$DAQBIN/ScalerDisplay definition-file
Configuration file commands:
channel ?option...? name channel?.sourceid?
page tabname page-title
display_single tabname scaler-name
display_ratio tabname numerator-scaler denominator-scaler
blank tabname
stripparam name
stripratio numerator denominator
stripconfig option ?...?
The scaler display program displays scaler counts and rates during active data taking runs. The environment variable SCALER_RING (See ENVIRONMENT VARIABLSE below) specifies the rings from which data will be taken. A configuration file determines what is displayed and how.
The configuration file is described in the section CONFIGURATION FILE below. The path to the configuration file is the one command line parameter that is both required and accepted by the scaler display program.
The command synopsis assumes you have sourced the daqsetup.bash file into your shell.
The configuration file is a Tcl script with a few command extensions. The extensions provide the ability to associate a name with a scaler channel, and describe how and if that channel should be displayed.
The display is organized into two sections. A tabbed notebook at the top of the user interface provides several pages. Each page is a table containing scaler names, rates, totals and, if appropriate, ratios of rates and totals for a pair of scalers. The lower section is an optional stripchart that shows the time evolution of counting rates in a scaler or the ratio of a pair of scaler rates.
The channel command associates a name with a scaler channel from a data source. The name is then used both to display the channel and to refer to it in other configuration file commands. The form of this command is:
channel ?option...? name channel?.sourceid?
Are options that control how the channel is treated. Legal options are:
-incremental boolA boolean value which, if true, means that the scaler channel is incremental (cleared after each read). If false, the scaler counts are cumulative over the entire run.
-width nbitsThe value is an integer that specifies the width of the scaler channel in bits. All bits in positions higher than this value will be ignored. This is primarily used with some CAMAC scalers read out through some interfaces that put additional bits in positions above bit 23.
-lowlim rateSpecifies a low rate limit for the scaler. If the count rate for this scaler drops below the specfied rate, the channel will show in a low rate alarmed status, if alarms are enabled via the checkbutton on the scaler display screen.
-hilim rateSpecifies a high rate limit for this scaler.
Is the name that will be given to the channel.
Is the index into the data source's scaler array in which the counts for this scaler live.
If supplied this specifies the source id from which the data comes. If not specified, the source id defaults no source id which is what you get when the data has no body header.
The page command defines a new scaler display table page. It has the form:
page tabname page-title
Is the text on the tab of the tabbed notebook in which the page is displayed. This is also the name used to refer to this page in other commands in the configuration file.
The display_single command appends a line to a page. The line displays the rates and total counts for a single scaler. The syntax of this command is:
display_single tabname scaler-name
Is the name of the tab that has the page the line will be added to. Lines are added to the bottom of the page.
The name of the scaler channel (as defined by a channel command) that will be displayed on that line.
The display ratio command adds a line to a page that displays two scalers. In additon the ratio of the rates and totals are displayed. The line is added to the end of the page. The syntax of this command is:
display_ratio tabname numerator-scaler denominator-scaler
Is the label on the tab that is displaying the page to which this line will be added.
Is the name of the scaler that will be the numerator of the ratios.
Is the name of the scaler that will be the denominator of the ratios.
If no other strip chart traces have been defined, this enables the strip chart. The command also enables the plot of a single trace of the rate of the specified parameter on the strip chart. The syntax of this command is:
stripparam name
If no other strip chart traces have been defined, this enables the strip chart. The command enables the plot of a trace that is the ratio of the numerator scaler to the denominator scaler. The scalers are specified by the name they were given in their channel commands. The form of this command is:
stripratio numerator denominator
Sets configuration options for the strip chart. Naturally this is only meaningful if at least one trace is defined via the stripparam or stripratio commands above.
The syntax of this command is:
stripconfig option ?...?
The available options are:
-timeaxis secondsNumber of seconds on the time axis. Note that since the plot is allowed to choose axis labels that are 'natural' you may get slightly something a bit different, for example a value of 1198 will almost certainly be modified to 1200.