SolarSoft Updates Using WGET

Last Update 05-May-2020, Kim Tolbert

In August 2019, GSFC stopped allowing anonymous FTP as a security measure. This meant that the old perl/mirror/ftp method for updating SSW stopped working. We are working on a few alternatives including WGET, LFTP, and an all IDL solution. Currently the most reliable solution for all platforms is the WGET version, so it is now the default in the ssw_upgrade procedure. If that changes, this space will be updated. This document provides help using the new WGET version for updates. Unix/MacOS users don't have to change much; Windows users must alter their update script.

The instructions below assume you have done an SSW update since August 2019 when the old perl/mirror/ftp updates stopped working, and therefore have the wget executable, as well as the new version of the SSW routines that use wget. If you haven't, please follow the instructions here.

• For Windows, the wget executable is distributed in SSW (in $SSW\packages\binaries\exe\Win32_x86_64).
• For Linux/MacOS, you must install wget.

SSW links: SolarSoft, SSW Installation Guide

Notes about the WGET version

• This new version of ssw_upgrade using wget is quite slow!
• While the update is running, files called index.xxx will appear in your ssw directories. After each branch has updated, a cleanup procedure is run to remove them.
• As before, you must be the owner of the SSW tree (Linux/MacOS) or have elevated privileges (Windows) (I think).

Interactive Updates on Any Platform

To update SSW interactively, while in SSWIDL, type

This will update all the SSW branches listed in the SSW_INSTR environment variable (as well as their dependencies, and always includes gen and packages/binaries). This most likely will not update every branch in your SSW tree since you probably run SSW with a subset of branches activated. To check your instrument list, type print,chklog('SSW_INSTR')

To upgrade specific branches, type for example

This will update the hessi branch (and any dependencies, and always includes gen and packages/binaries) of SSW.

You can also use ssw_upgrade to add an SSW branch that you didn't intially include when you installed SSW.

There is a corresponding sswdb_upgrade routine to update your SSWDB files if you have any.

Updates from a Script

When you update from a script, the file $SSW/site/setup/setup.ssw_upgrade controls the branches that will be updated. This file looks like this
SSW_INSTR hessi, spex, xray, eit, lasco, cds, smei, bham, hafb, ucsd, proba2
and should contain a complete list of all branches installed on your local computer. This file is provided for you when you install SSW on a Linux/MacOS platform, but you may need to update it if you add branches. On Windows, this file is not provided on installation, but you can create one. Or if you follow the instructions below for a Windows script, your complete set of branches to update can be included in the update_ssw.bat file.

• Unix and MacOS

  On Unix/MacOS create a script containing this line
  
  #!/bin/csh $SSW/gen/bin/ssw_batch go_update_ssw $SSW/site/setup/update_ssw.log
  
  You can run the script on demand or through a cron job. To run a cron job, you may need to add a few more lines to your script, such as the following (edit for your SSW location):
  

  #!/bin/csh
  setenv SSW /data/ssw
  source $SSW/gen/setup/setup.ssw
  $SSW/gen/bin/ssw_batch go_update_ssw $SSW/site/setup/update_ssw.log
  

  (This script has not changed since the switch to wget, so if you already had one, it should continue to work.)

• Windows

  The old SSW update script for Windows that uses perl/mirror/ftp will no longer work. Follow the instructions below to create a new script, or do your updates interactively as described above.

  • Create two files in your $SSW/site/setup directory - update_ssw.bat and start_update_ssw.pro.

    1. Create a file called update_ssw.bat containing the following (NOTE: You must edit this for your system!):

       set HOST=nasa.gov
       set SSW=C:\ssw
       set SSWDB=C:\sswdb
       set IDL_STARTUP=C:\ssw\gen\idl\ssw_system\idl_startup_windows.pro
       set SSW_INSTR=aia hessi hxrbs ontology spex vso xray grs
       cd /d C:\Program Files\Harris\IDL88\bin\bin.x86_64
       idl C:\ssw\site\setup\start_update_ssw > C:\ssw\site\setup\update_ssw.log
       

       This file is similar to the the .bat file you are using to start SSWIDL, so you could start with that. The items you may need to edit for your system are:

       • SSW - points to the top directory of your SSW tree
       • SSWDB - points to the top level of your SSWDB tree if you have one. If not, you can omit this line.
       • IDL_STARTUP - make sure the path is correct for your system
       • SSW_INSTR - include ALL the SSW branches that you want to update. Note that alternatively you can create a $SSW/site/setup/setup.ssw_upgrade file to list all branches to update, as mentioned above.
       • cd should cd to the directory containing the Harris IDL executable that you want to run. The /d is necessary if your ssw directory and your idl executable are on different disks. Without the /d option, the cd command will not change disks!
       • In the line starting with idl, make sure the paths are correct for your system
       • The items that are on one line above (widen your browser to be sure) must be on one line in your .bat file.

    2. Create a file called start_update_ssw.pro (this will be run by the script in Step 1) containing this:

       .run go_update_ssw
       exit

  • Run update_ssw.bat on demand (by clicking the file in $SSW/site/setup) or automatically on a schedule via the Task Scheduler. In either case, while it's running two DOS windows will appear. Don't close these windows unless you want to cancel the update.

    To schedule automatic updates, do one of the following (you may need elevated privileges):

    In a command prompt window, type, for example

    schtasks /create /tn SSW_UPDATE /tr C:\ssw\site\setup\update_ssw.bat /sc daily /st 13:00
    

    OR, to use the Windows Task Scheduler interface, do this:

    1. In Windows search box, type Task Scheduler and click the Task Scheduler app. (Search box is next to start button. If not, right-click taskbar, click search, and click 'Show search box')
    2. In right panel called 'Actions', click 'Create task'
    3. In General tab, type a name and description (e.g. SSW_UPDATE for both). Click Run only when user is logged on
    4. In Triggers tab, click 'New...' and enter your preferred schedule
    5. In Actions tab, enter the path to the .bat file you created (e.g. C:\ssw\site\setup\update_ssw.bat)
    6. Next time you start the Task Scheduler, you will see the SSW_UPDATE task listed in the Task Scheduler Library. To edit, right-click and click Properties.

    In either case, you can check the scheduled task by typing in a command prompt window (edited for what you named the task)

    schtasks /query /tn ssw_update

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