iraf.net

I've just installed the CYGWIN version of IRAF and the base system and without any external packages defined seems to run ok.Then tried to get the TABLES external package installed (from the binary distribution from IRAF,NET) but I get an error saying "task 'tables' has no parameter file", when I try and get into the tables task at the 'ecl' prompt. . I also get "Cannot open help database file tables$lib/helpdb.mip No help available for `tables' " when I try and do a tables help at the 'ecl' prompt.I've installed the TABLES package in /iraf/extern/tables and used the extern.pkg.IRAF.NET. What have I forgotten to do ??

Quick guess: you installed the binaries but not the source? The sources are always needed since they contain the helpdb and package loading scripts, param
files etc. The binary distro just saves you from compiling locally. If that's not it then double check the definition in the extern.pkg file, e.g. a missing trailing '/' in the directory name, a space in a quoted string, etc.Hope this helps.-Mike

Ahhh... Forgot that bit. Anyhow have installed the source tar ball from IRAF.NET and now don't get those errors anymore.However I'm still having problems. Now when I try and get into the "tables" task I get the following:-----------------------------------------
ecl> tables
unmatched quotes in value field for `mode'
ERROR: cannot read parameter file `tables$tables.par'
ecl> cd tables$
ecl> ls
README bin.irix bin.ssun mkpkg tables.par
bin.alpha bin.linux bin.suse ndwfs.noao.fits tables_motd
bin.cygwin bin.macosx copyright.tables pkg
bin.freebsd bin.redhat doc tables.cl
bin.generic bin.rs6000 lib tables.hd
bin.hp700 bin.sparc load.cl tables.men
ecl> cat tables.par
# Package parameters for the TABLES package
#version,s,h,"V3.5 - March 2006"
motd,b,h,yes,,,type the welcome banner?
mode,s,h,"al"
ecl>
-------------------------------------------Any ideas of what's going wrong ??

Try doing an "unlearn tables" in case the earlier install attempt left a bogus parameter file in your uparm directory. The "cannot read ...." message doesn't make sense in that case, especially since you can obviously read the file and it looks okay otherwise. Doing a new MKIRAF from some scratch directory is one way to eliminate your login.cl/uparm as possible problems.-Mike

Found the problem and it had nothing to do with the IRAF system The problem was WINZIP. DO NOT i repeat DO NOT use winzip to unzip files into the IRAF system. Login into CYGWIN, run csh -l to get the correct shell for IRAF, set your enviroment variaables, AND AT LEAST USE TAR !!Very embarrased over this one. Have also installed the MSCRED external package after creating a CYGWIN target and even that works Now for the big one STSDAS, see what happensLinas

Well, installed STSDAS and all is well. At least I get the MOTD msg and all seems to work OK.