Loading a Form


Forms are the starting point for all searches in StarView.  Each form is designed to answer particular questions. General forms can span the entire archive while instrument specific forms query information that only exist for one instrument and thus only find information about data from that instrument.  Other forms focus on the proposals or the general observations in the past (referred to as duplications).

Forms can be loaded in several ways.  Forms that is served by the archive can be found under the searches menu from the main StarView screen.  They are found just under the divider below the New Custom Forms item and a above the next dividor (e.g. the "New Format Screens" and "SV Original Forms" pictured below).

These forms are stored at the archive and are maintained by the archive developers. They are general purpose forms that are frequently used by a broad audience of people.  To load one of these forms, simply select it from the menu (e.g. click on Quick Search).

Other forms can be stored locally.  They can be loaded one of two ways.  The users SVData directory is uses to store forms (and directories of forms) on the users machine.  These forms are found at the bottom of the Searches menu.  They can be loaded the same way the server forms are loaded.

Forms stored in other locations must be loaded manually.  To do this, simply click on the File menu and select "Open Local Form".

This will produce a file selection dialog from which you can navigate to the stored form.  Note that the file extension for locally saved forms is .crv (e.g. a form file is recognized as being a form file by its ending in .crv).
 

So which form should I start using?

Currently at STScI we provide the user with new format forms, that use the new features of StarView 6, and old format forms, that emulate the forms found in xstarview.  Forms fall into several categories under this
  1. Quick/General/Data Files/Exposures/Target Forms - used to find any dataset in the archive utilizing information about the data, exposure, or target of the observation
  2. Proposal Forms - used to look at previous proposals for telescope time
  3. Duplications Forms - used to look for observation sets (not individual data sets) from previous observations
  4. Instrument - Files to find particulars about observations with particular instruments including information about the calibrations used for the data, details about the status of the instrument during the observation, and information about the reference files for a particular dataset.  Note these forms will only find data from that instrument as they query information that is only relevant for that instrument.
In general, most users use the quick/genearl forms to query the database to find prior observations. The duplication forms are used to see if observations that are being proposed have been done in the past.