SCHEDULE FILES

Regardless of the recording format used, two real-time machine-readable schedule files are required for a VLBI program:

1. An ASCII VLA observe file. This runs on the VLA's Modcomp computers and controls the VLA itself. This file is usually named ``bbbbbobs.y'', where ``bbbbb'' is the project code (e.g., bq001). Section 16.2 discusses the content of a VLA observe file.

2. An ASCII VLBA control file. This runs on the VLA's VME computer and controls data selection from the VLA, plus how the selected data are handled by the VLBA data acquisiton system. The VLBA control file is usually named ``bbbbbcrd.y'', where ``bbbbb'' is the project code (e.g., bq001). The VLBA data acquisiton system handles signal splitting among base band converters (BBCs), data formatting, and all aspects of head and tape motion.