Using powrboot instrument support in an application
Several files need minor modifications to use powrboot instrument support in
an application.
- Add the full path to the powrboot support directory to the
application configure/RELEASE file:
powrboot=xxxx/modules/instrument/powrboot/<release>
Where <release> is the release number of of the powrboot support.
- Add instrument support to application database definition file
The application database definition file must include the database
definition files for the powrboot instrument and for any needed ASYN
drivers. There are two ways that this can be done:
- If you are building your application database definition file from
an xxxInclude.dbd file you include the additional database
definitions in that file:
include "base.dbd"
include "devpowrboot.dbd"
include "drvAsynIPPort.dbd"
- If you are building your application database definition file from
the application Makefile you specify the aditional database
definitions there:
xxx_DBD += base.dbd
xxx_DBD += devpowrboot.dbd
xxx_DBD += drvAsynIPPort.dbd
- Add the powrboot support libraries to the application
You must link the powrboot support library and the ASYN support library
with the application. Add the following lines:
xxx_LIBS += devpowrboot
xxx_LIBS += asyn
before the
xxx_LIBS += $(EPICS_BASE_IOC_LIBS)
in the application Makefile.
- Load the powrboot support database records in the application startup script:
cd $(powrboot) (cd powrboot if using the vxWorks shell)
dbLoadRecords("db/devpowrboot.db,"P=<P>,R=<R>,L=<L>,A=<A>")
You'll have to provide appropriate values for the PV name prefixes
(<P> and <R>), the link number (<L>) and the device address
(<A>). The link number must match the value specified in
an ASYN drvxxxxxConfigure command.
Installation and Building
After obtaining a copy of the distribution, it must be installed and built
for use at your site.
- Create an installation directory for the module. The path name
of this directory should end with modules/instrument/powrboot.
- Place the distribution file into this directory.
- Execute the following commands:
cd modules/instrument/powrboot
gunzip powrboot<release>.tar.gz
tar xvf powrboot<release>.tar
cd <release>
Where <release> is the release number of of the powrboot support.
- Edit the configure/RELEASE file and set the paths to your
installation of EPICS base and ASYN.
- Execute make in the top level directory.
Caution
This device employs a horrible communication protocol in which
every command results in the transfer of several hundred characters.
Scan these PVs only when absolutely necessary!