configMenu

Overview
Key Features
Setup Instructions
User Interface
PV Interface
Configuration Files
Advanced Usage
Troubleshooting
Examples

Overview

configMenu is a facility within the Autosave module that allows users to create, save, find, restore, and verify sets of EPICS PVs (“configurations”) on a running IOC. It provides a way to manage multiple configurations of the same set of PVs, making it easy to switch between different operational modes.

Unlike the standard Autosave functionality that automatically saves and restores PV values across IOC reboots, configMenu is designed for user-initiated operations to switch between different configurations during runtime. It’s comparable to the EPICS Backup and Restore Tool (BURT), but uses autosave files and is driven by EPICS PVs.

Key Features

Multiple Configurations: Store and manage unlimited configurations (as of R5-7)
User Interface: MEDM/EDM/CSS displays for configuration management
PV-Driven: All operations can be triggered via EPICS PVs
Callback Support: Operations can be synchronized with other sequences
Dated Backups: Automatic backup of overwritten configurations
Macro Support: Load configurations with macro substitutions
Remote PV Support: Save/restore PVs from other IOCs

Setup Instructions

1. Create a Request File

Create an autosave request file that lists the PVs to be included in your configurations:

# Example: scan1Menu.req
file configMenu.req P=$(P),CONFIG=$(CONFIG)
file scan_settings.req P=$(P),S=scan1
file scan_settings.req P=$(P),S=scan2
file scan_settings.req P=$(P),S=scanH

2. Load the configMenu Database

Add the following to your IOC startup script before iocInit:

dbLoadRecords("$(AUTOSAVE)/asApp/Db/configMenu.db","P=xxx:,CONFIG=scan1")

Options:

P: Prefix for all PVs
CONFIG: Name of this configMenu instance
ENABLE_SAVE: Set to 0 to disable saving (default is 1)

3. Create the Manual Set

Add the following to your IOC startup script after iocInit:

create_manual_set("scan1Menu.req","P=xxx:,CONFIG=scan1,CONFIGMENU=1")

The CONFIGMENU=1 macro tells autosave not to write backup (.savB) and sequence files for this save set.

4. Add to auto_settings.req (Optional)

If you want the current configuration name, description, and enableSave selection to be autosaved:

file configMenu_settings.req P=$(P),CONFIG=scan1

5. Set Up CA Reconnect (Recommended for Remote PVs)

If your configurations include PVs from other IOCs:

save_restoreSet_CAReconnect(1)

User Interface

configMenu provides three main display files:

configMenu_small.adl

configMenu_small

Compact display with dropdown menu
Shows current configuration name
Provides load button
Includes refresh button to update menu choices

configMenu.adl

configMenu

Shows up to 10 configurations as separate buttons
Provides load and save buttons for each configuration
Includes paging controls for navigating through configurations

configMenu_more.adl

configMenu_more

Extended version with description fields
Shows up to 10 configurations with descriptions
Provides load and save buttons for each configuration
Includes paging controls and save permission toggle

PV Interface

configMenu exposes several PVs that can be used to control and monitor its operation:

Core PVs

PV Name	Type	Description
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu`	enum	Menu of available configurations
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:name`	string	Current configuration name
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:desc`	string	Current configuration description
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:status`	string	Status of last operation
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:message`	string	Message from last operation
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:busy`	binary	1 when an operation is in progress
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:enableSave`	binary	Controls whether saving is allowed

Configuration PVs (for each index i=1-10)

PV Name	Type	Description
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:name$(i)`	string	Name of configuration i
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:desc$(i)`	string	Description of configuration i

Control PVs

PV Name	Type	Description
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:loadConfig$(i)`	binary	Trigger to load configuration i
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:saveConfig$(i)`	binary	Trigger to save configuration i
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:loadConfigByName`	string	Load configuration by name
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:saveConfigByName`	string	Save configuration by name
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:prevPage`	binary	Show previous page of configurations
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:nextPage`	binary	Show next page of configurations
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:page`	integer	Current page number
`$(P)$(CONFIG)Menu:reload`	binary	Reload configuration list

Configuration Files

File Naming

Configuration files are saved with the naming convention:

<CONFIG>_<name>.cfg

Where:

<CONFIG> is the configMenu instance name (e.g., “scan1”)
<name> is the configuration name with non-alphanumeric characters replaced by ‘_’

Example: scan1_align_entrance_slit.cfg

File Format

Configuration files use the same format as autosave .sav files:

# save/restore V5.0	Automatically generated - DO NOT MODIFY - 210315-142208
xxx:scan1.P1SP 0 (double)
xxx:scan1.P1EP 10 (double)
xxx:scan1.P1SI 1 (double)
xxx:scan1.NPTS 11 (long)
xxx:scan2.P1SP 0 (double)
xxx:scan2.P1EP 5 (double)
xxx:scan2.P1SI 0.5 (double)
xxx:scan2.NPTS 11 (long)
xxx:scanH.P1SP 0 (double)
xxx:scanH.P1EP 20 (double)
xxx:scanH.P1SI 2 (double)
xxx:scanH.NPTS 11 (long)
<END>

Backup Files

When configMenu overwrites an existing .cfg file, it creates a backup copy with a timestamp:

scan1_blank.cfg_130401-140546

This file was created at 2:05:46 PM on April 1, 2013.

Advanced Usage

Using Macros in Configuration Files

You can load .cfg files that contain macros by specifying them in the create_manual_set() call:

create_manual_set("SGMenu.req","P=xxx:,CONFIG=SG,CONFIGMENU=1,H=softGlue:")

This allows you to use the same configuration files across different instances.

Driving configMenu from Other IOC Code

You can drive configMenu operations from other IOC code using the PV interface. For example:

// Load a configuration
dbpf("xxx:scan1Menu:loadConfigByName", "alignment");

// Wait for operation to complete
while (dbGetField("xxx:scan1Menu:busy", DBR_LONG, &busy, NULL, NULL) == 0 && busy) {
    epicsThreadSleep(0.1);
}

// Save a configuration
dbpf("xxx:scan1Menu:saveConfigByName", "new_alignment");

Using with ca_put_callback

configMenu operations can be driven by a ca_put_callback, allowing them to be part of a larger sequence:

// In a sequence record or similar
pvPut("xxx:scan1Menu:loadConfigByName", "alignment", SYNC);
// Next step will wait until load completes

Troubleshooting

Problem: The menu in configMenu_small.adl doesn’t update when new configurations are added.

Solution: Use the “Refresh menu choices” button to close and reopen the display, or use configMenu.adl which shows configurations as separate PVs that update automatically.

Cannot Save Configurations

Problem: Save buttons are not visible or saving doesn’t work.

Solution: Check the “permit save?” setting. If it’s set to “No”, saving is disabled. Change it to “Yes” to enable saving.

Directory Listing Issues

Problem: On vxWorks 5.5.2 with nfs3Drv, directory listings may fail with error “error reading dir errno: 0x300016".

Solution: Modify the board-support package to use nfs2Drv instead.

Remote PV Issues

Problem: Configurations with PVs from other IOCs don’t load properly.

Solution: Ensure save_restoreSet_CAReconnect(1) is included in your startup script.

Examples

Example 1: Motor Positioning Configurations

This example sets up configMenu to manage different motor position configurations:

Create motorPositions.req:

file configMenu.req P=$(P),CONFIG=$(CONFIG)
$(P)m1.VAL
$(P)m2.VAL
$(P)m3.VAL
$(P)m4.VAL

Add to startup script:

dbLoadRecords("$(AUTOSAVE)/asApp/Db/configMenu.db","P=xxx:,CONFIG=motors")
# After iocInit:
create_manual_set("motorPositions.req","P=xxx:,CONFIG=motors,CONFIGMENU=1")

Create configurations using the UI:
- “home” - motors at home positions
- “sample1” - motors positioned for sample 1
- “sample2” - motors positioned for sample 2

Example 2: Scan Configurations

This example sets up configMenu to manage different scan configurations:

Create scanConfigs.req:

file configMenu.req P=$(P),CONFIG=$(CONFIG)
file scan_settings.req P=$(P),S=scan1

Add to startup script:

dbLoadRecords("$(AUTOSAVE)/asApp/Db/configMenu.db","P=xxx:,CONFIG=scans")
# After iocInit:
create_manual_set("scanConfigs.req","P=xxx:,CONFIG=scans,CONFIGMENU=1")

Create configurations for different scan types:
- “quick” - fast, low-resolution scan
- “detailed” - slow, high-resolution scan
- “custom” - specialized scan parameters

Example 3: Driving configMenu from a Script

This example shows how to drive configMenu from a Python script using pyEpics:

import epics
import time

# Load a configuration
epics.caput("xxx:scan1Menu:loadConfigByName", "alignment")

# Wait for operation to complete
while epics.caget("xxx:scan1Menu:busy"):
    time.sleep(0.1)

# Do something with the loaded configuration
# ...

# Save the modified configuration with a new name
epics.caput("xxx:scan1Menu:saveConfigByName", "alignment_modified")

configMenu

Table of Contents

Overview

Key Features

Setup Instructions

1. Create a Request File

2. Load the configMenu Database

3. Create the Manual Set

4. Add to auto_settings.req (Optional)

5. Set Up CA Reconnect (Recommended for Remote PVs)

User Interface

configMenu_small.adl

configMenu.adl

configMenu_more.adl

PV Interface

Core PVs

Configuration PVs (for each index i=1-10)

Control PVs

Configuration Files

File Naming

File Format

Backup Files

Advanced Usage

Using Macros in Configuration Files

Driving configMenu from Other IOC Code

Using with ca_put_callback

Troubleshooting

Menu Not Updating

Cannot Save Configurations

Directory Listing Issues

Remote PV Issues

Examples

Example 1: Motor Positioning Configurations

Example 2: Scan Configurations

Example 3: Driving configMenu from a Script