= Copilot =

*copilot.py* is a script that watches for new images, measures them,
 and produces a plot, *recent.png* to help observers understand what
 the conditions are doing.

Start it from the `mzls@mayall-idl.kpno.noao.edu` account,
{{{
python copilot.py &
}}}

It will monitor the $MOS3_DATA directory, and whenever a new image
comes it, it will measure it, update a little database, and create a
"strip plot" showing the conditions.

The database is in *~/obsbot/obsdb/obsdb.sqlite3*.

An example plot is shown here:

[[Image(copilot-example.png)]]

The top panel shows the seeing.  Any problems with the data we know
how to detect are marked with red vertical bands.  These include:
* readtime -- MAY indicate a duplicated image ("md5sum" is a better
  indicator).
* md5sum -- this image contains identical pixels as a previous image.
  This requires action!  Please see the problem description [[https://desi.lbl.gov/trac/wiki/PublicPages/MayallZbandLegacy/NotesforObservers/Problems#a5.Repeatimages HERE]].
* pixcnt -- the image readout is shifted.  Please have a look at this
  exposure and note in the logs which CCD has the shift.  The shifts
  are pretty easily recognized in the *mscexam* IRAF window -- blocks
  of one of the images will be shifted to the left or right.  Do not
  stop observing.
  This problem is described [[https://desi.lbl.gov/trac/wiki/PublicPages/MayallZbandLegacy/NotesforObservers/Problems#a4.Shiftedimages here]]
* (unlabelled bar) -- it has been a while since the last image has been seen.  Have images stopped being written?  See problem description [[https://desi.lbl.gov/trac/wiki/PublicPages/MayallZbandLegacy/NotesforObservers/Problems#a0.Noimagesbeingwritten here]]