HV technical
R. Michaels, Nov 2013
Here is some boring technical info about HV control.
First, note these somewhat old URLs as a starting point
http://hallaweb.jlab.org/equipment/daq/HVhelp.html
http://hallaweb.jlab.org/equipment/daq/gen_slow_control.html
The above URLs will need to be modified and updated to provide User guidance. But they are a nice start.
A note about the HV software architecture:
1. "hvs" (aka "hvg") = Java GUI that provides User interface (author: Roman Pomatsalyuk)
2. LecroyHV_Shim = Perl server, listens on a telnet port, talks to hvs. This code emulates the obsolete (no-longer-existing) motherboards on the LeCroy 1458 HV crate (author: Brad Sawatzky). This server must run on the PC that is connected by RS232 to the HV crate.
3. i2lchv_linux_bob = Bob's version of Brad's version of Javier's code that does the low-level communication with the HV crate. (original author: Javier Gomez, but don't blame him for my hacks). i2lchv_linux_bob talks via R232 to the HV cards using a primitive "language". The LecroyHV_Shim Perl script connects to i2lchv_linux_bob via the "Expect" module of Perl.
Nov 12, 2013. Attempts to use Intel PC as the PC that is nearby the LeCroy HV crate.
from root on adaql1, see /root/diskless/i386/Centos5.8
./snapshot = directories local to the cpus. e.g. see /snapshot/intelha3 for intelha3.
./root = directory shared by all the cpus. However, not (yet) writeable by the cpus.
On the intel cpu, if you want to create or touch files, you must use the local filesystem.
/root/diskless/i386/Centos5.8/snapshot/intelha3/root (from adaql1)
appears as
/root (local filesystem on intelha3)
/shim (on intelha3) is the shared shim directory from
However, if you want to compile code that every intel PC uses, you must use
/root/diskless/i386/Centos5.8/root on adaql1
/shim (on intelha3) is the shared shim directory from /root/diskless/i386/Centos5.8/root/shim on adaql1
Nov 12, 2013. Attempting to run HV control on L-HRS.
Login to intelha3 as root.
To check that HV cards are seen via RS232, go to /root/shim/shim/LecroyHV_shim/LecroyHV_FE
and run ./i2lchv_linux_bob
A note: if this code needs to be recompiled, you must (unfortunately) do the compilation on the shared disk area and then use the exec in this local area.
If you see a list of HV cards, then it's a good sign.
Next, run the Perl Server: go to /root/shim/shim/LecroyHV_shim and type ./LecroyHV_Shim (Note, I've attempted to automate this step, so it is running 24/7 even after rebooting the intel PC. see below)
On adaql1, as adev account, do this: "cd ./slowc ; ./hvs LEFT"
programming on intelha3
On adaql1 as root, in /root/diskless/i386/Centos5.8/root/shim/LecroyHV_shim/LecroyHV_FE and related areas. Modify code and compile here.
On intelha3 as root in /shim/LecroyHV_shim/LecroyHV_FE (sees same files) run the code here.
Attempt to automate the startup of Shim server so that users don't care
On intelha3, have a crontab entry for root
[root@intelha3 LecroyHV_shim]# crontab -l
- Start the shim server for HV
2,10,20,30,40,50 * * * * /shim/scripts/prepHV
The script prepHV checks if Shim is running. If it is, do nothing. If not, start it.
Notes about pre-requisites for making the Perl server work.
Needed Perl 5.8.8 or later install. On intel PC this appears as /perl after being put (on adaql1) in
Needed RH5 or greater, to have correct glibc
/dev/ttyS0 permissions -- it gets reset when boot.
Install telnetd server, and restart allow telnet in /etc/xinetd.d
Kill cfengine, which tends to rather rudely delete /etc/xinetd.d/telnet Yes, telnet is an old, insecure protocol, but it's needed by this software. The Java code uses telnet to communicate with the Perl server.
