Hi, I am looking for a way to mutate ODB values from a custom page. I have been
using the edit attribute for the 'odb' tag, but for some things it would be nice
if a form can handle the change. I have seen references to ODBSet on the forums,
but I haven't been able to find documentation on it. Is there an available
Javascript library for Midas and/or are there more tags than I am aware of (I am
only aware of the 'odb' tag)?

Hi,
I am writing shell scripts to create some tree structure in an ODB. When 
creating an array of strings, the default length of each string element is 32 
characters. If odbedit is used interactively to create the array of strings, 
the user is prompted to enter a different length if desired. But if the 
command odbedit is called from a shell script, I did not succeed in passing 
the argument to get a different length.
I tried:
odbedit -c "create STRING Test[8][40]"
Or:
odbedit -c "create STRING Test[8] 40"
Or:
odbedit -c "create STRING Test[8] \n 40"
etc. all produce an array of 8 strings with 32 characters each.
I haven't tried all possible syntaxes, but I suspect the length argument is 
dropped. If it has not been fixed in a later release than the one I am using, 
could this problem be looked at?
Thanks,
Denis.
  

Hi everyone,

It has been a long time since my last message. While porting Midas front-end 
programs developed for the T2K experiment in 2008 to a modern version of Midas, 
I noticed that some debug printf remain in mhttpd.cxx.

A number of debug messages are printed on stdout each time a graph is displayed 
in the OldHistory window (which is the style of history plots that will continue 
to be used in the upgraded T2K experiment for some technical reasons).

Here is an example of such debug messages:
Load from ODB History/Display/HA_EP_0/V33: hist plot: 8 variables
timescale: 1h, minimum: 0.000000, maximum: 0.000000, zero_ylow: 0, log_axis: 0, 
show_run_markers: 1, show_values: 1, show_fill: 0, show_factor 0, enable_factor: 
1
var[0] event [HA_TPC_SC][E0M00FEM_V33] formula [], colour [#00AAFF] label 
[Mod_0] show_raw_value 0 factor 1.000000 offset 0.000000 voffset 0.000000 order 
10
var[1] event [HA_TPC_SC][E0M01FEM_V33] formula [], colour [#FF9000] label 
[Mod_1] show_raw_value 0 factor 1.000000 offset 0.000000 voffset 0.000000 order 
20
var[2] event [HA_TPC_SC][E0M02FEM_V33] formula [], colour [#FF00A0] label 
[Mod_2] show_raw_value 0 factor 1.000000 offset 0.000000 voffset 0.000000 order 
30
var[3] event [HA_TPC_SC][E0M03FEM_V33] formula [], colour [#00C030] label 
[Mod_3] show_raw_value 0 factor 1.000000 offset 0.000000 voffset 0.000000 order 
40
var[4] event [HA_TPC_SC][E0M04FEM_V33] formula [], colour [#A0C0D0] label 
[Mod_4] show_raw_value 0 factor 1.000000 offset 0.000000 voffset 0.000000 order 
50
var[5] event [HA_TPC_SC][E0M05FEM_V33] formula [], colour [#D0A060] label 
[Mod_5] show_raw_value 0 factor 1.000000 offset 0.000000 voffset 0.000000 order 
60
var[6] event [HA_TPC_SC][E0M06FEM_V33] formula [], colour [#C04010] label 
[Mod_6] show_raw_value 0 factor 1.000000 offset 0.000000 voffset 0.000000 order 
70
var[7] event [HA_TPC_SC][E0M07FEM_V33] formula [], colour [#807060] label 
[Mod_7] show_raw_value 0 factor 1.000000 offset 0.000000 voffset 0.000000 order 
80
read_history: nvars 10, hs_read() status 1
read_history: 0: event [HA_TPC_SC], var [E0M00FEM_V33], index 0, odb index 0, 
status 1, num_entries 475
read_history: 1: event [HA_TPC_SC], var [E0M01FEM_V33], index 0, odb index 1, 
status 1, num_entries 475
read_history: 2: event [HA_TPC_SC], var [E0M02FEM_V33], index 0, odb index 2, 
status 1, num_entries 475
read_history: 3: event [HA_TPC_SC], var [E0M03FEM_V33], index 0, odb index 3, 
status 1, num_entries 475
read_history: 4: event [HA_TPC_SC], var [E0M04FEM_V33], index 0, odb index 4, 
status 1, num_entries 475
read_history: 5: event [HA_TPC_SC], var [E0M05FEM_V33], index 0, odb index 5, 
status 1, num_entries 475
read_history: 6: event [HA_TPC_SC], var [E0M06FEM_V33], index 0, odb index 6, 
status 1, num_entries 475
read_history: 7: event [HA_TPC_SC], var [E0M07FEM_V33], index 0, odb index 7, 
status 1, num_entries 475
read_history: 8: event [Run transitions], var [State], index 0, odb index -1, 
status 1, num_entries 0
read_history: 9: event [Run transitions], var [Run number], index 0, odb index 
-2, status 1, num_entries 0


Looking at the source code of mhttpd, these messages originate from:

[mhttpd.cxx line 10279] printf("Load from ODB %s: ", path.c_str());
[mhttpd.cxx line 10280] PrintHistPlot(*hp);
...
[mhttpd.cxx line  8336] int read_history(...
...
[mhttpd.cxx line  8343] int debug = 1;
...

Although seeing many debug messages in the mhttpd does not hurt, these can hide 
important error messages. I would rather suggest to turn off these debug 
messages by commenting out the relevant lines of code and setting the debug 
variable to 0 in read_history().

That is a minor detail and it is always a pleasure to use Midas.

Best regards,
Denis.
 

Hi,
I have developed two Midas front-end programs for different hardware. The frontend_name of the first one is "FSCD_SC" (slow control) and that of the second one is "FSCD_PS" (power supply).

Each front-end program runs fine separately, but when attempting to start FSCD_SC while FSCD_PS is running, FSCD_PS is terminated and Midas indicates "Previous frontend stopped" in the window where it starts FSCD_SC.

The problem is that these two frontend names only differ in their last two characters, and Midas currently does not distinguish them properly.

Looking in mfe.cxx we have:

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
...
/* shutdown previous frontend */
   status = cm_shutdown(full_frontend_name, FALSE);
...

And looking in midas.cxx we have:

INT cm_shutdown(const char *name, BOOL bUnique) {
...
if (!bUnique)
            client_name[strlen(name)] = 0;      /* strip number */
...

The above line removes the last 3 characters of the front-end name before the subsequent comparison with other frontend names. Stripping the last 3 characters of the front-end name is correct for frontend programs that use the "-i" command line option to specify an index for that frontend, but all the characters of the front-end name should otherwise be kept for comparison.

I have changed the names of my frontend programs to avoid the interference, but it would be nice that the code that determines if an instance of a frontend program is already running is corrected.

I hope this can help.

Best regards,
Denis.

first-console$ python evprint.py receive
second-console$ python evsend.py 123
[first console]
id=2007 mask=2007 serial=2007 time=1169372833 len=3 '123'

$ python evprint.py --log --path 127.0.0.1/online receive"
cm_connect_experiment('127.0.0.1', 'online', 'evprint.py', None)
bm_open_buffer('SYSTEM', 1048576, &c_long(2)) -> BM_CREATED
bm_request_event(2, -1, -1, 2, &c_long(0), None)
... wait for a couple of seconds ...
[midas.c:9348:rpc_call] rpc timeout, routine = "bm_receive_event"
[system.c:3570:send_tcp] send(socket=0,size=8) returned -1, errno: 88 (Socket 
operation on non-socket)
[midas.c:9326:rpc_call] send_tcp() failed

bm_receive_event(2, ...) -> RPC_TIMEOUT

bm_remove_event_request(2, 0) -> BM_INVALID_HANDLE
bm_close_buffer(2) -> BM_INVALID_HANDLE
cm_disconnect_experiment()

   1: python evprint.py receive
   2: python evsend.py 123
   1: id=2007 mask=2007 serial=2007 time=1169372833 len=3 '123'

   1: python evprint.py --path 127.0.0.1/ dispatch
   2: python evsend.py --path 127.0.0.1/ 123
   1: id=2007 mask=2007 serial=2007 time=1169373366 len=3 '123'

   1: python evprint.py dispatch
   2: python evsend.py --path 127.0.0.1/ 123
   1: (nothing printed)

   1: python evprint.py --path 127.0.0.1/ dispatch
   2: python evsend.py 123
   1: (nothing printed)

D:\denis\cmd\midas\current\06jan21-export\midas\NT\bin>produce.exe
ID of event to produce: 1
Host to connect: 127.0.0.1
Event size: 10
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.64 MB/sec
flush
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.64 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.63 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.64 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.61 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.62 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.62 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.64 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.63 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.63 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.64 MB/sec
flush
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.62 MB/sec

## Now I've started consume in the other console ##

[system.c:3570:send_tcp] send(socket=1900,size=8136) returned -1, errno: 0 (No error)
send_tcp() returned -1
[midas.c:9669:rpc_send_event] send_tcp() failed
rpc_send_event returned error 503, event_size 10

D:\denis\cmd\midas\current\06jan21-export\midas\NT\bin>consume.exe
ID of event to request: 1
Host to connect:
Get all events (0/1): 1
Receive via callback ([y]/n):
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.00 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 0
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.00 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 0
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.00 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 0
Received break. Aborting...

D:\denis\cmd\midas\current\06jan21-export\midas\NT\bin\mserver.exe started interactively
[midas.c:2315:bm_validate_client_index] Invalid client index 0 in buffer 'SYSTEM'.
Client name 'Power Consumer', pid 1964 should be 3216

D:\denis\cmd\midas\current\06jan21-export\midas\NT\bin>produce.exe
ID of event to produce: 1
Host to connect:
Event size: 10
Client 'Producer' (PID 2584) on 'ODB' removed by cm_watchdog (idle 144.1s,TO 10s)
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.20 MB/sec
flush
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.20 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.11 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.13 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.06 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.20 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 2.96 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.11 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.18 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.13 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.17 MB/sec
flush
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.19 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.08 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 3.06 MB/sec

## Now I've started consume ##

[midas.c:2315:bm_validate_client_index] Invalid client index 0 in buffer 'SYSTEM'. Client name '', pid 0 should be 760

D:\denis\cmd\midas\current\06jan21-export\midas\NT\bin>consume.exe
ID of event to request: 1
Host to connect: 127.0.0.1
Get all events (0/1): 1
Receive via callback ([y]/n):
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.00 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 0
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.00 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 0
Received break. Aborting...
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.00 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 0

D:\denis\cmd\midas\current\06jan21-export\midas\NT\bin>produce.exe
ID of event to produce: 1
Host to connect: 127.0.0.1
Event size: 10
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.65 MB/sec
flush
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.66 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.65 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.60 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.64 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.63 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.61 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.63 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.65 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.65 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.67 MB/sec
flush
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.66 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.65 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.65 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.66 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.66 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.65 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.66 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.66 MB/sec
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.66 MB/sec
Level:  66.8 %, Rate: 0.66 MB/sec
flush
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.00 MB/sec
Level:  66.8 %, Rate: 0.31 MB/sec
Level:  57.2 %, Rate: 0.15 MB/sec
Level:  57.3 %, Rate: 0.14 MB/sec
Level:  57.3 %, Rate: 0.15 MB/sec
Level:  57.3 %, Rate: 0.14 MB/sec
Level:  57.3 %, Rate: 0.14 MB/sec
Level:  57.3 %, Rate: 0.14 MB/sec
Received break. Aborting...
Received 2nd break. Hard abort.
[midas.c:1581:] cm_disconnect_experiment not called at end of program

D:\denis\cmd\midas\current\06jan21-export\midas\NT\bin>consume.exe
ID of event to request: 1
Host to connect: 127.0.0.1
Get all events (0/1): 1
Receive via callback ([y]/n):
[consume.c:73:process_event] Serial number mismatch: Ser: 1397076, OldSer: 0, ID: 1, size: 10
Level:  37.1 %, Rate: 0.00 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.15 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:  95.4 %, Rate: 0.08 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:  66.8 %, Rate: 0.14 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:  66.8 %, Rate: 0.12 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:  76.3 %, Rate: 0.12 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:  95.4 %, Rate: 0.11 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:  57.3 %, Rate: 0.15 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:  66.8 %, Rate: 0.11 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:  85.9 %, Rate: 0.11 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:  95.5 %, Rate: 0.12 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:  57.4 %, Rate: 0.15 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:   9.7 %, Rate: 0.15 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
[Producer] [midas.c:1581:] cm_disconnect_experiment not called at end of program
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.03 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Level:   0.0 %, Rate: 0.00 MB/sec, ser mismatches: 1
Received break. Aborting...

Hi!

I have released pymidas - Python binding to Midas.
It includes support for Online Database, Buffer, event
construction and parsing. 

We have used it for a couple years now here at CMD. (http://cmd.inp.nsk.su)
One of principal DAQ applications here (Slow Control Frontend) is
written in Python using pymidas.

http://cmd.inp.nsk.su/~bilenko/projects/pymidas/pymidas.html

Index: Makefile
===================================================================
--- Makefile    (revision 4129)
+++ Makefile    (working copy)
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@

 OBJS =  $(LIB_DIR)/midas.o $(LIB_DIR)/system.o $(LIB_DIR)/mrpc.o \
        $(LIB_DIR)/odb.o $(LIB_DIR)/ybos.o $(LIB_DIR)/ftplib.o \
-       $(LIB_DIR)/mxml.o $(LIB_DIR)/cnaf_callback.o \
+       $(LIB_DIR)/mxml.o \
        $(LIB_DIR)/history.o $(LIB_DIR)/alarm.o $(LIB_DIR)/elog.o

 ifdef NEED_STRLCPY

Having libmidas.so is absolutely necessary for pymidas to work. If there was no such
option in Makefile pymidas users would have to build it themselves.

What I proposed though is that you change Makefile so it builds libmidas.so in
addition to (not instead of) static library. So if someone prefer to build
binaries statically they
may continue to do so. On other hand when someone needs a shared library they won't 
discover that it can't be easily built.

Hello Midas experts:

We have setup a DAQ using MIDAS to readout two ADCs in the crate.
We are running into problem of analyzer getting killed between 
runs.  Sometimes it would crash after a few runs and sometimes it 
would go on for many many runs before analyzer gets killed.  It always 
occurred between runs not when we are taking data.  Any suggestions 
on what we could try?  The error message from the midas.log file is 
appended below.

Thanks,

Dawei

Wed Mar  4 11:53:11 2009 [Analyzer,ERROR] [midas.c:1739:,ERROR]
cm_disconnect_experiment not called at end of program
Wed Mar  4 11:53:22 2009 [mhttpd,INFO] Client 'Analyzer' on buffer 'SYSMSG'
removed by cm_watchdog (idle 10.7s,TO 10s)
Wed Mar  4 11:53:22 2009 [mhttpd,INFO] Client 'Analyzer' (PID 1) on buffer 'ODB'
removed by cm_watchdog (idle 10.7s,TO 10s)
Wed Mar  4 11:53:22 2009 [AL Experiment Frontend,INFO] Client 'Analyzer' on
buffer 'SYSTEM' removed by cm_watchdog (idle 10.9s,TO 10s)
Wed Mar  4 11:53:29 2009 [AL Experiment Frontend,TALK] starting new run
Wed Mar  4 11:53:29 2009 [AL Experiment Frontend,ERROR]
[midas.c:8264:rpc_client_check,ERROR] Connection broken to "Analyzer" on host
tsunami

Hi,

We are using midas to read ADC. It sometimes hung in the middle of data taking.
We tried to disable analyzer and only run with frontend. The problem still
exists. We tried to use different crate, different CAMAC controller and
different ADC module. All these did not solve the problem. We use polled method
to read data. We have dataway display unit so we know that it hung always after
it executed CAMAC command F9, which is after finishing one data taking and clear
the ADC for the next data taking. The data rate is about 1 KHz. It is random for
how long it takes for the system to hang.

Any ideas ?

Thanks,

Dawei Liu

Hi Pierr-Andre,


> Hi Dawei,
> 
> Could you give more info on your setup:
> - CAMAC controller model

Jorway 73A, we have three in hand and the problem doesn't depend on which controller
we were using.

> - ADC model

LeCroy 2249W. We also tried two other modules LeCroy 2249A. Same problem.

> - LAM setting

The poll and ADC reading codes are basically from Midas distribution.

> - Mode of polling (on module or on CC)

Polling on CC. I also tried to add a timeout code reading ADC, didn't solve the problem.

> - Are you still going through the poll_event() after hang up?

That's I don't know. I believe the problem happens between finishing reading one event
and passing the control back to poll_event.

> - Do you have the same problem at low rate (100Hz)?

The rate we are currently running is about 400 Hz, it has the same problem. We will
try lower rate more.

Thanks,

Dawei

> 
> Pierre-André
> > Hi,
> > 
> > We are using midas to read ADC. It sometimes hung in the middle of data taking.
> > We tried to disable analyzer and only run with frontend. The problem still
> > exists. We tried to use different crate, different CAMAC controller and
> > different ADC module. All these did not solve the problem. We use polled method
> > to read data. We have dataway display unit so we know that it hung always after
> > it executed CAMAC command F9, which is after finishing one data taking and clear
> > the ADC for the next data taking. The data rate is about 1 KHz. It is random for
> > how long it takes for the system to hang.
> > 
> > Any ideas ?
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > 
> > Dawei Liu

Added ss_create_thread support for Linux in system.c
Added pthread library in main make file

The change is required to support implementation of pthreads in the Linux
compile of Midas. This was added recently. I believe pthreads is also needed
for ROOT based compiles.

David

> It appears that all midas applications are now required to link with the
> pthreads library even if they do not use threads. This is caused by a
> pthread_create() call from ss_thread_create() in system.c.
> 
> Is this the intended behaviour?
> 
> K.O.

ss_thread_create now returns the thread ID on success, and zero on failure.
Previously returned SS_SUCCESS or SS_NO_THREAD. User must now test the
return value to determine result.

ss_thread_kill added to kill the passed thread ID. Returns SS_SUCCESS or
SS_NO_THREAD.

Any thread creation must be verified now, and old code must be examined to
ensure the return value is checked.

> I am writing a Rust based midas file reader

You might find this library I wrote useful: https://crates.io/crates/midasio

It should "just work", and if it doesn't, I would be interested to know.

> My overall idea here is to connect directly to midas so having some frontend features to analyze the data etc. do 
> you also have already a library for this? I can also extend your stuff.

No, sadly I don't have something like this yet. It has been on my "fun things to do at some point" list for too
long, but I haven't had the time.

If you start working on something like this, please keep me in the loop/link a repo here. I would be interested
on keeping an eye/contributing to something like this :)

We use the "Edit-on-start" and it's great.  But sometimes, something breaks
during the run, or you didn't realize you forgot to plug in a cable, or
whatever.  It'd be nice to have an "Edit-on-end" where you could prompt the user
to answer simple questions (like "Was this a good run?  [y/n]" or "Was the data
polarized?  [y/n]") and/or add a quick summary of what happened that run.


Thanks in advance,

Dan

Hello, 
   Is there any example code for using midas for interrupt driven data
collection over VME? I am using a Struck SIS3100 PCI/VME setup to connect to my
VME crate.  Thanks,
  -Dan

Hello,

I'm trying to get a frontend running on an arduino yun single board computer
(cpu is Atheros AR9331 and OS is a linux derivate
http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardYun ) 

The idea is to use this device for some slow control for our experiment (ASACUSA
Antihydrogen) we are using midas as main DAQ system and we would like to
integrate the slow control with this small boards. My question is: How can I
compile the midas library with the openwrt crosscompiler? the system discspace
is very limited (6 MB) therefore I don't want to have mysql, zlib an so on.
Other software can be stored on an sd-card.

 In the end what I would need is only creating hotlinks to the odb on our server
to get and report the current and desired values.

Do you have any suggestions on how to realize something like that?

Thanks!