calcrpsf HEADAS help file

NAME

calcrpsf -- multi-task wrapper for Radial PSF tools

USAGE

calcrpsf

DESCRIPTION

This task is a multi-task 'wrapper' (essentially a FORTRAN script) to run several ftools associated with Radial (1-dimensional) Point Spread Functions (RPSFs). In the current build, the following tasks are supported:

st2rpsf

Reads i/p data from a FITS file produced by stwfits (within the stsdas/fitsio sub-package) assumed to contain a 1-dimensional radial profile of a image, and writes an o/p RPSF dataset in OGIP-standard format.

rbnrpsf

Rebins an RPSF dataset such that a user-defined number of 'source' counts are contained within each bin, and writes a new file containing the results.

one of the following tasks to generate a theoretical RPSF dataset:

pcrpsf: for the ROSAT PSPC (with a number of user-defined options available).
hrirpsf: for the ROSAT HRI

rpsfqdp

Reads an observed RPSF dataset and writes the data to an ASCII file along with QDP commands to enable QDP/PLT to be used directly on the o/p file. In additional, a theoretical/predicted RPSF dataset can be read and written such that QDP/PLT will overlay it on the same curve.

One, some or all of these tasks can be spawned automatically from within calcrpsf, as dictated by the input parameters (see below). More detailed help on the individual tasks can of course by obtained by using the command "fhelp {task}".

As Users Guide for this task (CAL/SW/93-011), which contains a more detailed description of the task, protential problems, as well as examples is available via the OGIP anonymous ftp acoount on legacy.gsfc.nasa.gov (in Postscript) as caldb/docs /memos/cal_sw_93_011.ps.

SUPPORTED FITS FILE FORMATS

   With the exception of the format conversion tasks st2rpsf & rpsfqdp, all

tasks read & write FITS files which adhere to the format given in OGIP Calibration memo CAL/GEN/92-020. This document is available via the OGIP anonymous ftp acoount on legacy.gsfc.nasa.gov (in Postscript) as caldb/docs /memos/cal_gen_92_020.ps.

WARNINGS ON USAGE

The following temporary files can be generated in the local directory by calcrpsf during its execution. Which files are actually created by a given calcrpsf run obviously depends on which combination of tasksare spawned:

(A) st2rpsf.tmp (by st2rpsf)
(B) rbnrpsf.tmp (by rbnrpsf)
(C) rpsfpred.tmp (by any of the RPSF generators)

All these files should be automatically removed on successful execution. However under certain circumstances (eg if calcrpsf crashes) this might not be the case, and the files can/should be removed manually.

Since this task spawns other ftools, it is crucial that users have their account properly set up. Specifically, users must have the path to their local copy of the ftools executables, and the environment variables pointing to the local system & user copies of the parameter files defined within the set-up files executed by such spawned jobs. For example, users running the c-shell on unix/ultrix platforms must have the above defined within their .cshrc file (NOT their .login file). Users who use the ftools initialization procedures recommended by a given ftools release should experience no difficulties. Those that do not are on their own.

PARAMETERS

infil [character string]: The name of the input file. The file required obviously depends upon which tasks are to be spawned as detailed below. Users who simply want to generate a theoretical RPSF dataset for a given mission should specify infil=NONE.
outfil [character string]: The name of the output file. The task which produces the output file obviously depends upon which is the last task to be spawned (as detailed below).
qst2rpsf [boolean]: Logical flag indicating whether the task st2rpsf is to be spawned. If yes, then the value of the infil parameter above should be the name of the FITS file produced by stwfits. If no other tasks are to be spawned from within calcrpsf, then the value of the outfil parameter should be the name of the desired o/p file. (If other tasks are spawned, then intermediate files will be produced & removed whilst calcrpsf is executing). This parameter is not required if infil=NONE.
qrbnrpsf [boolean]: Logical flag indicating whether the task rbnrpsf is to be spawned. If yes, but st2rpsf has NOT been run, then the value of the infil parameter above should be the name of the FITS file (in OGIP-standard format) to be rebinned. If no other tasks are to be spawned after rbnrpsf from within calcrpsf, then the value of the outfil parameter should be the name of the desired o/p file. (If other tasks are spawned, then intermediate files will be produced & removed whilst calcrpsf is executing). This parameter is not required if infil=NONE.
qpred [character string (pseudo-boolean)]: This string indicates whether one of the available tasks to generate a theoretical RPSF dataset is to be spawned. Its allowed values are the same as for a boolean (eg 'yes', 'no', 'true', 'false' etc etc), but with the addition that the special value '?' will list the instruments for which such a theoretical RPSF generator is available. If a theoretical RPSF dataset is requested, but NEITHER st2rpsf OR rbnrpsf have been run, then the value of the infil parameter above should be the name of the FITS file to which the theoretical RPSF dataset is to be appended. If infil=NONE, then the theoretical RPSF dataset will be written to a new FITS file. If rpsfqdp is NOT to be spawned afterwards from within calcrpsf, then the value of the outfil parameter should be the name of the desired o/p file. (If rpsfqdp is spawned, then an intermediate file will be produced & removed whilst calcrpsf is executing).
telescop [character string]: The name of the mission on which the instrument for which the theoretical RPSF dataset is required. This parameter is only required by calcrpsf if infil=NONE, and qpred=yes.
instrume [character string]: The name of the instrume for which the theoretical RPSF dataset is required. This parameter is only required by calcrpsf if infil=NONE, and qpred=yes.
qrpsfqdp [boolean]: Logical flag indicating whether the task rpsfqdp is to be spawned. If yes, but NONE of the other tasks are to be run, then the value of the infil parameter above should be the name of the FITS file (in OGIP-standard format) to be converted to an ASCII QDP file. The value of the outfil parameter should be the name of the desired o/p file.
(chatter = 9) [integer]: Integer flag to indicate how chatty the task is at execution. A value of 9 is the default, with lower/higher values producing quieter/verbose output respectively.
(schatter = 5) [integer]: Integer flag to indicate how chatty the spawned tasks will be during their execution. A value of 5 is the default, with lower/higher values producing quieter/verbose output respectively.
(clobber = false) [boolean]: Flag specifying whether or not a pre-existing file with the same name as that requested as the output file from this task will be overwritten.

BUGS

None known

LOG OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES

v1.2.0 (1994 Feb): Public release version
v1.0.0 (1994 Jan): Beta-test version

PRIMARY AUTHOR

Ian M George