Task slconv converts a FITS file containing a list of source positions to a format that can be read by one or other of the image-analysis applications gaia and ds9. The choice between these two is made via the parameter outputstyle. (This parameter is case-insensitive.) Ds9 is described in reference [3] and gaia in [2]. The format of gaia region files is described in reference [1].
The input FITS file must contain at least two columns, of data type either real32 or real64, which are assumed to contain the RA and dec values of the sources. The names of these columns should be passed to slconv via the racolumn and deccolumn parameters. The units of the columns can be either decimal degrees or radians, this unit being supplied to the task via the radecunits parameter. (String-valued, hh:mm:ss-type columns may be permitted in a later version.) Both columns must have the same unit.
Sources are plotted with shape and colour defined by the parameters shape and colour. A subset of sources can be selected for plotting; the radii of the circles can be specified in several ways; and labels can be added to the circles. These facilities are described in the following subsections.
The output file name is composed of a prefix + period + suffix. The user can choose the prefix via the outfileprefix parameter, but the suffix is always `reg' for outputstyle=`ds9' and `gaia' for outputstyle=`gaia'.
