C_analyze, A Control Program for M_analyze

The program C_analyze serves to control the analysis
process of the MBS and ROOT based DAQ suite MARABOU.

Datasource, input file
MBS Control
Online Histograms
Output File
Parameter File
Commands
Adjustable parameters
Miscellaneous
Picture of a sample session


Picture of a sample session



Datasource, input file

When running Online the data source is a MBS system on a PowerPC 
running Lynx connected by TcpIp. All events will be requested 
(Sync mode).

Running Offline input may be from a ROOT file written in 
previous On- or Offline session. 

If no input files exist yet a fake mode may be used to produce 
a data file for testing of the M_analyze code. In this case 
in TUsrEvtReadout::Analyze() code may be added to fill fake data,
 e.g.:
if (gMrbAnalyze->IsFakeMode()) {
   dd1.fData[0] = gRandom->Gaus(10,2);
   dd1.fData[kE111] = gRandom->Integer(2);
}

Furthermore a list of ROOT files may be given which format
is described here .


Filelist
As input an ASCII file with a list of files can be given
(select Input source: Filelist). Its name must have the
extension .list. 
This file has the following format:

# input   first  number  param  histo       output
# file    event  of evs  file   file        file
#--------------------------------------------------------
    
run1.root  0        0   none    +           runs_1-6.root 
run2.root  0        0   -       +           +
run3.root  0        0   -       h_1-3.root  +

run5.root  0        0   -       +           +
run6.root  0        0   -       h_5-6.root  +

This list reads all events (0 means all) of each file. It
puts histograms for run 1 - 3 on one file and runs 5,6 on
a second one. All (selected) raw data are collected into
runs_1-6.root. No parameter file is used.

Note: Lines starting with # and empty lines are ignored.
+ means: keep writing on previous file, in case of the
histograms this means the memory mapped file. - means
keep previous definition.


MBS Control
C_analyze controls MBS processes running on Lynx processors.
Definition of the Lynx processors and trigger module type
is done by the combo box type input dialogs.
Other parameters and functions arr provided in the 
Mbs Control popup menu.

C_analyze uses for this rsh commands to start MBS and TcpIp
socket connections when MBS is running. C_analyze can be
used to compile the users readout function on the Lynx
processors.

The MBS control files (e.g. node_list.txt) must reside on
the users login directory on Lynx plus the path provided
in the Mbs Directory input field. Logging output of MBS
is written into file mbslog.l in this directory.


Online Histograms

Histograms may be stored in a memory mapped file which must
reside on a local filesystem (e.g. /tmp). The size of
this file should be adjusted to keep all histograms and
not wasting too much memory. 
Use of a memory mapped file can be avoided giving it the
name none. This saves memory needed for the
memory mapped file. It also saves CPU time needed to update
the histograms on the mapped file.
Histograms are saved at the end of a run automatically
with the name given. (e.g. hists_RUN.root where RUN 
will be replaced by the actual run number.)
Histograms may be saved periodically in intervalls
control from the Histogram popup menu.
(Default 300 sec).

If the mapped file exists at start of a new run filling of
histograms may continue on this file. The current contents
is saved in the same directory (e.g. /tmp) with the
name extended by _save.root.
If individual histograms should be cleared please consult
section on ResetHists 

Histograms can still be displayed online by HistPresent
running on the same or a different node. The command
Hists from M_analyze should be used for this. 
Also histograms are saved at the end of run.
Additionally a Save button is provided which can
only be activated if a run is paused.


Output File
M_analyze writes events in ROOT format as a ROOT trees.
This file can be analyzed by M_analyze itself, by a root 
macro or a special program like HistPresent. Data written
to a file is buffered in memory for reasons of efficiency.
However it is automatically saved when a presetable 
amount of data is collected. This value is controllled
by TUsrEvtReadout.AutoSave in the .rootrc file
the default is 10000000 bytes (i.e. 10 Mbytes). This
value should be adjusted to the event size and data rate
and the risc of a crash.


Parameter File
The name of a parameter file typically containing windows
and calibration functions used in the analysis may be passed
to M_analyze.


Commands
 
Clear MBS executes via rsh the command
/mbs/MbsVersion/script/mbsshutall.sc.

Configure  startsup on Lynx all the required processes
(Prompter, Transport etc.).

Start starts the M_analyze process on Linux and issues a
start acquisition on the Lynx side.

Pause stops acception of events on the Linux side. In
synchronous mode (the normal one) data taking on the Lynx
side will also stop when all buffers are filled.  It does
n o t yet issue an stop acquisition on the Lynx side as
it should be. This will be implemented eventually. This
that after resume events may still in the buffers. If
this is undisirable triggers should be inhibited by
hardware before the Pause.

Stop stops the current run, M_analyze closes output files
and exits. On the Lynx side collector and tranport are
restarted and the system is put in state Configured.

Quit ends the C_analyze session

ResetHist is explained here


Reset histograms
ResetHist resets all or selected histograms.
The selection mask is defined in the Histogram popup
menu.

If the user wants to reset individual histograms (while
continue filling others) it has to this in the  Analysis
program.
It   c a n n o t  be done at the place where histograms
are booked since restoring of the existing histograms
must happen later. Another way is a piece of code at
start of the  xxx::Analyze() at start of new run. Note
that a variable controlling this must be static.
e.g.
   static Int_t first_time = 0;
   if(first_time == 0){
      first_time = 1;
      hxx->Reset(); 
      ....

Adjustable parameters
The following parameters are adjustable from the 
Parameter popup menu.

No Event Warning Time
Time in seconds after which a warning is issued if 
no event arrives, default 20
Maximum output file size (Mbyte)
Currently Linux can handle files upto 2 GByte,
default 1800
Enable automatic restart after max file size

Time constant (seconds) in Avg Rate

Disk space warn limit (Mbyte)
A warning is issued at start of run if remaining
disc space is below this limit, default 200 Mbyte 
Disk space hard limit (Mbyte)
Start of run is refused if remaining
disc space is below this limit, default 100 Mbyte
 
Check disk quota
Enable above checks

C_analyse Verbose level
Force some debug printout.

Run M_analyse in debugger (0, 1, 2)

M_analyze can be run in a debugger (gdb). Selecting 
value 1 justs runs M_analyze within gdb. In case
of a crash gdb is invoked. Normal control of
M_analyze is enabled.
  
2 puts a breakpoint at main() i.e. the start of program 
to allow more breakpoints to be set. No control of
M_analyze is possible after start. This is for hard cases
normally only used offline.


Miscellaneous

Several checks are done at startup and during running.
Parameters like limits on required disk space (i.e. quota
and space left on output device) are adjustable from the
Parameter popup menu.

M_analyze fills a rate history of the last 300 seconds. On
the display the 0 label corresponds to now. Optionally a
deadtime histogram may be shown. For this to work a scaler
(hardware) must be provided and set up in the Config.C file 
which describes the experiment. For more details see Marabous 
home page.

C_analyze communicates with M_analyze by sending messages.
M_analyze writes its PID and status into a file
/var/tmp/M_analyze.PORT where PORT is the socket
number used for communication.

C_analyze remembers its parameters in an ASCII file
C_analyze.def (backed up to C_analyze.def.bck).