Although TSP normally uses the NDF format as described above, a number of commands access raw data from FIGARO format files as this is the raw data format produced by most AAO instruments. It used to be the case that Figaro used a different format from the Starlink NDF format but the latest version of Figaro supports both the old Figaro format (DST files) and the Starlink NDF format. TSP is intended to be used in conjunction with FIGARO for reducing spectropolarimetry data, with FIGARO being used for standard spectroscopy operations such as arc identification and wavelength calibration.
The environment variable or logical name FIGARO_FORMATS controls which of the two formats (DST or NDF) are used by TSP (and by Figaro) when accessing Figaro files. It is suggested that this name be set up as follows:
Which will make the NDF format the default, but will also allow DST files to be read. With this setting it is possible to use Figaro commands on TSP files, but remember that Figaro operations will only apply to the main data array. Figaro will not see the additional data arrays containing the Stokes parameters.
There are a number of commands in TSP with the same name as commands in FIGARO (e.g. XCOPY, SCRUNCH, SPFLUX). This is deliberate as these commands do exactly the same as their FIGARO counterparts, but do it to TSP files rather than to FIGARO files.