Supported Software: SPICE Bugs

To Report Bugs

1. The platform that you are running SPICE on (e.g. Linux RedHat) and the version number of your operating system.


2. The AORKEY of the dataset that was used, along with the specific filenames.


3. The SPICE log - this can be found in /home/<user>/.spot/ and is named e.g. spice-aug03_14-56-23.log (the numbers give the date and time of the run).

List of known SPICE bugs

1. PROBLEM:
   In Mac OSX, the SPICE GUI crashes when entering an input, uncertainty, or mask image: the whole window disappears.
   
   SOLUTION1:
   Open the "Java Preferences" application, found in Applications > Utilities > Java, and switch to Java 1.5 32-bit. If this doesn't work then please try "SOLUTION2" below.

SOLUTION2:
Close SPICE and open a Terminal window. Issue the following commands.

cd /Applications/spice/spice.app/Contents/Resources/Java mv

quaqua-filechooser-only.jar quaqua-filechooser-only.jar.old




2. PROBLEM:
   When running several SPICE batch-mode flows in the same directory, SPICE will only display the batch results of the most recent run.
   
   SOLUTION:
   If you wish to visually inspect the results of all of your batch runs, make sure to set different output directories for each one.



3. PROBLEM:
   In the previous version of SPICE, the bitmask could be overlaid on the 2D spectral image. This functionality is not yet available in the new SPICE. It will be added in a future upgrade.
   
   SOLUTION:
   Keep auto-update turned on....



4. PROBLEM:
   Clicking on the Profile plot will move the dotted line showing the peak, but it will not change the value in the manual Ridge setting.
   
   SOLUTION:
   Use the slider under the plot to move the peak (dotted line), or type the percentage directly into the Ridge input field.



5. PROBLEM:
   It is possible to set a manual extraction width that is wider than the illuminated region of the order. This can lead to the extraction including spurious flux between the orders or even to including flux from another order.
   
   SOLUTION:
   Users should be very careful when selecting manual extraction widths, and visually review the overlay of the extraction window. In addition, inter-order pixels can be excluded from the extraction by ensuring that bit 8 is set as fatal (this may need to be done by hand).
   
   
6. PROBLEM:
   When first choosing a manual extraction width, the default numbers may be too large or too small to be sensible in some cases.
   
   SOLUTION:
   See the SSC website documentation for the correct default widths.
   
   
7. PROBLEM:
   Optimal extract will give an error if it is applied to a BCD with FOV=LL-Both or FOV=SL-Both and default order selection in Profile. Optimal was not designed to do multi-order low-res extraction, because the two low-res orders see different parts of the sky.

Fixed 05/12/09 (v2.2)

1. PROBLEM:
   In Version 2.1.2 of SPICE, the Profile module returns all zeros for high-resolution extractions. This does not affect users with low-resolution data or users with high-resolution data who are performing regular extractions with the standard full slit width. The bug does affect users with high-resolution data who wish to use optimal extraction or non-standard extraction widths.
   
   SOLUTION:
   Users affected by this bug can still use SPICE to reduce their high-resolution data. However, they must choose the "Manual" percent setting in the Ridge module to ensure that the extraction is centered on the trace of the spectrum. Standard staring mode places the target at two nominal slit locations for each requested slit, located 1/3 and 2/3 of the way along the width of the slit. Therefore, users should begin at these values and iterate by hand to ensure that the optimal position has been chosen.
   
   Keep auto-update turned on. This problem will be fixed in the next SPICE release, which should occur by the end of March 2009.



2. PROBLEM:
   After using IRSCLEAN, SPICE does not automatically select the mask and uncertainty files when inputting the BCD files
   
   SOLUTION:
   Manually select the mask and uncertainty files or, alternatively, re-name them to remove the "clean" part of the filename, and SPICE will automatically select them for you.



3. PROBLEM: (MAC ONLY)
   The file chooser widget does not allow you to resize directory lists, so it is hard to see the entire name of Spitzer files.
   
   SOLUTION:
   If the cursor is hovered over a file name, a tooltip with the full name comes up. Clicking on a file once will open a file info window at the right of the widget.

Fixed 04/16/08

1. PROBLEM:
   The overlay of the extraction window on the FITS image is off by 0.5 or 1 pixels due to pixel indexing.
   
   SOLUTION
   If you need to know exactly which pixel is at the edge of the extraction, use the overlay.tbl file. In that file, the lower-left corner of the lower-left pixel is (0, 0) (e.g. the center of the lower-left pixel is at (0.5, 0.5)).



2. PROBLEM:
   The Select Fatal Bitmask Pattern pulldown menu in Extract does not update immediately when clicking on bits.
   
   SOLUTION:
   Close and reopen the menu to see the updated choice. Alternatively, enter the pattern as a number in the input field next to the menu.



3. PROBLEM: (MAC ONLY)
   A module window can be moved slightly out of the frame so that it cannot be recovered.