Simutil.py

The python utility is called simutil.py, and is located in a scripts directory of your installation.

CASA <> execfile(".../simutil.py")
CASA <> util=simutil()
CASA <> util<TAB>

Methods:

simutil.average_direction(directions)

Returns the average of directions as a string, and relative offsets

simutil.calc_pointings(spacing, imsize, cell, direction=None, relmargin=0.5)

If direction is a list, simply returns direction and the number of pointings in it. Otherwise, returns a hexagonally packed list of pointings separated by spacing and fitting inside an image specified by direction, imsize and cell, and the number of pointings. The hexagonal packing starts with a horizontal row centered on direction, and the other rows alternate being horizontally offset by a half spacing. All of the pointings will be within a rectangle relmargin * spacing smaller than the image on all sides.

simutil.ephemeris(date, direction=None, telescope=None)

calculate the elevation of a source on a date, in a direction, seen from a telescope

For more detailed examples, find the python script for the simdata task, which is a file called task_simdata.py in your distribution.