Guide to the IDL interface to the MTA Average Databases

mta_db_get - a function to retrieve selected columns from the databases. source.
mta_db_plot - a procedure to filter and plot retrieved data. source.

DataSeeker is now included in the CXCDS release (6.6.0 and above).
So, if you have the IDL code from above and run IDL under the CXCDS environment, you should be set.
** This setup has been tested on the OPS LAN, but not yet on HEAD.


• The dataseeker parameter file should look something like:
  
  CXCDS> plist dataseeker
  

  #----------------------------------------------------------------------#
  #                                                                      #
  #            Parameter file for "dataseeker.pl" program                #
  #                                                                      #
  #----------------------------------------------------------------------#
         (infile = )                input query file
        (outfile = )                output file
    (search_crit = )                search criteria
       (ccdmfile = /data/mta/DataSeeker/data/ccdmfilter.rdb) CCDM lookup RDB file
       (pcadfile = /data/mta/DataSeeker/data/pcadfilter.rdb) PCAD lookup RDB file
         (server = sqlocc)          Database server name
      (loginFile = )                Database login file
         (prompt = yes)             Prompt for username and password?
         (avgrdb = ))echo ${ASCDS_CONFIG_MTA_DATA}/avgdb.rdb -> /home/ascds/DS.release/config/mta/data/avgdb.rdb) Average Database RDB lookup file
      (configrdb = ))echo ${ASCDS_CONFIG_MTA_DATA}/configdb.rdb -> /home/ascds/DS.release/config/mta/data/configdb.rdb) Config Database RDB lookup file
     (repository = /data/mta/DataSeeker/data/repository) Tertiary repository
          (print = no)              Print output file name when done?
        (clobber = yes)             Clobber?
           (mode = ql)              
  #----------------------------------------------------------------------#
  

This is simply an IDL wrapper function around dataseeker.pl to extract data from the MTA average databases. Given search criteria, it will return the data in an idl structure variable. Also a fits file containing the returned data will be created for later use.
Some DataSeeker help might be useful.
Also available tertiary mnemonics and available secondary (configuration) mnemonics.

SYNOPSIS:


    result = mta_db_get(ter_cols='', [ prim='', sec='', timestart='', timestop='', $
                                       outfile='', opt='', /debug ] )
     where - ter_cols is a string containing comma delimited column
                        names (eg. '_1dahacu_avg') or full
                        DataSeeker style specs
                        (eg. 'mtaacis..aciseleca_avg._1dahacu_avg')
           - prim is an optional comma delimited list of DataSeeker
                        primary criteria, value pairs
                        (eg. prim='obsid=9999, grating=HETG')
                        valid criteria are: obsid, rafrom, rato,
                             decfrom, decto, rollfrom, rollto,
                             si, grating, format, pcadmode, radmon
           - sec is an optional comma delimited list of DataSeeker
                        secondary (configuration) criteria, value pairs
                        (eg. sec='_ctufmtsl=FMT2')
           - timestart is an optional start time filter
              valid formats are:
                    SECS    Elapsed seconds since 1998-01-01T00:00:00
                    DATE    YYYY:DDD:hh:mm:ss.ss...
                    CALDATE YYYYMonDD at hh:mm:ss.ss...
                    FITS date/time format YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.ss...
           - timestop is an optional stop time filter
           - outfile is an optional filename for the fits output.
           - opt is an optional string of additional DataSeeker options
                      to append to command line. Use with caution.
           - debug is an optional keyword for extra verbosity


EXAMPLES:

; get columns _ohrthr42_avg and _1hoprapr_avg between
;  Jan 01,2002 and Jan 02,2002 and save a fits file, as well as assigning
;  output structure to test_data
test_data = mta_db_get(timestart='2002-01-01',timestop='2002-01-02', ter_cols='_ohrthr42_avg,_1hoprapr_avg,_1hoprapr_std', outfile='test2.fits')

; get some columns during a specific time specified as seconds since 01/01/1998
test_data = mta_db_get(timestart=127500000,timestop=128500000, ter_cols='_tscpos_avg,_ohrthr42_avg,_1hoprapr_avg', outfile='test2.fits')

; get some columns during a specific time in FMT4
test_data = mta_db_get(timestart=127500000,timestop=128500000, sec='ctufmtsl=FMT4', ter_cols='_tscpos_avg,_ohrthr42_avg,_1hoprapr_avg', outfile='test2.fits')

; get some columns for obsid 3383
test_data = mta_db_get(prim='obsid=3383', ter_cols='_tscpos_avg,_ohrthr42_avg,_1hoprapr_avg', outfile='test2.fits')

; get a whole table and some other columns for obsid 3383
test_data = mta_db_get(prim='obsid=3383', ter_cols='mtaacis..acismech_avg,_ohrthr42_avg,_1hoprapr_avg', outfile='test2.fits')

; get some columns for obsid 3383 during FMT4, but use a different ccdm lookup table
test_data = mta_db_get(prim='obsid=3383', sec='ctufmtsl=FMT4', ter_cols='mtaacis..acismech_avg,_ohrthr42_avg,_1hoprapr_avg', outfile='test2.fits', opt='-c myccdm.tab')