Known Issues
(Latest Revision: 26 February 2021)
This page summarizes known issues and feature requests to be addressed in future NED updates.
Multi-object queries
- Search Objects By Parameters: The result table from a parameter search should include
a record of the input parameters, as in the HTML report.
Single object (e.g., By Name) queries
- In the Search Objects By Name form, the Extended Name search feature from the classic UI is missing;
this is essential to easily find components of galaxy pairs, etc.
- Some tabs do not list the number of entries: External Links
- Overview: Under Redshift-independent Distances, the number of measurements is listed,
but not the mean or best available value. This will be available after improvements to the methods
used to derive a preferred value are implemented.
- Cross-IDs: Object name prefixes need links to the Source Nomenclature service that defines
them (as in classic UI)
- Diameters: In the second column, use of "Frequency targeted" is a peculiar title,
because this contains jargon terms for filter passbands, etc. Also, the "Frequency Unit" columns
nearly always contains A (angstoms) or microns. Better labels for these fields would be
"Energy" and "Energy Unit", as in the CAOM.
- Photometry & SED: The primary table labeled "Photometry for (object name)" contains a
mixture of continuum measurements in flux density units and integated line measurements in
flux units. These will be separated into separate tables. Until then, the filter " = 'Jy' "
is used to select and plot flux density units by default.
- Photometry & SED: Ability to switch between frequency and wavelength units on the X axis
is needed (CUI functionality).
- Photometry & SED: Ability to switch between nu and nu*f_{nu} units on the Y axis is
needed (CUI functionality).
- Photometry & SED: Since the Quick-Look table is grouped with the plot, the user naturally thinks
those are the data being plotted, where in fact it is the data in the lower table being plotted.
Need to explain better the purpose of the QL table, clarify that's its the data in the larger
table that are being plotted, and revamp the presentation.
- Images: The interactive table has a different appearance and functonality than the tables
contained in the the single-object query responses; replace with Firefly.
- Images: Clarify that the data available here are from the NED repository of user-contributed
images, not the result of a dynamic search on external archives. Otherwise, users wonder why is
there no image from 2MASS, WISE, etc.
- Spectra: Clicking on a data link (Author-ASCII, VOTable, etc.) opens the table in the
same browser tab, so going back to browsing one's NED search results requires hitting the back button
and starting over from the default results Overview tab. Open it in a new tab, as for Images, etc.
- External Links: The organization of these links is unclear and should be improved.
Tools
- Reports from Coordinate Calculator, Extinction Calculator, and Velocity Calculator need improvements to layout and legibility, with a common look and feel similar to Overview and other screens. Cleaner distinction between Input and Output parameters, use 'Overview Blue', etc.
Remaining functionality from the classic NED UI
The following NED features are not yet integrated into the new interface.
While this work is in progress, please access these tools in the
Classic Services menu option above.
- Search Objects by Classifications
- Build Data Table from Input List
- Galaxy Environment search tool
Information (Documentation)
- Program Interfaces: The examples should all have https rather than http.
Support for portable touch-screen devices
- Currently there is not a UI mode optimized for touch screens.
However, on many tablets and smart phones with 5" screens or larger, if you set your
web browser into "desktop" mode, most screens are functional.
User Experience (UX)
- In input forms containing show/hide regions indicated by a small arrow, such as
Search Options and Search Objects with Parameter Constraints, the arrow icon should be
an active control in addition to the text.
- Some users report difficulty accessing the horizontal scroll bar in Firefly tables,
for example in the References, Notes, and Diameters tabs (on Mac OS X).
- Help icons: The question mark icons for help on the input forms need to be larger for better
legibility. Also, they should likely be moved to the right of the relevent item.
- The NED icon in the banner should link to the (new) homepage.
- In several places the default font is too small.
- Widening the width of the browser does not extend the width of the (Firefly) table displays.
- The tooltip ether flashes or does not appear if the cursor is not right at the middle of the label.
This was at the By Parameter search panel.
Connectivity to other databases and archives
- Some links labeled "ADS" do not have an abstract page at ADS.
Ex: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/1994RXCD2.T...0000C/abstract
Single object (e.g., By Name) queries
- Some tabs do not list the number of entries: Distances, Classifications, Spectra, Images
- Notes: Long notes cannot be viewed in their entirety. i.e., the user cannot scroll to the
right. Long entries need to be displayed in a pop-up panel when the user hovers the mouse over
(or long-presses on a touch screen) a stub entry showing the first few words.
- Photometry & SED: After clicking on the gear icon (Chart options and tools), a red box
appears around the X axis field with message "Unknown variable "Frequency". After this, it is unclear
how to reset to the default display.
- References: Some older references have the author names in ALL CAPS.
Ex: 1999PASP..111..438F in the References list for object Arp 1.
Note they are not ALL CAPS at ADS.
- External Links: Table column labels (e.g., "resource_name") need to be replaced with
user-friendly versions (e.g., "Resource Name"), as in other data tabs.
- References: In some cases the full Article Title cannot be viewed.
Tools
- Coordinate Calculator: The error message is extremely hard to read or notice, with light gray
text on white background
Support for portable touch-screen devices
- Pressing and holding on a main menu item (e.g., Tools >>) does not leave it open long
enough to make a selection from the drop-down list.
Single object (e.g., By Name) queries
- The SED preview plot under the "Overview" tab from "By Name" search should not be interactive. Toolbar has been removed from the preview plot, and the preview plot is linked to the "Photometry & SED" tab where table and plot are interactive.
User Experience (UX)
- The width of search result tables under the "Cross-IDs", "Distances", "Classifications", "Galactic Extinctions", "Notes", and "External Links" tabls are wider, and these tables are resizable by clicking and dragging the vertical border near the right bottom corner now.
- The coordinate values in the search result tables (values under RA and Dec columns) are displayed in decimal degree format instead of the scientific notation.
Multi-object queries
- Search Objects By Parameters: In the output results page, if user selects “XML VOTable …” format in output Options, click on link ‘View’ will display the result table in Firefly for easy viewing.
Connectivity to other databases and archives
- Labels for links to ADS abstract pages labeled “Ref” should contain the full bibliographic refcode
instead, i.e., "2016ApJS..227....9P".
User Experience (UX)
- The Equinox of the input coordinates can now be selected properly in the Cone Search form ( 'Near Position Search' and 'IAU Search' modes)
- The issue of occasional blank table display for cone search result table has been resolved.
- Need consistent placement and colors of buttons throughout.
Multi-object queries
- Interactive tables in reports generated by Search Objects Near Name, Near Position, and
By Refcode have a different appearance and behavior than the tables contained in the single-object
query responses.
- Search options that are shared in common among the classic UI forms 'Search for
Objects Near Name', 'Near Position', and 'By IAU Format' need to be suppported in the new UI.
Specifically, options are needed to change the default
Cosmological Parameters for Derived Quantities, and to filter object selection via
Redshift, Object Type (Include or Exclude), and Name Prefixes.
- Search Objects In Refcode: Refcode search needs to strip leading white spaces.
For example, input of "1997A&A...323...31K" works fine but input of
" 1997A&A...323...31K" returns no data.
Connectivity to other databases and archives
- In the Images tab, after clicking the link "View in IRSA Finderchart", the entry field for
"Name or Position" field is blank; it used to be automatically filled with the object name from the
NED screen. This is due to a change in the IRSA API. Until this is improved, the work-around is to
type the object name into this field before clicking the Search button.
Single object (e.g., By Name) queries
- External Links: The link to "Explore IRSA resources with RADAR" is broken.
Example: Results for object NGC 6926.
http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/Radar/nph-estimation?mission=All&objstr=NGC
Invalid location specification or object name "ngc".
Links to other IRSA resources also need to be updated, including Retrieve 2MASS Atlas Images:
The requested URL /cgi-bin/2MASS/IM/nph-im_postype=at&ds=asky&date=&scan=&coadd=&band=A&subsz=120&POS=308.275458 was not found on this server.
Also, all links to IRSA should now use https rather than http.
- External Links: The link to "Retrieve NVSS Image" is broken.
Example: Results for object NGC 6926. A new tab pops up momentarily, but quickly closes.
Tools
- Extinction Calculator: The help page needs complete content. Remove "Lorum ipsum."
Remaining functionality from the classic NED UI
- Search Objects by IAU Name (the input form will be consolidated with Near Name and Near Position)
Information (Documentation)
- "Community >>" links to Documents/Community which is missing.
Need a Community index page analogous to the pages for the other
categories in the Information drop-down list.
See also:
To report issues or to submit a comment, please contact us.
