iraf.net

dohydra appears to have an issue when concatenating the "flat" name with the "object" name. If the object name is only 6 characters long (ex: obj123), everything works fine and a file flatobj123.ms is created. However, if the object name is 7 characters long (ex: obj1234), then the following file is created: flatobj124.ms instead of flatobj1234.ms. The last time we reduced data with hydra, our file names were only 6 characters long and thus we didn't run into this problem. However, this time the problem was called to our attention because we will often have to object files (ex: obj1234 and obj1254) that create a file with the same name (flatobj124.ms). Then, when we go to run dohydra, it assumes that the aperature ids have already be created and it proceeds directly to the wavelength calibration step. While we can go ahead and rename our image files (from 7 characters to 6 characters), we just want to make sure that there isn't a more significant issues other than the incorrect image naming.We are seeing this running V 2.14.1 on a Mac with Snow Leopard.

I see where this is being done in the scripts. I am a little anxious because there must have been a reason for wanting to limit the length of names (using a standard IRAF conventions of first 5 + last) but I can't remember. To address this quickly I need to know if you all have permission to modify files in the IRAF installation. If so I will post the change that needs to be made to eliminate the mapping and, most likely, there will be no problem. It might require going back a little in the reduction since database files and contents may have the shortened name.Frank Valdes

Here is the bug log which includes the workarounds and code changes. Let me know if this fixes the problem or introduces other problems. Frank Valdes[quote:c7cf4cf6b1]
NUMBER: 577
MODULE: dohydra, dofibers, doargus, do3fiber
SYSTEM: -V2.15.1
DATE: Fri Feb 11 12:30:46 MST 2011
FROM: valdesBUG: The tasks will shorten root input image names to six characters by
using the first five and last characters. Depending on the style
of image names this can result in name conflicts. The reason for
this shortening is no longer known so it is now considered a bug.
Workarounds are to be aware of this and rename image names to avoid
conflicts.STATUS: This is fixed in the next release. The fix is to modify the file
$iraf/noao/imred/src/fibers/proc.cl as shown (replace lines 125 to
129 with "extn = extn // ".ms"). If you don't have permission
to make this change then copy the file to your iraf "home$"
directory, edit it, load the desired package, and then override
the definition of the file with "redefine proc = home$proc.cl".
125,129c125
< i = strlen (extn)
< if (i < 7)
< extn = extn // ".ms"
< else
< extn = substr (extn, 1, 5) // substr (extn, i, i) // ".ms"
---
> extn = extn // ".ms"
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