First Tests of a GTL-Prototype-Card using
XDAQ
S. Kostner, J. Strauss and A. Taurok (Hephy, Vienna)
with help from J. Gutleber (CERN)
Environment
●
Linux PC running XDAQ
●
National VME Interface
●
VME Crate
●
GTL-Conversion-Card (6U)
Environment
for test of GTL-Conversion Card
VME-Bus
GTL-Conversion Card
MXI Cable
VME-MXI-2
VME-MXI-2
Crate Controller
VME Crate
Linux PC running XDAQ
equipped with PCI-MXI Card
GTL-Conversion-Card (6U)
●
VME Connector
●
ALTERA VME Chip
●
5 XILINX Conversion Chips (which have to be
configured via VME)
Altera VME Chip
VME
Connector
to
Backplane
Programmable
Xilinx
Chips
Configuration Procedure
Only the ALTERA Chip understands VME.
XILINX Chips receive commands from, and are
configured by the ALTERA Chip.
The configuration file has to be written bit by bit to
a program register in the ALTERA Chip.
Other Components
VME crate is connected to a Linux PC via a crate
controller and a PCI-MXI-2 Board (National Instruments).
A National Instruments - VXI/VISA driver is used to
access the PCI-MXI Board.
VME-MXI-2
Crate
Controler
VME Crate
GTLConversion
Card
C++ Hardware Access Library (HAL)
...is included in XDAQ package
●
VMEDevice()
●
MXI2x86LinuxBusAdapter()
●
NIVXI driver
●
PCI MXI Card
(shown in Figure 1 of HAL Documentation)
●
Simple read and write commands are available
–
Note: HAL can be used without XDAQ
HAL
(XDAQ plugin)
VMEDevice
(MXI2x86LinuxBusAdapter)
(Linux NIVXI driver)
Source: HAL Documentation
XDAQ Framework
●
Process running on PC with hardware connection
(described above)
●
The XDAQ application is realized as plugin
which is loaded into XDAQ at runtime (only the
plugin has to be compiled).
●
●
XDAQ and its plugin is controlled by the tool
XDAQWIN which sends messages to XDAQ via
http.
The configuration of XDAQWIN is specified by
the user which has to provide a XML file.
XDAQ Framework
XdaqWin
XML
XDAQ
executive
XDAQ with running user-plugin
VME
GTL-Conversion
VXI
Controller
HTTP
VME Crate
Time flow of a xdaqWin command
XDAQWin
XDAQ executive
1
click "configure"
2 configure
user plugin
3
ready 4
5
next command
configure()
{
... //configure HW
}
Conclusions
●
●
A simple configuration example was realized
using XDAQ and HAL.
Code will be made available (by J.Gutleber);
it is a realistic example for a first contact with XDAQ.