6. Observing Procedures

	Observing procedures tell the computer how to perform the
observations and consist of commands on where to move the telescope
and what action to perform (e.g., balance the A/C, take an off or on
TPOWER scan, a continuum scan with the A/D's or DCR, or an SPOWER
scan).  The language of procedures includes assignment statements,
arrays, loops, and if and while statements.  Procedures can write
messages to the operator's CRT and assign values to variables through
read statements from the CRT.  The language is identical to that used
for procedures in the analysis systems POPS, CONDAR, or AIPS; only the
list of adverbs or verbs differ between the systems.  Observers
familiar with procedures in these systems will have no dificulty in
understanding observing procedures although, since the verbs differ,
they may have difficulty writing one.  The limitations as to what a
procedure can do depend upon the storage space of the computer and the
ingenuity and experience of the person writing the procedure.

	Since the size of the handbook is limited, a full description
of the language of observing procedures will not be given here;
descriptions can be found in the manuals describing the analysis
system.  Usually, the "Friend of the Telescope" or Bob Vance will
confer with the observer and write the desired procedure or alter an
existing procedure.  Appendix C lists some existing procedures.