The following is a method to operate the RCT in a semi-robotic, scripted queue observing mode.

USING THE SCHEDULER TO CREATE A QUEUE

From rct (140.252.58.14), the Scheduler Database may be accessed to confirm request ids and object information for entered requests.
/home/rct/> mysql -u telescope observatory
mysql>

To view the database with REQID and the names of the requests, type (the semicolon is important):
mysql> select * from Request;

To view the database with object coordinates (decimal degree), type (the semicolon is important):
mysql> select * from Object;

SCRIPTED INSTRUCTIONS

Make sure that the telco is not in daemon mode. Do this by typing: 
tin daemon=0
Then login as the rct user or do an su.

Finally execute the script in the /data/observing_scripts/ directory.

The script should be a series of commands invoking the telco with the request id on the command line. In this mode they will block until the entire request is executed.

The script can look something like: 

#!/bin/csh
cd /data
telco reqid=334 
if ($status) goto die
telco reqid=365
if ($status) goto die
telco reqid=300
keepopen maxtime=300	#if you sleep remember the 'keepopen'
sleep 300
telco reqid=334 
die:
closedown

ENTERING THE SCRIPT AS A CRON JOB

The scripts are being stored in /data/observing_scripts/syymmdd.src with yymmdd being the UT date for that script, e.g., s070821.src.
The command crontab -l will list all of the cron jobs.
The command crontab -e will invoke the vi editor to allow you to change the cron jobs.
Currently the cron job needs to be edited each day to invoke the script named for the upcoming night's observing.

Instructions Index