Re: "EPICS 3.16" versus "core/master"

[Andrew Johnson <anj@aps.anl.gov>]

Hi Ernest,

On 04/24/2018 07:21 PM, Williams Jr., Ernest L. wrote:
> I'm back again with a bit of a follow up question regarding EPICS 7.
> 
> Currently, we are deploying EPICS R3.15.x for LCLS II and other new
> projects.
> 
> As we are wanting to focus some time and investment on EPICS PVA; which
> version of BASE do you recommend we use and focus on?

That depends whether you want to make use of the new features and
functionality. For writing code that calls the PVA libraries to
implement your own clients and/or servers the underlying Base version
shouldn't matter much (so 3.16 or even 3.15 should be fine), but if
you're developing IOCs and want to use the new IOC APIs (link support,
groups in QSRV etc.) then you'll want to start from EPICS 7.

> Basically, what is going in "core/master" that won't be appearing in
> 3.16 with respect to EPICS PVA?
> 
> What is an approximate schedule for actually creating the 7.x branch in
> base?

So core/master *is* the branch for EPICS 7 currently. We have agreed to
re-combine the four */master branches into a single branch which I guess
should probably be called 7.0, although we haven't actually discussed
that in the Core group yet. Michael has already pushed a 'reconstituted'
branch to his github area, but I haven't looked at it myself yet and
don't know if anyone else has either. I have added this topic to our
agenda for our up-coming face-to-face meeting in 2 weeks time, and I
could see it happening then or soon afterwards.

> PS: We have been working internally and with Timo for feature requests
> that we have in common with respect to EPICS PVA.

Great; the Core group will have time to discuss ideas in 2 weeks.

HTH,

- Andrew

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