NAME
ftconvert - Convert a fits table into other format (for an example rdb table).
USAGE
ftconvert infile[ext] outfile columns rowranges
DESCRIPTION
Convert or export a fits table into other formats (for example, rdb table). If column names and
row ranges are specified. Only specified columns and rows are exported
to the rdb table.
PARAMETERS
- infile [filename]
- Input file name and optional extension name or number enclosed in
square brackets of the table to be sorted (e.g., 'file.fits[events]').
If an explicit extension is not specified, then the first 'interesting'
table in the input file will be sorted, i.e., the first table extension
that is not a GTI (Good Time Interval) extension.
- outfile [filename]
- Output file name for the rdb file. If it is '-' the outfile is STDOUT.
- columns [string list]
- A comma separated list of the column names (or numbers) to
export. If it is '-' all columns are exported.
- rowrange [string list]
- A comma separated list of the row ranges, for an example, '2,5-10,20-30'.
If it is '-' all rows are exported.
- format [output format]
- Right now only 'rdb' format is valid option.
- (clobber = NO) [boolean]
- If outfile already exists, then setting 'clobber = yes' will
cause it to be overwritten.
- (chatter = 1) [integer, 0 - 5]
- Controls the amount of informative text written to standard output.
Setting chatter = 5 will produce detailed diagnostic output, otherwise
this task normally does not write any output.
- (history = NO) [boolean]
- If history = YES, then a set of HISTORY keywords will be written to the
header of the sorted HDU to record the value of all the ftsort task
parameters that were used to produce the output file.
EXAMPLES
Note that when commands are issued on the Unix command line, strings
containing special characters such as '[' or ']' must be enclosed in
single or double quotes.
1. Convert the input 'events' table into a rdb table.
ftconvert 'in.fits[events]' out.fits - -
2. Export the X column and Y column and rows 2-10 into a rdb table.
ftconvert in.fits[events]' out.fits X,Y 2-10
SEE ALSO
fv, the interactive FITS file editor, can also be used to export FITS tables into a text file.
LAST MODIFIED
September 2004