Virtual Observatory Software for Astronomers

VOExplorer / File Menu

New Smart List

  • Create, name and bookmark your own dynamic list of VO resources in the VO for reloading as and when required and reflecting the latest data releases available.
  • Define search criteria for all VO resources including all or any of the conditions defined using the pull down menus and text entry box provided.
  • Click the green "+" button to add another condition as many times as needed.
  • A condition is set by selecting a condition type within the metadata provided for a resource such as Any main field, Waveband or column name and then choosing if it does or does not contain any term entered in the text entry box.
  • Once a Smart List has been defined (and named), click the Create button to begin the search. The new Smart List appears in the left hand panel and can be further edited, modified or exported as required by right clicking it.
  • Users have the option not to use the pull down menus but enter queries as text only in the Query Text box if preferred - these entries are auto-filled in as a condition is set using the menus.

[Note that "UCDs" are standardised column descriptors as defined for the VO by the International Virtual Observatory Alliance and apply uniformly to all datasets simplifying multi archive queries.]

Example 1: In the example shown we define a Smart List named "SDSS-DR5"by choosing VO resources where any of the following conditions are true: any main field contains the term SDSS and/or any main field contains the term DR5. This should select VO available resources for the 5th data relase of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. After filling out the search criteria as shown click create.

New Static List

A user may wish to define a fixed number of resources at set ivo locations entered using the text boxes provided.

New List from Selection

The user may further refine their selections on a set of resources using the filter wheels provided and then bookmark this as a new Smart List.

New XQuery List

Advanced users may want to define searches entirely using XQuery only using this option.

New Subscription

Upload a resource list from local disk, network or VOspace.

New Folder

Organise bookmarked Smart Lists into folders.

  • Edit: modify Smart List match conditions
  • Rename: rename Smart List
  • Duplicate: make duplicate of Smart List in order to modify an existing Smart List while saving the original.
  • Delete: delete a Smart List
  • Close Window: close the currently open VOExplorer window
  • Import: import a folder (in XML format)
  • Export: export the current folder (to XML format)

Login to Community/ Logout

In order to login to your VO Space account select Login to Community from the VO Desktop menu. A new window will appear asking you for your credentials. If you do not have a username and password click on the Not got an account? link. This will open a new message window in your default mail application in which you will need to write your name and institution. The email will be sent to signup@… and you will get back a confirmation email with your username and password. Then enter your login details: community is the name of the community you have your user registered with. Then insert your user and password and click on OK. Note that it is not necessary to login into the system using this procedure before starting to use VO Desktop. Whenever it is necessary to access your VO Space the application will prompt you to login if you haven't done so. Note also that this will only happen once per session unless you select Logout from the menu.

  • Exit VO Desktop: close all currently open VODesktop windows and exit VODesktop; this menu item is not visible on computers running Mac OS X.

Attachments

Acknowledging AstroGrid. If you make use of the AstroGrid system or tools, we would be grateful if you could acknowledge this use in any resulting publications. You could use these words: 'This research has made use of data obtained using, or software provided by, the UK's AstroGrid Virtual Observatory Project, which is funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council and through the EU's Framework 6 programme.' Use of any data discovered or accessed through AstroGrid should of course be mentioned as noted by the data providers.

Licensing and Copyright. AstroGrid software is released under the Academic Free License.. The copyright on the text used in these web pages is owned by the contributing authors. Copyright on images used are assumed to be with the indicated or implied source as appropriate.