Downloading MOPEX
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Getting Started
MOPEX is distributed as a tar file containing both the GUI and command-line versions. A second tar file of sample data is also available. Example namelists are provided in the cdf directory for use with the sample data.Users should note that while we have done our best to ensure that the MOPEX GUI works without any problems, there may be bugs that we have not yet come across. We advise starting MOPEX while connected to the internet so that new updates can be automatically installed. If you come across a bug in the software, please email us at the Spitzer HelpDesk, and include the platform you are using (e.g. Solaris/Linux RedHat/MacOSX), the AOR Key of the data (if the problem occurred with Spitzer data) and a copy of the error message you found.
A full list of known MOPEX bugs can be found here
Download and Installation
The list of major changes and updates since the last MOPEX release can be found in the Change Log. Also see the Release Notes (pdf) for information on the GUI system requirements.Please ensure that you are connected to the internet when you start MOPEX for the first time, as it will automatically check for any updates every time it is started. To check for updates without restarting, go to the Options menu on the task bar and toggle Use Automatic Mopex Version Update off and back on again.If you have any problems running MOPEX then please check the Current Bug List.
1) There is an error in the APEX switch "Use_Photerr_for_SNR", new in MOPEX 18.1.5. Turn this off (set = 0) until fixed. It will default to an estimate for "SNR" based on the point-source profile (see readme/README_new_snr_option_081108.pdf). For a better estimate of point-source signal-to-noise use an aperture uncertainty, where the aperture covers the main core of the point-source.
2) There is an error in the Perl script, apex.pl, in MOPEX 18.1.5. The error occurs when the switch "use_data_unc_for_fitted_SNR = 1" is on, and there are tiles with no data. APEX sourcestimate will exit with a message "number of noise images less than number of tiles". The Perl script has been fixed (Version 4.4) and is available here: apex.pl. Replace the one in your MOPEX download sub-directory /bin with the new one.
3) The new APEX User List mode has a limitation when used in multi-frame mode: it does not work when there's more than 1 tile. So when making a mosaic (either within APEX, or in a previous "mosaic" run - the latter is usually better), don't set a TILEMAX size in mosaic_coadd, or set it bigger than your mosaic, if you can. In practice, this means you won't be able to use apex_user_list.pl in a single pass for a large area of IRAC data (when you do APEX PRF-fitting on the stack).
Solaris 10+
- Download the installation file: mopex18_1_5-solaris.sh (187 MB)
- Download the sample data file (optional):mopex16_sample_data.tar.gz (171 MB zipped / 257 MB unzipped).
- Make the installation file executable:
prompt> chmod +x ./mopex18_1_5-solaris.sh - Run the installation file:
prompt> ./mopex18_1_5-solaris.sh
Linux
- Download the installation file: mopex18_1_5-linux.sh (188 MB)
- Download the sample data file (optional):mopex16_sample_data.tar.gz (171 MB zipped / 257 MB unzipped).
- Make the installation file executable:
prompt> chmod +x ./mopex18_1_5-linux.sh - Run the installation file:
prompt> ./mopex18_1_5-linux.sh
Note: glibc errors in Linux RedHat WS 4: We have found a problem with glibc when running sourcestimate. All Linux users should follow the instructions on the MOPEX bug list page (point 5) on how to work around this problem before attempting to run APEX.
Mac OSX 10.3+
- Download the installation file: mopex18_1_5-mac.dmg (201 MB)
- Download the sample data file (optional):mopex16_sample_data.tar.gz (171 MB zipped / 257 MB unzipped).
- Double click on the file
- Drag the mopex folder to wherever you want MOPEX to be kept
Windows
- Download the installation file: mopex18_1_5-windows.exe (169 MB)
- Download the sample data file (optional):mopex16_sample_data.tar (257 MB).
- Double click on the file
- Follow the installation instructions
Starting the GUI
After completing the installation instructions, the MOPEX GUI can be launched from the executable file (the command mopex in Unix-like environments, or clicking on the MOPEX icon in Windows-like environments). Please ensure that you are connected to the internet when you launch MOPEX for the first time - it will automatically check for any available updates. When the software first starts, you will be presented with a blank window. Go to the Help menu to get introductory material by selecting Overview. To begin using the program, go to the File menu and open either a new pipeline or read in your existing MOPEX namelist.
MOPEX takes text files containing lists of FITS images as input. To facilitate transition between the GUI and the command-line MOPEX, we recommend that filenames contain the full path.
Starting the command-line MOPEX
After completing the installation instructions, the MOPEX
environment variables must be set up as follows:
- Edit mopex-script-env.csh to set the installation
path MOPEX_INSTALLATION to the current directory (pwd) e.g. if MOPEX is
in /home/joe/mopex, then you should set the following in mopex-script-env.csh:
setenv MOPEX_INSTALLATION /home/joe/mopex - Ensure that PERL_PATH is set to your perl installation path
- Running cshell (not bash), source mopex-script-env.csh:
prompt> source mopex-script-env.csh - The MOPEX perl scripts can now be called from the command
line, e.g.:
prompt> mosaic.pl -n mosaic_I1.nl
See the either the help pages within the GUI, or the documents linked from the main MOPEX page for information on how to use the software for your data reduction.
Updates
Future updates to MOPEX will be distributed via the auto-update function of the GUI. To use the auto-update, MOPEX needs to be able to connect to the internet. The net status is displayed at the bottom of the GUI. If you do not see Net Up, you may need to address the problem. The GUI shares its update functionality with Spitzer's SPOT; please see the SPOT user's guide for more information.
MOPEX will automatically download any available updates whenever it is restarted. To check for updates without re-starting MOPEX, go to the Options menu on the task bar and toggle Use Automatic Mopex Version Update off and back on again.
Updates will provide new functionality and cal files as they are developed. Existing files may be replaced if new versions are distributed with the same name, but other files will not be deleted. So, if you modify namelists or calfiles, we recommend changing their name to protect them from being overwritten. Even in you do not plan to use the GUI to run the scripts, we recommend using the update function rather than reinstalling all of MOPEX when updates become available.
