mollcursor

This IDL facility provides a point-and-click interface for finding the astronomical location, value and pixel index of the pixels nearest to the pointed position on a Mollweide projection of a HEALPix map.

Location in HEALPix directory tree: src/idl/visu/mollcursor.pro 

FORMAT

IDL> MOLLCURSOR, [cursor_type=, file_out=]

QUALIFIERS

cursor_type=

cursor type to be used
default:34

file_out=

file containing on output the list of point selected with the cursor.
If set to 1, the file will take its default name: 'cursor_catalog.txt'.
If set to a non-empty character string, the file name will be that string

DESCRIPTION

mollcursor should be run immediately following mollview. It gives the longitude, latitude, map value and pixel number corresponding to the cursor position in the window containing the map generated by mollview. Mouse buttons are used to select the function :

left button = display the information relative to the current cursor position,

middle button = print out this information in the IDL command window

right button = quit mollcursor

Note on Mac OS X, X11 and IDL cursor: depending on the Mac OS X version²and most importantly on the X Window System being used,³the IDL function cursor, and therefore HEALPix mollcursor, gnomcursor, $\ldots$ will not work properly under X11. To solve this problem, type the relevant line below at your X11 prompt and restart X11.
If you are using Apple's X11, type under Tiger (10.4):
defaults write com.apple.x11 wm_click_through -bool true
or, under Leopard (10.5), Snow Leopard (10.6), Lion (10.7):
defaults write org.x.x11 wm_click_through -bool true
If you are using Xquartz (for eg, Montain Lion (10.8), Mavericks (10.9), Yosemite (10.10), El Capitan (10.11), Sierra (10.12), High Sierra (10.13), Mojave (10.14), Catalina (10.15), Big Sur (11.0) or Monterey (12)):
defaults write org.macosforge.xquartz.X11 wm_click_through -bool true
and if you are using MacPort's X11 (package xorg-server):
defaults write org.macports.X11 wm_click_through -bool true
(see http://www.idlcoyote.com/misc_tips/maccursor.html and the section Mac OS X, X11 and IDL cursor in ”HEALPix Installation Documentation”).
And finally, mollcursor obviously requires the '3 button mouse' to be enabled, which can be done in the X11 Preferences menu, or if Xquartz is used (see man Xquartz) via:
defaults write org.macosforge.xquartz.X11 enable_fake_buttons -bool true

RELATED ROUTINES

This section lists the routines related to mollcursor

idl

version 6.4 or more is necessary to run mollcursor

ghostview

ghostview or a similar facility is required to view the Postscript image generated by mollcursor.

xv

xv or a similar facility is required to view the GIF/PNG image generated by mollcursor (a browser can also be used).

synfast

This HEALPix facility will generate the FITS format sky map to be input to mollcursor.

cartview

IDL facility to generate a Cartesian projection of a HEALPix map.

cartcursor

interactive cursor to be used with cartview

gnomview

IDL facility to generate a gnomonic projection of a HEALPix map.

gnomcursor

interactive cursor to be used with gnomview

mollview

IDL facility to generate a Mollweide projection of a HEALPix map.

mollcursor

interactive cursor to be used with mollview

orthview

IDL facility to generate an orthographic projection of a HEALPix map.

orthcursor

interactive cursor to be used with orthview

EXAMPLE:

mollcursor

After mollview reads in a map and generates its mollweide projection, mollcursor is run to know the position and flux of bright synchrotron sources, for example.