HOW TO USE THE ROLL DATABASE SOFTWARE

Last update April 15, 2004

This memo describes how to use the roll database sofware.

The Roll dbase sofware consists of two objects, hsi_roll_db_define.pro and hsi_roll_db_full__define.pro. hsi_roll_db__define  is the general access to the roll database distributed on the solarsoft tree. hsi_roll_db_full is used by the maintainer of the roll database to generate updates of the public roll database

How to use the roll dbase sofware on the solar soft tree

Create a roll_db object:

o = hsi_roll_db()

Get data from the roll database:

data = o->getdata( obs_time_interval = '31-may-2002 ' + ['10:23:34', '12:33:54'] )
of course you can replace the values for obs_time_interval with whatever you like.

data = o->getdata( obs_time = [t1,t2], out_filename = files )
get the data for the specified observing time interval and in addition returns the ssw  filenames used un the variable files.

data = o->getdata( obs_time = [t1,t2], out_filename = files, db_version = '20020211_1234' )
get the data for the specified observing time interval; uses the roll database files with the version 20020211_1234 instead of the latest version.

data = o->getdata( obs_time = [t1,t2], out_filename = files, /debug )
get the data for the specified observing time interval; prints messages about what it is doing.

Destroy the object:

obj_destroy, o
Dont forget to destroy the object after usage -- trashing objects help to preserve a safe and clean environement.

How to use the roll dbase sofware full version:

In fact this is used only by the mainainer of the master roll database. It canot be used with the solarsoft database files. However, we show it here for completeness.

Create a roll_db_full object:

o = hsi_roll_db_full()

Get data from the master roll database:

data = o->getdata( obs_time_interval = '31-may-2002 ' + ['10:23:34', '12:33:54'] )
of course you can replace the values for obs_time_interval with whatever you like. Returns an array of {hsi_roll_solution_full}.

data = o->getdata( month='1-jan-2002' )
this returns the subset of the database for the specified month. Corresponds to what is written in the associated monthly file.

data = o->getdata( /dbsolution )
returns the contents of the buffer (e.g. after an update, filename = 'xxx' ).

Generate the solarsoft database files from the master roll database:

o->generate_ssw_month, start_date = start_date, end_date = end_date
 Generates the ssw database monthly files. It generates one FITS file for each month. By giving an optional (anytim) start_date and
end_date, the generation of the files can be limited to the associated months.

Update the master roll database:

o->update, /create, filename = filename, dbsolution = dbsolution
Updates the master database.  With the option filename, pass the name of an IDL sav file containing the dbsolution; with the dbsolution option, pass a variable containing th edbsolution. With the option /create, creates a database from scratch.

Destroy the object:

obj_destroy, o
Dont forget to destroy the object after usage -- trashing objects help to preserve a safe and clean environement.

André Csillaghy csillag@ssl.berkeley.edu