The IGRINS Proxy is an Eclipse based RCP (Rich Client Platform) application composed of 2 separate main functions:

  • Graphical User Interface for displaying telescope status
  • message routing module for connecting the instrument control software (ICS) to the TCS

An RCP application has a workspace which is composed of one or more perspectives. Each perspective is composed of editors and views. A view encapsulates a unique function, such as camera control or Facility Summary, and is generally composed of many widgets which allow display of information or data input.

The IGRINS Proxy is a very simple app so it is composed of only one perspective containing 4 views. On start up, the app will look like this:


There are three detachable views displayed as tabs and one fixed view:

All the views except the "Light Path" can be dragged away (torn off) from the main window and positioned some where else on the screen or even position it on the same window in a side-by-side mode. The views can be dragged via the tab. In addition to main views, there are two other areas on the main window.

The top part with a series of buttons related to the Lowell instrument control software which are not applicable to IGRINS except the "Test Broker" button. If one suspects that the ActiveMQ broker is having problems, using this button will display some information that will be helpful in trouble shooting. Generally speaking it is best to let the telescope operator know about problems such as this.

There is also a status line at the bottom of the window which can be quite useful to the observer.

The status items are color coded:

  • GDR: status of the facility guide
    • red: not tracking
    • yellow: open loop
    • green: closed loop
  • JOE: status of the controller
    • On (green): joe is running
    • Off (red): joe is not running - this app should always be running during an observing session
  • TCS: status of the mount
    • green: move has been completed and the mount is in position
    • red: move is in progress and the mount is NOT in position
    • yellow: unknown
  • AOS: status of the Active Optics System
    • green: mirror is settled
    • red: mirror is NOT settled
    • yellow: unknown
  • DOME: status of the dome and shutter
    • green: dome is following, aligned with the mount and shutter is open
    • red: dome is either out of position, not following or the shutter is closed (science target is obscured)
    • yellow: unknown
  • M1: status of primary mirror cover
    • green: cover is open, ready for observing
    • red: cover is closed

    • yellow: unknown

IGRINS-TCS Communication

This view ha a simple graphical element that echoes the communication between the ICS and the TCS. It can be useful for trouble shooting and debugging. The main role of the view is facilitating the communication between TCS and ICS. TCS communicates via an ActiveMQ broker using XML. ICS communicates via ZeroMQ using JSON and this view connects these two modes of communication. 

The view has 4 ActiveMQ topic listeners:

  • science target
  • TCS Status
  • AOS Status
  • Weather Status

It keeps track of the information that the ICS is interested in and will send them back to ICS using JSON via ZeroMQ when it receive the request. The ZeroMQ listener is also looking for offset commands and these will be converted from JSON to XML and sent to the TCS Command topic.

 

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