[APBeta] Observation Sessions

[Paul Rodman]

On Jun 17, 2009, at 9:14 AM, Steve Barkes wrote:

> Ok, I guess I’m confused.  I’m struggling to try and enter multiple  
> observations for a session that I had back in December of last year.
>
>  If I right-click on an object from the observation tab, the Make  
> Observation option is always greyed out.  It works from the Objects  
> tab.

Sounds like a bug.

> If I create an observation from the Observation menu, or by clicking  
> + in Observations list, I have no way to select what session to put  
> the observation in.  I can only select the “Currently Open Session”  
> which makes no sense in that It always has the current date/time.   
> If the session is currently open, I should be able to close it, or  
> change to an existing session.  The other options are  create a “New  
> Session” which I don’t want to do, and the “Recent Sessions” is  
> always blank and greyed out.  What about a All Sessions in addition  
> to Recent Sessions?

Check the Observation preferences. At the top-left is the "New  
Observation Date/Time Source" option. I assume you have that set to  
"Computer". This setting assumes you are logging at the telescope and  
defaults the date/time to the current date/time. You probably want the  
"Ask user" setting, which will always ask for a date/time before  
deciding what session to add the observation to.

> It appears the only way to move an observation into a particular  
> session is to edit the date and time of the observation.  Then I get  
> an option to add it to an older session.  But this is way too  
> cumbersome, especially if I’m adding a dozen observations.
>
> Shouldn’t there be a way to Set the current session, possibly to a  
> session date/time in the past, and then have all new observations go  
> into that session until I change it, or create a new one?

See below - all you need to do is change the date/time and the session  
management is automatic.

> Shouldn’t I be able to see a list of all my sessions? And shouldn’t  
> it be clear looking at the interface that the correct session has  
> been selected?  How do I see a list of all objects associated with a  
> particular session?

There is no connection between an observation and a session. A session  
is defined as a start and end date/time, and an observation has a date/ 
time. If the observation date time falls in the session date/time  
range it is assumed to be part of that session. It is done that way to  
make session management largely automatic.

However, there are some problems in the current implementation, e.g  
you can't have overlapping sessions (e.g. multiple observers using the  
same installation of AP, or a single observer at multiple sites (e.g.  
multiple remote telescopes being used simultaneously). I'll be looking  
at fixing these problems.

Paul R.

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