Unable to open parameter file

mattia · Joined: 10 Feb 2009 Posts: 2

Hi all, I'm an IRAF newbie.

With every task I try to launch modifying parameters with epar, i got the error
Unable to open parameter file `uparm$***.par'
where *** is the chosen task

For instance

fitz · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:34 pm Post subject:

These are usually either permissions or path problems, and usually occur when copying/using an existing login.cl file. For example, if the IRAF tree is owned by the 'iraf' user you cannot used the login.cl in the iraf$local directory while logged in as yourself because you do not have permission to write to the iraf$local/uparm/ directory. Likewise, copying an existing login.cl to a new directory would fail because the path given for the uparm directory would be wrong.

In general, a new MKIRAF to create a login.cl and uparm directory will fix your problem. Otherwise, look in the login.cl to see what path is being used (specifically the 'home' value), and then whether you can write there. This isn't fatal, it just won't remember the params you set.

-Mike

mattia · Joined: 10 Feb 2009 Posts: 2

thanks for your reply Mike, a new mkiraf solved the problem

vmpas · Joined: 20 Apr 2011 Posts: 5

Hi, I got the same problem. If I use imarith it gives me back the message
Unable to open parameter file `uparm$imlimarih.par'

Making a new mkiraf does'nt fix the problem.
Can anyone help me?

Thanks

fitz · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 5:14 pm Post subject:

Use the command

vmpas · Joined: 20 Apr 2011 Posts: 5

The uparm directory exists, I'm the owner and I'm allowed to write to it.
But the uparm directory remains emty when I use imarith or imcombine, but it should create a .par file.
Last week it worked perfectly, now it doesn't. I did nothing to cause this....

fitz · Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:41 am Post subject:

vmpas · Joined: 20 Apr 2011 Posts: 5

I didn't upgrade anything in the last week.
I can write to the uparm directory. The program and all other files I want to use are on the harddisk, so I'm allowed to write to it.
My computer was not rebooted in the last week, too.

fitz · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 4:44 am Post subject:

Did you try doing a MKIRAF in /tmp and logging in from there (this gives you a fresh uparm directory)? Otherwise, if you do

vmpas · Joined: 20 Apr 2011 Posts: 5

I installed the new Ubuntu 10.10 and reinstalled Iraf again. I also installed all my previously installed programs and tested Iraf. Again I got the same error as before.

Then I copied .fits files into /tmp directory and did mkiraf. I got a uparm directory, and was able to start iraf. I tested imarith and everything worked fine. But when I test imarith with .fits files on my desktop it doesn't work. Any ideas what could cause this?

fitz · Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:10 am Post subject:

Is there any chance there's a space in a directory name being used, e.g. /Users/vmpas/My Desktop/iraf ? If so, that's the problem, spaces are not allowed in pathnames.

vmpas · Joined: 20 Apr 2011 Posts: 5

Yes, thanks, that was the problem. I changed the name of my directory and there was a space in it. Now everything works perfectly again.
Thanks