NOTES FOR RUNNING

 

EUCLIDES

experiments

 

 

Starting

  • When you start a MIDAS session from the euroball ID you must run the experiment ancillary.

    •  
  • As the session starts look in the Session Log window for the message

    • You are now working with the experiment ancillary
     
  • If you see anything else (such as You are now working with the experiment EUROBALL) then
  • Now look for the message You are now working with the experiment ancillary in the Session Log window.

    • This setting can be saved as the default value.
     
  • In the window Euroball Experiment Control check that the checkbox labelled CAMAC Electronics is checked. This should be true if you are using the main Euroball system control workstation (eb63). If the box is not checked then click on it to enable.

    • This will enable the actions associated with the CAMAC electronics when you use the main GO and STOP buttons.

    CAMAC Control

    In order that the CAMAC control works correctly it is essential that the Euroball session uses the same CAMAC configuration that was used when the configuration was downloaded into the CAMAC server (see later).
    The configuration loaded into the CAMAC server is written to the file
    /MIDAS/config/camac/[server_name]_current_configuration

    For the experiment ancillary the CAMAC server for the ancillary electronics is camac2. Hence [server_name] is camac2 in this case.

    The CAMAC Configuration and Control window can be opened by clicking on the Open button for CAMAC Electronics in the Euroball Experiment Control window. When the software starts the configuration held in

    /MIDAS/config/camac/camac2_current_configuration
    is loaded automatically.

    Only modules mentioned in the configuration will be controlled by the experiment STOP and GO button.

    CAMAC

    The CAMAC control window is started by clicking the Open button for CAMAC Electronics in the Euroball Experiment Control window. This window allows you to edit the CAMAC electronics configuration. It is strongly advised that you do not change the CAMAC hardware configuration (and in particular any module generating FERA data) unless you really know what you are doing.

    If you do change the CAMAC hardware configuration you will need to edit this configuration window. You can save changes made or restore a previously saved configuration by clicking on the button Save/Restore Configuration. To load a new CAMAC configuration (or restore an old one) into the CAMAC server click on the button Load Configuration into Register Server. If you have changed the configuration of modules which generate FERA data then you will also need to recreate the Look Up Table (LUT) for the FVI. You will be prompted to do this by the Load operation and also by clicking on the button Make FVI LUT.

    You can start the control window for any CAMAC module either from the CAMAC menu in the Main Menu or by double clicking on the module in the CAMAC configuration window.

    Note that while the CAMAC electronics is in the GO state the status display for some modules (in particular ADC modules) is unpredictable. The module status and VSN are not returned correctly while the ADC is busy ó so be warned!

    The button RESET electronics in the CAMAC Configuration & Control window will set all CAMAC modules into a default state. This will include setting all thresholds and discriminators in ADC modules to default values and setting the VSN for all FERA data sources. Note that the main system RESET in the Euroball Experiment Control window (the big yellow button) halts the CAMAC electronics but does not perform the RESET operation. Hence any custom setting of modules is preserved.

    Note: The RESET operation checks that all modules perform a certain CAMAC cycle correctly. If a module in your configuration is missing or not operating correctly you will get a warning message. The normal response is that the CAMAC command did not get X (or sometimes Q and X) returned. This is the only time that CAMAC modules are checked for correct operation.

    The button CAMAC Parameter Save/Restore in the Euroball Experiment Control window or the button Save/Restore Setup in the CAMAC Configuration & Control window will start a window (Saving and Restoring CAMAC Module Setups) which enables all the adjustable parameters for the CAMAC modules in the configuration to be saved or enables a previously saved set of parameters to be restored.

    The GO button in the Euroball Experiment Control (or the GO Electronics button in the CAMAC Configuration & Control window) will set all CAMAC electronics into the GO state. For FERA data sources this will

    The STOP button in the Euroball Experiment Control (or the HALT Electronics button in the CAMAC Configuration & Control window) will set all CAMAC electronics into the STOPPED state. For FERA data sources this will Reset the module

    FVI (Fera => VXI Interface)

    This is a VXI module which you will find in the ancillary electronics VXI crate (currently vxi0). You can start the FERA-VXI Interface Setup window by selecting FERA-VXI Interface from the VXI Module Setup menu in the Euroball Main Menu. The setup parameters for the FVI can be saved and restored in the same manner as for all VXI modules.

    The LUTs (Look Up Tables) needed to convert the FERA data addresses (VSN and subaddress) to the VXI data addresses (group and item) are loaded by the button Write LUT. This uses the LUT file /MIDAS/experiments/ancillary/FVI/LUT.current which is created by the button Make FVI LUT in the CAMAC Configuration & Control window.

    What to do when things go wrong

  • Always STOP data acquisition if at all possible.
  • Power cycle a CAMAC crate


    • When you power cycle a CAMAC crate it is necessary to initialise the CAMAC crate controller.

    This will start the Serial Crate Controller Setup & Monitor window. Select the CAMAC crate you have power cycled from the menu (it will be in the range 1 => 10). Click on the button Put Online.

    This is actually a safe operation and so you can online a crate which is already online without damage.

    You should see the items DSX, DSQ and Demand Enabled ONLY ticked.

    If you get Loop Collapse or Dataway off-line ticked then check all CAMAC crates in the loop and the cables. If you still get problems try Put Offline and Put Online for all CAMAC crates in use.

    Then go to the CAMAC Configuration & Control window and click on RESET electronics and then use Save/Restore Setup to restore all adjustable parameters and get all your CAMAC hardware back into a good known state.

    Note: Since the RESET electronics operation makes a check for correct operation of all CAMAC modules it is advised that you do use this operation if you suspect that the CAMAC is malfunctioning.

    Power cycle the VME crate containing ec3/hist3 or reboot the VME processor hist3

    The VME system hist3 also contains the CAMAC hardware interface and the processor running the CAMAC control software. If this system is restarted for any reason then it is necessary to reload the CAMAC configuration into the processor. Go to the CAMAC Configuration & Control window and click the button Load Configuration into Register Server.

    Restarting the VME system and reloading the CAMAC control software should not have any effect on the CAMAC modules and so there should not be a need to RESET the CAMAC or reload the CAMAC setup.

    Reboot the VXI crate vxi0

    The VXI crate vxi0 contains the FVI module. When you have completed the normal procedure after a VXI crate reboot (that is a VXI crate RESET and parameter RESTORE) go to the window FERA-VXI Interface Setup and click on the button Write LUT.

    GOing and STOPing your experiment

    As long as the CAMAC Electronics checkbox in the Subsystems required list is selected in the Euroball Experiment Control window then any action required on the CAMAC electronics at GO and STOP is performed automatically.
     

    Vic


     

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