Before you start the software expects a 64bit Linux system in which the CAEN driver for the PCI => VME or USB2 => VME bridge (V1718/V2718) has been installed. Also the libCAENVME.so library must be installed.

Download the distribution file MIDAS_Prospectus_120710.tar.gz and place in the installation directory.
tar -zxf MIDAS_Prospectus_120710.tar.gz will extract and create a directory structure UsrData/MIDAS_base_280610. This may be renamed as required but the installation directory will be referred to in these notes as [MIDASBASE].

In the directory [MIDASBASE]/Linux/startup are 4 bash script files. (Don't panic about the names - the scripts do not assume the host name used at Daresbury)
Check these because they all contain the absolute path of the software installation (default /UsrData/MIDAS_base_280610).

run nndhcp065HTTPD This will start the TclHttpd server
The software is controlled and monitored using a web browser. If you start Firefox then access http://localhost:8015/VME
Then click on the VME Configuration button.
Click on Restore Configuration. This will restore the most recent saved VME configuration.
Click on Activate Configuration. This will create the software registers for the current configuration. Return to the browser tab VME: Control and click on CAEN V1724. You now have the main web page for control and monitor of the CAEN V1724.
Click on Restore Settings. This will restore the most recent saved module settings.
The module is now ready for acquisition.

run nndhcp065SYS This starts the data acquisition executive program. At present will do not make much use of this!

run nndhcp065EXEC This starts the main data acquisition program.

finally run nndhcp065MIDAS This starts the MIDAS session.
Via Access Control select the experiment PROSPECTUS
Click on Experiment Control and SETUP You can now start data collection: click GO

Access the online histograms using the MIDAS Spectrum Browser or from your web browser access http://localhost:8015/Spectrum/Spectrum.tml
The data trace for "Virtual Probe 1" is in histograms ChAn (n=0 -> 7). The data trace for "Virtual Probe 2" (when Dual Trace is enabled) is in histograms ChBn (n=0 -> 7). The Energy histograms are in En (n=0 -> 7). The parameters of the histograms can be selected via the Experimental Options for SYS.
NOTE: For the trace histograms the firmware may overwrite 2 samples by a time tag and 1 sample by an energy. The acquisition software extracts these and replaces with the value 0x4000. It is thus very easy to see them in the histogram displays.

If for any reason you power cycle the VME crate. STOP data acquisition if you were GOing. Go to the V1724 Control window in the web browser and click on Restore Settings. You can now resume data acqusition.

If you change any buffering options on the board the software will need to be SETUP again. It is probably best to do this if you change any of the board configuration options.