Console Application Programming

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Console Application Programming

• Brian Hendricks

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Getting Started

• On the web
• New user help
• adcon.fnal.gov/controls/clib/new_user.html
• Library help
• adcon.fnal.gov/controls/libraries.html
• Console introduction area (cns_intro)
• Skeleton program
• Help files

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Development Environment

• Language is C
• MECCA
• builds and archives code
• Libraries
• CLIB
• User libraries
• Program testing facility
• Skeleton program
• Example programs (W1-W7)

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Guidelines

• Application style guide
• describes user interface expectations in terms of
  both appearance and functionality
• adcon.fnal.gov/controls/clib/application_style_gui
  de.html
• Application programming guidelines
• describes standard coding practices
• adcon.fnal.gov/controls/clib/application_guideline
  s.html

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MECCA

• Works on a single directory
• Handles compiling and linking
• Supports testing environment
• Archives operational code
• Simple command line interface
• mecca/copy program (copy from archive)
• mecca/dev program (build test version)
• mecca program (build and release)
• Maintains history and keeper information

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Libraries

• CLIB
• Generic functionality
• gt2000 entry points
• Runtime linking
• User libraries
• Generally more specific functionality
• Few hundred entry points
• Statically linked
• Maintained in MECCA

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Testing Environment

• Z index page
• Allows access to all users (unless protected)
• Cleaned up at 3 AM every day
• mecca/dev and _at_build_z_page support it
• Debugger
• Command line and windowed versions
• Help at adcon.fnal.gov/controls/clib/intro_debugge
  r.html

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Testing Environment (contd)

• Redirection
• Redirect data acquisition to a memory model
• Settings locks
• CLIB Peeker (D22)
• View inner workings of CLIB routines
• DPM Peeker (D3)
• View data acquisition requests

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Skeleton Program

• Basic paradigm is infinite event handling loop
• Events are served by calls to window_intype
• Initialization (occurs once)
• Periodic (15 Hz)
• Keyboard (mouse clicks)
• Termination (occurs once)
• Alternative is window_intype_loop_c

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Program Skeleton Event Loop
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A Word About ACNET Devices

• Fundamental organizational block of control
  system information
• Configuration data in central database
• Power supply paradigm
• Consists of properties
• smallest addressable unit of data
• reading, setting, digital status, digital
  control, analog alarm, digital alarm
• Properties can be atomic values, arrays, or
  structures (default length vs. maximum length)

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ACNET Devices (contd)

• Addressed by an 8 character ASCII name or an
  integer key called a device index
• ACNET device access protocols
• RETDAT for reading properties
• SETDAT for setting properties
• Setting property can be read as well as set
• Digital control property can only be set

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ACNET Devices (contd)

• Devices can be grouped as families or linked as
  siblings
• Front ends return only raw data
• Scaling routines convert raw data to primary
  units (volts) or common (engineering) units
• Database dump program (D80) displays fairly
  complete information about devices

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Database Dump Program (D80)
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Anatomy of a Library Routine Help Entry

• Functional description of routine
• List of arguments with data types
• name.data type.passing mechanism
• Description of each argument
• Description of returned status (if applicable)
• Required header file(s)
• Related functions
• Usage example

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Anatomy of a Library Routine Help Entry
(continued)

• Arguments having the type .ch.d can be passed
  either by descriptor or by reference
• Arguments enclosed in square brackets are
  optional
• Default values of optional arguments should be
  listed
• Zero is NOT the universal default value

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CLIB Functional Groups

• dio_xxx Data I/O
• supports reading/setting devices
• supports reading device database information
• typically uses device index/property addressing
• maintains usage/error statistics
• db_xxx DataBase access
• accesses relational database

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CLIB Functional Groups (continued)

• window_xxx alphanumeric window access
• row/column addressing
• wn_xxx graphic WiNdow access
• views created in unitary coordinate system
• each view has its own internal coordinate system
• error_xxx
• displays/logs error and informational messages
• str_xxx STRing functions
• adds to C RTL string support

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User Libraries

• ul_cbsaux CLIB auxiliary routines
• BPM support
• GPIB support
• waveform generator support
• ul_physlib generic physics routines
• contains Numerical Recipes in C routines
• ul_model lattice database access

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User Libraries (continued)

• ul_pasa and ul_net networking support
• ul_scopes GPIB scope support
• ul_sequencer Sequencer interface routines
• ul_windowlib
• additional window_xxx routines
• ul_dialoglib special user dialogs

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BPMUTI

• Part of ul_cbsaux
• General BPM support for all accelerators
• Key routines
• bpm_machine_c select BPM system
• bpm_get_data_c read BPM data
• blm_get_data_c read BLM data
• bpm_plot_data makes BPM plots
• Based upon configuration database
• Supports BPM file system