javaIOC

[Marty Kraimer <mrkraimer@comcast.net>]

A new release of the javaIOC is ready. It is available at:

http://epics-doc.desy.de/ioc/javaIOC/index.html

I have attached a short  file describing the major new features since 
the last release.

Marty Kraimer

Title: No title

Status javaIOC
2008.09.23

A new release of the javaIOC is now available.See JavaIOC

The following sections briefly describe the major new features since the last release.

With the addition of the _expression_ support the javaIOC is usable as a soft IOC. Note that the previous release included both client and server code for communication with EPICS.

Simplified Database

The database and the XML parsers have been changed as follows:

record instance

When a record instance is being created, new fields can be appended to a structure.

recordType

Record types no longer exist. The ability to append new fields to a structure removes the need for record types.

DBDDefinition

Previously there were two XML parsers. One for Database Definitions and another for record instances. There is now only one which accepts definitions for structure, create, support, and record.

structure generic

This is a structure with no fields and generic support. It can be used to create record instances equivalent to records created from all of the previously defined record types.

A simple example of a record instance is:

<record name = "simple">
  <value type = "double" />
</record>

This is a record instance that has a single field named value of type double.

As a more complicated example consider the following:

<record name = "notQuiteAsSimple">
    <value type = "double" />
    <alarm structureName = "alarm" />
    <timeStamp structureName = "timeStamp" />
    <display structureName = "display" />
    <input structureName = "inputSupport">
        <pvname>somePV</pvname>
    </input>
    <scan structureName = "scan">
        <type><choice>periodic</choice></type>
        <rate>1.0</rate>
    </scan>
</record>

This example has the following fields:

value

A scalar field of type double

alarm

A structure field with support for alarms.

timeStamp

A structure that holds a timeStamp.

input

A structure with support that reads data from another record named somePV.

scan

A structure with support that will ask this record to process once a second.

calc support

Support is implemented for calculating scalar expressions. The syntax is the same as a java _expression_. The result is assigned to the value field. The java types boolean, byte, short, int, long, float, and double are supported. All java Math functions are supported. The ?: operator is supported. Java constants are supported including Math.PI and Math.E. The following are legal expressions:

value + 1

A counter that adds 1 to the value field

(value+1<=10)?(value+1):0

A counter that counts from 0 to 10

(value+inc<=max)?(value+inc):min

A counter that increments by inc between min and max

(register|mask)&0xfff0

example bitwise operations.

Math.sin(2.0*Math.PI*x)

The sin of a number where 0 to 1 means 0 to 360 degrees.

a + b*(c + d/5.0) + x*(y + 1e4)

Just some rather complex _expression_

VXI11 portDriver

A portDriver for VXI11 has been implemented but not tested that implements the VXI11 network protocal. One of the next goals is to support STREAM protocal files and simple network devices like the MOXA terminal servers. When this is done the javaIOC can be used as a soft IOC as well as for communication with serial and gpib and other message based devices.