E831/FOCUS Frequently Asked Questions

What is the overall DA architecture ?

We are using the DART data aquisition system.
Click here for a summary of the E831/FOCUS DART system.
Francesco has written a fully detailed document on the E831 DAQ system.
The DART home page will give you all the gory details on the general DART hardware and software system. [TOP]

Where do we run Recon/Qualy/Dreampack/etc ?

We will have an Expressline analsysis system for rapid Physics monitoring of the experment. As of April 1995, we're starting to write specifications for the system. [TOP]

What sort of tapes will be use to log data ?

In order to allow the tape drives to stream, and in order to avoid lost data due to tape mount delays and broken drives, we will log data to disk, then spool it to tape a full tape at a time. (That's my opinion - A.K.)

The Computing Division's Serial Media Working Group has been studying this issue, and is about to issue a report. Based on their work, and other research, I think that we will use Exabyte 8505 drives, with Data Grade tapes (A.K.) See my report for details. The report should be reviewed, corrected, and implemented ASAP, IMHO.

See also the Disk/Tape plan for specific Online system configurations.

Where do I put these 6 crates of logic that I assumed were 'implicit' in our plans ?

You can put them up... er, um, you can put them where they are described on this rack plan. If they're not on the plan, there may be nowhere to put them. [TOP]

How to I get an account on the E831 online system ?

Please contact the system manager to get your account. All rules which apply to Fermilab 'general use' computers apply to DA831. In particular, you should have signed the Fermilab 'proper use' statement. If you already have an account on a central FNAL system, such as FNALV or FNALU, you will have already done this. If not, you must get such an account in order to get an account on the 831 local computers. There will be accounts for almost all active Foci 'soon'. [TOP]

What sort of passwords are OK ?

When you get your account you should immediately change the password to something that only you know. Do not 'share' your account.

Follow Fermilab guidelines on the choice of password and change it at the suggested frequency. The password should be 8 characters long, contain a number, not be a name or dictionary word, and generally not be easy to guess. [TOP]

Why doesn't passwd change my password ?

Use the 'yppasswd' command to change your password; this will change your password on all the online FOCUS Unix systems.

The 'fpasswd' command has apparently been retired from FNALU. That kills it pretty dead, as far as I'm concerned. So ignore all that advice we've given you about fpasswd, and just use yppasswd on our systems, kpasswd on FNALU, and god knows what elsewhere. [TOP]

We used Vaxes to run E687. Who ported our code over to Unix ?

You will. Many basic libraries and utilities are available as DART products. These include Camac and Fastbus libraries, Hoist, Murmur, and many others. We are logging data to disk and tape, and are commissioning the interspill calibration and monitoring framework. Cop and Hitman are urgently needed. Much work remains to be done. Read the Migration Plan, and contact KREYMER@FNAL.GOV for guidance. [TOP]

How do I migrate from VMS to Unix ?

Simple, just copy all your files, then recompile everything. Well, it might be a little harder than that.

See the VMS Migration Home Page

For example, to copy all your files from your VMS home to a 'vms' directory under your Unix account :

You must first create the empty 'vms' target directory, so that the full tree will be created on the Unix system.

If you specify *.*;* instead of *.*, you will get the oldest instead of newest version of each file, and waste lots of time and network bandwidth.

How do I access CMS under UNIX ?

The UCM code repository and version management system based on RCS has been developed by Peter Kasper. This system is similar in concept and in many details to the E687 CMS system. [TOP]

What tools are available ?

A set of programs which provides support for user developed applications. These include software for accessing CAMAC and FASTBUS, software for creating Graphical User Interfaces such as menus using TCL/TK, standard tape/disk reading and writing routines, plotting and histogram routines such as CERNLIB, histoscope, and topdrawer, alarm annunciators, etc. [TOP]

Where is product 'foo', and how do I use it ?

The Fermilab UPS system provides access to both 'public' products like the CERN library , and private E831 products like HITMAN. Access to products (i.e. pointers to directories containing documentation, libraries to link against, etc) is provided

Commands such as 'setup camac', 'setup fastbus', 'setup cern', provide consistent access to libraries, documentation, bug lists, etc. The command 'ups list' will list all products. For a maintenance log, see file /home/products/HISTORY . [TOP]

Can I write programs in Bliss and FORTH ?

Proposed Policy on Programming Languages: It is proposed that both C and Fortran be supported for the ONLINE system. C is only strictly necessary in one place, the software that runs in the FSSC. C, however, is a natural choice in other places since many of the routines we will be using from outside are written in C, many examples of code which we will be 'borrowing' are also written in C, TCL is 'C-like' in its syntax, and C may be better suited to some applications than Fortran. On the other hand, since more people understand and can write Fortran, clear instructions and models will be provided for writing 'wrappers' so that C routines can be called from Fortran routines and Fortran routines can be called from C. It is further proposed that 'data analysis software' will be written in Fortran. It follows that analysis- like routines written for online diagnostics, monitoring, and rapid turnaround data analysis in the counting room will be written in Fortran. There must be an absolutely compelling case for departing from this rule and it must be approved by the 'czar' of the relevant library and the code manager before it is allowed. We leave open the issue of Frotran 77 vs Fortran 90 for now. We assume that all Fortran coding will use Fortran 77 with the standard Fermilab extensions until the group reaches a conclusion about Fortran 90. [TOP]

Where is DTR under UNIX ?

We are using mSQL , a free SQL subset database system from Fiddich Technologies , to replace Datatrieve in the online system. Please review and comment on a summary of E831 requirements, and this summary of public domain database products. The full listing is also available.
See the FNAL.FOCUS.DATABASE local newsgroup (from DA831 only) for further discussions.
[TOP]

What will we use for Color Graphics terminals ?

Where do I run my (PC/MAC) programs ?

We have prepared a draft plan to use PC and MAC workstations as X servers. These should perform as decent Color X-terminals, and be able to run certain MAC and PC programs as needed.

This is the worst managed computer system I've ever seen. An untrained monkey could do better.

Congratulations. You've just been promoted to Manager. See Art Kreymer for the passwords and the keys to the Exective Wash Room. [TOP]