DiFX GUI Release Information

This is a description of the changes most recently introduced to the DiFX GUI as well of a history of all such past changes. Changes listed are organized by GUI version number (the version number appears in the title bar of the GUI). Attempts will be made to include all changes made between version numbers although nothing is promised.

The version numbering scheme is, at present, unique to the GUI - it does not follow the version number of the rest of the DiFX software (which has a little more formality behind it). Before the introduction of this help page the GUI was stuck on the bogus place-holder version number "0.8". As a first attempt to make the version number actually mean something I am starting at "1.0". New releases will increment the fractional portion of the release number by hundredths (the next versions will be "1.01", then "1.02", etc) unless they are considered "major" releases in which case the integer portion will be incremented. What constitutes a major release is yet to be determined, but presumably they happen at least as often as every hundred "minor" releases or this system collapses.

Latest Release: 1.03 (Sept 1, 2013)

New Features

DiFX Message Traffic Monitor

Ability to add an "invisible" processor/mark5 unit to hardware used for DiFX processing. "Invisible" hardware doesn't run mk5daemon but still can be used.

Documentation, documentation...

Bug Fixes

Fix mk5control commands to work via guiServer.

DiFX Version was not saved properly in XML settings file.

Fix DiFX Version Specification (was not being implemented correctly).

Remove sleeps that were slowing down message transfer.

Gray out options that don't work.

Release History

1.02 (June 1, 2013)

New Features

Allow users to limit the number of messages stored in message windows.

Allow users to set "expiration times" for messages stored in message windows (older ones are thrown away).

Change a bunch of default settings to more logical things.

Real-time plotting of DiFX visibilities.

Documentation for real-time monitor and message window.

Make guiServer version number match GUI version number.

Tag guiServer as part of DiFX 2.2 release.

Add a "correlation time" to job output.

Start of a fairly major documentation rework.

Bug Fixes

Eliminate Experiment/Pass/Job count from Queue Browser (didn't do anything anyway).

Downgrade alarms in response to error messages from running DiFX jobs (remain alarmed if they fail). Responding to gov't warning messages on SWC.

Some improvements to the behavior of the message windows.

Increase number of transfer ports available (was causing hard limit to number of DiFX jobs that could be run simultaneously).

1.01 (Feb 1, 2013)

New Features

Allow use of a "template" .v2d file when creating new experiments.

Pretty good .v2d file parser.

Include "Locate on Disk" option for adding experiments to the Queue Browser (obtains previously-created experiments and gives user full control over them).

Enhanced "Machine List" controls in Job Control/Monitor to accommodate files and (hopefully) other data sources.

Include "none" option in .v2d template choice (Experiment Editor).

"Select/Deselect All" sources in Experiment Editor.

Grid of "stations used" for each source observed is included in the Experiment Editor.

New "How to Run DiFX With the GUI" tutorial (skeletal work in progress at the moment).

Bug Fixes

Fix to timing of .input file creation in vex2difxRun.cpp - was causing jobs to (sometimes) not be included in Queue Browser.

Cleanup of guiServer code to eliminate compiler warnings (where they are important).

Fix behavior of "Data Source" labels in the Experiment Editor.

Weights display was displaying based on antenna name - but messages used index. Fixed.

1.0 (Oct 30, 2012)

New Features

Introduction of an actual release number and release notes.

Generalize "data source" selection in Job Editor/Monitor to properly accommodate modules, files and network sources.

.input files are parsed (reasonably completely). This allows some of the features above.

The usual smattering of documentation updates.

Bug Fixes

Concurrent modification exception prevented complete deletion of experiments (sometimes).

Sort processor/Mark5 node names in hardware display.

Updates of data source information no longer require redrawing all data source information (which led to screen flicker).

Fix scrolling bug in IndexedPanel displays (scrollbar would not immediately update in response to panel opening/closing).

VSN name changes were not updating .v2d file content.