[daip] Flagging in AIPS: applying large numbers of flag commands

[Eric Greisen]

Jose Afonso writes:

 > over the time I have found that applying a large number of flag commands 
 > to a uv data file in AIPS can be problematic. In particular, SPFLG and 
 > FLGIT (recent versions) can write large FG tables. However, it seems 
 > that there is no secure way to *apply* these flags to the dataset. As 
 > far as I can tell, only UVCOP can handle more than 5000 flag commands 
 > (up to 50000?). However, I am currently producing FG tables with more 
 > than 90000 entries (as seen by TBOUT these tables). Is it possible to 
 > actually apply such tables in AIPS?
 > 

The actual limits for time-ordered data are 6000 flags that apply to a
single time and, in UVCOP, 60000 flags that apply to a single time.
These are limits that are hard to exceed.  They become absolute limits
only if the data are not time ordered.  Note that applying so many
flags may be time consuming.  I recommend a UVCOP if you decide that
the flags are good and so should be permanently applied.

Eric Greisen