SETBAD

Sets new bad-pixel flag values for an NDF

Description:

This application sets new logical values for the bad-pixel flags  associated with an NDF’s  data and/or variance arrays. It may either be used to test whether bad pixels  are actually present in these arrays and to set their bad-pixel flags accordingly, or to set explicit TRUE  or FALSE  values for these flags.

Usage:

setbad ndf [value]

Parameters:

DATA = _LOGICAL (Read)
This parameter controls whether the NDF’s data array is processed. If a TRUE value is supplied (the default), then it will be processed. Otherwise it will not be processed, so that the variance array (if present) may be considered on its own. The DATA and VARIANCE parameters should not both be set to FALSE. [TRUE]
MODIFY = _LOGICAL (Read)
If a TRUE value is supplied for this parameter (the default), then the NDF’s bad-pixel flags will be permanently modified if necessary. If a FALSE value is supplied, then no modifications will be made. This latter mode allows the routine to be used to check for the presence of bad pixels without changing the current state of an NDF’s bad-pixel flags. It also allows the routine to be used on NDFs for which write access is not available. [TRUE]
NDF = NDF (Read and Write)
The NDF in which bad pixels are to be checked for, and/or whose bad-pixel flags are to be modified. (Note that setting the MODIFY parameter to FALSE makes it possible to check for bad pixels without permanently modifying the NDF.)
VALUE = _LOGICAL (Read)
If a null (!) value is supplied for this parameter (the default), then the routine will check to see whether any bad pixels are present. This will only involve testing the value of each pixel if the bad-pixel flag value is initially TRUE, in which case it will be reset to FALSE if no bad pixels are found. If the bad-pixel flag is initially FALSE, then it will remain unchanged.

If a logical (TRUE or FALSE) value is supplied for this parameter, then it indicates the new bad-pixel flag value which is to be set. Setting a TRUE value indicates to later applications that there may be bad pixels present in the NDF, for which checks must be made. Conversely, setting a FALSE value indicates that there are definitely no bad pixels present, in which case later applications need not check for them and should interpret the pixel values in the NDF literally.

The VALUE parameter is not used (a null value is assumed) if the MODIFY parameter is set to FALSE indicating that the NDF is not to be permanently modified. [!]

VARIANCE = _LOGICAL (Read)
This parameter controls whether the NDF’s variance array is processed. If a TRUE value is supplied (the default), then it will be processed. Otherwise it will not be processed, so that the data array may be considered on its own. The DATA and VARIANCE parameters should not both be set to FALSE. [TRUE]

Examples:

setbad ngc1097
Checks the data and variance arrays (if present) in the NDF called ngc1097 for the presence of bad pixels. If the initial bad-pixel flag values indicate that bad pixels may be present, but none are found, then the bad-pixel flags will be reset to FALSE. The action taken will be reported.
setbad ndf=ngc1368 nomodify
Performs the same checks as described above, this time on the NDF called ngc1368. The presence or absence of bad pixels is reported, but the NDF is not modified.
setbad myfile nodata
Checks the variance array (if present) in the NDF called myfile for the presence of bad pixels, and modifies its bad-pixel flag accordingly. Specifying nodata inhibits processing of the data array, whose bad-pixel flag is left unchanged.
setbad halpha false
Sets the bad-pixel flag for the NDF called halpha to FALSE. Any pixel values which might previously have been regarded as bad will subsequently be interpreted literally as valid pixels.
setbad hbeta true
Sets the bad-pixel flags for the NDF called hbeta to be TRUE. If any pixels have the special ‘bad’ value, then they will subsequently be regarded as invalid pixels. Note that if this is followed by a further command such as "setbad hbeta", then an actual check will be made to see whether any pixels have this special value. The bad-pixel flags will be returned to FALSE if they do not.

Bad-pixel Flag Values

If a bad-pixel flag  is TRUE, it indicates that the associated NDF array may contain the special ‘bad’ value and that affected pixels are to be regarded as invalid. Subsequent applications will need to check for such pixels and, if found, take account of them.

Conversely, if a bad-pixel flag value is FALSE, it indicates that there are no bad pixels present. In this case, any special ‘bad’ values appearing in the array are to be interpreted literally as valid pixel values.

Quality Components

Bad pixels may also be introduced into an NDF’s data and variance arrays implicitly through the presence of an associated NDF QUALITY  component. This application will not take account of such a component, nor will it modify it.

However, if either of the NDF’s data or variance arrays do not contain any bad pixels themselves, a check will be made to see whether a QUALITY component is present. If it is (and its associated bad-bits mask  is non-zero), then a warning message will be issued indicating that bad pixels may be introduced via this QUALITY component. If required, these bad pixels may be eliminated either by setting the bad-bits mask to zero or by erasing the QUALITY component.

Related Applications

KAPPA: NOMAGIC, SETMAGIC.