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| + !!! Some Hardware does not Work |
| + |
| + Obviously there are limits what can be done with software about this. Rather sooner then later help from |
| + the electronics group will be needed. But we can try to diagnose the problem and solve the stupid things. |
| + |
| + !! Symptom No connection to a Device |
| + |
| + You find, during debugging startup or else that there is no communication with a device. There are |
| + some things which can be done about this. |
| + |
| + !! Solution |
| + |
| + The first thing to ask is: is it actually configured? Many instrument have optional hardware. Such options are enabled |
| + by setting flags in the inst.tcl file. Thus, if the device is optional, check for the state of the applicable flag |
| + in inst.tcl. |
| + |
| + If this is not the case you need to figure out which controller the device actually is associated with. I assume that |
| + you know the name of the non working device in SICS. |
| + |
| + # Login to the instrument account and cd into the inst_sics directory if you are not already there. |
| + # Open the inst.tcl file and search for the initialisation of the device by searching for the device name. |
| + You will often find two: one for simulation and a real one. The simulation ones are those with the string Sim |
| + in the ceation command. |
| + # For counters and stuff alread the creation command will contain a string of the form hostname:port. For example, |
| + dmc-ts:3002. Take note of that string. |
| + # For motors the creation command often states a controller name and a number on the controller. Then try to locate the |
| + creation command of the controller. Again take note of the host:port string. |
| + |
| + Now, how to proceed with this information? |
| + |
| + # Return to the unix prompt on the instrument computer |
| + # Try pinging the host: ping hostname, for example ping dmc-ts |
| + # After a little while this should start printing lines of the form: 64 bytes from dmc-ts (129.129.92.62): icmp_seq=1 ttl=255 time=0.449 ms. This means that the host is OK. |
| + # If this does not come and after exiting ping with CTRL-C a message with 100% packet lost comes, then the host is not |
| + switched on or not plugged into the network. Sort that one out, then. |
| + |
| + A common occurrence with histogram memories is that the VME crate holding the HM computer is down. Locate the |
| + VME crate and look at it: the symptom will be that the red large digit does not show 5 Volt as it should and or |
| + a LED indication a fan error or something like this is lit on the VME crate. Also all lights on the HM computer |
| + are off. Then ask Roman Buerge to fix the crate. |
| + |
| + With the old hardware, recognisable by the strings el737 or el734 occurring in the creation commands, there is |
| + another thing to be tried. |
| + |
| + # From the unix prompt do: telnet hostname portnumber, for example telnet dmc-ts 3002 |
| + # Then type ID |
| + # If all is well, there will be a message containing EL734 motor controller, EL737 counter box or so |
| + # If the box is in local mode, the answer will be ?1. This can be sorted by giving the command RMT 1 multiple |
| + times |
| + # If there is no response at all, the controller is dead or not connected to the terminal server. Sort this one out then. |
| + # If the controller is a motor controller and the reponse is *ES, then the emergency stop is engaged. See below what to |
| + do. |
| + |
| + |
| + |
| + !! Motor not working |
| + |
| + The motor is connected to SICS (has sensible hardware limits) but malfunctions. |
| + |
| + !! Solutions |
| + |
| + When a message containing the string emergency stop appears and the motor controller does not show positions |
| + any more but the string *ES, then the emergency stop is engaged. In the experimental area and sometimes in the |
| + cabins, there are emergency stop buttons for motors. These need to be released if they accidentally or purposefully have |
| + been activated. Releasing them means turning them a little. If you are sure that you have released ALL emergency |
| + stops and the condition persists, then something is wrong with buttons themselves and an electronics person is |
| + needed to fix it. |
| + |
| + When the motor is a second generation motor and brings such message as: command not found and the controller |
| + shows a red display, then the motor had an error. If the electronics group is around, tell them. They __want__ |
| + to be informed. If not, power cycling the motor controller might help. |
| + |
| + When there are a number of Restarting messages before the motor gives up then two possibilities exist: |
| + # The difference reported in the Restarting message is small: then the precision parameter of the motor may |
| + need adjustment. In SICS: motorname precision value. The value should be a little larger then the |
| + difference reported in the Restarting message |
| + # When the differences are big then the motor cannot start for some mechanical of electrical reason. Check if there |
| + is something in the path of the motor, and if so, remove it. Else call electronics. |
| + |
| + When there is a message saying: !!! MOTOR ALARM !!!, then the motor has mispositioned for 5 consecutive times. |
| + It then assumes that something is seriously wrong and stops the batch file. This could be a consequence of |
| + the Restarting message described above. If so proceed as described above. Otherwise this indicates a mechanical |
| + or electrical problem: call electronics. If you are really, really, really, really sure that the condition is harmless |
| + then you can issue the command in SICS: motorname ingnorefault 1. This will suppress this error. Do this only when |
| + you are 100% sure that your are not breaking things. |
| + |
| + |
| + Else there is a driver problem or softare problem and you need to debug. |
| + |
| + |
| + |
| + |
| + |
LIN