Installating the Agilent RM Support

If you have not already done so obtain the 1394 Application package using the link on http://npg.dl.ac.uk/MIDAS/download/DataAcqApplications.html

Download the file and unzip it.
Extract to C:
This will create the file C:\.eg-defaults.tcl and the directories C:\.midas and C:\MIDAS

Install Agilent RM support from C:\MIDAS\Agilent\wnm0101.exe

Use the Full Installation option
When the installation is complete power on the VXI crate and connect the firewire cable
The Found New Hardware Wizard runs. Let it automatically install software and then click on Finish
Check the hardware installation.
Look under Computer Management and start the Device Manager.
You should see

    Test & Measurement devices
       Agilent E8491 1394 VXI controller
Click on IO icon on the taskbar
 Select "Run IO config"
  Select VXI interface
    and click "Configure"
In the "E8491 VXI Board Configuration" you should see VISA Interface Name VXI0
click OK

See the Agilent VXI RM popup window configure the VXI crate. This happens every time you power on the VXI crate or reconnect the firewire cable. It is important that this happens because the communication between the PC and the RM is established and also the VXI autoconfiguration occurs which dynamically assigns VME addresses to all the VXI modules in the crate. You can force the software configuration by pushing the red RESET button on the Agilent RM front panel.

The RM installation is now complete.

Checking the VXI configuration

Click on IO icon on the taskbar

  Select "Edit VXI Resource Manager"
    Click on RM output
This will display (using Notepad) details of the VXI auto configuration and all VXI modules discovered.
[Start of typical output]

VXI Current Configuration:


VXI Bus: 0
  Device Logical Addresses:  0  1  2  3  4  
Slots:             0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12
                  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Empty                    O  O     O     O  O  O  O  O  O 
Single Device         X        X     X                   
Multiple Devices   X                                     
VME                                                      
Failed                                                   


VXI Device Table:

Name          LADD Slot Bus Manufacturer      Model
----          ---- ---- --- ------------      -----
E8491ctlr       0    0    0 Agilent Technolo  E8491         1394 VXI Controller in Slot 0
LA_1            1    1    0 Daresbury Labora  0x170           
LA_2            2    0    0 Dr B Struck       0x150           
LA_3            3    4    0 Daresbury Labora  0x160           
LA_4            4    6    0 Institut Nationa  0x940           



VME Device Table:

Name          Bus  Slot  Space  Size
----          ---  ----  -----  ----
No VME cards configured.


Failed Devices:

Name          Bus  Slot  Manufacturer      Model
----          ---  ----  ------------      -----
No FAILED devices detected.


Protocol Support (Msg Based Devices):

Name          CMDR SIG MSTR INT FHS SMP RG EG ERR PI PH TRG I4 I LW ELW 1.3
----          ---- --- ---- --- --- --- -- -- --- -- -- --- -- - -- --- ---
E8491ctlr      X    X   X                      X      X                  X  


Commander/Servant Hierarchy;

    E8491ctlr
        LA_1
        LA_2
        LA_3
        LA_4


Memory Map:

A24                  Device Name
---                  -----------
0x200000 - 0x21ffff  E8491ctlr
0x220000 - 0x227fff  LA_3

A32                      Device Name
---                      -----------
0x22000000 - 0x227fffff  LA_2
0x20000000 - 0x21ffffff  LA_4


Interrupt Request Lines:

                 Handler        Interrupter
Name          1 2 3 4 5 6 7    1 2 3 4 5 6 7
----          - - - - - - -    - - - - - - -
E8491ctlr     X X X X X X X                  
LA_1                                         
LA_2                                         
LA_3                                         
LA_4   


[End of typical output]

Each time you change the modules in the VXI crate it is a good idea to check this file to ensure all your modules have been discovered and that there are no errors.
VXI module having Model code 0x170 is the Daresbury Slot1 module
VXI module having Model code 0x150 is the Struck STR8080 (VRE) module
VXI module having Model code 0x160 is the Daresbury Eurogam Clover module
VXI module having Model code 0x940 is the Euroball Master Trigger module

Note that the Struck STR8080 module (Device LA_2) has been assigned the VME address range in A32 address space of 0x22000000 to 0x227fffff. Note this base address (0x22000000) as it is important.

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