whether diagnostic messages are
  output, if a modal parameter changes during an observation.

  A dummy subroutine (ghkdummy) has also been added to make sure that the
  block data section (ghkblk) at the end of the file is initialized under
  gfortran.

*****************************************************************************
                                    CGRO
*****************************************************************************

- groview: Fix the column ordering of the FITS input table relative
  to the "fits_read_col" calls.

*****************************************************************************
                                    ROSAT
*****************************************************************************

- detect: Fixed compilation problem seen under gfortran 4.1.1.

- hrirpsf: Fixed seg fault that was occuring when the output file already
  existed (with clobber=yes).

*****************************************************************************
                                    RXTE
******************************************************************************

- pcarmf: Removed extraneous tabs in continued format line which created
  runtime problems when compiled with gFortran.

*****************************************************************************
                                   SUZAKU
*****************************************************************************

Suzaku software Version 5 - Changes since HEASoft v6.2:

--------------
Global change 
--------------
   - All tasks support the CALDB query   

----------------------
Suzaku Generic tools
-----------------------
 aeaspect :
 
   - Copy NOM_PNT keyword from attitude file.
  
 aeattcor :
   
   - New tool.Correct Euler angles in attitude file for the "thermal wobbling".
  
 aemkehk :

   - Add 'COR2' column in output .ehk file (new rigidity CALDB needed).
   - Quit immediately when no orbit or attitude information is available.
   - New parameter: rigidity


 All general tasks 
   aeaspect, aeattcor, aebarycen, aecoordcalc, aemkehk, aetimecalc
 search the leap second file in the Heasoft data directory if leapfile=AUTO

------------------
XIS Specific tools
------------------
  
xiscoord :

  -  Fill blanks if coordinates conversion fails.
  -  Fill ACTY=511 when psum timing mode.
  -  New parameter: ignore_frames
  
xisgtigen:

  - Support psum timing event files
  - Bug fix in generating GTI, when a jump in the frame time is detected.
  - New parameter: ignore_frames
  
xispi :
  - Support for data taken with the SCI 
  - Saw-tooth CTI correction for SCI (new format makepi needed).
  - Smooth PHA to PI conversion around Si-K edge  (new format makepi needed).
  - Mode-dependent gain & CTI correction (new format makepi needed).
  - Strict treatment for window option.
  - Fill PHANOCTI column.
  - Reject invalid HK values in hkfile
  - Bug fix of CTI correction for surrounding pixels, 2x2 mode, etc.
  - Support psum timing event files.
  - New parameters: ignore_frames, enable_trcor,
      enable_cticor, enable_scicti, enable_edge_smooth,
      hk_time_margin, hk_aetemp_min, hk_aetemp_max,  flag_rand_phas0
  - Removed parameters: trcor_flag_rand, cticor_flag_rand
  
xisputpixelquality:

  - Add new bits for SCI and window boundary.
  - Strict treatment for window option.
  - Bug fix in judging neighboring pixels of bad columns.
  - New parameters: ignore_frames, enable_scipixq
  
 xistime :
 
  - Support psum timing event files.
  - Time assignment has changed for window option.
  - Update columns in GTI, FRAMES, EXPOSURES, LOSTAREAS extensions.
  - Update TSTART, TSTOP, TELAPASE, ONTIME, LIVETIME, EXPOSURE keywords.
  - New parameters: ignore_frames, gapsec
  
 xisucode :

  - Write SCI releated keywords with new format ucodelst CALDB.
  - Now written in C. Note this task does not have par file.
  - Always copy CODE_ID and other ucode keywords from primary
    to other extensions

 xisrmfgen :

  - Support SCI RMF generation, with new format rmfparam CALDB file.
  - Read EDITMODE, WINOPT, CI keywords from phafile.
  - New parameters: editmode, winopt, ci, enable_scirmf

 xisexpmapgen :

  - New tool. Calculate a detector mask image usable in xissimarfgen, and
    an exposure map in sky coordinates considering the attitude wobbling.

 xissim :

  - Fill STATUS column appropriately as 'xisputpixelquality' does.
  - Speed up in calculations, In particular when scatsw=1 (default 0)

 xissimarfgen :
 
  - Added parameters included also in 'xisexpmapgen',  e.g.
    enable_pixq, hotpixfiles, badcolumfile, calmaskfile,
    pixq_min, pixq_max, pixq_and, pixq_eql that deal with 
    SCI rows, hot and flickering pixels, bad columns, and 
    the area of the 55Fe calibration sources.
  - Speed up in calculations, In particular when scatsw=1 (default 0)
  
------------------
HXD Specific tools
------------------
  
  
 hxdtime, hxdmkgainhist, hxdpi, hxdgrade :
  - Support new v2.x format
  - Add new DET_TYPE definition (hxdgrade)
  
 hxdwambstid :
  - New tool, to fix the time information and save as the burst id 
    information into a file.
  
 hxdmkbstspec :
  - New tool.Calculate spectra from the burst data

 hxdpi :

  - Update to read GSOGHT calibration file.
  - Bbug fixed, Illigal keyword in Bnk Access (reported by R.Fink)
  
 hxdbsttime, hxdmkbstlc :
  - Read bstidt file (hxdbsttime)
  - Support new V2.0 format
 
 hxdmkwamspec, hxdmkbstspec :
   - Bug fixed in writing CHECKSUM
   - Add DETUNIT keyword in products.

 hxddtcor :
   - Small bug fixed in reading list or save pseudo file

 hxdarfgen, hxdmkwamspec :
   - Small bug fix
  
 hxdgrade:
   - Bug fixed, Illigal keyword in Bnk Access (reported by R.Fink)
   
 hxdwamtime :
   - Bug fixed in writing TIMEDEL when readoimode = create.

 hxdwampi :
   - Bug fixed win updating TUNIT3

******************************************************************************
                                    SWIFT
******************************************************************************

--------------------
BAT Specific tools
--------------------

batphasimerr :

  - New Tool. This task estimates the statistical uncertainties for simulated
    spectra, which XSPEC is not capable of doing properly.


batbinevt :

  - New 'timepixr' parameter which controls the alignment of the TIME value
    in each time bin.
  - Handle survey DPHs with more than one GTI per row.

batcelldetect :

  -  BUG FIX: Default point spread function shape is now GAUSSIAN instead of
     PYRAMID (see BAT CALDB report on the point spread function for more
     information)
  -  New CENT_RATE/CENT_COUNTS output catalog column reports the image
     intensity at the central pixel position.
  -  Convergence criteria for the PSF fit are configurable (with the psf_chitol
     and psf_partol parameters)
  -  BUG FIX: Handles images with Poisson statistics more properly (not BAT
     images)
  -  Error messages involving column names have been made correct
  -  The OVERSMP{X,Y} keywords are now written as floating point numbers

batdetmask :

  - INTERFACE CHANGE: the "output" parameters caldbfile and detmaskused
    have been changed to outcaldbmask and outdetmask, respectively.
  - BUG FIX: Select the enable/disable map based on time rather than
    just the first one.
  - Now call the CALDB query program quzcif with explicit named parameters

batdrmgen :

  - Internal changes to defend against CFITSIO misbehavior

baterebin :

  - Code clean up

batgrbproduct :
 
 - Change parameter query method (pquery2 -> pget)
 -  Fix non-fatal bug

battblocks :

 - Add more error checking


Additional changes :  

a) The following tasks were modified internally to defend against an
   obscure misbehavior of the CFITSIO library.

   * batbinevt
   * batcelldetect
   * batclean
   * batdrmgen
   * bateconvert
   * baterebin
   * batfftimage
   * bathotpix
   * batmaskwtevt
   * batmaskwtimg
   * batoccultmap
   * batwarpimg

b) The following tasks were modified to call component tasks with
   explicit parameter names:

   * batglobalgti
   * batgrbproduct
   * batoccultgti
   * batphasyserr


c) The tasks batevt2dpi, batgse2dpi, batgse2dph, and batmasktagpha are
   considered obsolete, and/or not for end users.


Known Issues see at : 

  http://swift.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/swift/analysis/bat_digest.html

--------------------
UVOT specific tools
--------------------

Warning: bug in uvotsource method=CURVEOFGROWTH

The Swift/UVOT tool uvotsource, which derives instrumental source magnitudes
from an image, contains a bug when calculating the coincidence loss factor
using the new option "method=CURVEOFGROWTH".  Users should only use the
method=APERTURE call to the tool until this bug is fixed.

No aperture correction is applied when using "method=APERTURE".  Consequently,
the calculated magnitudes and flux densities will only be correct if the
source region input file has the same radius as the standard photometric
aperture defined in the parameter "zerofile" (5 arcsec for the current CALDB).
Otherwise, the user must perform an aperture correction through examination
of other stars in the image.

An updated uvotsource will be released with the next Swift software update in
the near future.


uvotapercorr :

  - New Tool. Aperture correction for Swift-UVOT source count rates.

uvotcentroid :

  - New Tool. Locate the centroid of a source on a UVOT image.

uvotcoincidence :
  - New Tool.  Perform Coincidence loss correction.

uvotdetect :

  - Update to handling of exposure map (from Scott Koch).
  - Determine magnitude and fluxes of detected sources.

uvotevtlc :

  - Updated to handle arbitrary source and background regions.

uvotexpmap :

  - Added support for generating exposure map masks.
  - Constrain radius of mask to reflect truncated corners of raw images.

uvotflatfield :

  - Maintain FLATCORR keyword.

uvotflux :

  - New Tool. Convert rates to magnitudes and fluxes.

uvotmag :
  - [OBSOLETE - use uvotcoincidence/uvotflux instead]

uvotimage :

  - Mod 8 correction and flatfielding available.
  - Made sky transform for event data consistent with uvotexpmap.
  - Prefer DETNAM to WHEELPOS for CALDB queries.
  - Write alternate WCS D(etector) keywords to EVENT mode sky images.

uvotimsum :

  - Bug fix: corrected EXPOSURE when images are filtered.
  - Implemented support for applying masks during summation.

uvotmaghist :

  - Reimplemented to use uvotsource on each image.

uvotmodmap :

  - Maintain MOD8CORR keyword.

uvotproduct :

  - Updated column names to match uvotsource changes.

uvotshiftpha :

  - New tool. Shift UVOT PHA in time assuming power-law decay.

uvotsource :  *** SEE WARNING ABOUT USAGE ABOVE ***

  - Rewrote source photometry calculations including 
    coincidence loss correction based on standard aperture.
  - New method=CURVEOFGROWTH aperture correction available.
  - Output results as row in FITS table.

uvotskycorr :

  -Support multiple catalogs.

-------------------
XRT specific tools
-------------------

 xrtpccorr :
 
    - New task. Task for the on-ground bias adjustment for PC mode. First, the
      CCD is divided into regions (subimages). Next, bad pixels are
      excluded and a time dependent average of the corner pixels values
      is computed to estimate residual bias. Finally, the bias adjustment
      is applied to all event's PHAS subtracting the computed time
      dependent average.
 
 xrtpcbias :

    - New task. Script to correct the bias subtracted on-board for PC mode.
      First, the script run xrtflagpix and xrtpcgrade with raised values
      of 'phas1thr' and 'split' parameters (both with default set to 120).
      Next, run xrthotpix. Finally, compute and apply bias adjustment
      (xrtpccorr task).
      [Added check on XPHASCO keyword to verify if PHAS is already corrected.]
 
 
 xrthotpix :

    - Upgrade of the algorithm to improve bad pixels identification
    - New input parameter 'gradeiterate' to perform a further iteration
      using a map with only events having GRADE<=12
    - Changed default values of 'phamax' (from 1000 to 4095) and 'iterate'
      (from "no" to "yes") input parameters.
 
 xrttdrss2 :

    - Set 'iterate'="yes", 'phamax'=4095 and 'gradeiterate'="no" in
      xrthotpix task call.
 
 xrtinstrmap :

    - Add 'TSTART' 'TSTOP' 'DATE-OBS' 'DATE-END' 'PA_PNT' keywords in primary
      header of the output file
    - Bug fixed in TSTART and TSTOP check of Housekeeping header file.
    - New input parameter 'checkattitude' (default set to "no").
 
 xrtexpocorr :
 
    - Apply the vignetting correction to a raw coordinates instrument map.
 
 xrtexpomap :
 
    - Vignetting correction applied to the instrument map in raw coordinates.
    - New input parameter 'checkattitude' for xrtinstrmap call (default set
      to "no").

  xrtmkarf :
  
     - Bug fixed when read exposure maps for WT mode.
 
  xrtwtcorr :

     - New input parameters 'npixels' and 'biasth'.
 
  xrtcalcpi :
   
     - Handle ACS flags configurations with 'settled' flag up before the
       'In10ArcMin' flag.
 
  xrtevtrec :
 
     - Handle ACS flags configurations with 'settled' flag up before the
       'In10ArcMin' flag.
 
  xrtflagpix :

     - Handle ACS flags configurations with 'settled' flag up before the
       'In10ArcMin' flag.
 
  xrtpcgrade :

     - Handle ACS flags configurations with 'settled' flag up before the
       'In10ArcMin' flag.
 
  xrttimetag :

     - Handle ACS flags configurations with 'settled' flag up before the
       'In10ArcMin' flag
     - If 'WMCOLNUM' or 'WM1STCOL' in housekeeping trailer file have values
       out of range use default values.
 
  xrthkproc :
  
     - Handle ACS flags configurations with 'settled' flag up before the
       'In10ArcMin' flag.
 
  xrtscreen :

     - Changed observation mode range expression to handle ACS flags
       configuration with 'settled' flag up before the 'In10ArcMin' flag
     - New input parameter 'acsscreen' to screen events with  ACS flags in
       non standard pointing configuration SETTLED=1 TEN_ARCMIN=0 SAFEHOLD=0
     - Copy new extension 'BIASDIFF' created by xrtpccorr task from the
       input event file to the output  L2 event file.
 
 xrtpipeline :

     - New input parameters 'wtbiath' 'wtnpixels' for xrtwtcorr call
     - New input parameter 'acsscreen' for xrtscreen call
     - New input parameter 'gradeiterate' for xrthotpix call
     - Changed default value of 'phamax' (from 1000 to 4095) and 'iterate'
       (from 'no' to 'yes') parameters for xrthotpix call
     - Correct bias for Photon Counting Mode files (xrtpcbias task call)
     - New input parameter 'pcbiascorr' to execute/not execute the bias
       correction for Photon Counting Mode files (default set to "yes")
     - New input parameters 'pcbiassubimage', 'pcbiassubimgsize',
       'pcbiasnevents', 'pcbiaslessevents', 'pcbiasmethod', 'pcbiasbadpix',
       'pcbiasgrademin', 'pcbiasgrademax', 'pcbiasevtthr', and
       'pcbiassplitthr' for xrtpcbias task call.
     - New input parameter 'checkattitude' for xrtexpomap call (default set
       to "no").

Web page maintained by: Bryan K. Irby