Development of a data acquisition program builder via a user interface

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Development of a data acquisition program builder
via a user interface

• F.Fujiwara, N.Tamura, M.Abe, S.Enomoto,
• G.Iwai, S,Kawabata, A.Manabe,Y.Nagasaka,
  I.Nakano, H.Sakamoto,Y.Sakamoto, T.Sasaki,
  R.Tanaka

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Outline 01

• Data AcQuisition program Builder
• A class library
• A software which can be use to make a data
  acquisition system software using the class
  library via a UserInterface.(UI)

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Outline 02

• Has many classes with following functions
• Control Hardware module
• Provide object stream( to File , to Network , etc
  I/O ..)
• Provide interface to other analyzers (ROOT
  etc...)
• It has been designed with the
  Object-Oriented Language
  C(100 pure)

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Outline 03

• For using the DAQ-Builder CL interactively
• Can create arbitrary objects
  in the class library
• Can operate objects created via the UI
• Two versions exist now (GUI,CUI)

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Backgrounds

• Required software knowledge is too much for the
  beginner.
• Environmental maintenance
• Programming technique
• UNIX system call etc..
• Every experiment has a unique DAQ-system
• Toolkits for developing DAQ exist in the world
• KONOE,CLDAQ..
• gt Great deal of such knowledge is required

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Purpose

• To Support the development of a data acquisition
  system software of small experiments.
• Users can develop DAQ easily.
• To reduce amount of required knowledge.
• DAQ-Builder also allows the user a shorter
  development period.
• Users can develop via the user interface ,
  without software program-compile work.
• Users can develop intuitively using the GUI.

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Which objects are required for an
experiment!?

• To control hardware module
• CAMAC,VME,GPIB
• To record experiment data
• DataRecord,ReadoutList
• To save data or To pass to a network
• FileInputStream,Socket,SocketOutputStream
• To event display and analysis
• 1DHistogram,2DHistogram etc..

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Example01

• Creating an objects

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Action Run Object

• Users should create some Action Objects a Run
  Object
• Define operation of objects .. (Action Object)
• Install Action Objects into the Run Object( Main
  Object )
• Operate Run Object

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Example02

• The Action object is installed in the Run Object

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Example03

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How to create or operate ?

• Instance Class
• Partner plug-in
• Class loader

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Instance Object

• All classes in the class library Inherit class
  Object
• Has reference count,current type , inherit
  information.
• All objects are held in Instance object
• Operate objects reference count

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A Partner Plug-in

• Each class defined by the CL has their own
  partner plug-in.
• Has methods return value type and arguments
  types.
• Object is operated by the method "execute" in the
  plug-in.

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Class Loader

• Parse an information stored in the Action object.
• Open the plug-in corresponding to the object.
• Extract the function executes image from plug-in.
• Execute
• Check Objects operation( arguments , return
  value...check)

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Features

• Macro file
• Things Created and Operated is recorded as Macro
  file
• Resembles C form
• Garbage collection
• You can forget to delete objects.If you create an
  object via the DAQ-Builder-UI
• Extendibility
• You can extend DAQ-Builder by developing plug-in
  with specified style

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Performance Test01

• Compare the Run Object created via the User
  Interface and execute file compiled by the source
  code using the Class Library.

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Performance Test02

• When data is read from one module
• In the case which the number of channels
  increased
• In the case which the number of events increased

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Performance Test03

• In the case which the number of channels
  increased

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Performance Test04

• In the case which the number of events increased

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Performance Test05

• Analysis
• There is not a difference , In the case which
  the number of channels increased.
• There is the difference of performance about 3
  times ,In the case which the number of events
  increased
• Overheads of Class Loader
• Using UI means that a performance decrease about
  3 times compared to Using raw Class Library

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Summary

• DAQ can be developed interactively
• We will be able to shorten the development period
  
• Has following features.
• Macro File
• Garbage collection
• Plug-in
• Decrease performance compared to using raw Class
  Library

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Future Goal To do

• Enrich GUI to make it easier to use
• Optimize the DAQ-Builder to improve performance
• Make the manual user-friendly
• Get the world out about DAQ-Builder
  http//sourceforge.jp/projects/daq-builder
  Won't you join me ?

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Macro file

• Macro file
• Things Created and Operated is recorded
  as Macro file
• Resembles C form