Converting an EPICS R3.13 application to R3.14.0.beta1


This document describes how to convert a R3.13 vxWorks application so that it builds with release R3.14.0beta1.  It describes procedures such that:

Gnumake clean uninstall

First do a gnumake clean uninstall in the application's root directory to remove all files created by earlier builds.

Create a new R3.14 application

mkdir <top>
cd <top>
<full path to R3.14.0beta1 base>/bin/<host_arch>/makeBaseApp.pl -t example example

Copy all *App and iocBoot directories and files to the new <top> directory

cd <oldtop>
find *App iocBoot -print | cpio -pvmd <fullpath name to new top>

Modify <top>/configure/RELEASE

Copy definitions of external modules excluding EPICS_BASE and TEMPLATES_TOP from old application RELEASE file.
If sequence programs (*.st or *.stt files) exist in your application, add the SNCSEQ location definition for the R3.14 seq external module
SNCSEQ =<full path to seq module top>
The R3.14 seq module must exist and be built with EPICS base R3.14.0beta1.

Modify the Makefiles in <top>/*App directories.

Change     include $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_APP
to     include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG

Change     include $(TOP)/config/RULES_DIRS
to     include $(TOP)/configure/RULES_DIRS

Modify the Makefiles in <top>/*App/*Db directories.

Remove existing Makefile
Rename Makefile.Host to Makefile
Modify Makefile as follows:

Change     TOP=../../..
to     TOP=../..

Change    include $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_APP
to     include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG

Change     include $(TOP)/config/RULES.Db
to include $(TOP)/configure/RULES

Place all definitions between the include lines.

Place any rules after the last include line.

Modify the Makefiles in <top>/*App/src directories.

Remove existing Makefile
Rename Makefile.Host to Makefile
Modify Makefile as follows:

Change TOP=../../..
to     TOP=../..

Change     include $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_APP
to     include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG

Change     include $(TOP)/config/RULES.Host
to     include $(TOP)/configure/RULES

Change     PROD_LIBS = <name>
to     <prod name>_LIBS = dbStaticHost
where  <prod name> is a specifified product to be built.

Change  library name Db to dbStaticHost.
Change PROD_LIBS = Db
to  <prodname>_LIBS += dbStaticHost
and Db_DIR = $(EPICS_BASE_LIB)
to     dbStaticHost_DIR = $(EPICS_BASE_LIB)

Change     USER_DBDFLAGS
to     USR_DBDFLAGS

Change     RECTYPES +=  xxxRecord.h
to     DBDINC += xxxRecord

Change     DBDNAME = <name>App.dbd
to     DBD += <name>.dbd

Remove all DBDEXPAND  lines.

Change  PROD = <prodname>
to PROD_HOST = <prodname>

Change  SRCS.c += <name>
to <prodname>_SRCS += <name>
or <libname>_SRCS += <name>

Add the contents of Makefile.Vx to Makefile removing the include lines and the TOP definition.

Change     LIBNAME = <libname>Lib
to     PROD_vxWorks = <libname>

Remove line  -include ../baseLIBOBJS

Remove  line    INSTALLS = iocCore seq

Change all SRCS.c += ../<name>.c lines
to   <prodname>_SRCS += <name>.c
if the source files exist in the current directory.

Change all *OBJS += <name>.o      lines
to   <prodname>_SRCS += <name>.c
or  <prodname>_SRCS += <name>.cc
if the c/c++ source files exist in the current directory.

Change    LIBOBJS += <seq_program_name>.o      lines
to   <prodname>_SRCS += <seq_program_name>.stt
or  <prodname>_SRCS += <seq_program_name>.st

Add the lines

#<name>_LIBS += seq
#<name>_LIBS += pv
#seq_DIR    = $(SNCSEQ_LIB)
#pv_DIR     = $(SNCSEQ_LIB)

<name>_LIBS += recIoc
<name>_LIBS += softDevIoc
<name>_LIBS += testDevIoc
<name>_LIBS += iocsh
<name>_LIBS += miscIoc
<name>_LIBS += rsrvIoc
<name>_LIBS += dbtoolsIoc
<name>_LIBS += asIoc
<name>_LIBS += dbIoc
<name>_LIBS += registryIoc
<name>_LIBS += dbStaticIoc
<name>_LIBS += ca
<name>_LIBS += Com

where <name> is the  name in the PROD_vxWorks definition, and uncomment the first four lines if you have sequence programs (.st or .stt files) in the current directory.

Place all macro definitions between the include lines.

Place any rules after the last include line.

Modify the Makefiles in <top>/iocBoot directory.

Change include $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_APP
to     include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG

Remove the line DIRS += $(wildcard *ioc*)

Change include $(TOP)/config/RULES.iocBoot
to     include $(TOP)/configure/RULES.iocBoot

Modify the Makefiles in <top>/iocBoot/ioc* directories.

Change include $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_APP
to     include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG

Change include ARCH = <old arch specification e.g. mv167>
to     include ARCH = <new arch specificatio e.g. vxWorks-68040>

Change include $(TOP)/config/RULES.ioc
to     include $(TOP)/configure/RULES.ioc

Add the following rule at the end of the Makefile.

buildInstall: cdCommands

Modify st.cmd in <top>/iocBoot/ioc* directories.

Remove the lines
ld < seq
ld < iocCore
Change       ld < <libname>Lib
to      ld < <libname>.munch

Change  load statements  for db and dbd files from

cd startup
dbLoadDatabase("../../dbd/exampleApp.dbd")
dbLoadRecords("../../db/dbExample1.db","user=jba")
dbLoadRecords("../../db/dbExample2.db")
to
cd top
dbLoadDatabase("dbd/example.dbd")
registerRecordDeviceDriver(pdbbase)
dbLoadRecords("db/dbExample1.db","user=jba")
dbLoadRecords("db/dbExample2.db")

Record support changes

The steppermotor, scan, and pid records are no longer in base.  If these records are not used in your application, comment out references to them in base.dbd. If these record types are used at your site, they  should be downloaded and built with base R3.14 by your EPICS administrator. To update the R3.14 location of these record types in your application you must  add appropriate module definitions to your application's config/RELEASE file and change the LIBOBJS definitions.

For example add

         PID=<full path to modules directory>/pid

to config/RELEASE.
Remove

         LIBOBJS += $(EPICS_BASE_BIN)/pidRecord.o

from baseLIBOBJS, and add

LIBOBJS += $(PID_BIN)/pidRecord.o
to your application src/Makefile.
You should consider changing any existing old steppermotor records to the new EPICS  motor record  module supported by Beamline Controls and Data Acquisition at APS.

RecDynLink.o and devPtSoft changes

recDynLink.o and devPtSoft.o are no longer in EPICS base and now exist as separate EPICS modules.You must now add the appropriate module full path definitions to your application config/RELEASE file, and change LIBOBJS location definition $(EPICS_BASE_BIN) to the module definition bin directory in your application src directory files.  See "Hardware support changes" below for instructions.

Hardware support changes

All hardware support (dev, drv and dbd files) except soft support has been unbundled from base R3.14. This support includes the files symb.dbd, drvHp1404a.o, drvEpvxiMsg.o, and drvEpvxi.o. If these are not used by your application, comment out references to them in base.dbd.
Hardware support now exists as separate EPICS modules. The hardware support for your site should be downloaded and built with base R3.14 by your EPICS administrator. You must now add the appropriate module full path definitions to your application config/RELEASE file, and change LIBOBJS location from $(EPICS_BASE_BIN) to the module  bin directory in your application src directory files.

For example, remove

         LIBOBJS+=$(EPICS_BASE_BIN)/symb
from baseLIBOBJS and add
         LIBOBJS+=$(SYMB_BIN)/symb
to your application src/Makefile,
and add the line
SYMB=<full path definition for the built module SYMB>
into your application config/RELEASE file .

dbLoadtemplate tool changes

The host tool dbLoadTemplate has been replace by a new EPICS extension, msi, which should be downloaded and built with base R3.14 by your EPICS administrator. dbLoadTemplate is still supported on iocs.  If, in your application, db files are created from template and substitution files you should  add the definition

         EPICS_EXTENSIONS=<full path name to epics extensions directory>

to your application config/RELEASE file.