XmCCD
-----

This is a "beta" version. The TDI feature is under development and is not ready
for routine use.  However it includes several improvements over version 2.0 and
should be used for new installations.  A more polished final version should be
available in early October 2007.

This distribution includes source code to utilize the Santa Barbara Instrument
Group (SBIG) shared library libsbigudrv.so with a Motif-based graphical user
interface program to control SBIG astronomical CCD cameras.

Since the driver and camera control protocols are proprietary, source code is
not available for the library.  However, there is a very complete manual
accompanying the library, kernel modules, necessary files and utilities in the
sbig subdirectory.

The SBIG library is available directly from 

http://www.sbig.com

However, the version included here from Jan Soldan corrects some issues which
we have had with the version on SBIG's website.  You should use the version of
the library included here at this time.

The most recent version of XmCCD is available from 

http://www.astro.louisville.edu/moore/software

and you are encouraged to check there for the latest release, sources for 
other software needed to compile and run XmCCD, and supporting utilities.

XmCCD software is offered under the GNU Public License.  
Please see the files  LICENSE and COPYRIGHT for more information.

INSTALL describes how to build and install XmCCD. It does require other programs
to compile and run, some of which are not usually present in Linux
distributions.  The sources for these programs are available from the XmCCD
home at http://www.astro.louisville.edu/moore/software.  Before building and
running XmCCD, you will need to install the following if they are not already
on your system:

OpenMotif or LessTif 
fxload
SAOImage ds9
cfitsio
libusb

The fitsio library package provides standard FITS library support for 
the image file format in xmccd.

In addition to these, GIMP and CINEPAINT are very useful for subsequent image
processing. GIMP is often included in comprehensive Linux distributions.  It is
an 8-bit image processing program comparable to Adobe Photoshop.  CINEPAINT is a
32-bit program originally modeled on GIMP that is more useful for  astronomical
images with large dynamic range.  Both programs will read the  FITS format
camera image files written by XmCCD or ds9.

Links to the original sources for these programs are given on the 
web site for XmCCD.


John Kielkopf
September 27, 2007




