Instructions for the upgraded daqpmt system

From: Konstantin Olchanski (olchansk@ux1.phy.bnl.gov)
Date: Thu Feb 08 2001 - 23:05:14 EST

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    Folks,

The new and improved, Linux based and buzzword compatible DAQ system
for Lab-99 is now operational. It uses an MVME-2305 running
linuxppc (2.4.1 kernel with Debian userland) and the KS2917 CAMAC interface.

Here are the operating instructions (also on the web, at
http://pii3.brahms.bnl.gov/~daq/oncs/daqlinux/daqpmt.txt)


Subject: Use of the Linux-based daqpmt test DAQ
Date: KO 8 Feb 2001
Author: K.Olchanski
CVS: $Id: daqpmt.txt,v 1.2 2001/02/09 03:28:40 olchansk Exp $

How to use the daqpmt system.
----------------------------

  o- prepare the system for use:
   - turn the CAMAC and VME crates on
   - the MVME-2305 CPU will boot linux in about 90 seconds.

  o- login into the daqpmt account on ppc2.hirg.bnl.gov:
   - ssh daqpmt@ppc2.hirg.bnl.gov, password daqpmt.
     if you cannot ssh into daqpmt@ppc2, go to the troubleshooting section.
   - the home directory is set to "disk1" on pii3. Use the "df -k"
     command to see if there is enough free space on the disk.

  o- take data:
   - run "./daqpmt.exe". See the program output for the output file name
     and event counter. The data is recorded in the ascii format.
     The program will periodically (every 5 sec) print the number
     of events collected and the data rate. The lights on the
     CAMAC crate and VMEIRQ modules should flash during data taking.
   - to stop taking data, kill "daqpmt.exe" with "Ctrl-C", or
     specify the number of events to collect with the "-m" command
     line switch, for example: "./daqpmt.exe -m 10".
   - to run the DAQ without recording data, use: "./daqpmt.exe -a /dev/null"

  o- advanced uses of the daqpmt.exe program:
   - run "./daqpmt.exe -h" to see all command switches:
       --crate=xxx sets the camac crate address, should match
                   the thumbwheel on the camac crate controller.
                   The default is "1".
       --runNo=xxx sets the run number. By default, the run number
                   is taken from the file "runno.txt" (incremented
                   and saved back).
       --once      read CAMAC once, without waiting for a trigger.
                   Useful for debugging.
       --output=xxx Set the output file. Default output file
                   is "run$(RUNNO).txt". The program will refuse
                   to overwrite existing files.
       --append=xxx Set the output file, append data at the end of
                   the file. Use "--append=/dev/null"
                   run the DAQ without recording data.
       --maxEvents=xxx Set the number of events to collect.


Troubleshooting the daqpmt system
----------------------------------

1) cannot ssh to daqpmt@ppc2. Try:
   - "ping ppc2.hirg.bnl.gov" if there is no response,
     linux did not boot. Read on.
   - "telnet ppc2.hirg.bnl.gov 22" if the response is
     not "SSH-1.99-OpenSSH_2.3.0p1" SSH is not running
     or broke. Try rebooting ppc2.

2) to reboot ppc2, press the reset button on the ppc2
   front panel or cycle power on the VME crate. If ppc2
   does not start pinging after 90 seconds, something
   is seriously wrong. Check:
   - the network cable is connected to ppc2 and the link is on.
   - pii2.hirg.bnl.gov (Linux box in the DAQ lab) is up and
     running. It is the boot host for ppc2.
   - connect a VT100 terminal to the ppc2 serial port
     and watch the boot messages. Refer to the Linux/PPC/MVME-230x
     notes for troubleshooting.


Changing the daqpmt program
---------------------------

  o- Checkout the daqpmt sources from CVS:
   - login to pii3
   - cd /brahms/pii3_disk1/data/daqpmt
   - cvs -d /afs/rhic/brahms/BRAHMS_CVS checkout oncs/daqppc oncs/daqlinux oncs/libBrOnline
   - cd oncs/daqlinux
   - chmod g+ws .
  o- edit the code
   - edit daqpmt.cpp
  o- compile the code
   - open a new terminal window, use it:
   - ssh daqpmt@ppc2.hirg.bnl.gov
   - cd oncs/daqlinux
   - make clean
   - make
  o- test the code
   - ./daqpmt.exe -1
   - ./daqpmt.exe -m 1 -a /dev/null
  o- install the code
   - mv ~/daqpmt.exe ~/daqpmt.exe-save
   - cp ./daqpmt.exe ~
  o- commit changes to CVS
   - go back to the pii3 terminal window where daqpmt.cpp is edited.
   - cvs commit daqpmt.cpp
   - cvs will start "vi". Press "i", enter cvs comments,
     press "Escape" twice, press ":wq" then "Enter", watch the
     messages from "cvs commit".
   - if desired, go back to the ppc2 window and run "make" again
     and re-install the freshly compiled code.


//end


-- 
Konstantin Olchanski
Physics Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Long Island, New York
olchansk@bnl.gov

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