<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< SOFTWARE RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
---------------------------------
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< FTOOLS VERSION 3.5 DISTRIBUTION >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
A new release of the FTOOLS software package is now publicly available.
FTOOLS is a package of approximately 200 data analysis programs and Perl
scripts that operate on FITS format data files. Some of these tasks are
very general and may be used on any FITS format file. Other tasks are
designed to perform specific data reduction or analysis procedures on data
files from the ROSAT, ASCA, XTE, CGRO and other astrophysics X-ray and
Gamma-ray satellites. This software is freely available from the High Energy
Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC) as described below:
How: (1) With a WWW browser:
http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/software/ftools/ftools_release.html
*** OR ***
(2) Anonymous FTP from heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov in directory:
software/ftools/release/FTools_3.5
What: ******* FTOOLS Source and Data *******
***(ascadata is only needed to run certain tasks, primarily ASCA)***
ftools.v3.5.tar.gz - Source Code Distribution for all platforms
ascadata.v3.5.tar.gz - Minimal subset of ASCA Calibration Database
*** Compressed Postscript Documentation ***
***(in software/ftools/release/doc directory)***
develop.v3.5.ps.gz - Developer's Guide
install.v3.5.ps.gz - Installation Guide
users.v3.5.ps.gz - User's Guide
Xselect_1.3.ps.gz - Xselect Users Guide
*** HTML Documentation ***
at http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/software/ftools/ftools_menu.html
Supported Platforms: (See Installation Guide for details)
unix ALPHA/OSF, DEC/ULTRIX, SUN/SunOS (incl. Solaris)
SGI/IRIX
vms ALPHA/VMS, VAX/VMS
++++++++++What's New in FTOOLS version 3.5++++++++++
++ HP-UX Host Untested ++
As of the release date (29MAR96), the v3.5 release has
not been tested on HP-UX. Our software group hasn't had
access to an HP platform since November, 1995. There are
probably several routines that won't work, assuming the
package builds at all. Hopefully we'll have access to an
HP by early fall '96.
Report any installation difficulties to:
ftoolshelp@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov
Please remember that without an HP here our ability to
answer questions is severely limited.
++ NEW PACKAGE: XRONOS ++
XRONOS comes to us from XANADU. It has several tools for
general timing analysis.
++ NEW PACKAGE: EINSTEIN ++
EINSTEIN contains two EINSTEIN mission specific tasks.
++ Questionnaire ++
So that we can better serve the user community in the future
we have prepared a short questionnaire. Your cooperation in
filling it out and emailing it back to us will be greatly
appreciated!
*******************************CUT HERE******************************
FTOOLS Questionnaire (v3.5, 28.03.1996)
1. Are you running the Host/Standalone version or the IRAF version?
Please explain your choice. Also, what platform are you running
IRAF on?
2. Is there an architecture/OS that you'd like to see supported?
3. Do you have any general comments/suggestions for FTOOLS?
Please return to ftoolshelp@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov
under the Subject heading: Questionnaire
*******************************CUT HERE******************************
NEW TASKS AND PERL SCRIPTS (indicated by **):
ASCA
------
*Note: sisrmg currently fails on fast mode data files *
*A fix is in the works. *
dfe2mkf
-Updated
faint
-Updated
faintdfe
-Updated
ascalin
-Updated
ascaexpo
-Updated
attitude
-Updated
faspect
-New. Computes the euler angles of the best aspect point
ascaarf
-Updated
ascaeffmap
-Updated
fastwmap
-Updated
sispi
-Updated
ghkcurve
-New. Extract light curve from ASCA GIS housekeeping file.
CALTOOLS
----------
rbnrmf
-Update
addarf
-New. Adds two or more Ancillary Response Files (ARFs)
rpsf2eef
-New. Converts a radial profile dataset to an encircled energy fraction
caldbinfo
-New. Determines if local CALDB is setup
rpsf2eef
-New. Converts a radial PSF (RPSF) dataset to a radial encircled
energy function (REEF) dataset.
EINSTEIN
----------
New package for EINSTEIN mission.
FUTILS
--------
fcolpar
-New. Returns column number for an input filename and column name
HEASARC
---------
addspec
-New. Adds PHA spectra, bkgd files & combines respons matices
extrpsf
-New. Extracts radial PSF (RPSF) dataset from an event file
ROSAT
-------
pcpicor
-Now a perl script: corrects PI channel in Events file
pctcor
-New. Corrects PI channel in Events file
VELA5B
--------
fvelgallc
-Working. Creates multiple light curves for sources in
confused fields
fvelmap
-Working. Creates a set of FITS source maps of a rectangular
region
velamap
-Updated
XRONOS
--------
New package for general timing analysis
XTE
-----
XTE has been completely updated.