xxx Release Notes

Release 6-4

IOC Management

  • Renamed xxx.pl to ioc.pl – the launcher script no longer needs to match the IOC name
  • Display manager launch commands (medm, caqtdm, phoebus) moved from top-level start scripts into the softioc commands directory, making each IOC directory fully self-contained
  • Removed start_MEDM_xxx, start_caQtDM_xxx, start_phoebus_xxx top-level scripts – use ioc.pl medm, ioc.pl caqtdm, ioc.pl phoebus instead
  • Removed legacy run and in-screen.sh scripts – use ioc.pl start / ioc.pl screen start instead
  • Display-related environment variables (IOC_DEFAULT_ADL, IOC_DEFAULT_UI, IOC_DEFAULT_BOB, IOC_DEFAULT_MACROS) now set automatically in ioc.pl based on IOC_NAME
  • Added stale procServ info file detection with user prompt when starting an IOC; validates via PID check (same host) or TCP connect (remote host)
  • Added 5-second timeout to procServ TCP connections to prevent hangs on unreachable hosts
  • Fixed procServ -I info file written to wrong directory when using symlinks (GitHub issue #74) – now uses absolute paths
  • Added log file size watcher that truncates console log files when they exceed a configurable maximum (default 1 GB), keeping the most recent content
  • Creating a second IOC from the template now requires only: copy the iocBoot/iocxxx directory, edit IOC_NAME in settings.iocsh, and run make

Display Path Setup

  • setup_epics_common rewritten in Perl with automatic screen directory discovery – no longer requires manually listing each module’s screen path
  • Screen directories are discovered by scanning all modules from configure/RELEASE using a depth-limited search
  • modules/ subdirectories (e.g., motor submodules) are automatically searched
  • autoconvert/ directories are automatically appended when screen files are found
  • Performance optimized: depth-limited search completes in under 3 seconds vs ~20 seconds for full recursive scan

Gestalt Screens

  • Completed the gestalt data file (xxx.yml) to match all entries from the hand-crafted caQtDM screen
  • Fixed bugs in the gestalt data: MLL motor file/count mismatch, Slit #2 copy-paste errors, Table3/Table4 macro errors, Shutter file mismatch, ADGeniCam BlackflyS typo
  • Added all previously missing entries: Direct I/O tab (12 entries), Devices tab (13 entries), Tools tab (11 entries), Detectors tab (8 entries), Motors tab (3 entries)
  • Added Status/APS Ops bar below the tabbed group
  • Layout updated to use TabbedRepeat for user-customizable tabs with 5-column grid

areaDetector Examples

  • Standardized all 19 detector example scripts to use hardcoded Image1 port name for NDStdArrays (reverted from $(INSTANCE)Image convention)
  • Fixed ADDexela: NDStdArraysConfigure port name mismatch that broke the image plugin
  • Fixed ADGeniCam: $(PORT) changed to $(INSTANCE) in ADVimbaConfig and asynSetTraceIOMask
  • Fixed ADMarCCD: mar345Config changed to marCCDConfig (copy-paste error)
  • Fixed ADEiger1X/2X: header comment TYPE default corrected from Int32 to Int8
  • Fixed ADAdsc: added missing set_requestfile_path
  • Added COLORS support to ADProsilica for color camera modes
  • Added type-aware EPICS_CA_MAX_ARRAY_BYTES calculation to all 19 scripts (1.1x image size in bytes)
  • Cleaned up stale comments referencing simDetector in 12 scripts

Serial Device Examples

  • Added 22 new device examples to serial_devices.iocsh from synApps ip and love modules
  • New devices include: ADAM 4018, Agilent E3631A, BK 9130, Eurotherm 2000-series, LakeShore 218/330/340, Love controllers, MKS 651C, Newport LAE500, Omega DP41, Oxford CS800, Pelco CM6700, Protura P201, SRS PTC10 (Ethernet with RTD/TC/TEC channels), SR830, US Digital X3
  • Updated Eurotherm entry from old dbLoadRecords to new Eurotherm2k.iocsh
  • Parameter values sourced from module authors’ own example IOCs

Other

  • Added PVA server registration and core library linking
  • Added PVAlive database and QSRV group
  • Added BLEPS databases
  • Added motorAcsMotion support
  • Added PI GCS2 support
  • Disabled EPICS base 7.0.8 iocsh history file by default
  • Fixed remote command triggering on certain computers
  • Various Windows compatibility fixes for procServ/screen commands

Release 6-3

  • Added Scaler module
  • Added LabJack module
  • Added Xpress3 module
  • Added Galil module
  • vxWorks IOCs now automatically write out their bootParams on a successful boot
  • xxx startup script converted to perl for cross-platform compatibility
  • xxx startup script also no longer needs IOC_STARTUP_DIR to be set
  • New AreaDetector example scripts
  • Autosave .req search path automatically generated based on RELEASE file

Release 6-2-1

  • Adjustments for scaler code being broken out from std module

Release 6-2

  • Parts of common.iocsh that were likely to be changed moved out to settings.iocsh

Release 6-1

  • autsaveBuild files are now built in the autosave directory so that the primary iocxxx directory doesn’t need to be open to be written by anyone.
  • xxx.adl screen updated to match tab-style design of the .ui file.

Release 6-0

  • Added lua scripting module
  • Added SoftGlueZynq module
  • Added Yokogawa DAU module
  • Added dxpSitoro module
  • iocBoot/iocvxWorks, iocBoot/iocLinux, etc: Condensed into single iocxxx directory
  • st.cmd.Linux, st.cmd.vxWorks, etc: Individual startup scripts provided for each architecture
  • All startup scripts using iocsh to eliminate most architectural differences
  • Startup scripts rewritten to use iocshLoad capabilities of base-3.15
  • xxx.ui updated to take full advantage of caQtDm widgets
  • xxxApp/src/Makefile greatly simplified
  • release.pl modified to fix an issue where it wasn’t checking optional includes
  • softioc startup script now includes options to start medm and caQtDM
  • MEDM and caQtDM startup scripts cleaned up

Release 5-8-3

  • Changes to support caputRecorder
  • Added GROUP env var for alive record

  • release.pl modified so that module definitions are processed in the order they occur. This allows, for example, the following:

    include $(SUPPORT)/configure/RELEASE CAPUTRECORDER=$(SUPPORT)/caputRecorder-1-4-2

    in which the CAPUTRECORDER definition overrides the definition in $(SUPPORT)/configure/RELEASE

Release 5-8

  • Deleted xxxCommonInclude.dbd since it is no longer used.
  • Many changes for areaDetector-2-0
  • Use the alive module
  • Added xxx.sh, a script to start/stop/restart a linux ioc in a screen session. Improved in-screen.sh and run scripts.
  • Rewrote xxxApp/src/Makefile: .dbd users must come after sources, so required stuff is defined before it is used, but .lib users must come before sources, so required references are encountered before a library is searched. Added ifdefs for ETHERIP, ALIVE, DELAYGEN, and VAC modules.
  • New configure/CONFIG from 3.14.12.4 makeBaseApp
  • start_caQtDM: Added drag-and-drop workaround for caQtDM.
  • iocBoot/iocvxWorks, iocLinux: Changed many .cmd files to use doAfterIocInit. Added commented out examples of using autosaveBuild. (AutosaveBuild requires either base 3.15.1, or a patched copy of base 3.14.12.)
  • iocBoot/iocvxWorks/softGlue.cmd: Example of registered interrupt service routine.
  • iocBoot/ioc*/calc.cmd: new file
  • xxxApp/src/Makefile: changes to build with 3.15
  • Many changes to use caputRecorder

Release 5-7-1

  • iocBoot/iocLinux: new filter.substitutions from optics, added async_pid_slow.substitutions, scan1Menu.req
  • iocBoot/iocvxWorks: new filter.substitutions from optics

Release 5-7

  • string sequence records moved from std to calc module
  • Added .ui files for caQtDM
  • rewrote xxxApp/src/Makefile to build dbd file and specify link libraries according to what modules are defined in configure/RELEASE
  • SIS38xx setup changed for mca-7-3-1
  • Added configMenu for softGlue and scans.
  • Added support for async_pid_slow, new XIA filter software
  • Deleted vxStats (replaced by devIocStats)

Release 5-6

  • Include areaDetector, dxp, modbus, softGlue
  • configure/RELEASE changes
  • CSS-BOY displays and .def files
  • start_epics for bash, setup_epics improvements
  • Added op/burt directory for interp, softGlue
  • vxStats replaced by devIocStats
  • Many changes to match new or modified features in external modules.

Release 5-5

  • Added busy module, deleted ccd and pilatus modules
  • Deleted iocxxxCygwinInclude.dbd, iocxxxWin32Include.dbd, iocxxx_solarisInclude.dbd – build the targets in Makefile instead.
  • .dbd file changes to agree with synApps 5.5 module choices
  • Additions for areaDetector
  • added multilayer mono, FuncGen, softGlue to xxx.adl

Release 5-4

  • Build modified to agree with 3.14.10 version of makeBaseApp.pl
  • Use of genSub module replaced by use of aSub record from base 3.14.10.
  • Use new busy module.
  • iocSolaris: Added databases Io.db, ramp_tweak.db, pvHistory.db; must use ‘var’ to define variable

Release 5-3

  • xxx/release.pl: Bug fix; “($macro) =” line was wrong. Support “include” entries without a macro.
  • xxx/iocBoot/ioc*/*.substitutions: 3.14.9 will require macros in substitution files to be enclosed in quotes. Start now, since it’s already legal.
  • xxx/iocBoot/iocCygwin/saveData.req: added basename section
  • xxx/iocBoot/ioc*: Some databases and autosave-request files in synApps have been renamed so that the autosave-request file name can be autogenerated easily from the database name, e.g.: .db <–> _settings.req. This will permit utils/makeAutosaveFiles.py to work more comprehensively.
  • xxx/iocBoot/ioc*/save_restore.cmd: Added modbus, pilatus, and vac to requestfile path; Added call to save_restoreSet_UseStatusPVs()
  • xxx/iocBoot/ioc*/st.cmd: scans.db was split into standardScans.db and saveData.db, so it’s easier to load multiple scan databases.
  • xxx/iocBoot/ioc*/interp_settings.req: moved to calc module (and modified there to agree with current interp database).
  • unlisted changes in the build files to agree with changes in synApps.

Release 5-2

  • iocBoot/iocCygwin/* – Added examples for loading databases, specifying autosave PV’s, and invoking SNL programs, for orientation matrix, femto amplifier, and pf4dual slit.

  • pseudoMotor.db, sumDiff2D.db, and coordTrans2D.db are now in the motor module, and not in xxx. This affects some substitution files in iocBoot/ioc*.

  • Some synApps databases used to specify input/output message terminators, and no longer do this. Message terminators must be specified in serial.cmd.

  • Added examples for userArrayCalcs, pvHistory, XIA slit, string sequence, timer

  • Specified message terminators for Digitel in serial.cmd

  • Added example of setting system clock rate to iocvxWorks/st.cmd

  • Added new motor types to xxxApp/src/*

  • Scaler database loading has changed to accommodate asyn-based device support.

  • Modified substitutions files in iocBoot/ioc* to enclose in quotes any macro substitutions that themselves contain macro arguments (i.e., X=$(Y) -> X=”$(Y)”). This will be required in EPICS 3.14.9.

Release 5-1

  • Fixes to run from support directory on the gateway.

  • MPF is out; asyn is in

  • Don’t need to specify handshake PV in saveData.req. It’s now hardwired into saveData.

  • Split out many .cmd files from st.cmd

  • Multi-element mca setup now in device-specific files

  • Serial/GPIB config now in asynRecord.template, serial.cmd

  • serial_OI_Block, GPIB_OI_Block -> deviceCmdReply

Release 5-0

  • start_epics_xxx - added new modules to EPICS_DISPLAY_PATH. Added specification of EPICS_CA_MAX_ARRAY_BYTES

  • documentation/vme_address.html - table of VME addresses, interrupt vectors, etc.

  • iocxxx - split into iocUnix, iocvxWorks

  • st.cmd, xxxApp/src - changed xxx.dbd to iocxxx.dbd, xxx_registerRecordDeviceDriver to iocxxx_registerRecordDeviceDriver because c function name cannot begin with a number

  • st1.cmd - cd to topbin/../vxWorks-68040, so we don’t have to have a separate cdCommands file. Load xxx.munch instead of a bunch of separate files

  • st1.cmd - must configure dac before ip330PID

  • vxStats.substitutions - new file to work with vxStats module

  • pid*.substitutions, dac128V.substitutions - new files

  • xxx.adl - added vxStats, Keithley 2000; changes in mca, DAC

Suggestions and Comments to:
Keenan Lang : (klang@anl.gov)