AIPS HELP file for NEWTASK in 31DEC25
As of Tue Dec 10 4:58:59 2024
HELP SECTION
NEWTASK
Type: This file contains instructions for creating a new task in AIPS.
It attempts to show it for both Unix and VMS, though the VMS description
is most likely very outdated (the last VMS version of AIPS was 15APR91).
The simplest way to create a new task is to modify an existing one.
In particular, the tasks FUDGE for UV data and TAFFY (or CANDY) for map
data are designed as paraforms for the creation of new tasks and contain
lots of instructions. First pick a new name (up to 5 characters) unique
in AIPS (look in the $LOAD area to check). In the following this new
name will be represented by "newname"; the quotes are not used in the
actual command. The following steps are illustrated with a " percent" prompt
for Unix and a "$" prompt for VMS. The prompt character will be shown
in the following although it should not be typed. You need to do these
steps after EXITing from AIPS to the operating system.
1) Login to your own area, and issue the commands:
Unix VMS
percent source /AIPS/LOGIN.CSH (csh) $ @[AIPS]LOGIN.COM
or percent . /AIPS/LOGIN.SH (sh/ksh/bash)
percent $CDTST $ CDTST
(don't type the "(csh)" or other things in parentheses!)
At this stage you may want to move to a subdirectory, or wherever
you want the new task's source code to be.
2) Copy the old code to a new file:
Unix VMS
percent cp "old".FOR "new".FOR $ copy "old".FOR "new".FOR
For the paraforms, this is
Unix VMS
percent cp $APLPGM/TAFFY.FOR "new".FOR $ COPY APLPGM:TAFFY.FOR "new".FOR
percent cp $APLPGM/FUDGE.FOR "new".FOR $ COPY APLPGM:FUDGE.FOR "new".FOR
percent cp $APGNOT/CANDY.FOR "new".FOR $ COPY APGNOT:CANDY.FOR "new".FOR
NOTE: To avoid headaches, do NOT copy it to a directory in the
existing AIPS directory tree (e.g. do not use a LOCAL subdirectory
under $SYSLOCAL); this will really confuse the COMLNK procedure at
least under Unix. Use a directory, e.g. in your login area instead.
3) Edit the source code using your favorite editor, e.g.
Unix VMS
percent emacs "new".FOR $ EDIT/TPU "new".FOR
All references to the old task name should be changed to the new
task name. It is ESPECIALLY important to change the name of the
task in the PROGRAM statement in the first line of the file and in
the data statment which tells the task it's name. This data
statment is usually in the main routine or in a program-specific
initialization routine.
4) Once the source code has been modified it can be compiled
and linked using the following:
Unix VMS
percent COMLNK "new".FOR options $ COMTST "new".FOR options
where the options include DEBUG for a load module linked for
running in "debug" mode. If you want to generate an options file,
use the LIBS command to do so (e.g. on Unix, LIBS $APLPGM >MINE.OPT)
5) Copy and rename the Help/Inputs/Explain file as
Unix VMS
percent cp $HLPFIL/"old".HLP "new".HLP $ copy HLPFIL:"old".HLP "new".HLP
Use your editor to modify the new file to reflect the adverbs and
functions of the new task. Be sure to change the name of the task
to the new name, to follow the format of the Inputs (first) section
carefully, and to get the adverbs listed in the Inputs in the same
order as expected by the new task.
7) On VMS only, Remember to conserve disk space. Issue
$ PURGE [...]
regularly.
8) To run the new task, define a "logical":
Unix VMS
percent setenv MYAREA `pwd` (csh) $ define MYAREA
or percent MYAREA=`pwd`; export MYAREA
(bash/ksh/sh)
Then run AIPS using, e.g. if you want to use the debugger,
AIPS DEBUG
and set the VERSION adverb to 'MYAREA'.
9) Additional information may be obtained by consulting the GOING AIPS,
Volumes I and II. These should be available in printed form at
Charlottesville and the VLA and AOC.
Also the precursor comments of standard AIPS routines give details
about their use.
EXPLAIN SECTION