Significant setup is required for ktlwatch to operate. The target tables must exist and be correct for the current shape of the service keyword library. The ktlwatch script must be started in an environment with correct KROOT, SYBASE, and related envars.

First, the service must be fully described in the Memes schema. For Lick-built instruments from PFCAM onwards, this will already be the case. For non Lick KTL instruments and instruments which predate PFCAM, keyword collection and data entry will have to be done, and a service bundle constructed, before high-level tools like ktlwatch can be used.

After the service is modelled in the database, the 'assignlog' utility attempts to infer the correct logging type for every keyword in the service. But a human must make the final decision on the difference between continuously variable and boolean (State) keywords and textual (Event) keywords. In general (quote from the comment block of assignlog):

 
# 	    if you are an Alpha keyword 
#              	you are by definition an Event, not a State 
#           if you are an Alpha keyword with a lookup map 
#               to a list of discrete integer values then you 
#               are both (appear in Event as alpha, in State 
#               as numeric) 
#           if you are a numeric keyword you are State 
#