This Note relates to Beta Release 1.

There is a web page for the NewGen Data Acquisition software.
See http://npg.dl.ac.uk/MIDAS/MIDASNewGenDataAcquisition/base.html

This software replaces MIDAS_DigitalDataAcq_19Sep14. In the near future the software will support the CAEN (VME), 
AIDA, LYCCA, PGRIS and R3B data acquisition packages. 
This initial release has been only been checked out for PGRIS. 

The examples in this document assume a server having name  nnlxp1 and client (ML403) nnpgris1

download the software:
MIDAS        http://npg.dl.ac.uk/MIDAS/MIDAS_Release/MIDAS_NewGenDataAcq(MIDAS)_14Jul15.tgz
XilinxLinux  http://npg.dl.ac.uk/MIDAS/MIDAS_Release/MIDAS_NewGenDataAcq(XilinxLinux)_14Jul15.tgz
LinuxAce     http://npg.dl.ac.uk/MIDAS/MIDAS_Release/MIDAS_NewGenDataAcq(LinuxAce)_14Jul15.tgz

1)  MIDAS
  This is the base software and is common to all packages

It is recommended that you unpack this archive into the filespace of the ID to be used for running data acquisition.
You should also perform this software install using the selected ID. THe software does not require any special 
permissions (unless noted) and you will avoid problems caused by file permissions. 

  Download; Use  tar -zxf MIDAS.tgz  to unpack the archive
  This will create a directory MIDAS_100715/MIDAS in your current directory

Then create a symbolic link from /MIDAS to this directory. This does need to be performed by root.
In the future when you wish to install an updated version of the software you can repeat this procedure and simply 
change the symbolic link. Then if needed it is easy to revert to the previous version.

2) XilinxLinux
  This is the Root File System (RFS) for the embedded Linux running in the ML403 board. It very rarely changes and
is only required for the first download.

You should unpack this archive using the ID root in order to preserve the file ownership and permissions of critical
system files. 

   Download; Use  tar -zxf XilinxLinux.tgz  to unpack the archive
  This will create a directory MIDAS_100715/XilinxLinux in your current directory

3) LinuxAce  
   This is only needed if you need to reprogram the ML403 CF module.


There are a number of steps required to convert a Linux workstation to a server which can support the Linux system running in the ML403.

1)    dhcpd server

  Download ISC DHCP  from  https://www.isc.org/downloads/dhcp

  Locate DHCP Version 4.2.8  and download  DHCP4.2.8 - source

  You will obtain dhcp-4.2.8.tar.gz

  Use  tar -zxf dhcp-4.2.8.tar.gz  to give a directory dhcp-4.2.8
   then execute
     cd dhcp-4.2.8
     ./configure
     make

    install using sudo make install
    => /usr/local/sbin/dhcpd

  You require a configuration file which by default is /etc/dhcpd.conf

The file used for a private network follows


#
# DHCP Server Configuration file.
#   see /usr/share/doc/dhcp*/dhcpd.conf.sample  
#
#
authoritative;

ddns-update-style none; ddns-updates off;

default-lease-time 345600;
max-lease-time 691200;

subnet 192.168.2.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
   option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
   option broadcast-address 192.168.2.255;
   option routers 192.168.2.250;
   pool {
     range  192.168.2.201 192.168.2.210;
   }
}

group {
     use-host-decl-names true;
     default-lease-time 3600;
     max-lease-time 14400;

     server-name "192.168.2.1";
     next-server 192.168.2.1;
     filename "xxx.bit";

  host nnpgris1 {
     hardware ethernet 00:0a:35:01:84:4b;
     fixed-address 192.168.2.101;
     option root-path "/home/npg/MIDAS_100715/XilinxLinux/ppc_4xx/rfs/nnpgris1";
   }

}


This has a server with a private network 192.168.2.0. The ML403 will be given 192.168.2.101
You will need to modify this file:
  1)  with the MAC address of the ML403. This is found on the PCB under the CF module. 
  2)  with the absolute path of the RFS to be used. 

  
Create a leases file for dhcpd: Use sudo touch /var/db/dhcpd.leases

Start dhcpd  using   /usr/local/sbin/dhcpd

If you modify /etc/dhcpd.conf you will have to restart dhcpd    ( kill and reload dhcpd )


2)   Start NFS

   Create or modify the file  /etc/exports

/home/npg/MIDAS_100715/MIDAS   192.168.2.0/255.255.255.0(rw,sync,nohide)
/home/npg/MIDAS_100715/XilinxLinux/ppc_4xx/rfs 192.168.2.0/255.255.255.0(rw,sync,nohide,no_root_squash) 


  You will have to modify the file paths and network addresses to match your installation

If you modify /etc/exports you will have to inform nfs  using the command  sudo /usr/sbin/exportfs -a


3)   Modify Linux firewall

   If using a private network make this a "trusted interface"

4)  In the /home/npg/MIDAS_100715/XilinxLinux/ppc_4xx/rfs/nnpgris1/etc/hosts

127.0.0.1         localhost
192.168.2.1    myserver egmsg

modify the IP address if needed.


5)  (optional)
   The ML403 does not have a hardware clock. To set the time you require a rdate server running in your server.
   To enable:  in /etc/xinetd.d/time-stream   set the option    disable=no


You can down power up the ML403 and it should connect to your Linux server and startup its data acquisition software.