The VIMS Communicator downloads files from the VIMS. Then, the VIMS Communicator sends the files via an Ethernet connection to an FTP server. A complete listing of files that are available for download can be seen on the "File Downloads" page on the VIMS Communicator web site.
By using the VIMS Communicator web interface, you can select the files for downloading. Additionally, after these files have been downloaded, you can reset these files. Additionally, you must set up a schedule for connecting the VIMS Communicator to VIMS onboard in order to initiate a file download. Refer to the following list of options for scheduling:
Weekly Only - Files that have a check in this box will be downloaded once per week.
Every XX hours - If you choose this option, all the files that are not marked "Weekly Only" will be downloaded every XX hour. XX hours is a number from 1 to 99.
On Schedule (multiple times a day) - All the files that are not marked "Weekly Only" will be downloaded at the given times. This may be up to four times a day.
As soon as a file has been downloaded from VIMS, the VIMS Communicator will try to upload the file to the specified FTP server. If there is not an FTP server available, VIMS Communicator will continue to download files from VIMS onboard until one complete set of files has been downloaded. At that point, no FTP server can be reached and the VIMS Communicator will not download any more files from VIMS PC until it has been able to upload the complete current set of downloaded files to the FTP server.
When a set of files can not send data to the FTP server, no further downloads will occur. VIMS Communicator will continue to queue the most recent download that has been scheduled. If multiple downloads that have been scheduled are missed, the newest download will be queued. The prior download request is cancelled. When contact with the FTP server is established again, the stored files are transferred. Then, the download that has been queued is executed right away.