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ASPRO 2 Changelog

What's new in ASPRO 2 0.9.9.1

Sep 9, 2016
  • Features:
  • Added action Sort by declination in the target editor
  • Fixed polarization modes in the GRAVITY OB generation
  • Updated Noise modelling to use interferometric / photometric fractions for thermal background photons (MATISSE)
  • Modified low SNR threshold (= 3) to flag automatically OIFITS data
  • Fixed GRAVITY OB generation (tested with P2PP)
  • Bug fixes:
  • Fixed VISPHI / T3PHI sampling to compute first the mean angle [compute sum(cos) and sum(sin)] and then the variance as the squared distance [0..180]
  • Fixed Noise modelling to generate the random sample index per HA point for noisy data to ensure consistency between VIS, VIS2, T3 samples

New in ASPRO 2 0.9.9 (Sep 9, 2016)

  • Features:
  • Upgraded the OIFits viewer: improved editable axis bounds, added plot information (data ranges...)
  • Added OIFits warning checks (missing magnitude) to show a confirmation dialog when exporting either an OIFits file (including SAMP interoperability) or an OIFits viewer plot
  • Added a warning label displayed on the OIFits viewer plot indicating that the noise modelling is not working due to missing magnitude(s)
  • Added warning messages into the status log accessible via the status toolbar (click on the icon)
  • Added action 'Export plot to PNG' in the File menu
  • Added GRAVITY OB generation (preliminary)
  • Updated VLTI telescope shadowing profiles according to ESO new "theoretical" master tables for VLTI horizons
  • Added the mean atmosphere transmission (PARANAL) used by the Noise modelling
  • Added the Hertz unit support (hz, khz, mhz, ghz) for the wavelength keywords in user models
  • Improved Noise modelling and its configuration for MATISSE
  • Bug fixes:
  • Fixed bad box size of the interferometer map for single dishes
  • Fixed a caret issue with the date spinner widget (mac os)

New in ASPRO 2 0.9.8.2 (Sep 9, 2016)

  • Features:
  • Fixed the model image orientation (astronomical convention): East is towards the left
  • Added East and North indications on the user model viewer in the target editor panel
  • Added East and North indications on the UV Coverage plot (astronomical convention)

New in ASPRO 2 0.9.8.1 (Sep 9, 2016)

  • Features:
  • Improved linux web browser support to use the [Default System Browser] customizable in the Preferences panel
  • Added [B,R,L,M] magnitudes in the target editor; only B and R mags may be retrieved from the CDS Simbad service
  • Added the SED button in the target editor to open the CDS Photometry viewer for the current target
  • Improved drag and drop support to associate multiple calibrators to a science target in the target editor
  • Bug fixes:
  • Fixed horizon checks for CHARA (azimuth reference is North)
  • Fixed night restrictions (including twilights) and moon illumination arround pole (DEMO)

New in ASPRO 2 0.9.8 (Sep 8, 2015)

  • Improved VLTI Observing block (OB) export to reduce observability ranges by 2 minutes on each side (LST constraints) and skip observability ranges smaller than 10 minutes
  • Improved the noise modelling to compute the strehl ratio per spectral channel and taking into account the target elevation (r0)
  • Improved tooltip in the UV Coverage panel to add air mass, azimuth and elevation for each sampled UV point
  • Added tooltip on the date field: 'the given date is used to determine the coming night at the observatory in the [DD; DD+1] range. for example, '2014/4/4' corresponds to the night between April 4th and 5th'
  • Added a marker at midnight (Local time) in the Observability panel indicating the appropriate date range [DD; DD+1] corresponding to the current night
  • Added Local time support in the Observability, UV Coverage and Preferences panels. It provides the local time at the observatory (timezone including Daylight Saving Time)

New in ASPRO 2 0.9.7.2 (Jul 10, 2015)

  • Improved Observing block (OB) export to generate a concatenation container (CON_ prefix) gathering SCI and CAL OBs to simplify the import in P2PP
  • Fixed Observing block (OB) file names (limited to 64 characters)
  • Updated Observing block (OB) export to discard the absolute time constraint
  • Updated Observing block (OB) export for PIONIER P96

New in ASPRO 2 0.9.7.1 (Mar 19, 2015)

  • Bug fixes:
  • Fixed OIFITS generation (AMBER mode High_K_1_2.288) due to inconsistent wavelength arrays (rounding issue)
  • Fixed OIFITS generation to ignore wavelength increment = 0.0

New in ASPRO 2 0.9.7 (Mar 3, 2015)

  • Features:
  • New public release for ESO Period 96
  • Added support for multiple interferometer switchyards; every interferometer configuration (VLTI Period) specifies the switchyard to use
  • Added support for instrument aliases newly added in the Aspro configuration

New in ASPRO 2 0.9.6 (Mar 3, 2015)

  • Features:
  • Improved selection handling and tracking on the observability plot: click on any observability range to change globally the selected target (highlighted)
  • Added the 'Show related' option on the observability plot (enabled by default) to always show selected target and its calibrators (not filtered)
  • Improved display of the selected target for unobservable ranges (soft limits) on the observability plot (translucent gradient)
  • Added a star resolver field in the target editor to enter new target(s) while editing your targets and calibrators
  • Added actions 'Import targets from VOTable' / 'Export targets to VOTable' in the File menu and 'Send targets as VOTable' to share your targets (and calibrators) through the SAMP VO protocol (aladin for finding charts)
  • Properly detect observation changes before showing the confirmation dialog 'Do you want to save changes... ?' (New, Load and Exit actions)
  • Added the multiple selection support to the target list to remove multiple targets at once
  • Improved Star resolver: support multiple identifiers (or coordinates) separated by ';', improved copy/paste to replace the new line character by ';', cancellation support: click on the [x] button to interrupt the SIMBAD query, better error handling: report ambiguous matches (more than 1 object per identifier), use HTTP POST with SIMBAD script interface (large queries), better timeout settings (3s for connection)
  • Added tooltips for baseline limits on the Observability plot
  • Enhanced mouse wheel support on the Observability plot to zoom in/out when the scroll bar is disabled
  • Added tooltips on unobservable ranges (soft or vcm limits) on the Observability plot
  • Improved the memory footprint for observability computations
  • Improved the memory footprint for user models (fits cubes): efficient checksum computation and optimized memory used by model image / FFT computations
  • Improved quick sort used by the Best Pops algorithm
  • Added the 'use inst. & cal. error bias' checkbox on the UV coverage panel to enable or disable using instrumental visibility / phase & calibration bias in noise modelling (OIFits data); if disabled, only the theoretical instrumental noise is estimated
  • Added proper handling of the VLTI VCM pressure constraint on the Observability plot using transparent overlays representing 2.5, 2.75 and 3.0 bar. It only indicates that the pupil may be not well corrected (flux / FoV loss); see Observability "Details" for more information
  • Added a new warning indicating that the VLTI VCM pressure is higher than 2.5 bar
  • Improved the interferometer configuration to associate a delay line and a channel to each station and describe VLTI setup more accurately (switchyard)
  • Modified position editor (rho / theta) to use astronomical convention (separation / position angle)
  • Changes:
  • Improved OutOfMemoryError handling to display first explanations in the Feedback report and then only indicate them in the status bar (more than 3 errors).
  • Bug fixes:
  • Fixed incorrect VOTable URL for incoming SAMP 'load.votable' messages
  • Fix the uv axis scale (meters) on the UV Coverage plot
  • Fixed Noise modeling: visibility and calibration bias (percents) are interpreted as peak to peak values (4 sigma): minimal vis2 error is divided by 4 and the vis2 dispersion (with added error noise) is compatible with bias values
  • Fixed the Moon illumination fraction (FLI) according to the coming night

New in ASPRO 2 0.9.5.1 (Dec 3, 2013)

  • Bug fixes:
  • Fixed macOS Java 1.6.0_51 AWT issues (EDT deadlocks) concerning About and Quit actions in the application menu

New in ASPRO 2 0.9.5 (Dec 3, 2013)

  • Features:
  • Updated CHARA VEGA setup
  • Added VLTI Period 93
  • Added NPOI interferometer (preliminary)
  • Added 'live' time annotations on the UV Coverage plot to see current UV points (useful during real observations)
  • Added tooltips on the UV Coverage plot (configuration, baseline, time, HA, radius and position angle)
  • Updated embedded OIFits explorer to use customizable plot
  • Added OIFits Explorer interoperability (or topcat) i.e. send OIFits data files to any VO Tools supporting FITS files
  • Improved model image of the phase using cyclic LUT
  • Modified color palette used in interferometer map and UV Coverage plot to use transparency (75% opacity)
  • Improved UV Coverage plot to draw outlines arround UV segments and tracks (shadows)
  • Added LUT aspro-isophot (new default one) which draws white lines every 10%
  • Improved performance related to clipping / zoom issues with dotted outline (optional constraints)
  • Bug fixes:
  • Fixed macos Java 1.7.0_25 issue related to the Preference window (eAWT)
  • Fixed exception occuring when changing CHARA instrument and the PoPs text field is not empty
  • Improved HA sampling to start at the beginning of each observability intervals and ensure integration time is within the observability range
  • Enhanced tooltip management to hide any displayed tooltip when user changes something to avoid misunderstanding
  • Fixed the symbol [i] badly displayed depending on platform and font settings

New in ASPRO 2 0.9.4 (Dec 3, 2013)

  • Features:
  • Improved OIFits computation to check user model vs instrument spectral configuration, detect sub sampling and show warning messages
  • Added a minimal plot editor on the OIFits viewer to choose among predefined plots
  • Added the instrument spectral configuration in the status information to help creating polychromatic user models
  • Defined default preference of the super sampling in spectral channels to 3 samples to see bandwidth smearing effects
  • Added preferences in the Preference view (add error noise to data or model image, super sampling in spectral channels)
  • Added minimal user model animator widget (FITS cube) on the Target Model editor and the UV coverage panel to enable / disable automatic image cycling and adjust the period
  • Modified OIFits OI_VIS, OI_VIS2, OI_T3 tables to reference appropriate stations in STA_INDEX arrays (baseline or triplets)
  • Modified OIFits OI_ARRAY table to contain all telescope stations
  • Modified OIFits ARRNAME values to have the interferometer name only (VLTI, not VLTI Period ...)
  • Modified OIFits INSNAME values to have a meaningfull instrument mode description: Instrument_lambdaFirst-lambdaLast-Nch; lambdaFirst, lambdaLast, N are respectively the wavelength of the first and last spectral channels, the number of spectral channels (for example: AMBER_1.48347-2.52552-37ch)
  • Modified evaluation of moon avoidance rules to use target fluxes (V)
  • Added configuration integrity checks (checksum): if file(s) modified then show a warning message at startup and also in the JMMC legal notice on plots (Use at your own risks)
  • Added action 'Configuration Release Notes' in the Help menu
  • Enhanced the target axis on the observability plot to adjust its font size according to the number of visible items (auto fit)
  • Added a 'Find' feature (Previous / Next) to select a target in the target list by pattern matching on its name
  • Added filters on the observability plot (Hide calibrators and unobservable targets)
  • Added target selection handling in the observability plot to display it highlighted and scroll to it
  • Enhanced export Observability plot to a multiple page PDF document for large target lists when the scroll view option is enabled
  • Extracted configuration (interferometers and their instruments) into the AsproConfig module to have an independent life cycle (CfP)
  • Improved OIFits computation to interpret and use multiple model images (Fits cube) when computing complex visiblities
  • Improved OIFits computation to perform super sampling in spectral channels: use multiples samples and perform integration
  • Improved Fits image panel to display all images loaded (animation) with their image index and wavelength in the legend area
  • Added Polychromatic user model support as Fits cube: AXIS3 represents the wavelength axis; CRVAL3 (with CRPIX3) gives the wavelength reference, CDELT3 the wavelength increment and CUNIT3 the wavelength unit
  • Added minimal Fits CUNIT keyword support to handle angle and wavelength conversions (deg, arcsec to rad) and (nm or micron to meter)
  • Enabled parallelization of the observability computation in multi configuration mode
  • Enhanced parallelization of the Best PoPs algorithm
  • Fixed the color scale on UV coverage plot to use degrees instead of radians when representing the model phase
  • Changed Observability plot to show HA constraints, moon avoidance and wind restriction using translucent area and dotted outline
  • Added the symbol [i] after target names on the observability plot to indicate that this target has user notes and show its content in the observability tooltip
  • Added HA constraints (per target) in the observability computation displayed using translucent area and dotted outline
  • Added a combo box in the main settings to see estimated best Pops combinations and their effect on observability
  • Enhanced the Best PoPs algorithm to take new rules into account (transit distance and HA constraints); it is based on a normal law estimator that allows more control (gaussian variance and average estimation versus min estimation)
  • Made the color scale on UV coverage plot interactive to show only effective data range (even when zooming in/out)
  • Added preferences for night only and best PoPs algorithms (Simple, Transit or HALimits)
  • Added an 'Open Recent' menu
  • Updated chart theme to have uniform charts: white background and light gray grid lines (printer friendly)
  • Changes:
  • Improved the look and feel of the release notes windows (application and configuration)
  • Improved global performance (Best Pops, model image, astronomical computations) using Java Fast Math library (jafama 2.0)
  • Reduced margins (0.5 cm) on exported PDF documents
  • Modified warning messages (CHARA configuration and Pops settings) considered as information messages: status is then 'Information'
  • Minor changes to the main setting panel: 'Target editor' renamed 'Editor' and margins made smaller
  • Optimized OIFits computation from an user model (better parallelism)
  • Fixed OIFits viewer compatiblity with OpenJDK 1.6.24 and 1.7.x
  • Improved Pops GUI ie improved synchronization between Pops text field and Best Pops combo box
  • Reduced memory footprint used by Best PoPs algorithms
  • Optimized Best PoPs algorithm (multithreading)
  • Use a jpg icon instead of the previous png one to work arround a known bug onto macos/java7
  • Bug fixes:
  • Added a distance check before adding a new target to the target list to avoid duplicates (within 5 arcsec) and solve identifier issues
  • Added the 'delete target' action in the target editor too
  • Fixed NPE exception in Best Pops algorithm when targets never rise

New in ASPRO 2 0.8.1 (Nov 29, 2011)

  • Features:
  • Corrected AMBER noise parameters: visibility and phase bias set to 5% and 3 deg respectively
  • Updated PIONIER instrument configuration: corrected noise parameters and added spectral modes (LARGE-H, SMALL-H and BROAD-H)
  • Improved Java Web Start packaging (JNLP) to provide faster downloads
  • Added ESO P89 configuration
  • Added one preliminary OIFits viewer: only square visiblity (VIS2) vs radius plot is available with error bars when the noise modeling is able to compute them
  • Fixed CHARA delay line configuration: E1 cart moves in range [-1.4 to +44.0] like others (july 2011)
  • Updated CHARA VEGA (2T/3T/4T) configuration (beams and station reference per baseline)
  • Corrected zenithal restriction to 4 degrees applied to UT and AT telescopes according to "ESO Call for Proposals – P88 (UT)" (VLTI)
  • Updated CHARA configuration to have both MIRC_5T and MIRC_6T configurations
  • Updated CHARA configuration using the latest official configuration file (telescopes.chara)
  • Better File choosers: use the last used directory (per file type and saved in user preferences)
  • Filled "OBSERVATION.DESCRIPTION.NAME" in VLTI OBs to help P2PP users better navigate among targets
  • Changed OIFits file extension to '.fits'
  • Added 'Export targets to Observing blocks' in the File menu to export all targets at once (VLTI)
  • Allow zooming on the observability plot (targets and time range)
  • Changed color for orphan calibrators in the observability plot
  • Added 'Center plot arround night' preference to have the complete night centered on the observability plot
  • Added civil and nautical twilight zones and a new preference 'Twilight used as Night limit' to choose which twilight limits are used for night restrictions
  • Added a new preference 'Default min Elevation' set to 45 degrees by default
  • Changes:
  • Changed VOTable message handler (SAMP) to accept PIVOT messages using VOTable for targets
  • Added 'Send StarList to PIVOT' action (SAMP)
  • Enhanced performance to find best PoPs (CHARA)
  • Fixed logging configuration to avoid important performance loss during observability computations (best PoPs)
  • Major performance improvements to determine best PoPs (CHARA) in the observability computation
  • Added information about best / good PoPs in the warning messages displayed by the status indicator (CHARA)
  • Updated Export to Observing blocks (VEGA, VLTI) to use the user minimum elevation instead of 30 deg (required by ESO OB)
  • Minor ergonomic change: when the target editor is opened, the 'Targets' tab is displayed by default; when the UV coverage plot is selected, the 'Models' tab is displayed instead.
  • Minor changes related to CHARA VEGA Observing blocks (spectral type format, disk diameter set from SearchCal diameters)
  • Fixed export OB for CHARA VEGA to handle properly calibrators in the StarList format
  • Automatic Pops set with values defined in CHARA VEGA configuration dedicated to June 2011 run (read-only)
  • Added CHARA VEGA configuration dedicated to June 2011 runs and minor changes in CHARA configuration (sorted instrument list)
  • Added 'Scroll view' checkbox button to see all targets (or only some of them) on the observability plot
  • Enable mouse zooming on the observability plot
  • Always show the scrollbar (with margins) on the observability plot
  • Bug fixes:
  • Corrected effective wavelength in OIFits output (channel center)
  • Fixed alternative distribution package (JAR file): missing jMAL embedded libraries
  • Fixed out of range exception when mouse zooming on UV Coverage Panel arround borders
  • Fixed exception when exporting an Observing block and the spectral type is undefined for one target (SearchCal calibrator)
  • Changed PIONIER OB template to take 100 scans of DARK instead of 50
  • Fixed bug related to SearchCal integration: always use the bright scenario as the faint scenario is not available for all instrumental bands
  • Adapt the number of visible targets on the observability plot when the application window is resized