coverage.load.moc.ascii

[Mark Taylor]

Hi Apps,

as requested by Pierre Le Sidaner on this list
(http://mail.ivoa.net/pipermail/apps/2026-May/001813.html and followups)
and also discussed at the recent Interop meeting, I have added a
new MType definition "coverage.load.moc.ascii" to the informal list
of known application MTypes on the wiki:

  https://wiki.ivoa.net/twiki/bin/view/IVOA/SampMTypes#coverage.load.moc.ascii

This definition can be considered experimental, and discussions, 
e.g. on this list, concerning the wording or details are welcome.

I've also added prototype code to topcat that can send such messages.
If you have a table column containing ASCII MOCs (openngc.shapes 
from GAVO DC is a nice example) you can select the new "Send ASCII MOC" 
activation action (http://www.starlink.ac.uk/topcat/sun253/activation.html)
and use it to send MOCs to clients that subscribe to the 
coverage.load.moc.ascii MType.  This is not in public release, 
but you can find a version with this capability at:

  https://www.star.bristol.ac.uk/mbt/releases/topcat/pre/topcat-full_mocsamp.jar

It would be good to hear about other clients that can send or receive
this MType if somebody implements them.

Mark

--
Mark Taylor  Astronomical Programmer  Physics, Bristol University, UK
m.b.taylor at bristol.ac.uk          https://www.star.bristol.ac.uk/mbt/