6.2. Operating the user interface

This item allows you to select the event logging program. This is normally used either to do NSCLDAQ-8.x event logging via the compatibility tools, or to select the 10.x event logger when using the 11.x ReadoutShell with 10.x software.

The Browse... button alows you to graphically select the event logger. You must be sure the event logger will produce event segment files with names that are compatible with what is expected by the ReadoutShell. See the section The event logger and ReadoutShell for more information about this.

Allows you to override the ring from which data are logged. Note that if you are using the event builder, it will override this setting using the output ring from the event builder instead of your selection here.

If you click the Known Rings.. button, you can choose from a list of rings. This list will include all local rings and all rings remote rings from which data has been accepted previously. It is possible that the ring you want won't be listed (if it is a remote ring from which data has not been taken since the last reboot). In that case you can type in the ring specification which is of the form tcp://host-name/ringname Where host-name is the name of the host on which the ring producer is located and ringname is the name of the ring in that host.

This checkbutton causes the ReadoutGUI to use the --number-of-sources option when starting the event logger. It can only be used with the NSCLDAQ-11.x and later native event logger.

This option should be used if you are combining the data from more than one event source using the NSCLDAQ-11.x or later event builder. See eventlog for more detailed information about this option.

This option is related to the use --number-of-sources checkbutton and only does something if that box is checked. When use --number-of-sources is checked, the ReadoutShell computes a base source count from the number of data sources it is controlling. The signed value of the Additional Sources field is added to the base source count and used as the value of the --number-of-sources option when starting the event logger. This value is the number of end run records the event logger will expect to see to indicate all data in a run has been received/recorded.

Usually 0 is the right value for this control. If, however you have data sources which are not being managed by the ReadoutShell, you may need to put a positive number in this box. If you have data sources which are managed by the ReadoutShell that don't produce end run records, you may need to use a negative value here to adjust the base source count downward.

The important thing is that the base source count as modified by this value must be the number of active sources that produce NSCL end run records at the end of a data taking run.

This checkbox determines if the ReadoutShell uses the --run option when starting the eventlog program. When this option is used, its value is the value in the ReadoutShell's run number control in the Run management segment of the GUI. That value overrides anything eventlog might see in the data stream and determines the run number field of the filename in the event segments it generates.

This checkbutton should normally not be checked. It should only be checked if all data sources are non-NSCL data sources and none of them generate anything like a begin run record that has a run number.

This entry control allows you to type in a title. Titles can only be entered when the state of the system is not Active or Paused. When the state is any of those, the title entry is disabled.

When a run is started, the text in this title field is passed to the data source provider for each data source. It is the responsibility of that provider to know what to do. NSCL data source providers use this to set the title of the run in the data source. For standard NSCL data sources this sets the title of the begin run ring item record. For the S800, this sets the title in the Begin run buffer.

As with the titlwe field, this entry control is only enabled when the state is not Active or Paused. When you navigate focus out of this control, the value of the control is checked and, if it is not a positive integer (0 is legal), an error message pops up and the field is restored to its prior value.

When a run is started, the run number is passed to the data source providers for all data sources. For NSCL data sources this value is passed to the readout program as the run number to place in state transition records.

For the S800 data provider, the run number is passed in and used by the S800 Data source to set the run number in its state transition buffers.

The run control cluster is the set of two or three buttons at the left side of the Run Management segment. The top button of this cluster of buttons is always the Start button. It is enabled whenever the system is in the NotReady state.

Clicking the Start button transitions to the Starting state. The data source manager then attempts to start all of the data sources and, if successful, the system transitions to the Halted state.

The Begin/End button contains a label and state that depends on the systsem state:

• The button is disabled when the system is in the NotReady or Starting state.

• The button is enabled and labeled Begin when the state is Halted. In this state, when clicked, the system transitions to Active and all data sources are told to start taking data.

• The button is enabled and labeled End when the state of the' system is Active or Paused. When clicked in this state, the data sources are told to stop taking data (end the run), and the system transitions to the Halted state.

If all data sources support pausing a run, a third button appears in this cluster. The third button is the Pause/Resume button.

• This button is disabled when the system is not in the Active or Paused state.

• This button is enabled and labeled Pause when the system is in the Active state. If clicked in that state, the system transitions to the Paused state and all data sources are instructed to pause data taking but keep the run alive.

• This button is enabled and labeled Resume. Clicking this button transition to the Active state after instructing all data sources to resume data taking in their paused run.

This is located below the Run control cluster. It is enabled only when the state is not Active or Paused when checked, the next begin run will also initiate the event logger as configured by the Settings->Event Recording... menu item.

This is located to the right of the Start button. This represents the elapsed time of the current or most recent run. The timer is cleared when a run begins, pauses when a run is paused and runs when in the Active state.

This set of controls is located to the right of the Begin and Pause (if visible) buttons. The controls consist of two segments:

• A Timed Run checkbutton which, when checked automatically ends a run when the Active run time counter reaches the selected length

• A set of drop downs that allow you to select the length of time a run will be active if timed.

The debug log level is intended to provide debugging/tracing information that shows programmers the internal operation of components of the ReadoutShell. By default these log entries are not displayed. See, however OutputWindow for information on how to make these visible.

Log entries at the log level log a significant event that represents the normal operation of the program.

output log entries capture output from a program that is being run under the control of the ReadoutShell (usually a data source).

warning log entries are intended to warn you of an unusual condition. They are displayed in magenta text on the current background.

error log entries are intended to inform you of a problem. A typical cause of an error is the unexpected exit of a data source. Error log messagesa are displayed in red on a white background.