OPUS Update for December 2019 - User-Selectable Units and More

This month we are pleased to introduce a major new feature: user-selectable units during search. We have also made some minor improvements to the Select Metadata dialog, made minor adjustments to the OPUS IDs for Hubble observations, and made minor changes to the product types available for download.

User-Selectable Units

Many search fields now allow the user to select which units to use for the input values. For example, Observed Ring Radius is usually in units of "km". However, it is now possible to select other distance units such as "m", "Rj" (Jupiter radii), or "Rs" (Saturn radii). Time fields (like Observation Duration) are normally in units of "secs". However, it is now possible to select other time units such as "msecs", "minutes", "hours", or "days". To select a unit, simply use the dropdown box at the top of the search box:

Preprogrammed ranges (Wavelength and Observed Ring Radius) will be presented in the selected units.

If there are already values entered into any of the input fields, they will automatically be converted when a new unit is selected. Only one unit can be selected for all of the input fields for a particular metadata field.

Note that when viewing metadata fields, such as on the Detail tab or in the slideshow or table views, the data will always be presented in its native units, not the units selected for search.

Select Metadata Enhancements

In the Select Metadata dialog, any metadata fields that have been selected on the Search tab will be presented first. This is an attempt to make your experience more efficient by assuming that if you're searching on a particular field, you probably also want to see that field displayed when you view the metadata. The fields presented under Current Search Fields will also be shown under their respective categories, and can be selected or deselected in either location.

In addition, it is now possible to download a CSV file directly from the Select Metadata dialog using the currently chosen fields, even if those fields haven't been "saved" as a permanent selection. This makes it easier to download a CSV file containing particular fields without pressing additional buttons, and also allows you to download a CSV file containing fields that you don't normally want to see in the OPUS UI (by downloading but not saving the field changes). If you are viewing the Browse tab, the CSV file will contain all of the current search results. If you are viewing the Cart tab, the CSV file will contain all items in the main cart (not in the recycle bin).

Hubble OPUS IDs

A small number of Hubble observations have multiple versions that were downlinked at different times. In these cases we make the filename portion of the OPUS ID 9 characters instead of 8 to allow the observations to be distinguished. This has slightly increased the number of NICMOS observations available.

Download Product Types

Some New Horizons observations have multiple versions that were downlinked in different formats but are otherwise identical. We provide the highest-quality versions as Raw Image or Calibrated Image and now provide all additional versions together as Raw Image Alternate Downlink or Calibrated Image Alternate Downlink. Also, the list of product types has been reversed, placing the most important types (e.g. actual mission data) first and secondary data (inventory files, preview images) last. 

Happy Holidays from the OPUS team (Rob, Dave, and Debby) and we look forward to serving you in the New Year. As always, we actively solicit all feedback, comments, and suggestions.