RC_gui - graphical user interface

Content

• Introduction
• Main run control panel
• Set run parameters
• Read-out electronics parameters
• Detector window
• Change module position
• Change of module parameters
• K427M - drift chamber control
• K429 - drift chamber track finder
• LeCroy 2366 register/scaler
• LeCroy 3377 TDC
• LeCroy 4300 ADC
• MSGC parameters
• Trigger selection
• Run title
• Slow control button
• Alarms
• Configuration and parameter files
• Configuration file for read-out electronics
• Parameter file for read-out electronics
• Auxiliary modules
• Read-out control module
• Mode output register
• CAMAC bus displays
• Appendix
• Subdetector names
• Symbolic names of readout modules

Introduction

There are active images in the document. Commonly OK an CANCEL buttons leads you through the windows which are opened by RC_gui. Of course, other objects do not reacts exactly as it is done in a real work, but we tried to do that rather realistic. So, you can try to use buttons to navigate through the document. Please, look at the text around images as it may contain explanations of problems you met.

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Main run control panel

This image is active: click on an active button to see how it works.

Button            Action  Run             opens a next level windows to start run  Pause         suspends a data taking  Continue    resumes the run  Slow ctrl     opens windows to control alarms and slow control processes  Exit GUI       kills RC_gui only, all other processes are not affected.                       You can do that and restart RC_gui again  Kill DAQ     kills builder, RC and RC_gui, see Kill DAQ

 
 

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Set run parameters

     Field            Meaning/Action

• Run number    indicates the number of run which will be started. Each time when one starts a run with Write file option set to YES, the run number is incremented. If the Write file choice is NO the run number is not incremented for next run.
• Exposition     Input field which allows one to set how many events will be accepted or how long  (astronomical time) the data will be collected in the run. Placed on the right a choice button provides sec/min/hours/events  selection.
• Mode          You can select PHYSICS or TUNING mode.  These modes affect on the performance of Slow Control procedures only. At start of run you can change anything in electronics parameters for any mode. The difference is in an execution of Slow Control procedures for a run in RUNNING or PAUSED states:
• In PHYSICS mode only predefined automatic calibrations are permitted, see Set calibration.
• The TUNING mode is foreseen to perform an automatic tuning of set up parameters and any changes in electronics by SC procedures are permitted.
• Std               The choice which you have here is Std/Calibration_1/Calibration_2/Calibration_3. It means that you can select from four sets of electronics parameters. Up to now nobody formulated what is Calibrations, so it was not used and Std must be selected.
• Set calibr        Pushing this button you opens a window which allows you to select which and how often calibrations will be performed during a run. At the moment it is foreseen that in each run one set of parameters is a main set, and three others will be loaded time to time, at least one burst will be accepted and than a main parameters will be restored. How often the calibration is performing depends on how many bursts from one measurement to other you selected in Set calibration window.
• Read-out       This menu contains three items: Open,  Edit and Save as and serves to set up parameters of readout electronics and save them in configuration and parameter files for a future use.
• Open   item allows one to select an existing configuration file and then change readout electronics parameters if it is needed.
• Edit    item works only after you opened a configuration file. It is recommended to start any changes from the opening of std.cfg file.
• Save as  item allows one to write current parameters of readout electronics in a file for a future use. Please, do not keep a file for your personal and rare use in a common directory, but move it somewhere else. GUI can load configuration files only from the directory /home/run/param/RO of VME host (for a safety reason), so before a use you must move your file_name.cfg and file_name.par files back in it.

• Trigger        Allows to select a trigger file to be loaded. When the file selector is opened the default trigger file (containing the copy of last selected trigger file) is highlighted.
• Write file     This choice button determines will be data written in a data file or it will not be. If you select NO, the run number will not be changed, don't worry, already written file will not be overwritten. Data files have names formed by run number, for example 1777.run and may have digital  extension like 1777.run.1, 1777.run.2, and so on. It comes from the requirement of off-line team to have short data files. The extension number points out on the serial number of 300 Mbytes portion of data in a long run.

Read-out electronics parameters

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This window is opened if a cfg file is loaded and allows one to switch on/off subdetectors, change a data suppression mode and change parameters of read-out electronics. You can open this window once more if you left it by OK button. For that select Edit in Read-out menu of Set run parameters window.

• Readout configuration  frame contains pairs of buttons for detectors.
• Rounded button allows one to switch on or off the readout electronics of detector in a whole. The colour of button indicates a state of detector electronics:
• yellow - all read-out modules are on,
• red   - part of modules are on off state,
• grey  - all modules are off.
Some detectors could not be switched off as they contain so called event delimiter modules, if any modules of other detectors are on in the same FERA branch. Corresponding warning message will appear in this case.
• Rectangular button  serves to open a detector window and change module parameters one by one.
• Suppression  frame contains three radio buttons, which determines how pedestal, and zero and overflow suppressions are performed for readout electronics modules:
• default          - it corresponds to standard set of parameters determined by subdetector groups. Are pedestal and zero suppression on or off, it depends on the detector and the module and described in a file all.sup on VME host in the directory containing all others readout electronics files.
• user defined       -  this mode is used only for non-standard situations when you need to change something in a limited number of modules for checks or investigations. If the previous mode was default one, the selection of user defined mode will change nothing until you will change parameters of detector or module using lower level windows. The same is if the previous mode was no suppression one. Be careful! Just as you come back to default or no suppression mode all changes in suppression modes of detector modules will be set back to requested mode and you will lose what was done!
• no suppression   - there is no pedestal, zero and overflow suppression for all modules. It is used for pedestal measurements.
• OK and CANCEL buttons serves to save or cancel made changes in readout electronics parameters. If you pushed
• OK  - the current configuration and parameters are saved in daq.cfg and daq.par files which will be used by other processes to initialize readout electronics before start of next run. If you wish to save them for future use you can select than Save as item in Read-out menu of Set run parameters window.
• CANCEL - all changes will be lost, daq.cfg and daq.par files will not be changed. If you wish to change them select than Open item in Read-out menu of Set run parameters window.

Detector window

• List of readout modules of the detector is shown in a selector frame. By left mouse button you can select a module to change its position or parameters.
• Position button allows you to change the module position. The button opens a position window and you can change CAMAC branch, crate and slot values for the selected module. This window shows a symbolic name of module and a computer which controls it.
• Parameters button opens a window to change module parameters. The opened module window depends on the module hardware type:
• K427M - drift chamber control module
• K429   - drift chamber track finder. Really it is a trigger module.
• LeCroy 2366 register/scaler
• LeCroy 3377 TDC
• LeCroy 4300 ADC
• MSGC control
• Suppression button changes the mode of suppression for all modules of the detector, if user defined mode was selected in Readout configuration window.

Change of module position

The window contains: Sybolic name of module Host - name of host which serves the module, you cannot change it yet Branch - CAMAC branch number Crate - CAMAC crate number Slot - CAMAC slot number OK - change module position and return to Detector window CANCEL - restore a previous module position and return to Detector window

Change of module parameters

• Header indicating the module hardware type,
• Symbolic name of module, which is used in on-line and off-line code
• ON button. If this button ON, a code expects that information of the module may appear in the data, in other case, the on-line code will not try to find out the module data or read-out it.
• Standard/Calibration choice which allows one to change one of four sets of parameters (standard and three calibration ones, see Set run parameters and Introduction to DAQ).
• OK button. Pushing this button you save made changes and return to Detector window
• CANCEL button. Pushing this button you ignore made changes (previous parameters are restored) and returns to Detector window

K427M  - drift chamber control module

From, ch   - the counter allows you to change the delay between stop and input signals . On the left you see the delay value in ns. Window,ch - the counter allows you to change the width of time window in channels of TDC. On the left the same value in ns. To, ch - Shows the upper boundary of time range. You cannot change it directly, but by Window or From counters.

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K429   - drift chamber track finder

File - shows you the name of loaded file for track finding. Change - allows you to open next level window to change loaded file. It works only in user defined suppression mode. Front panel output - must be ON (highlighted).  OFF state is for debugging only by experts. Transparency mode - ON state means that there is no track finding. Default state is OFF. Time-out - if this button is ON and internal time-out is expired the event is treated as good one. In OFF state the event analysis will be completed so much time as it is needed.

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LeCroy 2366 register/scaler

Available data frame in the window allows one to select data which will be transferred by the module,
on the right there are buttons which set a mode of module.
 

Trigger number -  it is a scaler which value is incremented with a gate. Register - input register Scaler 1 - 32 bit scaler which may be cleared or not after readout  of event Scaler 2 - 32 bit scaler which may be cleared or not after readout of event Gate enable - an input of module works as FERA GATE input, see the module manual. Clear enable - if ON, scalers are cleared after readout of each event Fast mode  - if ON, the module works in Fast FERA mode (without acknowledge signals during data transfer). Now all modules of this type works in Fast mode. Data delay - counter allows one to change a delay of beginning of the data transfer relatively FERA GATE signal.

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LeCroy 3377 TDC

Delay  counter determines a minimum time interval between Gate and Input signals. Window counter determines a width of time window to detect Input signals. Bin width counter allows one to change LSB of TDC. Range field informs you in which time interval hits will be recorded. Trailing rounded button allows one to record both leading and trailing edge of signals. If it is Off the leading edge is recorded. Fast mode -  to switch ON/OFF FERA fast mode. All LeCroy 3377 TDC modules in the experiment works in Fast mode. Empty events - if the button is ON, module data containing only headers will not be suppressed. It is only for debugging of the data transfer!

Delay, Window and Bin width counters depend on each other and provides only allowed values, so be careful when you change them.

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LeCroy 4300 ADC

Pedestal subtraction rounded button - only if it is ON, the values which you can see in a below placed frame will be subtracted from the measured ones. Input counter serves to select an input for which you will change a subtracted value. Subtract counter allows one to change a value subtracted from the measured one for the selected input. Data compression - if it is ON, the zero values will not be transferred further. We always work with data compression ON! Overflow suppression - if it is ON, the maximal possible measured values (overflow ones) will be ignored. Commonly, Overflow suppression is ON for modules used for time measurements, and is OFF for amplitude measurements.

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MSGC control

You can load any files only if the user defined mode was selected in Readout configuration window! It may be useful at a tuning stage.

• CTL file opens a file browser to select a control sequence file for the load.
• PED file opens a file browser to select a pedestal file.
• THR file opens a file browser to select a threshold file.
• CSR bits rounded buttons set ON or OFF corresponding bits in CSR register, see MSGC electronics manual.

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Trigger selection

The first line of each trigger file is used to identify a trigger type. If pedestal word is met in the line but selected suppression is default or user defined  -  you will get a warning window.
 
 

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Run title

Be careful!

• You cannot start run until any field name is a red color(the field is not updated).
• Changes made in the window do not affect on the real parameters installed by other instruments and serves only to include these data in the run header event.
• The loading of readout and trigger electronics parameters requires few minutes, so be patient.

Slow control button

Alarms button opens next level window to set a DAQ reaction on a predefined diagnostic messages.

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Alarms

• warning serves only to inform one that something goes wrong, but data are recorded in the data file and distributed to monitoring programs.
• alarm - the data of corresponding burst are not recorded in the file, but still distributed for monitoring programs to provide possibility of analysis of met problems.

Please, ask experts if you wish add a hardware or software alarm.

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Configuration and parameter files

Structures of these files was fixed at the beginning of the DAQ development. Since that time many things were changed and now not all descriptions look very well motivated and supported. For example, it was supposed that a GUI for front-end and trigger electronics will be developed, but it is not done yet.

Configuration file for read-out electronics

Type Readout
    Detector 1 description
    Detector 2 description
           .....
    Detector N description
Type Front-end
    Unit 1 description
    Unit 2 description
           .....
    Unit N description
Type Service

Here keywords are shown by bold font and arguments by italic one, the normal font displays strings which are described below.
 

Type  string

• Readout   section contains a description of subdetectors, VME buffer memories and modules which produce data to be read out over FERA bus. The RC_gui works mainly with this section.
• Front-end  section foreseen for front-end electronics
• Service  section foreseen for auxiliary modules.

Detector description

    Detector det_name
      Memory description
         Unit description
         Unit description
            ......
      Memory description
         Unit description
         Unit description
            ......

There are predefined subdetector names. You cannot add a new subdetector description in configuration file without corresponding change of software (DT, RC_gui and other).

The keyword Detector  starts the section containing description of all subdetector electronics modules to be read-out and their data are placed in corresponding data block in the event.
 
 

Memory description

• Memory   MSGC_mem    base_address    number  ,

where

• MSGC_mem - identificator of micro-strip gas chamber memory module,
• base_address - base address of module on VME bus,
• number  - now it is a dummy parameter.

• Memory DC_mem      base_address    evf    number_1   number_2   ,

where

• DC_mem - identificator of drift chamber memory module,
• base_address - base address of module on VME bus,
• evf  - identificator of event delimiter, now only evf must be here.
• number_1  - type of event delimiter, now it is dummy parameter.
• number_2  - how many times the memory must be read-out, now it is dummy parameter.

• Memory   hardware_type   base_address   event_delimiter   number_1    number_2

where:

• Memory - keyword,
• hardware_type - hardware type of VME buffer memory, for example, LeCroy1190 for FERA branch,
• base_address - base address of memory module on VME bus,
• event_delimiter - symbolic name of electronics module which data must be available in the beginning of each event. We use now LeCroy 2366 register/scaler modules. It allows event building procedure to identify a beginning of subevent in each FERA branch.
• number_1  - type of event delimiter, now it is dummy parameter.
• number_2  - how many times the memory must be read-out, now it is dummy parameter.

Few Memory lines may present in a subdetector section, as electronics modules of one subdetector may be placed in different FERA branches and their data than are stored in different VME memory modules.

Unit description

Unit  Name  HW_type  Computer Branch Crate   Slot  N_ref  Suppr  State

where

• Unit - keyword,
• Name - symbolic name of module used for a module identification,
• HW_type - hardware type of module, used to execute proper CAMAC operations,
• Computer - a computer which control the module, now it is always c-eposly22
• Branch - CAMAC branch in which the module installed,
• Crate  - CAMAC crate,
• Slot   - CAMAC slot,
• N_ref  - number of additional lines in the module description, commonly it is 0,
• Suppr  - suppression mode: DEF_SUP, NO_SUP, USD_SUP,
• State   - is module ON or OFF for read-out,

Additional lines looks like:

Reference    R_name     n1    n2

• R_name - name of data, used for reference
• n1,  n2 - two numbers used to determine subaddresses, serial number of data word and so on. Depends on type of module.

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Parameter file for read-out electronics

Type Readout
    Unit line
        Standard
            parameters
        end
        Calibration 1
            parameters
        end
            .....
        Calibration N
            parameters
        end
    End
           ....
          Unit  line
           .....
    End
END
Type Front-end
       ....
END
Type Service
       ....
END
 
 

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Auxiliary modules

Read-out control module

• the module position was changed, or
• the base address of any VME buffer memory or MSGC module was changed, or
• the cabling for this module was changed.

As for any other read-out modules the module position is described in file std.cfg (and in any other one with cfg extension). So, if the module was moved in other CAMAC position, you must edit these files (and trigger ones). See above.

At present a LeCroy 2365 matrix is used. The module is used also for other purposes in a trigger control. So, the module parameters are updated independently for read-out and trigger parts. An example of module description in a parameter file is shown below.

Unit  RO_ctrl   LeCroy2365   - a standard line started a module description, see above.
Standard                     - starts description of standard parameters
Owner Readout 2              - list of outputs of the module for read-out control
Owner Trigger 0 1 3 4 5 6 7  - determines which outputs of the module are used for trigger control
Section Readout              - starts description of read-out parameters of the module
INPUTS                       - starts the description of module inputs
3 Mem_0xC0000                - input number and name of VME memory, connected to the input
4 Mem_0xFF000001
5 Mem_0x140000
6 Mem_0x180000
7 Mem_0x0
8 Mem_0x40000
9 Mem_0x80000
10 Mem_0xCC0000
11 Mem_0xDC0000
12 Mem_0xEC0000
13 Mem_0xFC0000
OUTPUTS                      - starts the description of module outputs
2 BUSY AND 3ff8 0            - output number, name, performed function, two masks for inputs
end                          - end of standard set of parameters
end                          - end of module description

You may change by an text editor  Owner,  INPUTS and partially OUTPUTS   lines.  The mask words are formed by RC_gui automatically in a correspondence with which subdetectors are switched on and off.

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Mode output register

Unit Mode_reg  CES1320
Standard
0 0 
end
Calibration 1
0 0x5
end
Calibration 2
0 0x9
end
Calibration 3
0 0xd
end
End

• 0 - default suppression
• 1 - user defined
• 2 - no suppression
• 3 - unknown, problems with register

• 0 - standard set,
• 1 - Calibration 1,
• 2 - Calibration 2, and so on.

IMPORTANT! Parameters are set by RC_gui and you must not change it by hands!

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CAMAC  bus  displays

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APPENDIX

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Subdetector names

• MSGC0, MSGC1, MSGC2, MSGC3 - micro-strip gas chambers
• SciFi - scintillation fibre detector
• dEdX - forward ionization hodoscope
• DC0, DC1, DC2 - drift chamber branches
• VH - vertical scintillation hodoscopes
• HH - horizontal scintillation hodoscopes
• Cherenkov - Cherenov detectors
• PreSh    - preshower detector
• Muon    - scintillation detectors for muon identification
• Monitors  - monitor detectors
• Dummy   - for any modules which must be read-out and are not included in other subdetectors

Symbolic  names  of  read-out  modules