AIPS HELP file for BATCH in 31DEC24

As of Thu Apr 25 14:20:22 2024

INPUTS

BATQUE          1.0        33.0    Batch work file

HELP SECTION

BATCH
Type: verb (acts somewhat like a pseudoverb since remainder of input
            line will not be executed)
Use: Causes the input mode to be changed to batch (prompt symbol <).
     All following lines are placed in the specified batch work file
     until the string ENDBATCH or endbatch is found in the input.  The
     lines are placed at the start of the work file if the file is
     empty or if it was last used by someone other than the current
     logged-on user.  Otherwise the lines go after the previously
     entered text.
Adverbs:
  BATQUE.....The number of the work file for which the text is being
             prepared (1 to allowed maximum which is locally
             dependent, often 2)

EXPLAIN SECTION

BATCH   Verb to cause following text to be added to a batch job.
Documentor:  Eric W. Greisen
Related programs: BATEDIT, BAMODIFY, BATLIST, etc.

                         PURPOSE

     In order to run a job using the AIPS batch system a text file of
commands must be prepared and submitted to it.  BATCH is the first
verb used in preparing a file of this type.  It causes the AIPS
program to read all following lines and place them in a "work file"
for later submission.  The reading of the input text continues until
the EXACT string ENDBATCH (or endbatch) is encountered in the input.
Then AIPS returns to normal mode.  The prompt symbol during batch
preparation mode is "<" rather than the usual ">".  The first time
BATCH is used by a user on a particular work file, the text goes at
the beginning of the file.  Thereafter, BATCH appends the text at the
end of the previous text.  Verbs BATEDIT and BAMODIFY may be used to
edit the contents of the work file and BATLIST to list the contents.
BATCLEAR removes all of the contents of the work file.

     Batch is used in AIPS for several purposes.  It allows repetitive
work to go on in the background without tying up a terminal.  It also
allows long jobs to be run later when the computer is less busy.
There are usually two queues in an AIPS batch system, although there
can be fewer or more.  (Type BATQ=99; INP BATCH to be told the local
upper limit.)  The first should be for smaller jobs but it will now
run tasks which require the array processor.  The others are for
longer jobs and will run AP tasks, and will now run them whenever
you want.

                          COMMENTS

     The editors provided for batch jobs are fairly primitive.  For
this reason, we recommend two methods for reducing the amount of text
actually in a batch work file.  You can prepare a POPS environment for
a particular job or portion of a job (e.g. a task) interactively and
then SAVE it under some name.  This environment may then be recovered
intact in the batch job.  For example, assume that you have a set of
line maps to be cleaned.  Prepare the adverbs for cleaning and try
them on the first map interactively.  When you are satisfied, the do
          >SAVE  CLEANTHEM
          >BATCH
          <GET CLEANTHEM
          <FOR INSEQ = 2:18 ; OUTSE=INSEQ ; GO ; END
          <ENDBATCH
          > ...
Note that AIPS batch runs tasks sequentially.  Thus, it was not
necessary to specify DOWAIT TRUE or to issue a WAITTASK.  When using
this shortcut, be careful not to change your SAVE file(s) before the
batch job has finished.

     The second shortcut is to use RUN files.  These files are
prepared using your local text editor which should have all sorts of
nice facilities.  Then the batch job work file would be prepared
using, for example,
          >BATCLEAR                (clear out last job)
          >BATCH
          <RUN DOITALL
          <ENDBATCH
          >
RUN files are expanded when the job is submitted.  Thus, they may be
modified as soon as a job is successfully in the queue.

     Be sure to list the batch work file with BATLIST before issuing
the verb SUBMIT.  That verb submits the work file to a checking
program (AIPSC) which tests the POPS grammar.  Should it pass the
test, the job is submitted to the batch AIPS called AIPSB which will
run it eventually.  Use the verb QUEUES to list the current queue and
note particularly the "submit time" assigned to your job.  It will be
after the actual submission time by at least a one minute.  This delay
is inserted to allow you to reconsider and to remove the job from the
queue using the verb UNQUE.  When UNQUEd, a job is returned to the
work file - for additional editing presumably.  A job which is not yet
running may be listed with JOBLIST.

     Additional help may be found in the HELP file called BATCHJOB and
in the HELP files for the various verbs.