Instrument Control System Features Created on the Basis of the X11/OS-9 Package
A. Kirilov and J. Heinitz
Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics
Two identical copies of VME-based accumulation, control and supervising system are
now used at the NSHR and the SKAT texture diffractometers at beam 7a of the pulsed
reactor IBR-2 of the FLNP/JINR.
The general features of these systems are:
- direct diffractometer management by the VME-computer in the experimental hall;
- remote supervising and control possibilities via the local network;
- possibility of running experiments in spite of network failures or switch off;
- modern window-styled graphical user interface;
- spectra visualization during measurements;
- ease of extending to handle new experimental equipment;
- ease of making changes in the experimental procedure.
We decided not to split the software complex into "interface" and "development" parts.
The VME-computer is used to control the measurement. The X11/OS-9 package is not only
used as a nice user interface but mainly as the whole complex environment.
The report is devoted to show how this solution has influenced the complex structure and
to point out the benefits of this approach..
(posted 15-Oct-97 jw)