DRAMA - An Environment for Instrumentation Software

The DRAMA system is designed to meet the AAO's requirements for a fast, distributed environment for writing Instrumentation Control Systems.

DRAMA allows low level instrumentation software to be controlled from user interfaces running on UNIX, MS Windows or VMS machines in a consistent manner. Such instrumentation tasks can run either on these machines or on real time systems such as VxWorks.

DRAMA uses techniques developed by the AAO while using the Starlink-ADAM environment (Circa 1990), but is optimized for the requirements of instrumentation control, portability, embedded systems and speed.

There are two overview documents on DRAMA. The larger more complete version (2015) and a handout version (2019).

We believe DRAMA will port easily to any version of Unix and the layering is such that most operating systems with a C compiler can be supported. Mac OS X and Linux are the two Unix derivatives currently being maintained

DRAMA has previously supported ports to Solaris, VxWorks, VMS and WIN32 and whilst much of the source code still supports these, they are not being maintained.

At the AAO, graphical user interfaces to DRAMA systems are normally written in Tcl/Tk and Java. Many other possibilities exist, including Motif, MS Windows and Perl Tk.

Scripting can be done in command line scripts, Tcl/Tk, Python and Shell scripts. (Some support for Perl is available, but is not part of the standard release but is available is requested).

DRAMA is used by the AAO on its instrumentation projects, such as AAOmega, HERMES, IRIS2,

DRAMA is also being used various other observatories Telescopes. In particular, we note the (now defunct) Joint Astronomy Center Hawaii. (JACH) was been a significant contributor to the development of DRAMA. The two telescope they supports (UKIRT and JCMT) still use DRAMA but under different owner ship.

The DRAMA copyright is held by the Australian Astronomical Optics, Macquarie University. DRAMA is generally available for non-profitable uses. Commercial use requires approval from the AAO.

The AAO does not offer any type of warranty on DRAMA (unless subject to a specific agreement with the AAO)

The AAO cannot any guarantee of support (unless subject to a specific agreement with the AAO). The authors will, nether-less, attempt to respond to requests for support etc. to the extend their other commitments allow.

Click here for the DRAMA Html pages index.

Click here for the DRAMA home page and here for the AAO home page.