The User View is where you will have the most interaction directly relating to the application. It is essentially divided into two different aspects: the Query Aspect and the Chart Manipulation Aspect.
Query Aspect
In these fields, you will have the ability to input the appropriate values to grab information from the database that revolve around a given RA and Dec. Required fields are denoted by an asterisk, any errors in the validation will be denoted by an "X" within a red circle, and possible errors/warnings will be denoted by an "!" inside of a yellow triangle.
Catalog
The catalog field currently has 3 different databases to choose from: GWAVES (default), UCAC2, and UCAC3. The GWAVES database is a combination of UCAC2 and UCAC3 but will only return information about the objects that are present in both UCAC2 and UCAC3. UCAC2 and UCAC3 are comprised of the raw data compiled by the USNO. Their range in Declination is limited to that of each catalog but will return all the raw data on each returned object.
Right Ascension and Declination
The Right Ascension and Declination fields are to filled in the format of "##:##:##" with the Declination field having the option of a "+" or "-" sign in front. When the query is submitted, the database will return all the objects within a fixed radius from the given RA and Dec. The radius is fixed to a value just outside the radius of the GWAVES's outer annulus.
Magnitude
The Magnitude fields allow you to select a range of magnitudes that will only be returned. The max magnitude is required while the min magnitude is not. The faintest magnitude allowed is 20.0 although the faintest magnitude recorded is roughly 17.
Max Objects
The Max Objects field is required and will limit how many objects will actually be returned in a query. At the very bottom of the User View, a counter will display how many stars were returned vs. how many stars were actually found within the radius from the RA and Dec.
Sort By
The Sort By radio buttons determine how the results will be sorted. In the event there are more objects found than objects returned, the objects returned will also be in the order determined by the selected button. If there are hundreds more objects than those returned and they are sorted by "Closest to center," there is a risk that none of the stars returned fall within GWAVES's two annuli.
Submit
"Submit" will take the values in the above fields and initiate a query to the database using these values. If there are any errors with the values in the fields (i.e. Hours in the RA field is above 23) an error message will pop up describing the error.
Copy Science Target
"Copy Science Target" will take the current Science Target, represented in the Science Target View and will fill in the RA and Dec with the Science Target's. If there is no Science Target, an error message will appear.
Clear
"Clear" will reset all the query fields to their default values. From top to bottom these values are: GWAVES, 00:00:00, +00:00:00, 20.0, 1.0, 500, "Closest to center."
Chart Manipulation Aspect
These fields, mostly buttons and checkboxes, will allow you to manipulate the chart on the Image View and how the data is represented. Additionally, each action, and a couple extras not included in the user view, are able to be executed through shortcut keys.
Rotate Instrument
The Angle field is set to 0.0 by default. If the instrument's orientation to the sky needs to be altered, input the angle (in degrees from 0.0-359.9). Once the desired angle is entered, click on "Rotate Instrument" and the changes will take place on the chart. The blue half of the annuli represents the top of the instrument's view while the red represents the bottom.
Annotate Graph
Annotate Graph will toggle the annotations that identify each object to a number. The number represented on the graph correlates to an ID listed on the table's leftmost column.
Trace Crosshairs
Trace Crosshairs toggles the cursor when over the graph. If it is on, crosshairs will intersect at the cursor's location. Otherwise, it will display as a normal cursor.
Reset Graph
"Reset Graph" will reset the graph to its original size and re-centered on point of query. The instrument's angle of orientation will be set to 0.0, any object selected will be unselected and the annotations and cross hairs will be toggled off.
Counters
The last two counters are more for the query. They display how many objects were found vs. how many were returned.