Experimental Physics and
Industrial Control System

I think I have something that will work for you. This is my most recent version of a 16 position ‘positioner’ menu:

There are two database templates. The first one includes the second one multiple times, once for each position:

############################################################################
# 
# Positioner template for 16 positions.
# This is used for the sample stages and typically will be populated with pre-defined 
# sets of positions. 
#
# It makes use of the common positioner records in positioner_position.template.
#
# Macros:
# S - base PV name (eg. CG3:Mot:Sample)
# MOT - real motor PV (eg. CG3:Mot:scx)
# P0 to P15 - the 16 positions (optional, default is -1000.0)
# D0 to D15 - the 16 descriptions (optional, default is '')
# PREC - display precision
# TOLERANCE - used to determine position
# EGU - mm or deg
# POS_ASG - the ASG level for the position and descriptions (default is DEFAULT)
# AUTOSAVE - set this to " " to enable autosave of the positions and descriptions

# ///
# /// Instantiate the position records (0-15)
# ///
substitute "POS=0"
substitute "NEXTPOS=1"
substitute "POSITION=$(P0=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D0='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=1"
substitute "NEXTPOS=2"
substitute "POSITION=$(P1=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D1='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=2"
substitute "NEXTPOS=3"
substitute "POSITION=$(P2=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D2='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=3"
substitute "NEXTPOS=4"
substitute "POSITION=$(P3=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D3='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=4"
substitute "NEXTPOS=5"
substitute "POSITION=$(P4=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D4='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=5"
substitute "NEXTPOS=6"
substitute "POSITION=$(P5=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D5='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=6"
substitute "NEXTPOS=7"
substitute "POSITION=$(P6=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D6='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=7"
substitute "NEXTPOS=8"
substitute "POSITION=$(P7=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D7='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=8"
substitute "NEXTPOS=9"
substitute "POSITION=$(P8=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D8='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=9"
substitute "NEXTPOS=10"
substitute "POSITION=$(P9=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D9='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=10"
substitute "NEXTPOS=11"
substitute "POSITION=$(P10=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D10='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=11"
substitute "NEXTPOS=12"
substitute "POSITION=$(P11=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D11='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=12"
substitute "NEXTPOS=13"
substitute "POSITION=$(P12=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D12='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=13"
substitute "NEXTPOS=14"
substitute "POSITION=$(P13=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D13='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=14"
substitute "NEXTPOS=15"
substitute "POSITION=$(P14=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D14='')"
include "positioner_position.template"
substitute "POS=15"
substitute "NEXTPOS=16"
substitute "POSITION=$(P15=-1000.0)"
substitute "DESC=$(D15='')"
include "positioner_position.template"

# ///
# /// Record to check which position the motor is at.
# /// -1 will mean 'Undefined'
# ///
record(longin, "$(S):Pos") {
  field(LOW, "-1")
  field(LSV, "MINOR")
  info(archive, "Monitor, 00:00:01, VAL")
}

# ///
# /// Record to hold the description of the current position 
# ///
record(stringin, "$(S):Desc") {
  field(PINI, "YES")
  field(VAL, " ")
}

# ///
# /// Description for this current positioner set. This may be 
# /// manually set or set when populating the positioner from a 
# /// table_position template.
# ///
record(stringout, "$(S):Description") {
  field(PINI, "YES")
  field(VAL, " ")
  info(autosaveFields, "VAL")
}

# ///
# /// Calculate which position (and the corresponding description) we are at (if any)
# ///
record(bo, "$(S):Recalculate") {
  field(FLNK, "$(S):TriggerCalcs")
}
record(bi, "$(S):TriggerCalcs") {
  field(INP, "$(MOT).RBV CP MS")
  field(PINI, "YES")
  field(FLNK, "$(S):SetTempPos")
}
record(longout, "$(S):SetTempPos") {
  field(VAL, "-1")
  field(OUT, "$(S):TempPos PP")
  field(FLNK, "$(S):SetTempDesc")
}
record(stringout, "$(S):SetTempDesc") {
  field(VAL, " ")
  field(OUT, "$(S):TempDesc PP")
  field(FLNK, "$(S):Pos0Calc")
}
record(longin, "$(S):TempPos") {
  field(VAL, "-1")
}
record(stringin, "$(S):TempDesc") {
  field(VAL, " ")
}
record(calcout, "$(S):Pos15Calc") {
  field(DESC, "Trigger WritePos")
  field(FLNK, "$(S):WritePos")  
}
record(dfanout, "$(S):WritePos") {
  field(DOL, "$(S):TempPos MS")
  field(OMSL, "closed_loop")
  field(OUTA, "$(S):Pos.VAL PP")
  field(FLNK, "$(S):WriteDesc")
}
record(stringout, "$(S):WriteDesc") {
  field(OMSL, "closed_loop")
  field(DOL, "$(S):TempDesc MS")
  field(OUT, "$(S):Desc.VAL PP")
}

# ///
# /// Select among preset positions and move $(MOT) there
# /// 
record(mbbo, "$(S):Menu") {
  field(ZRVL, "0")
  field(ONVL, "1")
  field(TWVL, "2")
  field(THVL, "3")
  field(FRVL, "4")
  field(FVVL, "5")
  field(SXVL, "6")
  field(SVVL, "7")
  field(EIVL, "8")
  field(NIVL, "9")
  field(TEVL, "10")
  field(ELVL, "11")
  field(TVVL, "12")
  field(TTVL, "13")
  field(FTVL, "14")
  field(FFVL, "15")
  field(ZRST, "Out")
  field(ONST, "Pos 1")
  field(TWST, "Pos 2")
  field(THST, "Pos 3")
  field(FRST, "Pos 4")
  field(FVST, "Pos 5")
  field(SXST, "Pos 6")
  field(SVST, "Pos 7")
  field(EIST, "Pos 8")
  field(NIST, "Pos 9")
  field(TEST, "Pos 10")
  field(ELST, "Pos 11")
  field(TVST, "Pos 12")
  field(TTST, "Pos 13")
  field(FTST, "Pos 14")
  field(FFST, "Pos 15")
  field(FLNK, "$(S):MenuSel")
  info(autosaveFields_pass0, "VAL")
  info(archive, "Monitor, 00:00:01, VAL")
}
record(calcout, "$(S):MenuSel") {
  field(INPA, "$(S):Menu NPP MS")
  field(CALC, "(A>=0)&&(A<=9)?A+1:0")
  field(DOPT, "Use CALC")
  field(OOPT, "When Non-zero")
  field(OUT, "$(S):PosGoList.SELN PP")
  field(FLNK, "$(S):MenuSel2")
}
record(calcout, "$(S):MenuSel2") {
  field(INPA, "$(S):Menu NPP MS")
  field(CALC, "(A>=10)&&(A<=15)?(A-9):0")
  field(DOPT, "Use CALC")
  field(OOPT, "When Non-zero")
  field(OUT, "$(S):PosGoList2.SELN PP")
}
record(sseq, "$(S):PosGoList") {
  field(SELM, "Specified")
  field(WAIT1, "Wait")
  field(WAIT2, "Wait")
  field(WAIT3, "Wait")
  field(WAIT4, "Wait")
  field(WAIT5, "Wait")
  field(WAIT6, "Wait")
  field(WAIT7, "Wait")
  field(WAIT8, "Wait")
  field(WAIT9, "Wait")
  field(WAITA, "Wait")
  field(DOL1, "1")
  field(DOL2, "1")
  field(DOL3, "1")
  field(DOL4, "1")
  field(DOL5, "1")
  field(DOL6, "1")
  field(DOL7, "1")
  field(DOL8, "1")
  field(DOL9, "1")
  field(DOLA, "1")
  field(LNK1, "$(S):Pos0Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK2, "$(S):Pos1Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK3, "$(S):Pos2Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK4, "$(S):Pos3Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK5, "$(S):Pos4Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK6, "$(S):Pos5Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK7, "$(S):Pos6Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK8, "$(S):Pos7Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK9, "$(S):Pos8Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNKA, "$(S):Pos9Go.PROC CA")
  field(FLNK, "$(S):Recalculate")
}
record(sseq, "$(S):PosGoList2") {
  field(SELM, "Specified")
  field(WAIT1, "Wait")
  field(WAIT2, "Wait")
  field(WAIT3, "Wait")
  field(WAIT4, "Wait")
  field(WAIT5, "Wait")
  field(WAIT6, "Wait")
  field(DOL1, "1")
  field(DOL2, "1")
  field(DOL3, "1")
  field(DOL4, "1")
  field(DOL5, "1")
  field(DOL6, "1")
  field(LNK1, "$(S):Pos10Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK2, "$(S):Pos11Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK3, "$(S):Pos12Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK4, "$(S):Pos13Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK5, "$(S):Pos14Go.PROC CA")
  field(LNK6, "$(S):Pos15Go.PROC CA")
  field(FLNK, "$(S):Recalculate")
}

On Oct 21, 2019, at 2:04 PM, Davis, Mark via Tech-talk <[email protected]> wrote:

Hi all,

I have a new task that I figured those of you with much more experience 
crafting clever record logic could help with:


The components that need to be supported:

     A record for some device to which setpoints stored in other 
records are to be written (e.g. a motor record).

     A string value that provides a description of the current readback 
of the device record.

     Pairs of numeric and string values.   For each pair, the number 
represents one of the setpoints an operator can chose to have written to 
the device record and the string represents a user-readable description 
of what the associated number represents (e.g. the thickness or type of 
material to place in the path of the beam, the size of a whole in a 
metal plate, etc).

     The operators can change the string (and possibly the numeric) 
values whenever they want.  Changes must be persistent (i.e. changes are 
saved to a file and restored when the IOC restarts, probably using 
autosave).

     Logic that monitors the current readback of the device record. 
Whenever the position is close to (within some specified deadband) of 
the numeric value in one of the numeric/string pairs, it copies the 
associated string to the one that describes the current readback.  When 
the readback is NOT close to one of the numeric values, it will write 
something like "Invalid position" to the description string.

     And of course it has to be relatively simple for the person 
configuring the IOC to change the # of numeric/string pairs supported 
for a device.


No doubt I can cobble something together that will do the job, but I 
figured someone out there will have already dealt with a similar need 
and can provide something much simpler, more flexible, and less 
cumbersome than what I am likely to create on my first attempt.

Any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark Davis
NSCL/FRIB