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mrfioc2

mrfioc2 is an EPICS device support for the Micro Research Finland (MRF) timing system (in short mrfioc2 driver). The mrfioc2 enables us to configure and use the event generators and event receivers in the timing system. It comprises of EPICS device support for MRF timing system and uses devlib2 with additional kernel modules (eg. PCIe) for communication with the hardware.

This project is a continued development from the original mrfioc2 driver available on GitHub

Documentation

The documentation is available in the documentation folder:

  • evr_manual.pdf is a manual describing how event receiver works and how to configure it. It also provides some general information on the mrfioc2 driver.
  • tutorial.pdf contains a set of tutorials that instruct the user on how to set up and use an event receiver. Mind that the tutorials are tailored to PSI users, though the functionality and settings of the event receiver are the same.
  • oldDocs folder contains the old documentation from the original mrfioc2 driver.
  • doxy folder contains the generated doxygen documentation. For information on how to generate it, inspect readme in documentation folder.

Quick start (PSI)

To set up an IOC application for EVR we need to set up a startup script and a substitution file matching the timing card form factor. Suitable ones are available in the PSI/example folder:

For example, to set up a basic IOC for use with EVR-VME-300 timing card, user should:

  • prepare a switable IOC structure in a TOP folder (where TOP is your project folder)

  • copy PSI/example/evr_VME-300.subs to TOP/cfg/EVR0.subs

  • configure parameters of the EVR by setting macros in TOP/cfg/EVR0.subs. Individual parameters are described in documentation/evr_manual.pdf, and tutorials for various scenarios are available in documentation/tutorial.pdf.

  • It is important to check if macro DlyCompensation-Source-I in TOP/cfg/EVR0.subs points to the correct record! See the documentation next to the macro in TOP/cfg/EVR0.subs or EVR manual for details.

  • add the following to your startup script (available in PSI/example/evr_VME_startup.script):

      require mrfioc2

  ##########################
  #-----! EVR Setup ------!#
  ##########################
  ## The following parameters are available to set up the device. They can either be set as an epics environmental variable, or passed as a macro to the 'runScript' command:
  
  # The following macros are available to set up the mrfioc2:
  # SYS 			 is used as a prefix for all records.
  # DEVICE		 is the event receiver / timing card name. (default: EVR0)
  # EVR_SLOT		 is the VME crate slot where EVR is inserted. (default: 3)
  # EVR_MEMOFFSET	 is the base A32 address (default: 0x3000000)
  # EVR_IRQLINE 	 is the interrupt level. (default: 0x5)
  # EVR_IRQVECT	 is the interrupt vector (default: 0x26)
  # EVR_SUBS       is the path to the substitution file that should be loaded. (default: cfg/$(DEVICE).subs=cfg/EVR0.subs)
  #                The following macros can be used to load example substitution files already available in the mrfioc2 module:
  #                EVR_SUBS=$(mrfioc2_DB)/evr_VME-300.subs      for EVR-VME-300 device series
  #                EVR_SUBS=$(mrfioc2_DB)/evr_VME-230.subs      for EVR-VME-230 device series
  
  runScript $(mrfioc2_DIR)/mrfioc2_evr-VME.cmd, "SYS=MTEST-VME-TIMINGTEST, DEVICE=EVR0, EVR_SLOT=3, EVR_MEMOFFSET=0x3000000, EVR_IRQLINE=0x5"

  • use swit -V to deploy the IOC

  • run the GUI by issuing the following command: start_EVR.sh -s MTEST-VME-TIMINGTEST

This example shows how to set up a basic IOC for use with EVG-VME-300 timing card:

  • prepare a switable IOC structure in a TOP folder (where TOP is your project folder)

  • copy PSI/example/evg_VME-300.subs to TOP/cfg/EVG0.subs

  • configure parameters of the EVG by setting macros in TOP/cfg/EVG0.subs. Parameters are described inside the file.

  • add the following to your startup script (available in PSI/example/evg_VME_startup.script):

      require mrfioc2


  ##########################
  #-----! EVG Setup ------!#
  ##########################
  ## The following parameters are available to set up the device. They can either be set as an epics environmental variable, or passed as a macro to the 'runScript' command:
  
  # The following macros are available to set up the mrfioc2:
  # SYS            is used as a prefix for all records.
  # DEVICE         is the event generator / timing card name. (default: EVG0)
  # EVG_SLOT       is the VME crate slot where the card is inserted. (default: 2)
  # EVG_MEMOFFSET  is the base A24 address (default: 0x0)
  # EVG_IRQLINE    is the interrupt level. (default: 0x2)
  # EVG_IRQVECT    is the interrupt vector (default: 0x1)
  # EVG_SUBS       is the path to the substitution file that should be loaded. (default: cfg/$(DEVICE).subs=cfg/EVG0.subs)
  #                The following macros can be used to load example substitution files already available in the mrfioc2 module:
  #                EVG_SUBS=$(mrfioc2_DB)/evg_VME-300.subs      for EVM-VME-300 device series
  #                EVG_SUBS=$(mrfioc2_DB)/evg_VME-300-fout.subs for EVM-VME-300 operating as a fanout
  #                EVG_SUBS=$(mrfioc2_DB)/evg_VME-230.subs      for EVG-VME-230 device series
  # MON-PORTS      will only take effect when using health monitoring as configured in evg_VME-300.subs and evg_VME-300-fout.subs substitution files.
  #                This macro selects which ports (SFP 0 - SFP 8) on the device will be monitored for health status. Macro is used as a binary selection of ports. (default: 0x00 = do not monitor SFPs)
  #                Examples:
  #                  MON-PORTS = 0x00  -> do not monitor SFPs
  #                  MON-PORTS = 0x01  -> monitor SFP 0
  #                  MON-PORTS = 0x02  -> monitor SFP 1
  #                  MON-PORTS = 0x03  -> monitor SFP 0 and SFP 1
  #                  MON-PORTS = 0x04  -> monitor SFP 2
  #                  MON-PORTS = 0x85  -> monitor SFP 0, SFP 2 and SFP 8
  #                  MON-PORTS = 0x80  -> monitor SFP 8
  #
  
  runScript $(mrfioc2_DIR)/mrfioc2_evg-VME.cmd, "SYS=MTEST-VME-TIMINGTEST, DEVICE=EVG0, EVG_SLOT=2, EVG_MEMOFFSET=0x000000, EVG_IRQLINE=0x2, MON-PORTS=0x00"

  • use swit -V to deploy the IOC

  • run the GUI by issuing the following command: start_EVG.sh -s MTEST-VME-TIMINGTEST

Using the application

As with any EPICS application, build procedure produces all the necessary database files and an IOC for each architecture built. An example application for the linux-x86_64 architecture is available in iocBoot folder. For more details inspect the evr_manual.pdf available in the documentation folder.

GUIs are available:

  • evgMrmApp/opi/EVG/ contains the caQtDm GUI for event generator (event master)
  • evrMrmApp/opi/EVR/ contains the caQtDm GUI for event receiver and health monitor for EVR.

Each folder contains a readme file which explains how to run the GUIs.

PSI

Example substitution files and startup scripts are available in the PSI/example folder. For more details inspect the evr_manual.pdf and tutorial.pdf available in the documentation folder.

Supported hardware

  • EVG VME-230: VME-230 form factor event generator. (tested and working)
  • EVG VME-300: VME-300 form factor event master / event generator. (check known issues)
  • EVG cPCI-230: cPCI-230 form factor event generator (not tested, no GUI)
  • EVR VME-230: VME-230 form factor event receiver. (tested and working)
  • EVR VME-300: VME-300 form factor event receiver. (check known issues)
  • EVR PCIe-300: PCIe-300 form factor event receiver. (tested and working)
  • EVR PCIe-300DC: PCIe-300 form factor event receiver with newer hardware and delay compensation support. (check known issues)
  • EVR cPCI-230: cPCI-230 form factor event receiver (not tested, no GUI)
  • Embedded EVR in EVG VME-300 (no interrupt support, check known issues)

mrfioc2 driver supports the following official hardware firmware versions:

  • for delay compensation capable hardware:
    • EVG VME-300 firmware version 0x20701 or greater
    • EVR VME-300 firmware version 0x20706 or greater
    • EVR PCIe-300DC firmware version 0x20706 or greater
    • Embedded EVR firmware version 0x20700 or greater
  • for modular register map capable hardware (firmware versions below 0x20000):
    • EVG VME-230, EVG cPCI-230 firmware version 0x3 or greater
    • EVR PCIe-300, EVR cPCI-230 firmware version 0x3 or greater
    • EVR VME-230 firmware version 0x4 or greater

When non-supported firmware is detected, the driver still loads and offers ability to flash the device. Be warned, that improperly flashing the device might render it unusable, specially if errors at boot-up are present! For more information inspect the evr_manual.pdf available in the documentation folder.

Known issues

  • firmware version 207:
    • none
  • [not supported] firmware version 204:
    • [fixed in revision 1] issue with data buffer receptions skips observed. Problem was tracked down to hardware issue on the sending side.
    • [fixed in revision 1] EVR-VME-300 rear outputs: mapping two sources to an output does not work
    • data buffer sending does not work if delay compensation is disabled.
    • EVR-PCIe-300DC inputs not tested
    • EVR-PCIe-300 not tested with this version
    • EVG-VME-300 event clock source 'recovered / 2' does not fully work yet (problem with events/data buffer reception and delay compensation calculation)
    • EVG-VME-300 event clock source 'internal fanout, external upstream' was not fully tested.
  • [not supported] 300-series hardware with firmware version 202:
    • some EVR-PCIe-300 devices with firmware version 202 do not work at 142.876 MHz event clock. They were tested, and were working, at 125 MHz event clock.
    • mapping two output sources to one output was not tested on EVR-PCIe-300 devices.
    • data buffer sending does not work if delay compensation is disabled.
    • in addition to the normal segmented data buffer operation, data buffer interrupt also gets triggered by the control logic that was used in older hardware. This in turn means reduced performance, since data buffer handling is triggered when there is no data buffer update. Awaiting firmware fix.
    • CML: only frequency mode works, since hardware addresses which store patterns are currently not accessible.
    • EVM-VME-300: Input registers for FrontInp0 and FrontInp2 are linked together in hardware. Awaiting firmware fix.
    • EVR-PCIe-300 inputs not tested

Dependencies

Optional:

For building the documentation (for more information inspect readme in documentation folder):

  • Inkscape tool for converting svg image format to pdf format.
  • LaTeX environment (pdflatex, bibtex) to build the documentation from latex source to pdf format.
  • doxygen for generating documentation from source code

Building from scratch

The mrfioc2 driver is structured as an ordinary EPICS application. In order to build it from source:

  • clone the sources from git repository by running command git clone [email protected]:epics_drivers/mrfioc2.git, which creates a top folder called mrfioc2.
  • update files in mrfioc2/configure folder to match your system, and to include additional libraries to be build together with the driver (eg. set paths in configure/RELEASE).
  • run make -f Makefile in the mrfioc2 folder.

Outputs of the build command are:

  • Libraries

    • libevgMrm.so is event generator/event master (EVM) library
    • libevrMrm.so is event receiver (EVG) library
    • libmrfCommon.so is required by EVG and EVM and contains common functions and definitions (eg. device support object model)
    • libmrmShared.so contains code shared between EVG and EVM, thus required by both. It also contains kernel modules required by the mrfioc2 driver.

  • IOC for each architecture that is build using the above libraries, and any other included from configure/RELEASE

  • Database files

PSI

Building the driver on the PSI infrastructure is a bit different, since it leverages the driver.makefile. In order to build it:

  • clone the sources from git repository by running command git clone [email protected]:epics_drivers/mrfioc2.git, which creates a top folder called mrfioc2.
  • run make in the mrfioc2 folder on the build server.
  • run 'make db' to create database files
  • to install the driver run make install in the mrfioc2 folder on the build server.

The driver builds as a single library, which can be loaded using require to your IOC. Installation process also copies all the necessary support files (eg. templates) to the appropriate module folder. For more options inspect driver.makefile and require documentation available at the PSI wiki.

Development workflow

We follow the workflow as described in gitflow. In a nutshell this means:

  • The master branch stores the official release history.
  • The develop branch serves as an integration branch for new features.
  • New features are implemented in a feature branch which should branch off the develop branch. The contributing developers should push their local feature branch to the server and issue a merge request.
  • New releases are prepared in a dedicated release-* branch.

Kernel sources

mrfioc2 driver uses a special kernel module for communication with hardware. Sources of the mrf.ko kernel module are available in mrmShared/linux.

Authors

Original driver developers:

Please send an e-mail to [email protected] if anyone is missing!

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