EPICURE Design Note 104.1 <P> <b> C1091 Page Application</b>

EPICURE Design Note 104.1

C1091 Page Application

KAL H. DABOUS

.5cm

This document describes a proposed application design for C1091 CAMAC Timing Module.

The Module in General

C1091 has eight countdown counters, called channels. A channel starts counting down when it gets triggered by a Tev Clk event. Once the countdown reaches zero, a pulse will be generated only if the channel is enabled. A maximum of eight Tev Clk events are allowed to trigger a single channel. Each channel has a maximum delay (countdown) of 35.79 minutes. Delays are loaded to the counters when a pre-set Tev Clk Event occurs. Such an event is called a ``SetOn'' event. A new delay will be set when a SetOn event occurs, otherwise the delay will stay pending.

Specifications and Requirements

The C1091 application should allow users to interact with the module in the most convenient way. Users must view as much information as possible without going through multiple screen levels. The main screen has to display information for a number of devices (channels). A reasonable number is 15 or more. Displayed information may include channel delays, events, and status. Users must have the ability to change the module parameters such as setting new delays, adding/deleting events, and enabling/disabling channels.

The application should provide a way to save not only device names, but modes of operations as well. The user would have the option to do a SAVE on only device names--as presently implemented by the Generic Page application-- or to do a SAVE on both names and setting parameters. In the latter case, when loading the saved file, the old setting parameters would be restored. Moreover, the application has to support most file operations: create, load, save, and delete.

Present Generic Page vs. C1091 Page

One may say, ``This is no different from other modules, why write a whole new application? The Page application is good enough.'' That's true, but not completely. Using Page application would not provide an adequate way for the users to access and change module parameters. The C1091 module uses more parameters for setting than other modules. For example, imagine how it would be possible for the present Page application to display and set for a device (channel) the following:

The Page would probably be able to handle such information if multiple devices are made up for a single channel. At least three devices are needed: one device to display Timing delay and status, and two others to display events. However, this idea lacks a great deal of simplicity. Users may be bothered by using three devices pertaining to one channel, rather than using one device for one channel. In addition, imagine trying to read and set the channel's eight events and SetOn event on Page fields.

Someone else may say, ``Ok, couldn't just Page identify C1091 devices and treat them differently?" Well, at the present time, Page does not recognize special devices; it was not simply designed to do so. All devices are treated generically. The question of modifying Page to recognize special devices is an open one. Should the present Page be upgraded to avoid writing a new C1091 Page?

Proposed C1091 Page application

In order to accomplish the degree of simplicity and convenience required, the features and operations of the present Page are chosen for the C1091 Page. The familarity of users with the present Page would make C1091 Page easy to learn. There are still few differences between the present Page and C1091 Page.

One of the major differences is in the main screen screen format. Figure 1, page 4, shows a simulation of the C1091 Page main screen. Notice that there are four primary fields: Device names, Set Delay, Status, and Text. Field labeling is slightly different from the Generic Page main screen. Notice also that there is no Read field, and that the Text field is wider.

Figure 1 also shows some device entries and their corresponding output data. The Set Delay field is for setting and reading the device timing delay. It has primary units of msec, secondary units ofsec, and raw units of hex. The status field shows whether the channel is disabled or enabled, and whether the channel has a pending timing delay or not. Channel enabling/disabling could be done by toggling the En/Dis subfield. Figure 3, page 6, shows the extended status screen.

Displaying events is accomplished by pressing the usual key to switch from the Text field to Device Event field, as shown on Figure 2, page 5. key toggles between (Text/Rate/Event) fields, as opposed to (Text/Rate/ Knob). The Knob field has no use in this application. The Event field has two kind of events: Device Events and SetOn event. Device Event field displays up to 8 events. Adding events is done by entering event names in the 8 event subfields and then hitting carriage return. Event subfields are separated by spaces. Similarly, deleting events are done by overwriting the subfields with space characters. Device events have no default values, however if the SetOn event is not entered, i.e. balnk, new delays will be loaded immediately.

Saving and loading file operations in C1091 Page are done differently. The SAVE option has a pull-down menu which allows users to save device names or device names plus the modes of operations. Also, The LOAD option has a pull-down menu which allows users to load device names or device names plus the mode of operations.

There are further differences between Generic Page and C1091 Page beyond the main screen format. C1091 Page will be using the standard ESM calls rather than SMG. Displayed and entered information will be highlighted. In addition, C1091 page accepts only C1091 devices; other devices will not be processed.

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