[daip] Question about AIPS catalog sizes in the context of custom programming

[Eric Greisen]

Samuel R Conner writes:

 >      I had a lot of trouble getting my custom hacks working; for some reason I
 > kept damaging the AIPS system files when I tried to update the ME files with my
 > enlarged POPSDAT.HLP. Eventually I deleted all the compiled/linked modules and
 > added my source code and include changes to the bare source installation, and
 > then the wizard installed everything nicely, not distinguishing between the
 > original code and my additional local modules.

          I would assum eyou would change PKSZ.INC, COMRPL AU2A and
SGLOCA, then COMLNK AIPS*, POPSGN and FILAIP.  Then delete the ME file
and run FILAIP.

 >      I find that when the image catalogue exceeds 100 entries within a
 > particular data disk, AIPS suddenly becomes extremely slugglish and eventually
 > stops entirely (I think; I have been killing it after tens of minutes seemingly
 > idle). I think that I recall the wizard running FILAIP or FILINI with 100
 > entries per data disk --- or maybe I did that later; I can't recall. Whatever
 > the origin of this, it appears to me that my catalogs are not extendable.

        FILAIP used to ask (changed in 31DEC05 recently) the initial
size of a catalog file.  The standard answer was -100 (now forced
internally) to be 100 entries in user-private file naming.  If you
answered +100 then all user numbers end up in the same catalog ans
some tasks/procs do not work right since we never test that mode.
The changes in 31DEC05 forbid that mode in future systems.

But all catalog files call ZEXPND out of subroutine CATDIR (an old and
messy routine).  The only limit is 46655 entries imposed by our naming
convention (3 digits in base 36).  This can happen in any task or
AIPS.EXE itself.  Users around here routinely have many 100's or
1000's of catalog entries with no issue although all started with 100
in their catalog.

I wrote a service program to convert from public catalog files to
private ones, but it is only in 31DEC05.

I guess I am saying that I have no idea what is going on when you hit
this slow down.  I don't know if you use a debugger but if so you can
compile AIPS.EXE in debug and run and see where you are.  Or modify
$APLSUB/CATDIR to add messages around the ZEXPND call (statement
labels 270 through 285 or so).

 >      I have forgotten what needs to be done to repair this (I think I may have
 > known some years ago), and I'm afraid to experiment because of my bad
 > experience
 > meddling with FILINI/FILAIP when I first tried to install my local hacks.
 > 
 >      Is there a detailed documentary description of what to do to convert fixed
 > length catalogs to extensible catalogs? If need be, I can empty my data areas
 > with little inconvenience.

There is no such thing as fixed length catalog so there is no such
documentation. 

BTW - the spices you sent are very nice!  Many thanks, but bribery is
not required.

Eric Greisen