It is often desirable to use a central, more powerful computer to analyze data captured on a local machine. ASCITOVG is a program for use on an IBM PC series computer which creates binary format files from columns of ASCII-format numbers. The resultant files are suitable for interactive analysis on a DEC PDP-11/73 under the Micro-RSX operating system running the VGS-5000 Enhanced Data Processing (EDP) software package. EDP performs data analysis interactively with a color graphics display, speeding up the analysis considerably when compared with batch job processing. Its interactive analysis capabilities also allow the researcher to watch for spurious data that might go undetected when some form of automatic spectrum processing is used.
The incompatibility in floating-point number representations of an IBM PC and a DEC computer were resolved by a FORTRAN subroutine that correctly converts single-precision, floating-point numbers on the PC so that they can be directly read by DEC computers, such as a VAX. The subroutine also can convert binary DEC files (single-precision, floating-point numbers) to IBM PC format. This may prove a more efficient method of moving data from, for instance, a VAX-cluster down to a local IBM PC for further examination, manipulation, or display.
The input data file used by ASCITOVG is simply a text file in the form of a column of ASCII numbers, with each value followed by a carriage return. These can be the output of a data collection routine or can even be keyed in through the use of a program editor. The data file header required by the EDP programs for an x-ray photoelectron spectrum is also written to the file. The spectrum parameters, entered by the user when the program is run, are coded into the header format used internally by all of the VGS-5000 series EDP packages. Any file transfer protocol having provision for binary data can be used to transmit the resulting file from the PC to the DEC machine.
Each EDP data file has at least a four-block information section ahead of the actual data. The header information is needed because data files from a number of different experimental techniques, as well as multi-region and depth profile data, can be analyzed with the EDP software. This information includes general information about the data file, names of spectral regions, descriptive comments, information about the experimental technique, and information about the experimental conditions such as the type of scan, the range of the scan, the excitation source, and the analyzer mode.
The files produced by ASCITOVG are in the form of a single-spectralregion, binding-energy-scan, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum. Comments are included in the source code, which should allow easy expansion of the program to certain other types of data files.
ASCITOVG carries the NASA case number LEW-14993. It was originally released as part of the COSMIC collection.
SOURCE CODE AVAILABLE