The LUCIFER control software
Marcus Jütte, Volker Knierim, Kai Lars Polsterer, Michael Lehmitz, Clemens Storz, W. Seifert, N. Ageorges · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2010
The successful roll-out of the control software for a complex NIR imager/spectrograph with MOS calls for flexible development strategies due to changing requirements during different phases of the project. A waterfall strategy used in the beginning has to change to a more iterative and agile process in the later stages. The choice of an appropriate program language as well as suitable software layout is crucial. For example the software has to accomplish multiple demands of different user groups, including a high level of flexibility for later changes and extensions. Different access levels to the instrument are mandatory to afford direct control mechanisms for lab operations and inspections of the instrument as well as tools to accomplish efficient science observations. Our hierarchical software structure with four layers of increasing abstract levels and the use of an object oriented language ideally supports these requirements. Here we describe our software architecture, the software development process, the different access levels and our commissioning experiences with LUCIFER 1.