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this file provides instructions for using the soshdata python module to 
retrieve solar data for use with the Sonification of Solar Harmonics 
(SoSH) Tool.  refer to README_visual.txt to ensure you have the needed 
modules installed.

two types of data are needed.  ascii tables containing mode parameters 
and wav files containing the raw acoustic data.  to retrieve these, 
first start an ipython session.  then enter these three lines:

import soshdata
soshdata.getmodeparms()
soshdata.getwavfiles()

after each function call you will be prompted to enter an instrument and 
a day number.  the two instruments available are the Michelson Doppler 
Imager (MDI) and the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI). when 
prompted, enter either MDI or HMI (case insensitive).

for day number, enter one from the list found in daynumbers.txt.  MDI 
data spans day numbers 1216-6616.  HMI data begins on day number 6328 
and is ongoing, currently available through day number 9424.  in the 
case of mode parameters, you may enter "average" instead of a day 
number, in which case an averaged mode parameter file is downloaded.  in 
the SoSH Tool, you may elect to use such a file for all day numbers.

for the wav files, you will additionally be prompted to enter a 
spherical harmonic degree (l) and azimuthal order (m).  for degree enter 
a number l=0-300.  for order enter a number m=0-l.  you may enter a 
negative value for m, but the resulting files will be the same, since 
they contain both signs of m already.

the native format of the data is the flexible image transport system 
(fits) and all m's for a given l are stored in the same file.  the 
getwavefiles() function will retrieve this file, and then pick the m you 
have requested and write it out as two wav files, one each for its real 
and imaginary parts (m=0 has only a real part).  if you subsequently 
request the same l and a different m, the fits file will already exist 
and not need to be downloaded.  if you prefer for fits files to be 
deleted every time, instead run soshdata.getwavfiles(delfits=True).

instead of waiting for the functions to prompt you, you may specify 
their parameters.  for example,

soshdata.getwavfile(instrument='mdi',daynumber=1216,l=10,m=5) or 
soshdata.getmodeparms(instrument='hmi',daynumber='average',lmin=50,lmax=100)

the last two parameters shown for getmodeparms() allows you to save some 
disk space by limiting how many degrees are written into the "msplit" 
file.  this file is not strictly required, however, and its creation can 
be disabled altogther by specifying makemsplit=False.  for a full 
explanation of the use of the msplit file, see instructions_audio.txt 
that came with the SoSH tool.

the order of parameters specified with "=" is unimportant.