TELESCOPE OPERATIONS

All astronomical data collected using standard backend instruments (Spectrometer, Spectral Processor, DCR, or BCPM) is stored in specific subdirectories of the /home/gbtdata directory. No files should be placed directly in the /home/gbtdata directory. Subdirectory naming is accomplished by entering the applicable name in the GO project ID box located on either the GO Main Screen panel or the Scan Coordinator Cleo application. To ensure consistency and standardization in directory naming, a specific naming convention has been established. Guidelines concerning this naming convention are outline below.

Rules applicable to the naming of all subdirectories:

• The subdirectory name should always use capital letters.
• The subdirectory name cannot exceed 15 characters in length.
• The subdirectory name and project id name shown in GO and the Cleo Scan Coordinator must all be the same.
• The subdirectory name cannot include hyphens ("-"). All GBT proposal codes must use the underscore ("_") instead of the hyphen ("-").
• If a suffix (version number) is added, it must consist of a two digit number.

Directory Naming Convention.

Directory names will consist of three parts: Type, Description, and Version (optional)

TYPE

The TYPE is entered as a single character and will depend upon the type of data collected.

DESCRIPTION

The description will depend on the type of data as noted above.

VERSION

The VERSION is a sequence number of the form _nn. It is used to indicate the chronological order for collecting data any time the complete set of data cannot be stored within the same subdirectory. Bottom line: If you need to store data under more than one directory, you need to include a version number. The nn will be an incrementing number starting with 01 and consist of 2 digits.

To assist with data archiving procedures, new version/sequence numbers will be used for each new observing session. As part of the archiving process, gbtdata directories will be converted to read only shortly after the session related to that gbtdata directory finishes.

Directory Name Examples

Here are some examples of directory names using the above naming convention:

AGBT02C_011 Routine astronomy data associated with a formal proposal. All data is in one subdirectory.

AGBT02A_057_02 Routine astronomy data associated with a formal proposal. Note that a version number has been used and shows this as being the 2nd directory (session).

ABB123 Routine VLB astronomy data associated with a formal proposal.

TRNORROD_07 Test data for Roger Norrod spanning over seven directories.

TPNTHIGHGREG_03 More test data (pointing) using a Gregorian receiver at X-band or higher and spanning more than one directory.

TPCO3C_023_01 Project checkout for proposal GBT03C-023.

JMAINT Project ID used at start of each manitenance day.

JRPRESTAG Temporary data file directory for Richard Prestage.

-- DavidRose - 6 Feb 2008