| name | nodeid | polezero(i) | shapetime(i) |
| crate | offset | outpolarity(i) | coarsegain(i) |
| base | finegain(i) | outconfig(i) |
The loadshaper(1) and n568control(1) programs rely on cofiguration files. A configuration file, known as an N568 configuration file, contains two sets of information. Information about the addressing and identification of the module and information about the module settings.
When initially connecting to the device, the software uses the identification and connection information. When loading settings files, only the settings information is meaningful. It is thus possible to use a settings file saved by module A to load the settings for module B.
N568 configuration files are Tcl scripts that just set a bunch of variables and array elements. Each variable or array element is an identification parameter or a single parameter setting.
Identification parameters provide both human and machine readable identification for a shaper. Humans need to be able to refer to a module by a name that has something to do with its function in an experiment. Machines need to know how to form a connection to the module in order to be able to control it or monitor it.
The identification parameters are represented by scalar Tcl variables in the N568 configuration file. Machine readable configuration must specify how to access the CAENnet controller to which the module is connected as well as the node number of the module on that CAENnet:
nameA human readable name for the module. This is for documentation purposes only.
crateThe number of the VME crate in which the CAENNet controller to which the module is connected is installed.
baseThe VME base address of the CAENNet controller to which the module is connected.
nodeidThe node number of the module on the CAENnet. This is the two digit number between 0 and 99 inclusive on the front panel of the module.
With the exception of the common offset, the N568 has a group of settings for each of its 16 channels. The common offset is specified by a scalar Tcl variable, while the channel specific settings are specified by Tcl arrays with numeric indices in the range 0 through 15 respectively, corresponding to the 16 channels of the module.
offsetSpecifies the commoon ofset in mV.
finegain(i)Specifies the fine gain in arbitrary units from 0 through 255 inclusive.
polezero(i)Specifies the magnitude of the pole 0 correction for the channel in arbitrary units from 0 through 255 inclusive.
outpolarity(i)Specifies the output polarity. 0 means positive and 1 negative.
outconfig(i)Specifies the output configuration. 0 means direct, while 1 means inverted.
shapetime(i)Specifies the shaping time. This is specified in microseconds and can be any of the following values: 0.1, 1.0, 3.0 or 6.0.
coarsegain(i)Specifies the coarse gain of the amplifier. This can be any of the following: 1 2 4 8 16 32 64 128
Example 1. Sample configuration file
# N568b configuration file written by n568Control.tcl Wed Nov 09 09:14:10 EST 2005
set name seeshaper
set crate 0
set base 0x100000
set nodeid 1
set offset 1.00
set finegain(0) 128
set polezero(0) 119
set outpolarity(0) 1
set outconfig(0) 0
set shapetime(0) 1.0
set coarsegain(0) 2.0
set finegain(1) 128
set polezero(1) 128
set outpolarity(1) 0
set outconfig(1) 0
set shapetime(1) 1.0
set coarsegain(1) 2.0
set finegain(2) 128
set polezero(2) 128
set outpolarity(2) 1
set outconfig(2) 0
set shapetime(2) 1.0
set coarsegain(2) 2.0
set finegain(3) 128
set polezero(3) 128
set outpolarity(3) 0
set outconfig(3) 0
set shapetime(3) 1.0
set coarsegain(3) 2.0
set finegain(4) 128
set polezero(4) 119
set outpolarity(4) 1
set outconfig(4) 1
set shapetime(4) 1.0
set coarsegain(4) 2.0
set finegain(5) 128
set polezero(5) 128
set outpolarity(5) 0
set outconfig(5) 0
set shapetime(5) 1.0
set coarsegain(5) 2.0
set finegain(6) 128
set polezero(6) 128
set outpolarity(6) 1
set outconfig(6) 0
set shapetime(6) 1.0
set coarsegain(6) 2.0
set finegain(7) 128
set polezero(7) 128
set outpolarity(7) 1
set outconfig(7) 0
set shapetime(7) 1.0
set coarsegain(7) 2.0
set finegain(8) 128
set polezero(8) 128
set outpolarity(8) 1
set outconfig(8) 0
set shapetime(8) 1.0
set coarsegain(8) 2.0
set finegain(9) 128
set polezero(9) 128
set outpolarity(9) 1
set outconfig(9) 0
set shapetime(9) 1.0
set coarsegain(9) 2.0
set finegain(10) 128
set polezero(10) 128
set outpolarity(10) 1
set outconfig(10) 0
set shapetime(10) 1.0
set coarsegain(10) 2.0
set finegain(11) 128
set polezero(11) 128
set outpolarity(11) 1
set outconfig(11) 0
set shapetime(11) 1.0
set coarsegain(11) 2.0
set finegain(12) 128
set polezero(12) 128
set outpolarity(12) 1
set outconfig(12) 0
set shapetime(12) 1.0
set coarsegain(12) 2.0
set finegain(13) 128
set polezero(13) 128
set outpolarity(13) 1
set outconfig(13) 0
set shapetime(13) 1.0
set coarsegain(13) 2.0
set outpolarity(12) 1
set outconfig(12) 0
set shapetime(12) 1.0
set coarsegain(12) 2.0
set finegain(13) 128
set polezero(13) 128
set outpolarity(13) 1
set outconfig(13) 0
set shapetime(13) 1.0
set coarsegain(13) 2.0
set finegain(14) 128
set polezero(14) 128
set outpolarity(14) 1
set outconfig(14) 0
set shapetime(14) 1.0
set coarsegain(14) 2.0
set finegain(15) 128
set polezero(15) 128
set outpolarity(15) 1
set outconfig(15) 0
set shapetime(15) 1.0
set coarsegain(15) 2.0