Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- huibintema:spam:faq [2020/11/19 15:27] – created huibintema
+++ huibintema:spam:faq [2021/03/15 12:52] (current) – [Problems running SPAM on new Intel CPUs, possibly after Linux update] huibintema
@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 import OSystem, OErr
 </code>
-Something will fail here, probably a missing python package or a missing library. Some of the missing libraries can be found [[ftp://ftp.strw.leidenuniv.nl/pub/intema/spam/lib/|here]]. Another possible command that may reveal missing libraries is through the following shell command:
+Something will fail here, probably a missing python package or a missing library. Some of the missing libraries can be found [[https://ftp.strw.leidenuniv.nl/intema/spam/lib/|here]]. Another possible command that may reveal missing libraries is through the following shell command:
 <code bash>
 ldd ${SPAM_PATH}/Obit/python/Obit.so
@@ Line 149: / Line 149: @@
 Q: Why doesn't the SPAM pipeline work (anymore), with AIPS generating NaNs in certain tasks?
-A: Updates of the Linux operating system in 2017 has triggered floating point problems when running AIPS tasks on a new line of Intel Xeon E5-xxx CPUs. This is likely caused by an outdated Intel compiler used to build the AIPS binary install. A GNU compiled version of AIPS 31DEC13 fixes the problem and is available [[ftp://ftp.strw.leidenuniv.nl/pub/intema/spam/AIPS_31DEC13_Gnu.tgz|here]]. It may run a bit slower than the Intel compiled version.
+A: Updates of the Linux operating system in 2017 has triggered floating point problems when running AIPS tasks on a new line of Intel Xeon E5-xxx CPUs. This is likely caused by an outdated Intel compiler used to build the AIPS binary install. A GNU compiled version of AIPS 31DEC13 fixes the problem and is available [[https://ftp.strw.leidenuniv.nl/intema/spam/AIPS_31DEC13_Gnu.tgz|here]]. It may run a bit slower than the Intel compiled version.
 Q: Why does the SPAM pipeline generate signal 11 errors in certain AIPS tasks?
-A: What is causing this is not completely clear, but probably has to do with the newer Intel hardware and Linux installs. A work-around seems to be to use the GNU-compiled version of AIPS 31DEC13 available [[ftp://ftp.strw.leidenuniv.nl/pub/intema/spam/AIPS_31DEC13_Gnu.tgz|here]]. It may run a bit slower than the Intel compiled version.
+A: What is causing this is not completely clear, but probably has to do with the newer Intel hardware and Linux installs. A work-around seems to be to use the GNU-compiled version of AIPS 31DEC13 available [[https://ftp.strw.leidenuniv.nl/intema/spam/AIPS_31DEC13_Gnu.tgz|here]]. It may run a bit slower than the Intel compiled version.
 (Kindly tested by Gerrit Schellenberger and Arnab Chakraborty)
@@ Line 205: / Line 205: @@
 Q: Why doesn't the SPAM pipeline work (anymore), with AIPS generating NaNs in certain tasks?
-A: Updates of the Linux operating system in 2017 has triggered floating point problems when running AIPS tasks on a new line of Intel Xeon E5-xxx CPUs. This is likely caused by an outdated Intel compiler used to build the AIPS binary install. A GNU compiled version of AIPS 31DEC13 fixes the problem and is available [[ftp://ftp.strw.leidenuniv.nl/pub/intema/spam/AIPS_31DEC13_Gnu.tgz|here]]. It may run a bit slower than the Intel compiled version.
+A: Updates of the Linux operating system in 2017 has triggered floating point problems when running AIPS tasks on a new line of Intel Xeon E5-xxx CPUs. This is likely caused by an outdated Intel compiler used to build the AIPS binary install. A GNU compiled version of AIPS 31DEC13 fixes the problem and is available [[https://ftp.strw.leidenuniv.nl/intema/spam/AIPS_31DEC13_Gnu.tgz|here]]. It may run a bit slower than the Intel compiled version.
+-----
+==== SPAM fails in running any AIPS tasks ====
+Q: Why do all AIPS task calls from SPAM fail without generating any AIPS text output?
+A: Your output may look something like this:
+<code python>
+*** calling AIPSTask FITLD
+*** calling AIPSTask FITLD (RETRY 1)
+*** calling AIPSTask FITLD (RETRY 2)
+*** calling AIPSTask FITLD (RETRY 3, FINAL)
+Traceback (most recent call last):
+...
+    raise RuntimeError, msg
+RuntimeError: Task 'FITLD' returns '-999'
+...
+</code>
+This is likely because the path to the AIPS binary tasks is not set properly within SPAM. When you type the following in SPAM:
+<code python>
+os.getenv( 'PATH' )
+</code>
+the second entry in the PATH (between colons ':') should read something like
+''<path_to_spam>/AIPS/31DEC13/LNX64/SYSTEM/<site_name>''.
+If it reads
+''<path_to_spam>/AIPS/31DEC13/UNKNOWN/SYSTEM''
+then it probably means that your computername is not listed in the HOSTS.LIST in <path_to_spam>/AIPS/. This can be tested by running ''start_aips.sh . 0'' instead of ''start_parseltongue.sh . <aips_userid>''. If so, add a line to the HOSTS.LIST file with your computername (in all CAPS), similar to the other lines in the file.
 -----