Skip to content

Commit 03d9cfd

Browse files
Update hexagon
1 parent 4562d63 commit 03d9cfd

File tree

1 file changed

+6
-2
lines changed

1 file changed

+6
-2
lines changed

doc/specific_iocs/CAEN-Hexagon.md

Lines changed: 6 additions & 2 deletions
Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,13 +1,17 @@
11
# CAEN Hexagon (MUX Data Acquisition Electronics)
22

3-
The CAEN hexagon is the data acquisition used on MUX. It is currently controlled by the CAENMCA IOC (`CAENMCA_01`). There are two hexagon hardware boxes, but are controlled from a single IOC so they are stopped and started at the same time. They also run their DAE in simulation mode to log sample environment data, then the CAEN syncs run number with the DAE and writes its own data files. So you will have the usual log and nxs file as per an instrument plus some extra bin and nxs files from the hexagon. The hexagon raw `.bin` files currently have a rather strange timestamp due to a clock issue in the hardware.
3+
The CAEN hexagon is the data acquisition used on MUX. It is currently controlled by the CAENMCA IOC (`CAENMCA_01`). There are two hexagon hardware boxes, but these are controlled from a single IOC so both hardware stops and starts at the same time. They will look to be runnign their ISISICP DAE in simulation mode - this is purely to log sample environment data, recently from a mclennan rotation stage. The CAEN IOC syncs run number with the simulated DAE and also writes its own data files. So you will have the usual log and nxs file as per an instrument plus some extra bin and nxs files from the hexagon. The hexagon raw `.bin` files currently have a rather strange timestamp due to a clock issue in the hardware.
44

55
Data is published to the usual instrument network archive, but to the `autoreduced` subfolder
66

7-
scripting currently has some extra `begin_hexagons` and `end_hexagons` commands defined in the local python to start/stop acquisition - this also begins a usual run, so do not use normal begin commands. Do not use `begin` and `end` - this will just start a simulated DAE run, use the special hexagon commands mentioned previously.
7+
The hexagon runs in event mode (which it calls list mode). It is runnign embedded linux and generates a file locally, this local disk is served via samba and looks like a windows network share. At the end of acquisition the CAEN IOC copies files from the hexagin onto the local computer, runs a script to convert these `.bin` to `.nxs`, then archives both sets of files.
8+
9+
Scripting currently has some extra `begin_hexagons` and `end_hexagons` commands defined in the local python to start/stop acquisition - this also begins a usual simulated DAE run, so **do not** use normal begin and `end`, use the special hexagon commands instead.
810

911
## Troubleshooting
1012

1113
Sometimes the hexagon loses connection with the IOC, this can be due to a hexagon spontaneous reboot or it may have hung. If you see errors like `exception in pollerTask: CAENMCA::GetData(): Generic error` then
1214
- try an IOC restart
1315
- try a hexagon power cycle then an IOC restart
16+
17+
After a hexgon power cycle, a regsiter needs to be set on the hexagon using the CAEN MCA2 software to make the event/list mode work properly. The scientists know about this and will do this.

0 commit comments

Comments
 (0)