The First Steps

This section explains some commands that are needed quite often. They can be entered at an experiment or on a central computer, if you prepared a test environment as described above. I used the W1 files for the following examples.

After Online started, you might be interested in seeing the devices that are known to the program:

ONLINE show or
ONLINE show/dev

Online responds with:

  ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE
                                              [KRACHT.UTILITY.GRAPHIC.IVP.ROEWI]
 Name                   | Device          | Module         | Crte | Slt  | Chnl
 -----------------------|-----------------|----------------|------|------|-----
 ADC                    | ADC             | LECROY_3512    | 1    | 16   | 0
 C0                     | COUNTER         | KINETICS_3610  | 1    | 4    | 0
 C1                     | COUNTER         | KINETICS_3610  | 1    | 4    | 1
 C13                    | COUNTER         | HASYLAB_8CH    | 1    | 13   | 0
 C14                    | COUNTER         | HASYLAB_8CH    | 1    | 13   | 1
 C15                    | COUNTER         | HASYLAB_8CH    | 1    | 13   | 2
 C16                    | COUNTER         | HASYLAB_8CH    | 1    | 13   | 3
 C17                    | COUNTER         | HASYLAB_8CH    | 1    | 13   | 4
 C18                    | COUNTER         | HASYLAB_8CH    | 1    | 13   | 5
 C19                    | COUNTER         | HASYLAB_8CH    | 1    | 13   | 6
 C2                     | COUNTER         | KINETICS_3610  | 1    | 4    | 2
 C20                    | COUNTER         | HASYLAB_8CH    | 1    | 13   | 7
 C3                     | COUNTER         | KINETICS_3610  | 1    | 4    | 3
 C4                     | COUNTER         | KINETICS_3610  | 1    | 4    | 4
 C5                     | COUNTER         | KINETICS_3610  | 1    | 4    | 5
 C6                     | COUNTER         | BORER_1008     | 1    | 2    | 0
 C7                     | COUNTER         | BORER_1008     | 1    | 2    | 1
 Press <ret> to see the rest 
 ONLINE>

Every output line contains a device name, the device type and the module type. In addition there are CAMAC/VME specific informations. For example: Counter C0 is a Kinetics 3610 which is in slot 4 of crate number 1. C0 addresses the first channel of the module.

At VME experiments the show command produces this output:

 ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE
                              /afs/desy.de/user/k/kracht/public/sun4x_55/graphic
 Name                   | Device          | Module         | Base | Vec. | Chnl
 -----------------------|-----------------|----------------|------|------|-----
 MOT35                  | STEPPING_MOTOR  | VPAP           | f400 | 0    | 2
 MOT36                  | STEPPING_MOTOR  | VPAP           | f400 | 0    | 3
 MOT37                  | STEPPING_MOTOR  | VPAP           | f400 | 0    | 4
 MOT38                  | STEPPING_MOTOR  | VPAP           | f400 | 0    | 5
 MOT39                  | STEPPING_MOTOR  | VPAP           | f400 | 0    | 6
 MOT40                  | STEPPING_MOTOR  | VPAP           | f400 | 0    | 7
 C1                     | COUNTER         | MOD_V260       | f300 | 0    | 0
 C2                     | COUNTER         | MOD_V260       | f300 | 0    | 1
 C3                     | COUNTER         | MOD_V260       | f300 | 0    | 2
 C4                     | COUNTER         | MOD_V260       | f300 | 0    | 3
 C5                     | COUNTER         | MOD_V260       | f300 | 0    | 4
 C6                     | COUNTER         | MOD_V260       | f300 | 0    | 5
 C7                     | COUNTER         | MOD_V260       | f300 | 0    | 6
 C8                     | COUNTER         | MOD_V260       | f300 | 0    | 7
 C9                     | COUNTER         | MOD_V260       | f300 | 0    | 8
 C10                    | COUNTER         | MOD_V260       | f300 | 0    | 9
 C11                    | COUNTER         | MOD_V260       | f300 | 0    | 10
 Press <ret> to see the rest
 ONLINE>

The main difference compared to CAMAC systems is that the crate and slot number are replaced by the base address and the vector. And of course the module names are different.

The motor positions and limits can be inspected by:

ONLINE show/motor

  ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE
                                              [KRACHT.UTILITY.GRAPHIC.IVP.ROEWI]
 Name (Alias)                             Position       Limits
 ---------------------------------------|--------------|-----------------------
 MOT1 (SL1_TOP)                         | 4            | [-15.91881, 20.39118]
 MOT10 (MC2_Z, MC2_HOR)                 | 744.2039     | [404.255, 861.842]
 MOT11 (MC2_Y, MC2_VER)                 | -152         | [-162.9199, -104.245]
 MOT12 (MC2_ROT_X, MC2_TET)             | 14.30689     | [-6.632845, 51.60195]
 MOT13 (MC2_TIL)                        | -0.03        | [-5.426667, 17.12333]
 MOT14 (MC2_NOR)                        | 0            | [-2097.151, 2097.151]
 MOT15 (SL2_TOP)                        | 10           | [-19.41012, 10.30162]
 MOT16 (SL2_BOT)                        | -10          | [-13.825, 15.585]
 MOT17 (SL2_R)                          | -31.61712    | [-33.11999, 26.12737]
 MOT18 (SL2_L)                          | 24.996       | [-40.34999, 31.65]
 MOT19 (SLIT2_Y, SL2_Y)                 | -152         | [-261.6799, 18.596]
 MOT2 (SL1_BOT)                         | 3.6          | [-17.608, 17.142]
 MOT20 (NET_MON)                        | 42           | [0, 50]
 MOT21 (EMPTY2)                         | 48           | [-2049.151, 2145.151]
 MOT22 (ANA_VER, CHOOSE)                | 0            | [-12.33, 18.43075]
 MOT23 (POLI)                           | 195.7997     | [-5.22, 384.7467]
 MOT24 (EXA_HOR)                        | 0            | [-112.6697, 187.3303]
 Press <ret> to see the rest
 ONLINE>

The first part of the output line is the motor name which is followed by aliases. An alias is a symbol name which translates to the motor name, e.g.: Somewhere the symbol SL1_TOP has been set to MOT1. Most likely this was done in exp_ini.exp. From then on MOT1 can be accesses by its symbolic name.

So far 48 stepper motors are defined at W1. This is far to much to be overlooked by a single glance. But it is possible to select a subset of motors for this display:

ONLINE show/motor=(mot5, mot6, mot6, mot10,mot11,mot12)

  ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE
                                              [KRACHT.UTILITY.GRAPHIC.IVP.ROEWI]
 Name (Alias)                             Position       Limits
 ---------------------------------------|--------------|-----------------------
 MOT10 (MC2_Z, MC2_HOR)                 | 819.5343     | [472.6473, 930.2343]
 MOT11 (MC2_Y, MC2_VER)                 | -153         | [-162.9199, -104.245]
 MOT12 (MC2_ROT_X, MC2_TET)             | 11.76024     | [-9.191531, 49.04327]
 MOT5 (MC1_Z, MC1_HOR)                  | 456          | [318.7359, 460.5459]
 MOT6 (MC1_Y, MC1_VER)                  | 5.223813     | [-26.128, 34.985]
 MOT7 (MC1_ROT_X, MC1_TET)              | 11.76024     | [-11.21643, 42.62756]












 ONLINE>

Every subsequent “show” command displays only the selected motors. Use “show/motor” to inspect all motors and “show/dev” to go back to the device list.

There is a command, which displays all parameters of a single motor:

ONLINE show/motor mot1

ONLINE responds with:

     Motor: MOT1
     Alias: SL1_TOP

     Position:      4
     Slew:          12000
     Base:          20
     Accel:         200
     Conversion:    13500
     Unit backlash: 0.5
     Step-Backlash: 6750
     Settle time:   0
     Step position: 53179
     Step limits:   274460,-215725
     Unit limits:    20.39118,-15.91881
     Register (Intern,Contr): 53179,53179

 ONLINE>

The parameters can be changed by command (e.g.: set_motor_conversion(mot1) = 15000) or by a menu (move mot1). Chapter 13 lists all available functions. The move menu is explained in chapter 7.

The general scan menu is used for many measurements. It is called by:

ONLINE scan/energy

A warning message is displayed telling you that the hostname and the beamline does not match. You decide to continue and the following menu is displayed:

                             --- ENERGY Scan ---
   SPECTRA>

   ENERGY:          8860.009      [eV]          A-Move:                    [eV]


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Scan_Name:       ak_0001
   DS_Name:         ak_0001
   Comment:
   Start:           0             [eV]     Stop:         0            [eV]
   Delta:           0             [eV]     Sample_Time:  1            [Seconds]
   Range:                                  NP:
   Scan_par:        1                      SSA:          NO
   Update:          1                      Dead Time     0            [%]
   Auto-Return:     (1) YES                Repeats:      1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Edit GRA-Files
    <~.prog>before_fast_scan.gra                                      NO
    <~.prog>during_fast_scan.gra                                      NO
    <~.prog>after_fast_scan.gra                                      >NO <
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 PF1 - Start Scan, PF2 - Continue Scan, PF4 - Exit, <Space bar> - Stop Scan
  KP7 - Cursor scan_name, A - Auto Mode, D - Display, ^W - Refresh Screen

I assume that you downloaded and installed the distribution kit. In this case the scan macros before~, during~, and after_fast_scan.gra can be found in your directory ~/prog. You have to supply values for start, stop, and delta before you press PF1 to start a scan. When the first scan is started, Online measures the counter offsets. It asks you to close and open the beam shutter. As long as you simulate measurments, press $<$ return $>$ two times and the scan will start.You should look into the macro files to see how the scan has been defined. The file before_fast_scan.gra contains the selection of the scan counters and ensures that there are valid counter offsets.The file during_fast_scan.gra is executed at each stop. It is empty because we defined scan_c and scan_timer making this measurement a fast scan. For fast scans Online automatically uses scan_timer to gate the selected counters and stores the data in SCANs. The file after_fast_scan.gra writes the data to disk and produces hardcopies of the online display. More information about general scans can be found in chapter 8.

After some data have been measured, it may be convenient to enter SPECTRA to do some manipulations:

ONLINE spectra
SPECTRA

In this mode show commands display the list of GQEs and this is the only difference to the ONLINE mode. All the other commands remain valid. Returning to the Online mode is accomplished by:

SPECTRA return or
SPECTRA online