3.6 Start-up Summary

A sample output of what you should see in you IDL command window when you start PaPCo is given in Appendix A.1. Starting from the operating system prompt, from the directory papco_user_XX, PaPCo is normally started by

idl papco_setup

This calls up the configure widget before proceeding with the PaPCo initialization. Use this if you want to setup which modules and which startup mode to use.

Once your setup is static you can use

idl papco_startup

to initialize the last setup of PaPCo. This is a bit quicker, since it skips the configuration widget.

The start up then proceeds in the following order:

1.

IDL is started.

2.

The batch file papco_setup.pro or papco_startup is processed:

(a)

The IDL search patch is extended.

(b)

PaPCo environmental variables are set.

(c)

Module paths are added to IDL search patch

(d)

Core PaPCo programs are compiled.

(e)

User Modules are compiled.

3.

The PaPCo main widget is then started from the IDL prompt by typing

papco

4.

All module directories found in the search path are parsed for all files starting with
papco_interface/papcoadd_ and the button widgets for those modules are constructed.

5.

Each module is checked for plot sub-types and they are added to a list of valid plot_types.

6.

The configuration settings for the modules are read. This is done by first checking the papco_user_XX\papco_modules_defaults directory. If no configuration file is found there, the default configuration file defaults.config from the modules plot_read subdirectory is read, and a copy is written to the papco_user_XX\papco_modules_defaults directory.

7.

The printer configuration file is read and a list of available printers is reported.

8.

The defaults file is read.

9.

PaPCo is ready for use.

The first time you start up PaPCo you also need to do the following:

1.

Should the main PaPCo widget be too large for your screen, use the ``Font'' button to choose a smaller Font. PaPCo resizes with Font size (See Section 4.5).

2.

If the draw window is too large/small, or the character size for annotation is too large/small etc use the ``Defaults'' button (See Section 4.5).

3.

Each module, when it is included for the first time, needs to be configured for your site. Each module should include a ``Config'' button as part of its panel editor. You need to call up the module configure widget to set data paths and such like for your module (see Section 6.4.1).