> > Why is the class "SqlODBC" duplicated?
> 
> This is interesting. I do not think my C++ book spells it out that I cannot have class A in foo.cxx
> and a class A in bar.cxx.

I guess nobody knows the answer to this C++ puzzle. In any case history_odbc.cxx is not used anymore removing duplication of class SqlODBC.

svn rev 4594
K.O.

Dear Forum,

I have this beautiful Intel Quadcore with fast disks, but MIDAS does obviously 
only make use of one CPU at a time. Has anyboy of you already done some work 
on making MIDAS parallel? Event-based data analysis should be the best 
candidate for this.

Has anybody done this with PVM? There is some PVM-related stuff in the MIDAS 
sources, but I got the impression this works only with HBOOK, not with ROOT. 
Or am I wrong?
But then PVM is probably also not the most efficient thing one ONE machine 
with multiple CPUs, right? And finally, with PVM we're back to 
adding .root-files efficiently (see my previous post).

Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Randolf

> I have this beautiful Intel Quadcore with fast disks, but MIDAS does obviously 
> only make use of one CPU at a time. Has anyboy of you already done some work 
> on making MIDAS parallel? Event-based data analysis should be the best 
> candidate for this.

There are ring buffer routines rb_xxx for distributed event analysis, but this is
currently only implemented in the front-end framework. These routines are pretty
simple, and their integration into the analyzer should not be very difficult.
Unfortunately I don't have time for that right now. We do our analysis such that we
analyze four different runs in parallel on a quadcore machine.

- Stefan

For the record, here's my report of difficulties getting mongoose to compile with macos.  This is a similar 
problem reported before, but with slightly different error messages.  So I put them here for posterity.

Setup: 
- macos: 10.13.6
- xcode: 9.2
- gcc: Thomass-MacBook-Pro-3:build lindner$ gcc --version
Configured with: --prefix=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr --with-gxx-include-
dir=/usr/include/c++/4.2.1
Apple LLVM version 9.0.0 (clang-900.0.39.2)
Target: x86_64-apple-darwin17.7.0
- midas: today's version

Start with the openssl version I had already installed.  cmake says 

-- Found OpenSSL: /usr/lib/libcrypto.dylib (found version "1.0.2s") 
-- MIDAS: Found OpenSSL version 1.0.2s

make install fails with this error:

[ 35%] Linking CXX executable mhttpd
cd /Users/lindner/packages/midas/build/progs && /usr/local/Cellar/cmake/3.15.0/bin/cmake -E 
cmake_link_script CMakeFiles/mhttpd.dir/link.txt --verbose=1
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/c++  -O2 -g -
DNDEBUG -Wl,-search_paths_first -Wl,-headerpad_max_install_names  CMakeFiles/mhttpd.dir/mhttpd.cxx.o 
CMakeFiles/mhttpd.dir/mongoose616.cxx.o CMakeFiles/mhttpd.dir/mgd.cxx.o 
CMakeFiles/mhttpd.dir/__/mscb/src/mscb.cxx.o  -o mhttpd ../libmidas.a /usr/lib/libssl.dylib 
/usr/lib/libcrypto.dylib -lz -lcurl -lsqlite3
Undefined symbols for architecture x86_64:
  "_SSL_CTX_set_psk_client_callback", referenced from:
      _mg_ssl_if_conn_init in mongoose616.cxx.o
ld: symbol(s) not found for architecture x86_64
clang: error: linker command failed with exit code 1 (use -v to see invocation)

Use macports to upgrade to newer openssl

sudo port selfupdate
sudo port upgrade outdated

Now cmake says

-- Found OpenSSL: /usr/lib/libcrypto.dylib (found version "1.1.1g") 
-- MIDAS: Found OpenSSL version 1.1.1g

Error message is different now:

cd /Users/lindner/packages/midas/build/progs && /usr/local/Cellar/cmake/3.15.0/bin/cmake -E 
cmake_link_script CMakeFiles/mhttpd.dir/link.txt --verbose=1
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/c++  -O2 -g -
DNDEBUG -Wl,-search_paths_first -Wl,-headerpad_max_install_names  CMakeFiles/mhttpd.dir/mhttpd.cxx.o 
CMakeFiles/mhttpd.dir/mongoose616.cxx.o CMakeFiles/mhttpd.dir/mgd.cxx.o 
CMakeFiles/mhttpd.dir/__/mscb/src/mscb.cxx.o  -o mhttpd ../libmidas.a /usr/lib/libssl.dylib 
/usr/lib/libcrypto.dylib -lz -lcurl -lsqlite3
Undefined symbols for architecture x86_64:
  "_OPENSSL_init_ssl", referenced from:
      _mg_mgr_init_opt in mongoose616.cxx.o
      _mg_ssl_if_init in mongoose616.cxx.o
  "_SSL_CTX_set_options", referenced from:
      _mg_ssl_if_conn_init in mongoose616.cxx.o
  "_SSL_CTX_set_psk_client_callback", referenced from:
      _mg_ssl_if_conn_init in mongoose616.cxx.o
ld: symbol(s) not found for architecture x86_64

Fine.  Doing 'cmake -D NO_SSL=1 ..' to build still works fine; I will stick with that since I don't need SSL on my 
laptop.

Perhaps we should disable SSL by default on Macos?  People may only have ~50% chance of getting it to 
work.
  

> For the record, here's my report of difficulties getting mongoose to compile with macos. 
> -- MIDAS: Found OpenSSL version 1.0.2s
> -- MIDAS: Found OpenSSL version 1.1.1g
> ... [ all of them did not work ]

For the record, I get this on mac os 10.15.4 and it works.
-- MIDAS: Found OpenSSL version 1.1.1g

I think I am quite fed up with this openssl business, too.

What I will do in MIDAS is fix the mbedtls detection, add mbedtls instructions
in the documentation and remove openssl from mhttpd build.

Result will be:
- default build will have mhttpd without https support, and this works in 100% of our use cases at TRIUMF.
- if user do not want to use apache https proxy, they have to "git clone" mbedtls, build it, rebuild mhttpd, then
they get https support, but for https certificate management - getting them, renewing them, etc, they are
on their own.

Since mhttpd has no integration with certbot, automatic management of https certificates does not work,
so good luck again.

In theory, I can try to add certbot integration, but even the most basic tools are missing, for example, openssl
does not report certificate expiration dates (I guess I must write my own code to examine the certificate
and hope my idea of expiration matches their idea). Since I do not see certificate expiration dates, every day I could
blindly run "certbot renew" and restart openssl with the updated certificate (but I think openssl does
not have a "restart" function, so again, forget about it). Adding insult to injury, by default, certbot stores certificates
in a secret location in /etc where mhttpd cannot access them.

Bottom line is that powers-that-be messed up https certificate management and until that is sorted out and is easy
to integrate with custom web servers, I can only recommend that mhttpd must run behind the "OS support https proxy".

K.O.

A requested change in the history logging system has been made today. Previously, history values were
logged with a maximum frequency (usually once per second) but also with a minimum frequency, meaning
that values were logged for example every 60 seconds, even if they did not change. This causes a problem.
If a frontend is inactive or crashed which produces variables to be logged, one cannot distinguish between
a crashed or inactive frontend program or a history value which simply did not change much over time.
The history system was designed from the beginning in a way that values are only logged when they actually
change. This design pattern was broken since about spring 2021, see for example this issue:

https://bitbucket.org/tmidas/midas/issues/305/log_history_periodic-doesnt-account-for

Today I modified the history code to fix this issue. History logging is now controlled by the value of 
common/Log history in the following way:

* Common/Log history = 0 means no history logging
* Common/Log history = 1 means log whenever the value changes in the ODB
* Common/Log history = N means log whenever the value changes in the ODB and 
  the previous write was more than N seconds ago

So most experiments should be happy with 0 or 1. Only experiments which have fluctuating values due to noisy 
sensors might benefit from a value larger than 1 to limit the history logging. Anyhow this is not the preferred 
way to limit history logging. This should be done by the front-end limiting the updates to the ODB. Most of the 
midas slow control drivers have a “threshold” value. Only if the input changes by more then the threshold are 
written to the ODB. This allows a per-channel “dead band” and not a per-event limit on history logging 
as ‘log history’ would do. In addition, the threshold reduces the write accesses to the ODB, although that is
only important for very large experiments.

Stefan

Dear MIDAS-addicts,

I would like to hear your opinion on this:
We've until now used CAMAC with Hytec 1331 controllers. We're using Yale FADCs 
whose readout takes ages in CAMAC (2048 samples take 2 milliseconds to be 
read). We've got 20+ FADC channels (we usually read only 2-3)

Now we've had the brilliant idea to replace the Yale FADCs with some VME 
digitizer and we now plan to buy a Struck SIS 1100/3100 PCI-VME controller,
plus 4 pc. CAEN 1720 8ch 12bit, 250MHz WFD.

(1) Can anybody comment on this choice? Good experiences/problems?

We are still using the CAMAC stuff for all other modules (TDCs, ADCs, 
scalers). So my plan is to have ONE frontend who reads both the CAMAC modules 
and the VME modules.

(2) Is it possible to build and run a dual-controller frontend for both CAMAC 
and VME? Does anybody have experience with that? Or is it a stupid idea?

I'd appreciate any hints.

[Edit: We're using Linux]

Thanks a lot,

Randolf

> Dear MIDAS-addicts,
> 
> I would like to hear your opinion on this:
> We've until now used CAMAC with Hytec 1331 controllers. We're using Yale FADCs 
> whose readout takes ages in CAMAC (2048 samples take 2 milliseconds to be 
> read). We've got 20+ FADC channels (we usually read only 2-3)
> 
> Now we've had the brilliant idea to replace the Yale FADCs with some VME 
> digitizer and we now plan to buy a Struck SIS 1100/3100 PCI-VME controller,
> plus 4 pc. CAEN 1720 8ch 12bit, 250MHz WFD.
> 
> (1) Can anybody comment on this choice? Good experiences/problems?
> 
> We are still using the CAMAC stuff for all other modules (TDCs, ADCs, 
> scalers). So my plan is to have ONE frontend who reads both the CAMAC modules 
> and the VME modules.
> 
> (2) Is it possible to build and run a dual-controller frontend for both CAMAC 
> and VME? Does anybody have experience with that? Or is it a stupid idea?
> 
> I'd appreciate any hints.
> 
> [Edit: We're using Linux]
> 
> Thanks a lot,
> 
> Randolf

Dear Randolf,

I used some time ago several HYTEC 1331 controllers together with the Struck 
SIS3100. Since the HYTEC is IO-mapped and the SIS3100 is memory mapped, there was 
no problem in running them in parallel. Note however that there will soon be an 
improved version of the SIS3100 with improved speed, and also CAEN plans a WFD 
with 32 channels, 6 GSPS, 12 bit, using the DRS chip for the next year. I don't 
know if you need that, but just that you know.

Best regards, 
  Stefan

Hello all,

I've recently acquired a MityCAMAC system that was built at TRIUMF and I'm 
having issues accessing it over ethernet.

The system: Ubuntu VM inside Windows 10 machine.

I've tried reconfiguring the network settings for the VM but nmap and arp/ip 
commands have yielded me no results in finding the crate controller. 

I was getting help from Pierre Amaudruz but I think he is now busy for some 
time. I have the mac address of the crate controller and its name. The 
controller seems to initialize fine inside of the CAMAC crate. The windows side 
of the workstation also tells me that an unknown network is in fact connected.

I suspect I either need to do something with an ssh key (which I thought we 
accomplished but maybe not), or perhaps the domain name in the controller needs 
to be changed. 

If anybody has experience working with MityARM I would appreciate any advice I 
could get.

Best,
Hunter Lowe
UNBC Graduate Physics

Hi Hunter 

This sounds like a Triumf specific problem; 
not a MIDAS problem.  Please email me directly 
and we can try to solve this problem.

Thomas Lindner
TRIUMF DAQ


 Hello all,
> 
> I've recently acquired a MityCAMAC system 
that was built at TRIUMF and I'm 
> having issues accessing it over ethernet.
> 
> The system: Ubuntu VM inside Windows 10 
machine.
> 
> I've tried reconfiguring the network 
settings for the VM but nmap and arp/ip 
> commands have yielded me no results in 
finding the crate controller. 
> 
> I was getting help from Pierre Amaudruz but 
I think he is now busy for some 
> time. I have the mac address of the crate 
controller and its name. The 
> controller seems to initialize fine inside 
of the CAMAC crate. The windows side 
> of the workstation also tells me that an 
unknown network is in fact connected.
> 
> I suspect I either need to do something with 
an ssh key (which I thought we 
> accomplished but maybe not), or perhaps the 
domain name in the controller needs 
> to be changed. 
> 
> If anybody has experience working with 
MityARM I would appreciate any advice I 
> could get.
> 
> Best,
> Hunter Lowe
> UNBC Graduate Physics

For those curious about CAMAC controllers, this one was built around 2014 to 
replace the aging CAMAC A1/A2 controllers (parallel and serial) in the TRIUMF 
cyclotron controls system (around 50 CAMAC crates). It implements the main
and the auxiliary controller mode (single width and double width modules).

The design predates Altera Cyclone-5 SoC and has separate
ARM processor (TI 335x) and Cyclone-4 FPGA connected by GPMC bus.

ARM processor boots Linux kernel and CentOS-7 userland from an SD card,
FPGA boots from it's own EPCS flash.

User program running on the ARM processor (i.e. a MIDAS frontend)
initiates CAMAC operations, FPGA executes them. Quite simple.

K.O.

Version: release/midas-2020-12

In the new history display, the checkbox "Change all time axes together" works 
well with the mouse-based zoom, but does not apply to the +- buttons.

> Version: release/midas-2020-12
> 
> In the new history display, the checkbox "Change all time axes together" works 
> well with the mouse-based zoom, but does not apply to the +- buttons.

Fixed in current commit.

Stefan

Since a few people asked me, here is a "minimal" CMakeLists.txt file for a user-written front-end 
program "myfe":

---------------------------

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.0)
project(myfe)

# Check for MIDASSYS environment variable
if (NOT DEFINED ENV{MIDASSYS})
   message(SEND_ERROR "MIDASSYS environment variable not defined.")
endif()

set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11)
set(MIDASSYS $ENV{MIDASSYS})

if (${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} MATCHES Linux)
   set(LIBS -lpthread -lutil -lrt)
endif()

add_executable(myfe myfe.cxx)

target_include_directories(myfe PRIVATE ${MIDASSYS}/include)
target_link_libraries(crfe ${MIDASSYS}/lib/libmfe.a ${MIDASSYS}/lib/libmidas.a ${LIBS})

MidasWiki was updated to current mediawiki LTS 1.39.6 supported until Nov 2025, 
see https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Version_lifecycle

as downside, after this update, I see large amounts of "account request" spam, 
something that did not exist before. I suspect new mediawiki phones home to 
subscribe itself to some "please spam me" list.

if you want a user account on MidasWiki, please email me or Stefan directly, we 
will make it happen.

K.O.

MidasWiki moved from ladd00 (obsolete SL6) to daq00.triumf.ca (Ubuntu LTS 20.04) 
and updated from obsolete MediaWiki LTS 1.27.7 to MediaWiki LTS 1.35, supported 
until mid-2023, see https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Version_lifecycle

Old URL https://midas.triumf.ca and https://midas.triumf.ca/MidasWiki/...
redirect to new URL https://daq00.triumf.ca/MidasWiki/index.php/Main_Page

All old links and bookmarks should continue to work (via redirect).

To report problems with this MediaWiki instance and to request
any changes in configuration or installed extensions, please reply to this
message here.

K.O.

We are happy to announce the creation of the MidasWiki at TRIUMF (https://midas.triumf.ca) as the 
new location of MIDAS documentation, user instructions, examples, etc.

https://midas.triumf.ca
K.O.

> We are happy to announce the creation of the MidasWiki at TRIUMF
> https://midas.triumf.ca

We are running MediaWiki in the world-readable, authenticated-user-writable mode.

New user registration is done by the "confirm new user" extension (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:ConfirmAccount):
- go to https://midas.triumf.ca/MidasWiki/index.php/Special:RequestAccount
- fill the form, submit request - request goes to wiki administrator for confirmation
- wait for email about email address confirmation, follow instructions to confirm your email address
- wait for email about account confirmation
- try to login to the wiki.

K.O.

As the Midas software is installed using CMake, it can be easily integrated into 
other CMake projects using the MidasConfig.cmake file produced during the Midas 
installation.

This file points to the location of the include and libraries of Midas using three 
variables:
- MIDAS_INCLUDE_DIRS
- MIDAS_LIBRARY_DIRS
- MIDAS_LIBRARIES

Then the CMakeLists file of the new project can use the CMake find_package 
functionalities like:
```
find_package (Midas REQUIRED)
if (MIDAS_FOUND)
    MESSAGE(STATUS "Found midas: libraries ${MIDAS_LIBRARIES}")
    pbuilder_add_ext_libraries (${MIDAS_LIBRARIES})
else (MIDAS_FOUND)
    message(FATAL "Unable to find midas")
endif (MIDAS_FOUND)
include_directories (${MIDAS_INCLUDE_DIR})
```
pbuilder_add_ext_libraries is a CMake macro allowing to automatically add the 
libraries into the project: this macro can be found here: 
https://github.com/project8/scarab/blob/master/cmake/PackageBuilder.cmake
If such macro doesn't exist, the linkage to each executable/library can be done 
similarly to https://midas.triumf.ca/elog/Midas/1964 using: 

```
target_link_libraries(crfe ${MIDAS_LIBARIES} ${LIBS})
```

The current version of the MidasConfig.cmake is minimal and could for example 
include a version number: this would allow to define a e.g. minimal version of 
Midas needed by the new project.

How does "find_package (Midas REQUIRED)" find the location of MIDAS?

The best I can tell from the current code, the package config files are installed
inside $MIDASSYS somewhere and I see "find_package MIDAS" never find them (indeed,
find_package() does not know about $MIDASSYS, so it has to use telepathy or something).

Does anybody actually use "find_package(midas)", does it actually work for anybody?

Also it appears that "the cmake way" of importing packages is to use
the install(EXPORT) method.

In this scheme, the user package does this:

include(${MIDASSYS}/lib/midas-targets.cmake)
target_link_libraries(myprogram PUBLIC midas)

this causes all the midas include directories (including mxml, etc)
and dependancy libraries (-lutil, -lpthread, etc) to be automatically
added to "myprogram" compilation and linking.

of course MIDAS has to generate a sensible targets export file,
working on it now.

K.O.