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Moving Groups of Scheduling Blocks to (or within) the database

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Background
• 3. Requirements
  • • Command Line Functions:
    • Within Astrid :
    • Error Checking:
• 4. Design
• 5. Deployment Checklist
• 6. Test Plan
  • 6.1 Internal Testing
  • 6.2 Sponsor Testing
• Signatures
• CCC Discussion Area

1. Introduction

Projects often require many scheduling blocks, and it can be an onerous task to submit them one at a time to the Astrid database. Furthermore, moving blocks from one project to another is sometimes required, and is an awkward process.

2. Background

High frequency VLBI experiments often have 20 or more scheduling blocks. Being able to submit them all in a batch would be a great improvement and time-saver. VLBI at frequencies of 20 GHz and higher will continue to be a very popular observing mode for the GBT.

Moving a group of scheduling blocks from one project to another would also be important for cases in which a new project may be similar enough to a previous project that many of the former scheduling blocks need to be moved to the data base under the new project code.

To submit a scheduling block to the data base requires, as things are now done, several steps. In Astrid, one must "import from file" (a 2-step process), validate, and "save to database" (also a two-step process. Hence to submit 20 scheduling blocks, about 100 selections and mouse clicks are required. For moving blocks from one project to another, one has to export to file from one project, go to the new project, and import, which involves twice as many steps per scheduling block.

3. Requirements

Within Astrid, we will be able to:

• Select groups of files to import within the Astrid file dialog.
• Select multiple scheduling blocks in the database and move them to another project.
• Select multiple scheduling blocks to be deleted from the database.
• Select multiple scheduling blocks to be exported to text files.

Similar functions will be available from the unix command line.

In addition, when there are a series of blocks in the run queue, and a dialog box comes up, there should be an option to halt the queue, as well as the usual options to abort the current block or to continue.

Command Line Functions:

• astrid_import -p ProjectCode pathname1 pathname2 ...

There can be a list of file names, any of which may contain the usual unix wildcard characters such as * and ?.

• astrid_move -p ProjectCode1 -o ProjectCode2 blockname1 blockname2 ...

All scheduling blocks matching any blockname in ProjectCode1 are moved to ProjectCode2. There can be a list of block names, and each name may contain wildcard characters.

• astrid_delete -p ProjectCode blockname1 blockname2 ...

This will delete scheduling blocks from the data base.

Within Astrid :

Within Astrid, one will be able to select a range of files from the "import from file" dialog and submit them all to the database.

For moving blocks, one will be able to select a range of scheduling blocks from the list, designate them to be moved (probably we need an additional button for this), then select the project that will be the destination.

One may also select multiple blocks for deleting from the database.

Error Checking:

The validator will check each file in turn. If one fails the validation, then the process stops, with appropriate error messages.

4. Design

5. Deployment Checklist

6. Test Plan

6.1 Internal Testing

6.2 Sponsor Testing

This change has been tested and deemed satisfactory for the proposed observing tests.

Signatures

APPROVED: I acknowledge that my request is fully contained in this MR, and if the SDD delivers exactly what I specified, I will be happy.

ACCEPTED: I acknowledge that I have validated the completed code according to the acceptance tests, and I am happy with the results.

Written	FrankGhigo - 08 Feb 2007
Checked	checker - date
Approved/Signed by Sponsor	sponsor - date
Approved/Signed by CCC	ccc - date
Accepted/Delivered	sponsor - date

Symbols:

• Use %X% if MR is not complete (will display )

• Use %Y% if MR is complete (will display )

CCC Discussion Area