How do I programmatically access the Archive?

• How do I query the Archive programmatically?
• How do I submit a request to the Archive programmatically?
• How do I retrieve/download the data programmatically?

Scripted Access to Raw Data

A shell and a python scripts are available to query and download raw data from the Archive via the ESO raw archive interface with header correction (SELECTIVE_HOTFLY option) on by default. For the shell script, if you want to add the calibration files associated to science files, you need to use the CalSelectorRaw2Raw or CalSelectorRaw2Master option as described in this FAQ. For the python script, the associations are there as options.

Scripted Acces to Reduced Data

A script is available here to query and download reduced data from the Archive (Phase 3) via the ESO data products archive interface. (Latest version: 11-Jul-2016 [new feature: query by pi name; fixed: request submission problem]).

Standard Access to Raw Data, Reduced Data, Science Catalogues, and to Ambient Measurements

A completely new way to access the archive, based on standard virtual observatory protocols, has been made available in 2018. The users can gain full read-only access to the ESO databases, and can therefore write their own queries. Please refer to: How do I query the Archive programmatically?. Python scripts to download public files using the standard protocols can be found in the tab: Script your access. Note: such examples only provide access to public data; work is on-going to permit access to proprietary data via the virtual observatory protocols.  

Data Access Policy

Those scripts can be modified and adapted according to your needs but please read the ESO Data Access Policy before using it for downloading data.