====== Apertif Specification procedure ======

This only works for Arno!

===== Software locations =====

  * Specification is done with a ''atdb_spec'' tool from Vanessa Moss; download it from here: https://github.com/cosmicpudding/atdbspec
  * It is installed on ''lcu-head.apertif'' in ''/home/arno/atdbspec''.

===== Using it =====

  * When using it, first source the file ''/home/arno/atdbspec/init.sh''
  * Execute ''python atdb_parsets.py -h'' for help.
  * To run, an input csv-=file is needed that looks like this:<code>
source,ra,dec,date1,time1,date2,time2,int,type,weight,beam,switch_type
3C48,01:37:41.2994,33:09:35.134,2019-02-20,15:45:00,2019-02-20,15:46:00,30,C,compound,0,-
3C48,01:37:41.2994,33:09:35.134,2019-02-20,15:48:00,2019-02-20,15:49:00,30,C,compound,2,-
3C48,01:37:41.2994,33:09:35.134,2019-02-20,15:51:00,2019-02-20,15:52:00,30,C,compound,5,-
3C48,01:37:41.2994,33:09:35.134,2019-02-20,15:54:00,2019-02-20,15:55:00,30,C,compound,6,-
3C48,01:37:41.2994,33:09:35.134,2019-02-20,15:57:00,2019-02-20,15:58:00,30,C,compound,10,-
3C48,01:37:41.2994,33:09:35.134,2019-02-20,16:00:00,2019-02-20,16:01:00,30,C,compound,17,-
</code>
  * Transform this using atdb commands with: ''python atdb_parsets.py -f <inputfile.csv>''
  * This will create a script like: <code>
#!/bin/bash
# Script to create commands for Apertif ATDB
# Automatic generation script by V.A. Moss 04/10/2018
# Last updated by V.A. Moss 11/02/2019
# Schedule generated: 2019-05-22 11:20:16.991464 UTC

atdb_service --field_name=3C48 --field_ra=24.422081 --field_dec=33.159759 --field_beam=0 --starttime='2019-02-20 15:45:00' --endtime='2019-02-20 15:46:00' 
--pattern=square_39p1 --observing_mode=imaging --integration_factor=30 --telescopes=23456789ABCD --central_frequency=1400 --data_dir=/data/apertif/ 
--operation=specification --atdb_host=prod  --end_band=24

atdb_service --field_name=3C48 --field_ra=24.422081 --field_dec=33.159759 --field_beam=2 --starttime='2019-02-20 15:48:00' --endtime='2019-02-20 15:49:00' 
--pattern=square_39p1 --observing_mode=imaging --integration_factor=30 --telescopes=23456789ABCD --central_frequency=1400 --data_dir=/data/apertif/ 
--operation=specification --atdb_host=prod  --end_band=24

...
</code>

===== What happens? =====

The script transforms the input file in to atdb commands that are added to an executable ''.sh'' script (see above). This script is uploaded to ''wcudata1'' (for imaging) or ''arts0'' for ARTS. This script can then be executed to send the specification to the ATDB (see http://atdb.astron.nl/atdb/). 

When the time for starting has come (10 mins before); the ATDB will send a command to create a parset based on these specifications and will put the parset with a ''start_observation'' command on the Apertif bus.