Experimental Physics and
Industrial Control System

Folks,

 

I am changing the synApps “dxp” module that supports spectroscopy electronics from XIA. 

 

These are the proposed enhancements:

 

-          Switch to the new version of the XIA Handel library which is 64-bit compatible.  The version currently used is not 64-bit safe, and so one must build for a 32-bit EPICS_HOST_ARCH, e.g win32-x86 or linux-x86.

-          Add support for the MicroDXP, which is a board-level module embedded in detectors from Ketek and in some Vortex electronics from Hitachi.

 

These are the proposed changes that will remove support for some older models.  The new version of the Handel library no longer supports these models.

 

-          Remove support for the DXP4C2X, which is the very old CAMAC module.  I suspect no one is still using this?

-          Remove support for the EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) interface to the old Vortex and Saturn modules.  Some old Vortex blue boxes from Radiant only supported the EPP interface.  It is getting very hard to find computers that still support the EPP interface, and the third-party Windows software used (DLPORTIO) is no longer supported and is only available in a 32-bit version.  Is anyone still using the EPP interface?

-          Remove support for the USB-1.0 interface to the old Saturn modules.  The third-party Windows software is no longer supported and is only available in 32-bit version.  Is anyone still using the USB 1.0 interface, and if so on Linux or Windows?

 

I would like to hear if these changes will adversely impact anyone, i.e. are you still using these older models?  If so I could try to merge the support into the new Handel library, at least on Linux.

 

USB-2.0 will continue to be supported for the Vortex, Saturn, Mercury, and MicroDXP.  The xMAP will also continue to be supported on Windows.  There is a separate repository (dxpSITORO) for the FalconX models from XIA.

 

Thanks,

Mark