Operations of the ADCs:

The ADC's operation is implemented in TDAQ through TriggerADC module. From the TDAQ-gui, the ADC configuration would require to set different variables which depend on the runtype:

• For calibration runs, the ADC is run in post-trigger mode and we need to set the number of samples (nOfSamps), the number of delay cycles (nOfDeCy) and directory path (L1Data) where we want to store the data.

• For physics runs, the ADC is run in pre/post trigger mode. The problem we are facing is that the ADC continuously takes data and upon receiving a trigger the ADC will take some predefined samples, then disarms. To re-Arm it again, we created an external I/O plugin (TriggerPlugin) that will re-start the ADC ( record data, then re-Arm it ). In this case the ADC needs to have the following inputs: the number of samples to be taken post-trigger (nOfSamPostTrig); number of samples, one needs to go back to search for the signal (nOfSamPreTrig); the number of samples to be actually recorded (nOfPhysicsSam) and the directory path (L1Data) where we want to store the data (we might as well use the number of delay cycles(nOfDeCy)). Since the physics run is a general runtype, it is possible that we want to disable the ADC and a convenient way is to set (StartADC = 1).

One major change in TriggerADC ($v0r5$), added the pre/post mode, and dropped VME interrupt access. Instead I am using the fisrt two bits in the control register to know when to read the ADC.

-- ChaoukiB - 06 Oct 2006