You may run the FORWARD codes from command line i.e.
IDL>for_drive (see $FORWARD_DOCS/EXAMPLES).
Or you can now use the widget interface:
IDL>for_widget
There are generally three widgets:
TOP (upper left),
MODEL (lower left), and
OPTIONS (upper right).
Help is available via a tab on each widget:
(TOP HELP, MODEL HELP, and OPTIONS HELP).
Models are called as argument of "for_drive" command, e.g.,
IDL>for_drive,"giblow",keyword=keyword
or
via the second button in the TOP widget. Model parameters are keywords and are changed via the MODEL widget.
See $FORWARD/MODELS for a listing of models, and $FORWARD/DEFAULTS/for_modeldefaults.pro for explanation of general keywords. In each directory see MODELNAME_README.TXT and MODELNAMEHELP.TXT for details on particular models and their parameters.
Observables are called via keywords, e.g.,
IDL>for_drive,inst='aia',line=193
or
via the third button in the TOP widget [Additional controls sometimes available in the OBS- tab of the OPTIONS widget and SPEC tab to its right.]
See $FORWARD/OBSERVABLES/for_obs_setup.pro for a listing of observables, and $FORWARD/DEFAULTS.for_obsdefaults.pro for explanation of keywords.
Physical diagnostics are called via keywords, e.g.,
IDL>for_drive,line='dens'
or
via the fourth button in the TOP widget.
Data FITS files can be put into FORWARD format from command line using routine for_plotfits, e.g., Data accesses either local files or uses VSO (or CoMP web page access) to download based on date.
IDL>for_plotfits,filename='yourlocalfilename.fits'
or
IDL>for_plotfits,inst='AIA',line='195',date='2013-03-05'
or
via the first button in the TOP widget (enabling easy model-data comparison when MOREPLOTS or NOERASE option is chosen in Output tab).
Fields of view are available in a range of types and sizes, controlled via keywords, e.g.,
IDL>for_drive,gridtype='PlaneOfSky',ngrid=512.
or
via the FOV- tab in the OPTIONS widget.
See $FORWARD/DEFAULTS.for_griddefaults.pro for explanation of keywords.
Line of sight integration and viewer position also can be adjusted through keywords, e.g.,
IDL>for_drive,cmer=-90.,nlos=100.
or
via the LOS- tab in the OPTIONS widget [Reducing to plane-of-sky integrated slice is allowed via the OBS- tab of the OPTIONS widget]
See $FORWARD/DEFAULTS/for_losdefaults.pro for keywords pertaining to line-of-sight integration and viewer position.
Settings are controlled by keywords, e.g.,
IDL>for_drive,readmap="nameofsavemap.sav".
or
via the fifth and sixth button in the TOP widget.
See $FORWARD/DEFAULTS.for_settingdefaults.pro for explanation of keywords.
Outputs are controlled by keyw.ord, e.g.,
IDL>for_drive,/savemap,mapname="nameofsavemap.sav".
or
via the second button, bottom row of the TOP widget.
See $FORWARD/DEFAULTS.for_outputdefaults.pro for explanation of keywords.
Plots are controlled by keywords, e.g.,
IDL>for_drive,/plotlog,title='my favorite plot'.
or
via the PLOT- tab and the DOCONT and (sometimes) the FIELDLINES and the STKLINES tabs to its right in the OPTIONS widget. Also sometimes the DONOISE tab to its left.
If DONOISE option available, noise will include photon and background, controlled by:
Telescope aperture,
Integration time,
Telescope efficiency,
Background,
Minimum noise (beyond which systematic errors dominate).
See $FORWARD/DEFAULTS/for_plotdefaults.pro for the explanation of keywords.
Noise can be plotted for CoMP-type data, see $FORWARD/DEFAULTS/for_noisedefaults.pro for details.