ioannis@37: The Handbook of instruments
ioannis@37: ===========================
binietoglou@64: 
binietoglou@64: The SCC database contains all the information needed to complete the handbook of instruments. We hope
binietoglou@65: that this method of communicating system information will be more efficient than exchanging traditional excel files.
binietoglou@64: 
binietoglou@64: Describing your systems
binietoglou@64: -----------------------
binietoglou@64: Unfortunately, the SCC does not contain the concept of a system, but only of System Configuration.
binietoglou@64: This means that a station can have a single physical system, but use several configuration in the database
binietoglou@65: (daytime channels, Raman channels, etc). For example, the Alomar station, could have three system configuration
binietoglou@64: but only one system, the "ALOMAR Troposphere Lidar".
binietoglou@64: 
binietoglou@65: To construct the HOI system page, we group different configurations based on the **name** of the system.
binietoglou@65: In the previous example, we need to combine all three configuration of ALOMAR in one system HOI entry. To do this we:
binietoglou@64: 
binietoglou@64: 1. Group all system configurations with the same name as one system.
binietoglou@64: 2. Get all distinct channels connected with any of these systems.
binietoglou@65: 3. Get all lasers, telescopes, and emission lines for all these channels.
binietoglou@64: 4. Show all of these to the HOI as one system.
binietoglou@64: 
binietoglou@64: Excluding system configurations or channels
binietoglou@64: -------------------------------------------
binietoglou@65: In some cases, you may create some system configuration or channel just for testing purposes. You can
binietoglou@65: exclude these from the handbook of instruments. To do this:
binietoglou@64: 
binietoglou@64: 1. Login to the admin section.
binietoglou@64: 2. Go to the page of the system/channel you want to exclude
binietoglou@64: 3. Check the "Exclude from HOI" checkbox.
binietoglou@64: 
binietoglou@64: System from and to dates
binietoglou@64: ------------------------
binietoglou@64: If you had several old systems that are no longer working, or if you have performed a major upgrade to your system,
binietoglou@64: it is a good idea to include this information to the HOI. Each system configuration includes the
binietoglou@65: fields **Configuration from** and **Configuration to** that define the time period that the system was active.