Input and Syntax

TiRiFiC is (currently) available as a standalone command line task (from v2.2.0 on) and as a GIPSY task (ending with v2.1.5). In both cases, the syntax is similar to the common GIPSY syntax, while the input methods of the standalone version are more flexible. The task can basically be called from any environment as a common binary with argiments entered in the command line or in a default file (which can be named after the user's fashion).

I/O in the standalone version

Keyword-valuelist pairs

TiRiFiC gets invoked by calling the tirific binary (to be found after compilation in the bin directory) followed by command line arguments. The user provides a list of keyword - valuelist pairs. Separator of keywords and valuelists is the '=' symbol. Separator of single strings are all whitespaces and the '=' symbol. The string before a '=' symbol is always a keyword (parameter name), the stings after the '=' symbol until the next keyword are the stringlist belonging to the keyword. Multiple occurances of a keyword are allowed, but only the first one gets evaluated and the later ones get ignored.

The '#'-symbol defines a comment. Text (including the '=' symbol) in-between two '#'-symbols or text starting with a '#' symbol and ending with a newline ('\n') is ignored. keyword - valuelist pairs with unknown keywords are ignored (this can be used to enter a comment, as long as the text does not contain the '=' symbol).

The list of strings ('stringlist') belonging to a keyword is then furtherly interpreted and translated into numbers, strings etc., depending on the parameter.

Example:

    > tirific miau key1= val11 val12 key2 = val21 val22 val23 key3=key4=val41 # blabalbalsf # oops key5 = val51 # end

invokes TiRiFiC with

    the text 'miau' being ignored,
    the valuelist val11 val12 belonging to keyword key1,
    the valuelist val21 val22 val23 belonging to keyword key2,
    an empty valuelist belonging to keyword key3,
    the valuelist val41 oops belonging to keyword key4,
    the text '# blabalbalsf #' being ignored,
    the valuelist val51 belonging to keyword key5,
    the text '# end' being ignored.

Default files

The parameter DEFFILE, which may be specified on the command line defines the name of a "default" file. To provide the input of parameters to TiRiFiC, the command line will be evaluated first, and then the content of the default file, following the same syntax (if the user specifies DEFFILE = tirific.def, this is equivalent to providing a default file in GIPSY).

Numbers and number lists

Numbers and lists of numbers are entered as strings in decimal format. For lists of numbers, TiRiFiC allows for the shortcut

    a:b:c ,

which is equivalent to a list of numbers starting with a, incrementing with c, and not exceeding b.

Examples:

    PAR = 0:6:2 is equivalent to PAR = 0 2 4 6
    PAR = 0:-6:-2 is equivalent to PAR = 0 -2 -4 -6
    PAR = 0.3:0.8:0.2 is equivalent to PAR = 0.3 0.5 0.7
    PAR = 1.9 20 0.3:0.8:0.2 5 is equivalent to PAR = 1.9 20.0    0.3 0.5 0.7    5.0

There are parameters whose syntax deviates from these rules. If this is the case, the syntax is expressively described together with the parameters.

Switching to interactive mode

By default, any parameter that is required by TiRiFiC but not entered or that is entered in the wrong way, leads to a termimation of the program. It is possible to switch to an interactive mode by setting the parameter PROMPT = 1. If PROMPT = 1, the user will be asked on error to re-specify a valuelist, if it was not entered but required or if it contained errors. Parameters entered in this interactive mode have always the highest preference. This is important, if the user chooses to run TiRiFiC in a mode in which the input is repeated more than once (parameter RESTARTNAME).

I/O in the GIPSY versions

Please notice that only the standalone version of TiRiFiC is being developed and supported. The status of the GIPSY version is frozen at version 2.1.5. A list of parameters that are not supported in the GIPSY version can be found in the section Parameter Index.

In the the GIPSY version the input methods and the input syntax largely follow the GIPSY conventions. An introduction to GIPSY, its syntax, and input methods can be found here and here. An exception to the rule are the more complex input variants for the specification of the fitting process and interpolation. A description of those is given in the section Fitting Parameters.

GIPSY requests the user to enter parameters interactively unless a so-called default file is provided by the user and stored in the place where GIPSY is started. The number of parameters to be provided for TiRiFiC is somewhat on the large side, such that, to keep an overview, it is highly recommendable to work with default files which can be edited using the editor of choice. An example default file is provided in the section Examples. Such files should be stored in the place where your input data cube resides, which should be identical to the directory from where you start GIPSY (and TiRiFiC).