# Presentation: 408282

## SPICE ToolkitCommon Problems

**January 2009**

## Prevention
The “Common Problems Required Reading” document
Reporting a Problem to NAIF

**The “Common Problems Required Reading” document**
**Reporting a Problem to NAIF**

**Topics**

- SPICE Toolkit: Common Problems

## To minimize problems using SPICE:
Use a Toolkit obtained directly from NAIF and intended for your specific environment (platform/OS/compiler/compiler options)
Use a current Toolkit
Newer Toolkits may have bug fixes and new features you need
Toolkits are always backwards compatible, so you should have no problem re-linking your application to the latest Toolkit
Read the pertinent documentation
Tutorials, module headers, Required Reading documents, comments inside kernels
Get the correct (usually latest) kernel files
Verify that coverage and intended use are suitable
Verify use of the correct time system for your need
e.g., TDB, UTC, or SCLK? 
When using SCLK time tags, be sure to form your SCLK string to match the specification within the SCLK kernel
Make sure the fractional part is in the form that is expected

**Use a Toolkit obtained directly from NAIF and intended for your specific environment (platform/OS/compiler/compiler options)**
**Use a current Toolkit**
**Newer Toolkits may have bug fixes and new features you need**
**Toolkits are always backwards compatible, so you should have no problem re-linking your application to the latest Toolkit**
**Read the pertinent documentation**
**Tutorials, module headers, Required Reading documents, comments inside kernels**
**Get the correct (usually latest) kernel files**
**Verify that coverage and intended use are suitable**
**Verify use of the correct time system for your need**
**e.g., TDB, UTC, or SCLK? **
**When using SCLK time tags, be sure to form your SCLK string to match the specification within the SCLK kernel**
**Make sure the fractional part is in the form that is expected**

**Prevention - 1**

**continued on next page**

- SPICE Toolkit: Common Problems

## Prevention - 2

**Verify that correct reference frames are used **
**e.g., MOON_PA versus MOON_ME?**
**e.g. which version of the IAU_Mars body-fixed frame?**
**Check definitions of geometric quantities**
**Geodetic vs latitudinal coordinates**
**Oblate vs spherical body shapes**
**Check aberration corrections**
**Converged Newtonian light time + stellar aberration, light time+stellar aberration, light time only, or none?**
**Target orientation corrected for light time?**
**Don’t confuse an instrument **_**reference frame**_** ID with the ID of the instrument itself (the object ID)**

- SPICE Toolkit: Common Problems

## NAIF has compiled a list of common problems, probable causes, and solutions encountered by users of the various SPICE Toolkits:
Refer to .../doc/html/req/problems.html  or ...doc/req/PROBLEMS.REQ, both of which are provided in each Toolkit package.
Some tutorials (e.g. SPK and CK) contain a section describing common problems.
It may be useful to read these documents BEFORE embarking on extensive SPICE-based programming projects, since some problems are best solved early in the software development cycle.

**Refer to .../doc/html/req/problems.html  or ...doc/req/PROBLEMS.REQ, both of which are provided in each Toolkit package.**
**Some tutorials (e.g. SPK and CK) contain a section describing common problems.**
**It may be useful to read these documents BEFORE embarking on extensive SPICE-based programming projects, since some problems are best solved early in the software development cycle.**

**PROBLEMS Required Reading**

- SPICE Toolkit: Common Problems

## If you need help troubleshooting a programming or usage problem, you can send email to NAIF. At a minimum include these items in your email message.
The SPICE or operating system diagnostic messages written to the screen or to log files.
The name and version of the operating system you’re using.
The name and version of the compiler or programming environment (IDL, Matlab).
The Toolkit version you are using, i.e. N0062.
Names of the kernel files being used. 
You may need to provide the kernels themselves if these are not available to NAIF.
Your inputs to SPICE modules that signaled the error.
If possible, a code fragment from where the error seems to occur.
Send the email to anyone on the NAIF team.

**The SPICE or operating system diagnostic messages written to the screen or to log files.**
**The name and version of the operating system you’re using.**
**The name and version of the compiler or programming environment (IDL, Matlab).**
**The Toolkit version you are using, i.e. N0062.**
**Names of the kernel files being used. **
**You may need to provide the kernels themselves if these are not available to NAIF.**
**Your inputs to SPICE modules that signaled the error.**
**If possible, a code fragment from where the error seems to occur.**
**Send the email to anyone on the NAIF team.**

**Reporting a Problem to NAIF**

- SPICE Toolkit: Common Problems