<p>The DS9 Reference Manual, p42, 'Numeric Formats'. <a href="http://ds9.si.edu/doc/ref/ref.pdf#page48" rel="nofollow">http://ds9.si.edu/doc/ref/ref.pdf#page48</a> has a bunch of information.</p>

<p>Based on that, I expected that "tlhm.1" would achieve what you proposed.</p>

<p>However, it seems that SAOImage DS9 is very keen on dropping leading hours it sees as unnecessary, even if you have specified them in a format specifier. </p>

<p>I haven't been able to figure out a format specifier combination that retains the hours for every gridline while also showing the minutes or seconds. </p>

<p>I have searched elsewhere for advice on this and haven't found it either. In fact, I haven't been able to find any comment on the hours being suppressed, nothing that explains why it does this, nor even anyone else remarking or complaining about it.</p>

<p>I suggest sending an email to the DS9 Help Desk address found in the menu under Help > Help Desk.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-13T11:15:58.890Z
Thanks for posting an answer. I already tested various options from the reference manual and also combinations thereof, but how can I manage to not discharge leading hours?
samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-02T15:59:27.530Z
thanks for your suggestion, unfortunately it did not work
samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-04T10:41:46.443Z
@samcarter ok, that's flaming frustrating isn't it. I've spend an hour fiddling with formatting options and it just seems to suppress the leading hours on most of the grid lines, pretty much ignoring the format specifiers that detail how *you* want it!
Jeremy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-04T15:41:38.730Z
Thanks a lot for all your effort! Hard luck your solution did nor work :(
samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-13T11:05:12.880Z
2014-04-04T10:59:45.490Z
2014-04-04T10:59:45.490Z
Jeremy
<p>If there is anybody out there how is able to answer this question, please feel free to do so ... in the meanwhile I do not what to post an answer but an (annoyingly timeconsuming and unautomated) workaround:</p>

<h2>Workaround</h2>

<ul>
<li>Print your ds9 plot to a .ps file</li>
</ul>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Fbk3V.png" alt="enter image description here"> </p>

<ul>
<li>convert this .ps file to .pdf</li>
<li>adjust the axis labels with some vector graphic editing tool like <code>Inkscape</code>
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/v1Hv8.png" alt="enter image description here"></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-04T16:20:03.070Z
2014-04-04T16:20:03.070Z
samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz
<p>How can I adjust the axis labels in ds9?</p>

<p>I'd like to have something like:
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/P3txS.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>So far I only managed to get floating points (tl h%f3):<br>
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EYWEj.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>or the leading hours are missing (tl h%f1 m):</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EsPkK.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<hr>

<h2>Edit:</h2>

<p>I tried "tlhm.1" as kindly suggested by <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/1958/950">Jeremy</a>, but unfortunatly it still does not work:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/jl7Vk.png" alt="enter image description here"> </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-11T09:42:33.513Z
Good suggestion, but I am afraid this will not help, because the measurement is perfectly fine - it is just a matter of visualization
samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-04T10:53:44.830Z
I've added your ds9 and plotting tags, so you can edit that comment out of your question (or I can do it for you)
Jeremy
<data-analysis><ds9>
Adjust axis labels in ds9
samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz
# Adjust axis labels in ds9

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-02-06)

How can I adjust the axis labels in ds9?

I'd like to have something like:
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/P3txS.png)

So far I only managed to get floating points (tl h%f3):  
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/EYWEj.png)

or the leading hours are missing (tl h%f1 m):

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/EsPkK.png)

---

## Edit:

I tried "tlhm.1" as kindly suggested by [Jeremy](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/1958/950), but unfortunatly it still does not work:

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/jl7Vk.png)

**Tags:** data-analysis, ds9
> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Good suggestion, but I am afraid this will not help, because the measurement is perfectly fine - it is just a matter of visualization  
> **username_1**: I've added your ds9 and plotting tags, so you can edit that comment out of your question (or I can do it for you)  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-03-13. Score: 2

The DS9 Reference Manual, p42, 'Numeric Formats'. <http://ds9.si.edu/doc/ref/ref.pdf#page48> has a bunch of information.

Based on that, I expected that "tlhm.1" would achieve what you proposed.

However, it seems that SAOImage DS9 is very keen on dropping leading hours it sees as unnecessary, even if you have specified them in a format specifier.

I haven't been able to figure out a format specifier combination that retains the hours for every gridline while also showing the minutes or seconds.

I have searched elsewhere for advice on this and haven't found it either. In fact, I haven't been able to find any comment on the hours being suppressed, nothing that explains why it does this, nor even anyone else remarking or complaining about it.

I suggest sending an email to the DS9 Help Desk address found in the menu under Help > Help Desk.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for posting an answer. I already tested various options from the reference manual and also combinations thereof, but how can I manage to not discharge leading hours?  
> **username_0**: thanks for your suggestion, unfortunately it did not work  
> **username_1**: @samcarter ok, that's flaming frustrating isn't it. I've spend an hour fiddling with formatting options and it just seems to suppress the leading hours on most of the grid lines, pretty much ignoring the format specifiers that detail how *you* want it!  
> **username_0**: Thanks a lot for all your effort! Hard luck your solution did nor work :(  

---

### Answer by username_0 on 2014-04-04. Score: 0

If there is anybody out there how is able to answer this question, please feel free to do so ... in the meanwhile I do not what to post an answer but an (annoyingly timeconsuming and unautomated) workaround:

## Workaround

* Print your ds9 plot to a .ps file

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Fbk3V.png)

* convert this .ps file to .pdf
* adjust the axis labels with some vector graphic editing tool like `Inkscape`
  ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/v1Hv8.png)


---

