• Overview
• The Entry Page
• File Manager Table Entries
• Wastebasket Table Entries

Once you have created a set of Observation Template files ("obs files" for your program, you can delete or rename them using the Observation Template File Manager Form. This form shows you a table with all of the obs files that have been created for your project, and lets you view, delete, or rename individual files. This lets you clean up after making your obs files, fix ugly filenames, etc., without having to go back through the creation step.

Obs files "deleted" from the active list are moved to the wastebasket for your project, where they are held until you decide to either delete them once and for all or to "undelete" them and return them to the active list. If there are any files in our project's wastebasket, they will appear in a separate "wastebasket table" beneath the table of active files in the file manager form. This is a safety feature to prevent you from accidentally deleting obs files.

Each time the "Delete/Rename Marked Files" button is pressed, the file manager tables are regenerated, and a synopsis of any actions taken is printed. If there were errors, they appear in red below the buttons.

Editing existing obs files is not an option at present (the file parser is not working yet), but we hope to have something working eventually.

This page describes the Obs File Manager form and its contents.

[Contents]

Entrance into the File Manager is via a page with simple pull-down menu with the current list of approved YALO projects. Select your project ID from among the entries in the pull-down menu, and click on the "Next>" button to see the obs files for that project. If you don't know your ID number, or don't find it, contact the current queue manager.

Project ID codes are assigned by the YALO scheduling committee when time is awarded on YALO. Obs files are sorted by YALO Project ID Numbers. If there are no obs files in your project's working directory, you will be told this, otherwise, you will be shown a table of the obs files for your project.

When we go into full operation, the obs file directories for the various projects will be protected by unique passwords assigned by the queue manager. This will mean that only Project PIs (and the queue management team) can use the web forms to view or manipulate a project's files.

[Contents]

The following are brief descriptions of the entries in the Obs File Manager Table. These descriptions are also accessible by from within the form by clicking on the highlighted item.

If you have come to this page from the manager form, remember use the "Back" button on your browser to return to the form from whence you came.

Obs File (Column 1)

The names of all active obs files found in your project's working directory are shown in this column. Only the files for your project are shown.

To view the contents of an obs file, click on the highlighted filename. You can also save it to your local disk using "Shift+Click".

Delete Button (Column 2)

If you click on this radio button, you will mark the obs file for deletion. Once you have marked all of the files you wish to delete, you can press the "Delete/Rename Marked Files" button to delete them.

The "deleted" file is moved to the wastebasket, where it is held until it is either (a) expunged (deleted forever) either individually or by emptying the wastebasket, or (b) it is undeleted and restored to the active obs file list.

Rename Button (Column 3)

If you click on this radio button, you will mark the obs file for renaming. You will need to enter new name for the file in the New Name box in Column 4.

Note that deletion and renaming are mutually exclusive (they are both "radio buttons").

New Name Box (Column 4)

If you are Renaming an obs file, enter the new filename in this box. New files names follow the same rules for old files names, and names up to 16 characters long are allowed. There is no need to type the ".obs" extension, that will be added by the file manager automatically.

Once you have marked all of the files you wish to rename, you can press the "Delete/Rename Marked Files" button to rename them.

Warning! The file manager form will not let you rename a file so as to overwrite an existing file. However, if the new name is that of a file that you are also Deleting with the manager in this session, file deletion operation is done before renaming, so there should be no problem.

Files that are "deleted" from the active obs file list are moved to a "Wastebasket". This allows you to undelete a file later if you decide it shouldn't have been marked for deletion, or to delete it forever by "expunging" it from the wastebasket, at which point it will be physically deleted from the disk. These descriptions are also accessible by from within the Wastebasket table form by clicking on the highlighted items.

If you have come to this page from the manager form, remember use the "Back" button on your browser to return to the form from whence you came.

Trash File (Column 1)

The names of defunct obs files found in your project wastebasket are listed in this column. Only the files for your project are shown.

To view the contents of an obs file in the wastebasket, click on the highlighted filename. You can also save it to your local disk using "Shift+Click".

Expunge Button (Column 2)

If you click on this radio button, you will mark the file for expunging from the wastebasket. "Expunging" a file from the wastebasket means it is deleted from the system and gone forever.

Undelete Button (Column 3)

If you click on this radio button, you will mark the defunct obs file in the wastebasket for un-deletion. This means it will be restored to the list of "active" obs files, and available for implementation.

Note that expunging and un-deletion are mutually exclusive (they are both "radio buttons").

Undelete To box(Column 4)

If you are Undeleting a file in the wastebasket, you can give it a new name at the same time. By default, if this box is left empty, the file will recover its original name when undeleted. If this might overwrite an existing file with the same name, you can give it a new name.

Warning! The file manager form will not let you undelete a file so as to overwrite an existing file. However, if the new name is that of a file that you are also Deleting from the active list in this session, file deletion operation is done before undeletion, so there should be no problem.

Empty Wastebasket

By checking the Empty Wastebasket check box at the top of the Wastebasket table, you will mark all files in the wastebasket for final, irretrievable deletion. Any files marked with to undelete below will be ignored.

Note: Emptying the wastebasket is final, there are no recovery options once it is empty!

If you came here from one of the entry forms, use the "BACK" button on your browser to return to the obs file manager form in progress.