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Astronomer's Integrated Desktop (Astrid)

1. Introduction

The Astronomer's Integrated Desktop (astrid) is a single, unified workspace that incorporates, but does not replace, the suite of applications that can be used with the GBT. astrid currently provides astronomers with easy access to the following:

• Observation Management - Observing API (turtle)
  • This gives access to the Configuration API via the config tool
  • And to the Balancing API
• Data Display - GFM (GBT FITS Monitor)
• DEAP (Data Extraction & Analysis Program)
• A Python Editor
• A Text Editor
• Online Documentation
• Multiple Astrids (for use with many headed monitors)

2. Why do we need it?

This is an application manager, which means that all of the underlying science is taken care of by the individual applications. If all the real work is done by the underlying applications, why should we have an application manager at all? The astrid utility solves the following problems:

• You won't have to remember the names of applications, or the commands that are required to launch them. However, if you just want to launch gfm or turtle independently, or you want to test out a feature prior to a release as its sponsor, you can do these by directly interfacing with the single program you need.
• You won't have to source anything. Ever.
• You won't have a million small armadillo icons at the bottom of your screen, and have to click on several of them to find the window that you need, or the command line that corresponds to a particular window - they will all be fast and easy to locate.

It also helps support some observational techniques, including:

• Supports the need to perform balancing while a scan is running (required for some pulsar observations).

3. Known Issues

• Zoom, unzoom and other graphical features are not available from the main toolbar if your Dynamic Corrections window is currently active. After launching astrid, if you open a new GFM window followed by a new Dynamic Corrections window, you will see that the GFM toolbar is still available even though your Dynamic Corrections window is the one which is currently active. Clicking on the GFM-1 tab, and then clicking back to the Dynamic Corrections-1 tab will solve this problem.

4. Performance

It takes astrid between 1-6 seconds to launch from the command line, depending upon whether you are using a Windows or a Linux machine. Individual windows showing GFM and other applications take <2 seconds to launch.

5. Future Enhancements

• Adding new applications/documentation to the environment.

As new applications are built and released, they will be accessible from the astrid workspace. In the future, the following capabilities may also be integrated into the workspace:

• A version of Glen's summary program, with the enhancement of being able to annotate and save your comments
• A SchedulingBlock builder to serve as the GO replacement

Core Team

There is no scientific sponsor for this application manager since all of the science is contained in underlying applications.