ABCDAQT version 0.62 - binary only (right click and "save link as...")
ABCDAQ version 0.553 - binary only (right click and "save link as...")
ABCDAQ version 0.553 - source and version 0.54 - source
The latest version of ABCDAQT is version 0.62 dated 22.10.99. The program is based on SCIPP_DAQ written by Wilko Kroger at Santa Cruz. It has been written using MS DevStudio 97 and Visual C++ version 5.0. This software provides a starting point for the testing of hybrids and modules with ABCD chips using the UCI DSP and Cambridge BC96 cards.
Testing has been performed using a Pentium Pro 200 machine running WNT 4.0 SP2 with 96MB RAM.Some information about how to configure your NI-VXI interface can be found here, shortly to be joined by brief operating instructions for ABCDAQ. I would recommed if possible that you stick with the same VME addresses which I have used for both the DSP and BC96 cards: unexplained clashes have been observed in some systems when using other addresses.
New this Release:
For ABCD2T (chipset 4):The program has only been tested with an ABCD1 module - please report any problems to me.
Individual trimdac settings for up to 1536 channels may be loaded from a simple ASCII file at startup. The file comprises one number per line. Two formats are supported: the number can be an integer in the range 0-15, or a floating point number in the range 0.00 to 1.00. If the mean trim value is found to be less than 1, the floating point format is assumed. To load a trimdac file - and program the chips accordingly - ensure that the varaible chipset is set to 4 in the detector configuration file and add a line "trim_file: myfile.trim". Some examples are available here.
From the GUI, all trimdac settings may be programmed to a given value in the range 0 to 15. From the GUI, a trimdac scan may be initiated. From AutoPilot files, the stub "trimdac:" may be used to set the trimdac value in the range 0 to 15. From AutoPilot files, the stub "trimscan:" may be used to scan the trimdac value.
For ABC/CAFE (chipset 5):
The calibration constants used for VTHR, VCAL and FE_BIAS have been adjusted to suit this chipset in the case where chipset==5.
Features:
AutoPilot: take a series of scans without operator intervention
A variety of 1-D scans: Delay Scan, FE_Bias Scan, FE_Shaper Scan, Charge Injection Scan, Noise Scan, Source Scan, Threshold Scan
Software decoding of any valid data format - compressed or test mode; the option to histogram data for only one of the three time bins.
Support for individual settings of Front End Bias and Shaper currents for each ABCD chip
Supply voltage control and current and voltage monitoring using BC96
The configuration generator has been changed to enable 12 chips to be read out through one datalink, but this has not actually been implemented in the present designs for barrel hybrids....
Version 0.52 fixes a bug which caused a memory access violation in the case where M0 -> "dead", as is required to read ABCD chips through the second datalink.
Version 0.53 disables all datalinks by default, until re-enabled when a detector description file is loaded to a specific link. This means that the LL data delay jumpers no longer have to be removed from unused links when running this program.
Version 0.54 includes the latest version of the dsp system code, "abc_02.asc", which now works with "nloops" >1: calibration can be performed more quickly. A couple of minor changes were made to ABCDAQ to support this: the memory allocated to "messagebase" has been increased to support bursts of 100 ABCD events in test mode and the data for both links of a double sided module is now read at the same time.
Version 0.55 adds the ability to "lock" the current and threshold values of an individual ABCD chip such that they will not be changed during scans - useful if you want to "turn off" a chip.
Version 0.553: minor bug fixes.
Version 0.6: see above.
Not very up to date ABCD_Kumacs - includes functions to read REVISED BinRAL output files into PAW; to read ABCDAQ (versions up to 0.54) output files into PAW; to perform all gain, offset and noise calculations on a channel by channel basis; to study gain, offset or noise variance as a function of a thirs parameter (eg. delay, FE_Bias); to determine the minimum threshold necessary to prevent oscillation as a function of FE_Bias; to plot the response curve.