Introductory Documents

• Guide to Using IDL for Astronomers (2005, R.W. O'Connell)

• Getting Started with IDL [PDF]

• Annotated List of Links to Primary Astronomy IDL Resources

• Functional List of IDL Astronomy User's Library Routines (GSFC)

• Basic IDL FAQ Archive (1999)

• Using IDL Databases (1994, W. Landsman) [PS file]
  Introduction to using IDL databasing routines and to creating your own databases. As of 4/2000, there were 95 public IDL databases available in UVA/Astronomy.

• Functional List of MOUSSE Routines (1997, W. Landsman) [PS file]
  This list is a useful, if dated, guide. Includes a number of routines later transferred to the IDL Astronomy User's Library

Demos

• For a demonstration of IDL, type idldemo at the UNIX command line

• The fastest way to learn to use IDL efficiently is to study examples of user-written IDL programs. You can display on your screen the code for any program (except for the RSI-proprietary built-in routines) by typing .run -t [program name]. If you want a copy of the program written to your current directory, use the getpro routine.

Tutorials/Texts

• UVa IDL Tutorial (O'Connell) [HTML files]

• Berkeley IDL/UNIX Tutorial (Heiles) [PS files]

• Introductory textbook by Liam Gumley: Practical IDL Programming Purchase for $50. Site has other useful links.

• Advanced textbook by David Fanning: IDL Programming Techniques. Purchase for $80. Site lists related programming texts.

ATV Image Display Tool

• ATV is an IDL widgit-based display program which behaves like SAOimage (example here). It was written by Aaron Barth. It's a quick and easy way of inspecting digital data and doing rough analysis like plotting image slices and getting FWHM's and brightnesses of sources. Oriented toward CCD data.

• ATV software is kept in /astro8/idl/atv and is included by default in your IDL path.

• ATV Links
  General info (UCI)
  Instructions on how to use ATV

Best Links for Advice, Software Downloads

• The IDL Astronomy User's Library (GSFC, maintained by Wayne Landsman)
  First choice for astronomy-related software.
  Annotated links to other IDL sites offering relevant software.
  Additional contributed software (mostly GSFC)
  Useful MOUSSE routines not included in the general Astronomy User's Library distribution
  Useful HELP routines not included in the general Astronomy User's Library distribution

  Searchable index of IDL routines (about 2300)

• Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming (Doug Fanning)
  Excellent, semi-commercial site, oriented toward intermediate level programmers. With annotated linklist, and...
  A good set of programing tips, including PostScript output and color display methods
  Sample IDL programs

• University of Washington IDL Page (Eric Deutsch)
  Searchable, browsable index to over 8000 IDL routines

• RSI Tech Tips

• IDL Usenet newsgroup (Google port)

• TeXtoIDL (Matthew Craig). Converts TeX typeset symbols for use with IDL graphics.

• Curve Fitting & Function Optimization (Craig Markwardt). Improved least-squares curve & surface fitting routines.

• (Optical) Spectral Analysis Software:
  • SDSS Data Reduction/Analysis & General Utilities (David Schlegel)
    
  • K-Corrections & Photometric Redshifts (Mike Blanton)
    
  • XIDL Utilities (Jason Prochaska)

Help With IDL Programming and Routines

• RSI supplies PDF documentation, interactively linked to your active session, with each IDL purchase.
  • To access the IDL manuals in PDF form from the UNIX command line, type idlman.

  • Another source for IDL PDF documentation: IDL Online Guide (UCI)

  • To access the hyper-help facility from the UNIX command line, type idlhelp.

  • To access documentation for IDL_5.1 in HTML with a browser, click here.

  • To access hyper-help from within IDL, type ? or ?[topic].
    Note: The IDL hyper-help system in Version 6.2 has been greatly improved over the badly conceived PDF-based system in V.6.0. You should upgrade if you find yourself frustrated by the older help facility.

• Most non-RSI routines, e.g. those in the Astronomy User's Library, contain an internal documentation section written in a standard format. This can be accessed by several different routines within IDL, such as man. You can obtain the relevant programs from Wayne Landsman's help contrib library. Many non-RSI routines are coded such that if you simply type the name of the routine, it will print the parameter sequence expected (no special access software needed).

• Guide to IDL Programming Syntax (Sterner)

Other Links

• Main RSI IDL Site

• Company history

• Lecture on IDL and history of computing in astronomy