Applications Kay Kasemir ORNL/SNS Using Information and pictures from Matthias Clausen, Jan Hatje, and Helge Rickens (DESY) October 2007

Applications

Kay KasemirORNL/SNS

Using Information and pictures from

Matthias Clausen, Jan Hatje, and Helge Rickens (DESY)

October 2007

OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORYU. S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

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Purpose

Overcome limitations of current control system GUI tools. Inconsistent Look and Feel

Menus, configuration panels, online help Data exchange = copy/paste of PV name

Using different mouse/keyboard gestures Mostly X11/Motif

Dwindling support Limited to EPICS

Many sites now need multi-protocol support


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Control System Studio

Based on Eclipse Modern GUI framework:

Window behavior, menus, preference pages, online help, … Portable Java code (Win32, Linux, Mac OS) Plugin mechanisms Deployment options

Control System Studio adds… Data types for Front-End Computer (FEC),

Process Variable (PV), Live and archived data samples APIs for accessing control system Guidelines for integration into menu, online help, preferences, …

See Software Technology talk: Jan Hatje (DESY), "Control System Studio"


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Simple 'Probe' Example Same Basic function

Enter PV name, see values.

CSS Version Portable, uses native

GTK/OS-X/MS Windows widgets Localized Window resizes Drop-down list of recently

entered PV names


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CSS/Eclipse Preferences

CSS apps use the Eclipse preference system No environment

variables, nor special setup files for each application

GUI Pre-installed defaults,

various levels

Not just for apps! Also for libs like EPICS

Channel Access support


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CSS/Eclipse Online Help

Eclipse offers online help system

CSS apps encouraged to contribute under one of the CSS categories


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CSS/Eclipse Version Info

Previous apps: Inconsistent version info.

In Eclipse, everything packaged as "plugin" with version info.

Common GUI for viewing installed versions.


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EPICS 'PV Tree'

CSS Application plugin for Eclipse that displays EPICS record data flow Inputs of 'calc' record etc. Descending recursively


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CSS Contributions to Eclipse Context Menus Open context menu

on PV, FEC, …, and get list of other CSS apps that handle PVs, FECs, … Example: Open Probe

on a channel name in the PV Tree.

Implementation: Eclipse "Object Contributions" No compilation, no

configuration when adding new application

Can filter on number of selected PVs etc.


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DESY Namespace Browser,Alarm Tree

CSS Application plugins for Eclipse that browse DESY LDAP server


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DESY Message Log Viewer


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DESY Alarm System, Namespaces,…

DESY Alarm System development would fill another talk.

Different sites may have very different namespace environments, and thus need to implement different tools. Remember TCL/TK?

Based on CSS, these are automatically integrated with other tools Same look & feel, preferences, online help TCL/TK script could start StripTool, but:

Try to teach StripTool about your script!


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Data Browser


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Data Browser Features

Combined "StripTool" and "Archive Viewer" Eclipse Extension points for data sources

Live: EPICS Archived: Channel Archiver, DESY AAPI, Archive Record Data merged from multiple sources for same PV

Usability Drop data onto…

Plot: new axis. Axis: add PV to that axis

Change axis assignments, colors, ranges with fewer clicks than in existing EPICS StripTool or Archive Viewer


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CSS Samples

Markers indicate source Live Sample? Channel Archiver? Archive Record?

Samples have 'quality' Original sample Interpolated Sample Ideally, data server

automatically switches from interpolated to original when zoomed in "far enough"


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Multiple Data Browser Instances


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Synoptic Display EDM/MEDM-type display tool for multiple

protocols In early stages of usability, promising

ideas Everything

is dynamic "Text Update"

widget= Label with dynamic text


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Synoptic Display Example


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Integration & Deployment Options Sites can package and deploy CSS components

(and other Eclipse plugins) to suit their needs Provide either …

empty CSS core, then download the desired application plugins

or prepackage desired components for your site as one application.


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CSS Startup Choices Startup with login/password for your XMPP server .. or workspace selector

.. or other site-specific authentication


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Customizable Welcome Screen

Different sites can customize depending on local needs.


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Conclusion

Eclipse offers a modern, portableapplication framework

CSS adds control-system specific APIs and guidelines

There are already several useful general-purpose CSS applications

You can add site-specific CSS applications All can be packaged as needed, everything is

integrated; common look, behavior, data exchange, …

Documents

Applications Kay Kasemir ORNL/SNS Using Information and pictures from Matthias Clausen, Jan Hatje, and Helge Rickens (DESY) October 2007