Notes for using the Neutron Wall subsystem for RFD experiments

 

 

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

                Go to the Euroball Experiment Control window

                Click on More Actions at the bottom

                Select Show Main Menu from the list

                Go to the Euroball main menu window

                Click on Access Control

                Select Experiment Access from the list

                Go to the Accessing an Experiment window

                Click on the button Leave

                Select ancillary from the list

                Click on the button Join

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 VME 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 Neutron Wall and other VME electronics when you use the main GO and STOP buttons.

 

 

Electronics

The RFD electronics consists of 2 CAEN VME modules.

 

    ADC   CAEN 879  in slot 10   32 channels    groups 112-143 item 0

    TDC   CAEN 878   in slot 8    32 channels    groups 112-143 item 1

 

The positions of these modules in the VME crate should not be changed unless the VME Configuration and LUT files are modified accordingly.  The Module ID in the VME Configuration MUST be the slot position of the module (GEO Address) in the VME crate.

 

 

The RFD uses CAMAC to control 3 ORTEC CCF800 CFD modules. These are in slots 4, 6 and 8 of the CAMAC crate. The CAMAC crate controller number is 9.

 

The VME electronics is read out using the Neutron Wall interfaces. This connects via DT32 bus to Event Collector ec1 and Histogrammer hist1.

 

 

Histogrammer

            Data from the RFD electronics can be histogrammed using histogram server hist1.

Start the Histogrammer window and select Histogrammer hist1 (this is important).

Select the Detector type Group.  The group range should be Low group = 112 and High group = 143 for the two CAEN 32 channel modules.

Select the Qualifier q0

Select Low item = 0 and High item = 1

Select Channels = 4K

Click on Create to generate 64 histograms.

 

Histogram name is of the format Group???.Item?.q0

 

ADC module generates Item0  and  TDC module generates Item1

CAEN ADC/TDC channels 0 => 31 correspond to histograms Group112 => Group143

 

VME Control

                In order that the VME control works correctly it is essential that the Euroball session uses the same VME configuration that was used when the configuration was downloaded into the VME server (see later).  The configuration loaded into the VME server is written to the file /MIDAS/experiments/ancillary/[server_name]_current_configuration. For the experiment ancillary the VME server for the ancillary electronics is vme. Hence [server_name] is vme in this case.

The VME Configuration and Control window can be opened by clicking on the Open button for VME Electronics in the Euroball Experiment Control window. When the software starts the configuration held in /MIDAS/experiments/ancillary/vme_current_configuration is loaded automatically.

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

 

 

VME

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

 

If you do change the VME 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 VME configuration  (or restore an old one) into the VME server click on the button Load Configuration into Register Server.  If you have changed the configuration of modules which generate VME data then you will also need to recreate the Look Up Table (LUT) and VME Address Table (VAT) files. You will be prompted to do this by the Load operation and also by clicking on the button Generate LUT & VAT files.

 

The RFD Configuration has been saved as the file RFD dated Jan16 0925 (or later)

 

The Load Configuration function also performs the SETUP action on all VME modules. This will include setting all thresholds and discriminators in ADC modules to default values and setting the VME address information for all data sources. There is a SETUP electronics button in the VME Configuration & Control window which can be used at any time to perform the SETUP action.

 

Note – The SETUP action checks that all modules perform a certain VME cycle correctly. If a module in your configuration is missing or not operating correctly you will get a warning message. This is the only time that VME modules are checked for correct operation.

 

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

 

The RFD Parameter Setup has been saved as the file RFD dated Jan16 0925 (or later)

 

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

 

The button RESET electronics in the VME Configuration & Control window will set all VME modules into a good state. It does not perform the SETUP operation. Hence any custom setting of modules is preserved.

 

The  GO button in the Euroball Experiment Control  (or the GO Electronics button in the VME Configuration & Control window) will set all VME electronics into the GO state.

 

The  STOP button in the Euroball Experiment Control  (or the HALT Electronics button in the VME Configuration & Control window) will set all VME electronics into the STOPPED state.

 

 

Neutron Wall Interface

                This is a VME module which you will find in the Neutron Wall electronics VME crate. It provides the interface between the VME adc readout system and the DT32 bus and also to the main Trigger system. You can start the Neutron Wall Interface Setup window by selecting Neutron Wall from the VME Module Setup menu in the Euroball Main Menu. The setup parameters for the interface can be saved and restored in the same manner as for all VME modules.

 

                The LUT (Look Up Table) needed to convert the VME data addresses (module GEO address and adc  subaddress) to the VXI data addresses (group and item) are loaded automatically by the software in the Neutron Wall  VME processor. This uses the LUT file  /MIDAS/experiments/ancillary/LUT.vme which is created by the button Generate LUT & VAT files in the VME Configuration & Control window.

 

 

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/experiments/ancillary/[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/experiments/ancillary/camac2_current_configuration is loaded automatically.

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

 

The RFD Configuration has been saved as the file RFD dated Jan16 0925 (or later)

 

For the RFD experiments CAMAC is used only for control of the ORTEC CCF800 CFD modules. These do not require any specific action on experiment STOP and GO.

 

 

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.

 

The  CAMAC option in the pull down menu 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 RFD Parameter Setup has been saved as the file RFD dated Jan16 0925 (or later)

 

 

What to do when things go wrong

 

Always STOP data acquisition if at all possible.

 

Power cycle or reboot the VME crate  containing the Neutron Wall adcs

                If this system is restarted for any reason then it is necessary to reload the VME configuration into the processor. Go to the VME Configuration & Control window and click the button Load Configuration into Register Server.

                You will be prompted to do this by the system restart procedure

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

 

For the RFD experiments the VME module setup is saved in  the file named RFD

 

Also start the module Neutron Wall from the VME module menu and check the Gate Selection.

 

 

Power cycle a CAMAC crate

 

The RFD experiment uses just one CAMAC crate which is number 9.

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

                Go to the Euroball Main Menu window

                Click on CAMAC

                Select Serial CC from the list

 

This will start the Serial Crate Controller Setup & Monitor window.  Select the CAMAC crate you have power cycled from the menu (for the RFD this is always 9). 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.

 

For the RFD experiments the CAMAC module setup is saved in  the file named RFD

 

GOing and STOPing your experiment

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