Conversion of older VMS SPECX data to Unix-readable format

Many people will have data reduced using the VMS versions of SPECX. These are in the wrong format to be read by Unix versions, and it is necessary to convert them to the correct format. The commands convert-vax-file and convert-vax-map are provided for this purpose.

• To convert a VMS SPECX data file type e.g.:

   >> c-v-f
   File name? ngc253.dat
  

  The new file will be named ngc253.sdf in this case.

  Note that one needs to give the full name of the file (ngc253.dat in this case), otherwise the following very serious-looking error will occur:

   >> c-v-f
   File name? ngc253
    --- openuf ---
        error in OPEN: FORTRAN i/o error #   1018
   Failed to open input file, IOSTAT =  1018
  !! HDS locator invalid: value=' ', length=15 (possible programming error).
  !  DAT_ANNUL: Error annulling an HDS locator.
   -- SPECX#010 -W- Error opening file --
   >>
  

  A similar error message will occur if the output filename already exists.
• Conversion of VMS maps (datacubes) proceeds along similar lines e.g.:

   >> c-v-m
   File name? mars_12
  

  In this example, the input map name was mars_12.map; the output map name will be mars_12_map.sdf. Note however an inconsistency with the c-v-f command: the full input map name is not required. Providing it will give an error e.g.:

   >> c-v-m
   File name? mars_12.map
    --- openuf ---
        error in OPEN: FORTRAN i/o error #   1018
   Failed to open input file, IOSTAT =  1018
   File name was mars_12.map.map
   -- SPECX#010 -W- Error opening file --
   >>  3