COBE Analysis Software

Documented software is available from this site. Installation instructions are provided for UNIX, VMS, OSF1, OpenVMS and PC/WINDOWS environments.

Current version: 4.1
Release date: 10 June 1999

There are three software libraries, one containing primarily IDL routines (with 10 optional C source routines), another with (nearly obsolete) DIRBE-specific C code, and the third standalone FORTRAN. These libraries do not have equivalent functionality. The main package is coded in IDL. The FORTRAN library contains data I/O and coordinate conversion software, which you may find useful if you don't have an IDL license, but is far less comprehensive than the main package. The DIRBE-specific C library will not be needed in most circumstances; it is a holdover from a time when previous versions of the IDL routines ingested the data inefficiently. The DIRBE-specific C routines, which interface with IDL  specifically to read DIRBE data, still might be useful under certain conditions (e.g., on relatively slow machines or those which have little memory capacity).

In order to use the COBE IDL analysis software, the IDL Astronomy User's Library must also be installed on your machine. Note that the data ingest routines (e.g., TBGET and TBINFO) may not work properly if your copy of the Library is older than August 1997.

Both software and associated documentation are available. The software is available from the following files:
Recommended download procedure for '.fits' or '.tar.gz' files right click on the file name and save
.

    aacgis_idl.txt - overview and installation instructions
    cgis-unix.tar - a tar file containing the main (IDL) software library for UNIX users
    cgis-vms.bck - equivalent to cgis-unix.tar but in a BACKUP package for VMS users
    cgis-pc.zip - equivalent to cgis-unix.tar but in a pkzip package for WINDOWS users
    cgis-for.tar - a tar file containing the FORTRAN library for UNIX users
    cgis-for.bck - equivalent to cgis-for.tar but in a BACKUP package for VMS users
    cgis-cc.tar - a tar file containing the C (DIRBE data I/O) library for UNIX users
    cgis-cc.bck - equivalent to cgis-cc.tar but in a BACKUP package for VMS users

The contents of the .tar, .bck, and .zip packages are identical. Different files are offered simply to facilitate portability to environments running different operating systems. References to UNIX in the documentation are meant to include all UNIX "flavors" (e.g., SunOS, OSF1, ULTRIX, HPUX, etc.) except where noted. Likewise, references to VMS include OpenVMS unless noted otherwise.

Once a software library file has been retrieved, one of the following commands should be used to unpack it:

    UNIX: tar xvf cgis-unix.tar .
    VMS: backup/blocksize=2048 cgis-vms.bck/save_set [...]
    PKZIP: pkunzip -d cgis-pc.zip *.*

Due to resource constraints we are able to provide only a modest amount of personal assistance, and we cannot guarantee that the programs will run on your machine. Please consult the software documents and be sure to install the IDL Astronomy User's Library in your IDL_PATH before seeking assistance. Then, if you still need help, contact us at the address given at the bottom of this page.



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A service of the HEASARC and of the Astrophysics Science Division at NASA/GSFC
Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
HEASARC Director: Dr. Andrew F. Ptak
LAMBDA Director: Dr. Thomas M. Essinger-Hileman
NASA Official: Dr. Thomas M. Essinger-Hileman
Web Curator: Mr. Michael R. Greason