TCS SEQUENCER Command Reference

• focus-position [-d] n
  Moves the telescope main focus position to 'n'.
• focus-delta [-d] n
  Applies a delta of 'n' to the focus position.
• field-rotation [-d] field
  Sets the field rotation to "field"
• rotator-auto [-d]
  Sets the rotator to automatic mode
• rotator-manual [-d]
  Sets the rotator to manual mode
• check-rotator-time-to-limit
  Returns the number of minutes remaining until the rotator reaches its limit.
• rotator-turn-360 [-d]
  Turns the rotator by 360 degrees. Note that the rotator position beforehand needs to be so that a 360 turn is within the total rotator limits -201.8 to +200.5
• set-rotator-standard
  If the resulting rotator position at a preset is about 40 degrees from the upper end stop and the rotation will be positive then a full turn of the destination position will be done to give longest possible following of the object.
  Correspondingly if the resulting rotator position is about 40 degrees from the lower end stop and the rotation will be negative then a full turn will also be done.
• set-rotator-fast
  The rotator will go the shortest and fastest distance to the new position at a preset. This feature stays in effect until changed to 'Set-Rotator-Standard'.
• ag-on [-d]
  Turns on autoguiding
• ag-relaxed-on [-d]
  Turns on relaxed autoguiding
• ag-off [-d]
  Turns off autoguiding
• tv-on [-d]
  Turns the guide TV on. Use with care as strong light can destroy the TV camera!
• tv-off [-d]
  Turns the guide TV off
• guidestar-automatic [-d]
  At preset or field change a new guide star is requested and the guide probe is set accordingly.
• guidestar-manual [-d]
  No new guidestar is requested at preset or field change. The guide probe is not moved.
• guide-probe-position [-d] n m
  Moves the autoguider to x=n and y=m
• star-box-position [-d] n m
  Moves the autoguider star box to x=n and y=m
• box-motion-start [-d] RA_rate DEC_rate
  The autoguider star box will move with this rate to track a moving object.
• box-motion-stop [-d]
  Stops the box motion.
• star-box-quadrant-size [-d] pixels
  Sets the size of the star box on the guide screen. Range: 4 to 250 pixels.
• background-box-quadrant-size [-d] pixels
  Sets the size of the background box on the guide screen. Range: 2 to 64 pixels.
• background-box-position [-d] n m
  Moves the autoguider background box to x=n and y=m
• box-at-center [-d]
  Puts the autoguider star box at the rotation center
• get-guide-star [-d] [number [field id]]
  Gets a guidestar from the guidestar server. See TCS command reference for explanation of number and field id.
• tv-filter [-d] name
  Selects the guide TV filter "name". One of "Closed", "Grey", Open", "Red", Yellow" or "Blue"
• tv-focus [-d] pos
  Changes the guide TV focus to position "pos"
• enable-tv-focus-optimization [-d]
  After a preset and the autopositioning, the best TV focus will be searched for.
• disable-tv-focus-optimization [-d]
  The best TV focus will not be searched for after a preset and autopositioning.
• probe-step-size [-d] n m
  Sets the guideprobe step size in x to "n" and in y to "m"
• camera-probe-park [-d]
  Moves the camera probe to the "park" position
• camera-probe-split [-d]
  Moves the camera probe to the "split" (FIES) position
• camera-probe-fies [-d]
  Moves the camera probe to the "split" (FIES) position
• camera-probe-ccd [-d]
  Moves the camera probe to the "ccd" (StanCam) position
• camera-probe-stancam [-d]
  Moves the camera probe to the "ccd" (StanCam) position
• ccd-filter [-d] n
  Selects the CCD (StanCam) filter "n". See TCS for a description of available filters
• open-mirror-covers [-f]
  Opens the mirror covers of the telescope. Unless called with the "-f" option, the user will be asked to confirm this action. USE WITH CARE.
• close-mirror-covers
  Closes the mirror covers of the telescope.
• baffle-lamp-1-on [-d]
  Turns baffle lamp number 1 on. This is the halogen lamp at the moment.
• baffle-lamp-1-off [-d]
  Turns baffle lamp number 1 off.
• baffle-lamp-2-on [-d]
  Turns baffle lamp number 2 on. This is the argon lamp at the moment.
• baffle-lamp-2-off [-d]
  Turns baffle lamp number 2 off.
• baffle-lamp-3-on [-d]
  Turns baffle lamp number 3 on. This is the xenon lamp at the moment.
• baffle-lamp-3-off [-d]
  Turns baffle lamp number 3 off.
• offset-size [-d] RA DEC
  Sets the offset size used when moving the telescope, using the TCS console arrow keys
• set-rate [-d] RA-rate DEC-rate
  Sets the differential tracking rate in RA and DEC. Range from -2000000.0 to +2000000.0 arcsec per hour.
• ra-delta [-d] nn.n
  Offsets the telescope in right ascention by the amount of arcsec given as argument.
• dec-delta [-d] nn.n
  Offsets the telescope in declination by the amount of arcsec given as argument.
• equatorial-offset [-d] RA DEC
  Sets the offset that is added to the object coordinates. Range from -1200 to +1200 arcsec.
• horizontal-offset [-d] Azimith Altitude
  Sets the offset that is added to the object coordinates. Range from -1200 to +1200 arcsec.
• instrument-parallactic-angle [-d] nn
  Sets the rotator angle which is maintained when presetting to an object with the command 'Preset-With-Parallactic-Angle-To-Selected'
• preset-with-parallactic-angle-to-selected [-d]
  Presets with parallactic angle to the selected object.
• preset-with-fixed-rotator-to-selected [-d]
  Presets with fixed rotator to the selected object.
• goto-object [-d] objname
  Preset the telescope to the object named "objname". See TCS manual for details.
• instrument-name [-d] name [preferred field ID]
  Sets the instrument name to "name". This will select a specific guide star selection area.
• enter-object [-d] objname hh mm ss.s dd mm ss.s epoch pm-ra pm-dec mag
  Insert the object named "objname" into the current TCS catalogue. The entered values will be displayed in the sequencer terminal. The arguments 'ra-dec', 'pm-dec' and 'mag' are optional arguments. If these arguments are not given, they will be taken to be zero (0.0).
• append-object [-d] objname hh mm ss.s dd mm ss.s epoch pm-ra pm-dec mag
  Append the object named "objname" to the end of the current TCS catalogue. All the arguments needs to be given.
• read-catalogue [-d] catalogue name
  Reads the catalogue "catalogue name" into the TCS. The catalogue must have been created with the web tool or stored with the command 'store-catalogue catalogue-name'.
• store-catalogue [-d] catalogue name
  Stores the TCS catalogue on the disk.
• find-object [-d] objname
  Finds the object "objname" in the currently loaded catalogue if it exists and sets it to be the selected object.
• delete-selected-object [-d]
  Deletes the currently selected object from the catalogue.
• auto-positioning-off [-d]
  Turns the guide star auto positioning off.
• auto-positioning-full [-d]
  Turns the guide star auto positioning to full-automatic.
• auto-positioning-semi [-d]
  Turns the guide star auto positioning to semi-automatic.
• auto-positioning-retry [-d]
  Tries to auto position the guide star again.
• auto-positioning-relaxed-retry [-d]
  Tries to auto position the guide star again, but with relaxed autoguiding.
• adc-arm-in [-d]
  Moves the ADC arm into the optical path.
• adc-arm-out [-d]
  Moves the ADC arm out of the optical path.
• adc-explicit [-d] zenith_distance rotator_position
  Sets the ADC prisms for the explicit zenith distance and rotator position.
• adc-actual [-d]
  Sets the ADC prisms for the actual rotator position and zenith distance.
• adc-mode-automatic-off [-d]
  The prisms are not moved automatically (i.e. only "manually" by explicit commands).
• adc-mode-automatic-when-presetting [-d]
  The prisms are only moved at the start of a preset.
• adc-mode-automatic-continous [-d]
  The prisms are constantly moved according to the actual zenith distance and rotator position. As a consequence the target will move during exposures, wrt the main guide star. This mode can only be used in combination with the FIES fiber guider. This mode can in general not be used for ALFOSC/NOTCAM .
• adc-initialize-prism-1 [-d]
  Initializes ADC prism 1. Under normal conditions the TCS keeps the prisms initialized.
• adc-initialize-prism-2 [-d]
  Initializes ADC prism 2. Under normal conditions the TCS keeps the prisms initialized.
• wait-adc [-d]
  Waits for the ADC to be positioned before returning the prompt. Usefull together with telescope preset commands to only continue when the ADC is also ready. Continous ADC mode is not commissioned and not offered.
• tel-idle [-d]
  Sets the telescope to 'idle'.
• tcs-command [-d] "tcs-command"
  Sends the command "tcs-command" to the TCS. Example: to send the command "guide-probe-park" to the TCS, do

  tcs-command "guide-probe-park"

  or

  tcs-command "g-p-park"

  It is IMPORTANT to note that this command does not wait until this or that movement in the telescope has been done. It sends the command and returns the prompt.

  See TCS manual for details.