EPICS DIM Interface

Introduction

The basic idea of this device support module for EPICS is to provide an interface to the DIM protocol in order to read/write EPICS data seen from the DIM world and to act from EPICS as client/server for services and commands in the DIM regime.

Prerequisites

1. If DIM is not yet installed see first Install DIM
   1. DIM GSI Installation (TODO, documentation)

Concept

support

up-to-now

EPICS record types

record	DTYP	Discription
ai	devAiDimInterfaceSoft

variable types

(structures and arrays are not yet supported)

type	DIM representation
double	"D:1"
float	"F:1"
int	"I:1"

Download

Git

git.gsi.de

• https://git.gsi.de/EPICS/EPICS-DIM.git

GitHub (deprecated 05-2017)

• https://github.com/zumbruch/EPICS-DIM

CVS

:ext:lx-pool.gsi.de:/u/epics/cvs/repos/projects/projects/EPICS-DIM-interface/dev/caDIMInterface

Tarballs

• EPICS-DIM-Interface.tar.bz2: Tarball of the current cvs content, 18.05.2010
• EPICS-DIM-InterfaceHADESRC1.tar.bz2: Tarball of the HADES RC 1 , cvs date 2007/03/08

Settings

INP Field

The string provided in the INP field is disassembled according to the following Key words, which are of the form @K=:
(K:Key)

Key	optional	Description	values	Examples	Notes
T		Tier type	C S	@T=Cxxxxx : Client @T=Sxxxxx : Server xxxx are ignored
S	(only Server)	DIM Service Name	any string	@S=ServiceName
Sf	(only Server)	DIM Service Name inkl. Format	anyString "T:N;T:N"	@S=ServiceName @Sf=D:1 @S=ServiceName @Sf=F:1;C:20
Ss	(only Client)	DIM Update Scan Mode [:TimeIntervall]	M or T or M:xx T:xx (xx:integer seconds)	@Ss=M @Ss=MONITORED @Ss=M:10 @Ss=T @Ss=TIMED @Ss=T:12	modes: T(IMED): periodic update triggered by the client every xx seconds M(ONITORED): update if value has changed, triggered by server, optional in addition periodic update triggered by the client every xx seconds
Si	(only Client)	DIM Update Scan Mode Time Intervall	xx (xx:integer seconds)	@Si=10	periodic update intervall triggered by the client every xx seconds
C	(only Server)	DIM Command Name	any string	@C=CommandName
Cf	(only Server)	DIM Command Name inkl. Format	name "T:N;T:N"	@C=CommandName @Cf=D:1 @C=CommandName @Cf=F:1;C:20
A	X	DIM DNS Address	URL	@A=computerA @A=computerA, computerB @A=computerA:7655	default: given by DIM_DNS_NODE, if port is attached port is set to its value
P	X	DIM DNS Port	URL	@P=7643	default: 2505
N	X	Server Name	anyString	@N=MyServerName7643	Client: Names are prepended by MyServerName Server: Services are published to Server MyServerName
Xx	X	optional Extensions:
Xp	X	Default Put Suffix	string	@Xp=_PUT	Server: default suffix to EPICS' PV for command service if @C is not used (default: _CAPUT)
Xg	X	Default Get Suffix	string	@Xp=_GET	Server: default suffix to EPICS' PV for service service if @S is not used (default: _CAGET)

Features

default naming conventions

If T is set to S(ERVER),
then if either S or C or both are not specified, the following default naming convention are applied:

1. Only S is set:
   1. The service name specified via S is copied to command name.
   2. Both names are either extended
      • by the default get (service:_CAGET) / put (command:_CAPUT) suffixes
      • or by the suffixes defined via the Xg (get) or Xp (put) keys.
2. Only C is set:
   1. The command name specified via S is copied to service name
   2. Both names are either extended
      • by the default get (service:_CAGET) / put (command:_CAPUT) suffixes
      • or by the suffixes defined via the Xg (get) or Xp (put) keys.
3. Neither S nor C are set:
   1. The record name of the EPICS record to be made available is copied to service name and command name.
   2. Both names are either extended
      • by the default get (service:_CAGET) / put (command:_CAPUT) suffixes
      • or by the suffixes defined via the Xg (get) or Xp (put) keys.

default update scan mode

• If T is set to C(LIENT)
  • If Ss is not set then MONITORED is set as default, interval:0

Obstacles

limited INP length

Be aware that in the current version (3.14.8.2) there is a limit of 80 characters.

• Tips & Tricks:
  • DNS Address_ and DNS Port might be already set via the ENVIRONMENT variable DIM_DNS_NODE and DIM_DNS_PORT
  • default Suffixes (may be shorter than get (service:_CAGET) / put (command:_CAPUT))
    • the default suffixes can during compile overridden by setting DIM

Errors and error handling

• T is set to CLIENT
  • Ss and Si are both set ⇒ no decision possible ⇒ current is deactivated by setting PACT=0

Extensions

• DABC extension to the EPICS DIM interface

Previous Versions

• See the temporary DIM Interface page: Starting DIM prototype from H.Brand

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