SAC Commands Listing

Functional
Executive Function: Information and Control
about:

Displays version and copyright information

intro:

Provides a brief introduction to SAC

help:

Prints information about SAC commands and features.

printhelp:

Command for printing help pages from within SAC

faq:

List of Frequently Asked Questions

news:

Prints current news concerning SAC.

comcor:

Controls SAC's command correction option.

inicm:

Reinitializes all of SAC's common blocks.

production:

Controls the production mode option.

report:

Informs the user about the current state of SAC.

syntax:

Prints basic information about SAC commands.

trace:

Controls the tracing of blackboard and header variables.

echo:

Controls echoing of commands to the terminal.

history:

Provides easy access to previous commands (like unix

history)

message:

Sends a message to the user's terminal.

quit:

Terminates SAC.

quitsub:

Terminates the currently active subprocess.

pause:

Sends a message to the terminal and pauses.

transcript:

Controls output to the transcript file.

Executive Function: Processing and Macros

evaluate:

Evaluates simple arithmetic expressions.

getbb:

Gets (prints) values of blackboard variables.

setbb:

Sets (defines) values of blackboard variables.

unsetbb:

Unsets (deletes) blackboard variables.

installmacro:

Installs macro files in the global SAC macro directory.

macro:

Executes a SAC macro file.

setmacro:

Defines directories to search when executing a SAC

macro file.

systemcommand: Executes system commands from SAC.

Data File Module

read:

Reads data from SAC data files on disk into memory.

write:

Writes data in memory to disk.

readdb:

Reads data from an Oracle database

readcss:

Reads CSS format data files into SAC.

writecss:

Writes CSS format data files from SAC.

readgse:

Reads GSE2.0 format data

writegse:

Writes GSE2.0 format data

readsuds:

Reads PC Suds data

readtable:

Reads alphanumeric data files on disk into memory.

datagen:

Generates sample data files and stores them in memory.

funcgen:

Generates a function and stores it in memory.

convert:

Converts data files from one format to another.

commit:

Commits (copies) SAC's data to the I/O buffers

rollback:

Replaces active data with data last committed to the I/O

buffers

recalltrace:

Rolls back waveforms and selected headers from I/O

buffers and commits the rest of the headers.

readhdr:

Reads headers from SAC data files into memory.

writehdr:

Overwrites the headers on disk with those in memory.

listhdr:

Lists the values of selected header fields.

chnhdr:

Changes the values of selected header fields.

copyhdr:

Copies header variables from one file in memory to all

others.

readbbf:

Reads a blackboard variable file into memory.

writebbf:

Writes a blackboard variable file to disk.

cut:

Defines how much of a data file is to be read.

cuterr:

Controls errors due to bad cut parameters.

cutim:

Cuts data after its already been read into memory

deletechannel: Deletes selected channels from memory

pickauthor:

Controls author name when reading picks.

pickphase:

Controls phase names to load into the SAC headers.

readerr:

Controls errors that occur during the read command.

synchronize:

Synchronizes the reference times of all files in memory.

sort:

Sorts waveforms based on selected header variables

wild:

Sets wildcard characters used in read commands to

expand

Graphics Environment Module

xlim:

Determines the plot limits for the x axis.

ylim:

Determines the plot limits for the y axis.

linlin:

Turns on linear scaling for the x and y axes.

linlog:

Turns on linear scaling for x axis and logarithmic for y

axis.

loglin:

Turns on logarithmic scaling for x axis and linear for y

axis.

loglog:

Turns on logarithmic scaling for the x and y axes.

xlin:

Turns on linear scaling for the x axis.

xlog:

Turns on logarithimic scaling for the x axis.

ylin:

Turns on linear scaling for the y axis.

ylog:

Turns on logarithimic scaling for the y axis.

xdiv:

Controls the x axis division spacing.

ydiv:

Controls the y axis division spacing.

xfull:

Controls plotting of x axis full logarithmic decades.

yfull:

Controls plotting of y axis full logarithmic decades.

xfudge:

Changes the x axis "fudge factor."

yfudge:

Changes the y axis "fudge factor."

axes:

Controls the location of annotated axes.

border:

Controls the plotting of a border around plots.

grid:

Controls the plotting of grid lines in plots.

xgrid:

Controls plotting of grid lines in the x direction.

ygrid:

Controls plotting of grid lines in the y direction.

ticks:

Controls the location of tick marks on plots.

title:

Defines the plot title and attributes.

xlabel:

Defines the x axis label and attributes.

ylabel:

Defines the y axis label and attributes.

plabel:

Defines general plot labels and their attributes.

filenumber:

Controls plotting of filenumbers next to each file.

fileid:

Controls the file id display found on most SAC plots.

picks:

Controls the display of time picks on most SAC plots.

gtext:

Controls the quality and font of text used in plots.

tsize:

Controls the text size attributes.

loglab:

Controls labels on logarithmically scaled axes.

color:

Controls color selection for color graphics devices.

line:

Controls the linestyle selection in plots.

symbol:

Controls the symbol plotting attributes.

qdp:

Controls the "quick and dirty plot" option

width:

Controls the width of data lines

beginframe:

Turns off automatic new frame actions between plots.

endframe:

Resumes automatic new frame actions between plots.

beginwindow: Begins plotting to a new graphics window.

window:

Sets the location and shape of graphics windows.

xvport:

Defines the viewport for the x axis.

yvport:

Defines the viewport for the y axis.

floor:

Puts a minimum value on logarithmically interpolated

data.

null:

Controls plotting of predefined null data values.

Graphics Control Module

setdevice:

Defines a default graphics device to use in subsequent

plots.

begindevices: Begins plotting to one or more graphics devices.

enddevices:

Terminates one or more graphics devices.

vspace:

Changes the maximum size and shape of plots.

sgf:

Controls the SAC Graphics File device options.

pause:

Tells SAC to pause for specified length of time.

wait:

Tells SAC whether or not to pause between plots.

print:

Print the most recent SGF file. Many plot commands also
have a print option.

Graphics Action Module

plot:

Generates a single-trace single-window plot.

PLOT1:

Generates a multi-trace multi-window plot.

PLOT2:

Generates a multi-trace single-window (overlay) plot.

plotpk:

Produces a plot for the picking of arrival times.

plotpktable:

Table describing PLOTPK options.

plotdy:

Plots data with error bars

plotxy:

Plots one or more data files versus another data file.

plotalpha:

Reads data from Tables and plots with labels

plotc:

Annotates SAC plots and creates figures using cursor.

plotctable:

Table describing PLOTC options.

plotsp:

Plots spectral data in several different formats.

plotpm:

Generates a "particle-motion" plot of pairs of data files.

erase:

Erases the graphics display area.

Spectral Analysis Module

fft:

Performs a discrete Fourier transform.

keepam:

Keep only the amplitude component of the spectral file.

ifft:

Performs an inverse discrete Fourier transform.

plotsp:

Plots spectral data in several different formats.

writesp:

Writes spectral files to disk as "normal" data files.

readsp:

Reads spectral files written by @writesp@.

lowpass:

Applies an IIR lowpass filter.

highpass:

Applies an IIR highpass filter.

bandpass:

Applies an IIR bandpass filter.

bandrej:

Applies an IIR bandreject filter.

wiener:

Applies an adaptive Wiener filter.

fir:

Applies a finite-impulse-response filter.

hanning:

Applies a "hanning" window to each data file.

unwrap:

Computes amplitude and unwrapped phase.

khronhite:

Applies a Khronhite filter to the data.

benioff:

Applies a Benioff filter to the data.

divomega:

Performs integration in the frequency domain.

mulomega: Performs differentiation in the frequency domain.

hilbert:

Applies a Hilbert transform.

convolve:

Computes the convolution of waveforms.

correlate:

Computes the auto- and cross- correlation functions.

envelope:

Computes the envelope function using a Hilbert transform.

Unary Operations Module

add:

Adds a constant to each data point.

sub:

Subtracts a constant from each data point.

mul:

Multiplies each data point by a constant.

div:

Divides each data point by a constant.

sqr:

Squares each data point.

sqrt:

Takes the square root of each data point.

int:

Performs integration using the trapezoidal rule.

abs:

Takes the absolute value of each data point.

log:

Takes the natural logarithm of each data point.

LOG10:

Takes the base 10 logarithm of each data point.

exp:

Computes the exponential of each data point.

EXP10:

Computes the base 10 exponential (10.**y) of each data point.

dif:

Differentiates data in memory.

Binary Operations Module

merge:

Merges (concantenates) a set of files to data in memory.

addf:

Adds a set of data files to data in memory.

subf:

Subtracts a set of data files from data in memory.

mulf:

Multiplies a set of files by the data in memory.

divf:

Divides data in memory by a set of data files.

binoperr:

Controls errors that can occur during binary file operations.

Signal Correction Module

rq:

Removes the seismic Q factor from spectral data.

rglitches:

Removes glitches and timing marks.

rtrend:

Removes the linear trend.

rmean:

Removes the mean.

taper:

Applies a symmetric taper to each end of data.

rotate:

Rotates a pair of data components through an angle.

interpolate: Interpolates evenly or unevenly spaced data to a new

sampling rate.
quantize:

Converts continuous data into its quantized equivalent.

stretch:

Stretches (upsamples) data, including an optional

interpolating FIR filter.

reverse:

Reverse the order of data points.

smooth:

Applies an arithmetic smoothing algorithm to the data.

decimate:

Decimates (downsamples) data, including an optional antialiasing FIR filter.

Event Analysis Module

ohpf:

Opens a HYPO formatted pick file.

chpf:

Closes the currently open HYPO pick file.

whpf:

Writes auxiliary cards into the @hypo@ pick file.

oapf:

Opens a alphanumeric pick file.

capf:

Closes the currently open alphanumeric pick file.

apk:

Applies an automatic event picking algorithm.

plotpk:

Produces a plot for the picking of arrival times.

plotpktable:

Table describing PLOTPK options.

pickauthor:

Controls author name when reading picks.

pickphase:

Controls phase names to load into the SAC headers.

Signal Measurement Module

mtw:

Determines the measurement time window for use in

subsequent measurement commands.

markvalue: Searches for and marks values in a data file.

marktimes: Marks files with travel times from a velocity set.
markptp:

Measures and marks the maximum peak to peak amplitude

of each signal within the measurement time window.

rms:

Computes the root mean square of the data within the

measurement time window.

XYZ (3-D) Data Module

spectrogram: Calculates a spectrogram using all of the data in memory.
sonogram:

Calculates a sonogram using all of the data in memory.

image:

Plots 3D data files as color images

loadctable:

Loads specified color table into memory

grayscale:

Produces grayscale images of data in memory.

contour:

Produces contour plots of data in memory.

zlevels:

Controls the contour line spacing in subsequent contour

plots.

zlines:

Controls the contour linestyles in subsequent contour

plots.

zticks:

Controls the labeling of contour lines with directional tick

marks.

zlabels:

Controls the labeling of contour lines with alphanumeric

labels.

zcolors:

Controls the color display of contour lines.

Instrument Correction Module

transfer:

Performs deconvolution to remove an instrument

response and convolution to apply another instrument
response.

transfertable: Describes options to the transfer command.

Subprocess Invoking Module

spe: Initializes the Spectral Estimation Subprocess. SPE Commands
sss:

Initializes the Signal Stacking Subprocess. SSS Commands

Analysis Tools
3C:

GUI based three component processing tool

convolve:

Computes the convolution of waveforms.

correlate:

Computes the auto- and cross- correlation functions.

envelope:

Computes the envelope function using a Hilbert transform.

filterdesign:

Graphicly display the filter's digital vs. analog

characteristics.

linefit:

Fits a line to data in memory and write results to

blackboard

mat:

Runs a MATLAB interactively or as a script on data in SAC

map:

Uses GMT to create a MAP based on data in SAC

whiten:

Whitens the data in memory

FK Spectrum
bbfk:

Computes broadband frequency-wavenumber (FK) spectral

estimate.

beam: Computes the beam.