display task’s select_frame parameter (and ximtool and ds9)
Jason Quinn wrote on Dec 29, 2008
Hi. There appears to be a few problems with ximtool and the select_frame option of the display task. If you try this sequence of steps
you'll notice that the image title is updated to the title of thirdimage even though secondimage is still displayed. The title should not update if select was "no" (and the currently displayed frame is not the one a new image was just squeezed into).
More generally, and probably much more difficult to fix, it appears that the select parameter is ignored if a frame is being used for the first time. So, for example, if you've just started up a fresh copy of ximtool and do
You will be shown the second frame despite having told the image server that you do not want to see it.
To be honest I never understood what the select_frame option did because its help explanation seems to only make sense after you know what it does (in hindsight "show_frame" is probably the better name). I have desired this functionality when writing scripts so I'm glad I found out it is already there. I would suggest changing the wording from
to perhaps something more explicit like this
The parameter is never mentioned in the rest of the display help.
I'm currently in discussion with William about ds9's handling of select_frame, which it appears to ignore.
Jason
PS As this is functionality improvements, perhaps it is better to wait until after the initial 2.0 release to worry about.
display firstimage 1
display secondimage 2
display thirdimage 1 select-you'll notice that the image title is updated to the title of thirdimage even though secondimage is still displayed. The title should not update if select was "no" (and the currently displayed frame is not the one a new image was just squeezed into).
More generally, and probably much more difficult to fix, it appears that the select parameter is ignored if a frame is being used for the first time. So, for example, if you've just started up a fresh copy of ximtool and do
display firstimage 1
display secondimage 2 select-You will be shown the second frame despite having told the image server that you do not want to see it.
To be honest I never understood what the select_frame option did because its help explanation seems to only make sense after you know what it does (in hindsight "show_frame" is probably the better name). I have desired this functionality when writing scripts so I'm glad I found out it is already there. I would suggest changing the wording from
select_frame = yes
Select the display frame to be the same as the frame being
loaded?
to perhaps something more explicit like this
select_frame = yes
If "yes" the image server will switch the currently displayed frame to show the displayed image. If "no", the image server will not switch the display.
The parameter is never mentioned in the rest of the display help.
I'm currently in discussion with William about ds9's handling of select_frame, which it appears to ignore.
Jason
PS As this is functionality improvements, perhaps it is better to wait until after the initial 2.0 release to worry about.
Mike Fitzpatrick wrote on Dec 29, 2008
Hi Jason,
I can reproduce the problem with the title in both your examples and will add it to the list. However, the select- seems to be working for me as expected in both cases, i.e. the frame is loaded but the displayed image remains the same (even if the title changed). This wasn't anything fixed recently in either ximtool or iraf so I'm not sure how to explain it. You might try unlearning DISPLAY just in case, otherwise you could define the environment variable 'DEBUG_IIS' before starting ximtool and post the results, I can tell you when a frame request is being made.
Cheers,
-Mike
I can reproduce the problem with the title in both your examples and will add it to the list. However, the select- seems to be working for me as expected in both cases, i.e. the frame is loaded but the displayed image remains the same (even if the title changed). This wasn't anything fixed recently in either ximtool or iraf so I'm not sure how to explain it. You might try unlearning DISPLAY just in case, otherwise you could define the environment variable 'DEBUG_IIS' before starting ximtool and post the results, I can tell you when a frame request is being made.
Cheers,
-Mike
Jason Quinn wrote on Dec 29, 2008
fitz
I can reproduce the problem with the title in both your examples and will add it to the list. However, the select- seems to be working for me as expected in both cases, i.e. the frame is loaded but the displayed image remains the same (even if the title changed). This wasn't anything fixed recently in either ximtool or iraf so I'm not sure how to explain it. You might try unlearning DISPLAY just in case, otherwise you could define the environment variable 'DEBUG_IIS' before starting ximtool and post the results, I can tell you when a frame request is being made.
DEBUG_IIS is giving me trouble again and trying to set FIFO pipes is giving me "ERROR: Cannot open device (node!imtool,,8192,8192)" when I display.
Until I get DEBUG_IIS working, I just wanted to reiterate that the first set of commands (with three displays) works. It's only the second that shows a problem and then only if the ximtool has just been started (or more precisely if the 2nd frame hasn't been used yet).
Jason
Mike Fitzpatrick wrote on Dec 29, 2008
DEBUG_IIS is giving me trouble again and trying to set FIFO pipes is giving me "ERROR: Cannot open device (node!imtool,,8192,8192)" when I display.
Something else is going on here, DEBUG_IIS is totally unrelated to which display channels are opened.
Until I get DEBUG_IIS working, I just wanted to reiterate that the first set of commands (with three displays) works. It's only the second that shows a problem and then only if the ximtool has just been started (or more precisely if the 2nd frame hasn't been used yet).
Right, using your second example with a fresh ximtool, I do not see a problem. The first set of commands also works, but also shows the problem with the image title.
-Mike
Last post on Dec 29, 2008