My Week in Berlin

1
My Week in Berlin

• Ron Chestnut

2
Outline

• Channel Archiver
• EDM
• E-Log
• Serial Support
• CALCString record
• RDB Support
• A-beans
• JOIMINT

3
JLAB CZAR System Overview
Database (MySQL)
Embedded SQL
DAQ Engine
History Server
JDBC
CORBA
Manager GUI
XARR
CORBA
StripTool
Filesystem
DARTH
4
CZAR Data Store

• Engine
• streams raw data to disk
• Converter
• runs periodically, or on-demand
• cooks raw data (convert, compress, index)
• Database
• connection history
• data directory
• file status

5
CZAR History Server Remote API

• Supplies archive accessor objects to clients
• Client initializes range in archive accessor
• data summary
• first, last point
• before, after point
• num points
• range accessor object
• provides data pull interface
• serves sequences of data in large chunks
• timestamp, value, status, severity, control info

6
CZAR Status

• Engine up since January 2002
• 21,000 signals
• 2Gb / day raw 600Mb processed
• lt 20 CPU (HP B2000, 1GB RAM)
• XARR
• retrieve 100,000 points 3 sec.
• Management GUI 1.0 99 done
• Port to Solaris, Oracle June

7
Channel Archiver Overview
Online Access
CGIExport
to Excel/GNUplot
ArchiveExport
WinBrowser
Graphic Retrieval
StripTool
xarr
extract, merge, delete
ArchiveManager
some examples provided
8
JLAB CZAR System Overview
Database (MySQL)
Embedded SQL
DAQ Engine
History Server
JDBC
CORBA
Manager GUI
XARR
CORBA
StripTool
Filesystem
DARTH
9
(non) Decisions

• Chris to continue Steve Hunte will testJuly
  target
• Thomas and LeeAnn/Bob to continueJuly target
• Comparison of engine capabilities needed
• Channel Archiver should not require Oracle or
  CORBA, or CORBA should be supplied too
• Look again at performance at next meeting

10
EDM Status

• New Features
• Select colors from palette or by function
• Blinking colors for all display depths
• Select color schemes by menu
• EDMDATAFILES is now a colon separated list
• Various new edit mode operations
• New drag drop behavior (Thomas Birke)
• Online help

11
EDM Status

• New widgets
• text entry (Kay Kasemir)
• text update (Kay Kasemir)
• strip chart (Kay Kasemir)
• text update with reg expr (Pam Gurd)
• static text with reg expr (Pam Gurd)
• Byte (Carl Lionberger)
• X-Y Graph
• Motif slider
• Radio Box
• Up/Down button

12
Widgets
13
X-Y Plot Widget
14
Future

• Complete documentation
• User
• Widget developer
• Runtime shutdown/restart
• Modify all widgets to utilize pv factory
• Implement remaining undo operations
• New file format (xml?)
• Enhance compatibility with medm
• Increment local PV class
• New scheme for printing displays

15
History

• First instituted at the lab in 1996.
• Variously used
• Official Record for DOE
• Knowledge repository
• Bulletin board to pass info among shifts
• Heavily Used
• 35,000 entries/year in main ops logbook
• 400 MB/year in main ops logbook
• Other logbooks for Software, FEL, etc.

16
Shortcomings

• Reliance on static html files 100,000s
• Sheer number a headache to manage
• The html mingling of content and formatting makes
  data searching and extraction difficult
• Every program (60 of them) responsible for
  number assignment, content formatting, not
  clobbering other entries. Little consistency.

17
Components of an Entry

• Required
• Keywords/Title, Timestamps (create,
  commit),Logbook(s), Entry-type
• Optional
• Attachment(s) (screenshots, documents, etc.)
• Downtime information
• References to other logs (backward/forward)
• Problem-Tracking History

18
New Version

• Summer 2002.
• Addresses shortcomings
• RDMS replaces files.
• Dynamic Scripting replaces static HTML
• APIs shield apps from entry-making details
• New Features
• Integrated problem tracking
• Threaded/linked entries

19
Underpinnings

• Relational Database (Oracle)
• Web Application Server (Apache PHP)
• Libraries for programs that make entries
• Tcl Package
• Perl Module
• C Library
• HTTP API

20
New logbook home page
21
Alternative Look
22
New trouble report entry
23
Browser is not only interface
24
Logbook Comparison
Old Logbook New Logbook
Files (one per record) RDBMS (Oracle)
Separate downtime problem tracking Integrated downtime problem tracking
Unauthenticated entries Authenticated entries
Web browser only interface Accessible from scripts, browsers,spreadsheets.
25
Future Direction

• Enhance Problem-Tracking
• Track problems with specific hardware in addition
  to general hardware types.
• Integrate with future Plant Engineering Work
  Order system
• Enhance Query/Search Tools
• Oracle Intermedia to search attachments such as
  PDF, Word documents.

26
Serial Interfaces
Sharp intake of breath!
27
Vacuum Equipment Test Rack

• VME 64x Crate
• Processors
• MVME 167 PPC 604
• IP Carriers
• Hytec VICB8002
• Greenspring VIPC601
• Serial Interface Card
• Greenspring IPOctal - 8 channel IP card

28
EPICS Devices

• devAscii - Allan Honey/Jeff Hill - KECK
• Stream Device - Dirk Zimoch - DELTA
• MPF - Mohan Ramanathan - APS
• ornlSerial - John Sinclair - Oak Ridge
• tyGSOctal - Peregrine McGehee - Hawaii

29
Summary

• All software built and worked
• minor glitches 68k / PPC
• Where existing support exists - use it
• For new development we like
• stream device for most cases
• ornlSerial for complex protocols/checksums

30
Basic record/device support

• Motors
• Scalers
• Multichannel analyzer
• Multichannel scaler
• Serial (RS-232)
• GPIB
• ADCs
• DACs

• Encoders
• Optical table
• String calc, sequence
• Complex expressions
• Enhanced PID
• Scan
• Scan parameter
• Generic VME

31
Layered devices, techniques

• Optical tables
• Slits
• Mirrors
• Monochromators
• Piezo controller
• Digital Multimeter
• Current preamplifier
• Interpolation

• N-step measurement
• Serial I/O block
• GPIB I/O block
• Autocollimator
• Temperature controller
• X-ray microscope
• Insertion device
• Filter/shutter

32
String Expressions

• Extends CALC record to combine string and numeric
  expressions
• Useful for run-time programming of serial devices
• EPICS links are programmable at run time

33
Serial O/I Block

• Combination of string calc to construct output
  message, serial record to send and/or receive,
  and string calc to parse reply
• Intended for run-time programming
• Similar GPIB support

34
CCD support

• CA server on CCDs native platform
• Calls vendor-supplied software
• Stores images to local disk (HDF format)
• Some simple image analysis
• Hosts EPICS PVs for control

35
Goal DB Based Configuration Maintenance
Add/Delete Devices in DB Procedures and Scripts
propagate Changes to Configuration
Files Consistency Guaranteed
36
Initial BESSY Database SystemDevice Oriented
Magnets
Power Supplies
magnet name
mn
37
Worked Sufficiently Well forCreation of RTDB
Standard mechanismpower supplies, vacuum system,
RF PLC-interface, triggers/timings,
Many instances (substitutions)of few different
types (templates)
38
New Structural Overview
39
Abeans (or xal at SNS)

• Application framework

• Hide comm layer
• Provide application services
• Provide CS models (device, channel, etc.)
• RAD, easier maintenance

?
40
Abeans Features

• Hide details of Control System - just one of
  many
• launch application/applet, remote install
• Logging, alarm, and communication error reporting
• Resource initialization and destruction, provide
  defaults
• find, choose and connect to selected device
• supports different protocol via plugs (e.g.
  CORBA, EPICS,)
• Same core code is used everywhere
• The code is tested very well
• Visual composition and normal programming
  together
• choose device type and command through menu!
• almost all errors detected by compiler not during
  operation

41
Abeans and EPICS ?

• MEDM is faster for expert panels, TCL is
  simpler for prototyping, but
• Abeans application development is scalable!
• profit from standard Java features
• GUI layout, file I/O, XML, WebStart, resources,
  logging,
• Abeans fight Java deficiencies
• optimize graphic performance and reduce memory
  usage
• Use Abeans for complex applications
• client-side algorithms (machine physics)
• display of multiple data (tables, tree,
  bird-view)
• and when long-term maintenance matters

42
JoiMintWhere to use it?

• Create graphics on the fly -gt JoiMint does not
  distinguish between runtime and edit mode.All
  changes (adding/ removing objects save/ restore
  displays) is done in the online mode.
• Remote access to control systems data
• Diagnostic data from smart devices
• PLCs or power supplies
• Get graphic config file from default http port
• Quick diagnostic using a PDA version (planned)
• An example of a light weight application for
  Global Accelerator Networks

43
Basic Structure
Graphic Objects
Any Java Object
?
The Core Registry
Data Source Connector
http client
http server
Cfg files
Databases / Control Systems
Applications
44
XMLIs used for

• Configuration Data
• Graphic Object Tab
• (Http) Data source definition
• Synoptic Displays (i.e. translated dm2k screens)
• Data/ Commands
• Value Updates
• Archived Data
• Commands to/ from Applications

45
Diagnostic Tools EPICS property table

• Activate by MB3 on graphic device
• Select Device -gt Device Property
• Device Properties known by http (DIXI)
  serverNo special knowledge programmed into
  JoiMint
• DIXI server creates JoiMint graphic (as XML file)
• Display of graphic and dynamic updates in JoiMint

46
Registration Register a Graphic text Object
Class JoiTextField Object JoiTextField-1
Class JoiTextField Object JoiTextField-1 Propert
y Value Property.deviceName
Graphic Text Object
EPICSWLST1D32_temp

register object

actual value
register devicename /object
Registry
Name Object JoiTextField-1 instance of
JoiTextField
Name Object
Method JoiTextField-1 instance of JoiTextField
setValue ...
EPICSWLST1D32_temp
47
Future Plans (I)Command Record and Playback

• Record all operator commands
• Allow command editing
• Store commands as XML file
• Load command-set from XML file
• Replay commands
• Implementation of sequencing features
• Loops
• If then else structures(based on live data
  from the underlying control system)