PCaPAC3rd International workshop on

Personal Computer and Particle Accelerator ControlsDESY, Hamburg, Germany

October 9 - 12, 2000

THE OPERATOR INTERFACE OF THETHE OPERATOR INTERFACE OF THELNS CONTROL SYSTEMLNS CONTROL SYSTEM

Alberto RovelliIstituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare

Laboratori Nazionali del SudCatania, Italy

Guglielmo BucchieriSeaSoft S.p.a.Catania, Italy

The LNS User InterfaceThe LNS User Interface

Design IssuesDesign Issues

• Suited languageSuited language

• Suited graphic interfaceSuited graphic interface

• Object oriented techniqueObject oriented technique

• Operator profile orientedOperator profile oriented

• PerformancePerformance

• Reliability and versatilityReliability and versatility

• Easy maintenanceEasy maintenance

The programmerThe programmer The operatorThe operator

• Friendly interactionFriendly interaction

• Fast responseFast response

• Custom desktopCustom desktop

• Automatic proceduresAutomatic procedures

• Efficient beam operationEfficient beam operation

• Self-explaining informationSelf-explaining information

• Search and help toolsSearch and help tools

The basic choicesThe basic choices

• The hardware platform:

• Intel Pentium III based Personal Computer

•The operating system:

• MS Windows NT 4.0 Workstation SP6b

• The programming language:

• MS C++ Visual Studio 6.0 SP3

• The communication protocol:

• TCP/IP on Fast Ethernet

• SeaNet Communication Agent

• SeaNet Client/Server

The architecture (the technology)The architecture (the technology)

• The application is written in Visual C++ with OOP technique

• It was designed for a full integration into the Windows NT OS

• Multi process

• Multi thread

• 32 bit native

• The components are Active X objects

• Methods

• Properties

• OLE communication between objects

The architecture (the layers)The architecture (the layers)

Four layers characterize the user interface

• The main COM objects container (UI)

• The set of COM objects specific of the devices

• The communication manager object

• The communication client objects

WORKSTATIONWORKSTATION

UIDev a

Dev bDev c

Dev dDev e

The architecture (the processes)The architecture (the processes)

Communication Agent

Client 1

Client 2Client 3

Client ...

Client n

mainprocess

outprocess

componentthreads

communicationthreads

UIUI

Communication Agent

Dev a

Dev d

Dev e

Dev cDev b

Client 1 Client 2 Client ... Client n

The architecture (the communications)The architecture (the communications)

Fast Ethernet LAN

TCP/IP

OLE

The interface (the layout)The interface (the layout)

The main window shows the whole accelerator facility layout. Scrolling the window it is possible to see all the components that are accessible to the operator. Screen-tips and highlights show the active components and, at the same time, facilitate their localization inside the facility itself.

The interface (the zoom)The interface (the zoom)

The second zoom level allows the interaction with simple objects (faraday cup, power

supply, pump, etc.)

The first zoom level allows the representation of complex object (beam line, cyclotron, sources,

etc.)

Once selected, the complex object is visualized in the lower window and, in the upper window, a new color always allows its easy localization inside the facility.

The interface (the 1The interface (the 1stst zoom) zoom)

Moving the mouse over the object some screen-tips allow to individuate the internal components, reporting the related most significant informations: the name, the value and the status.

The interface (the 2The interface (the 2ndnd zoom) zoom)

Once selected, the object is visualized in a new window. This is the deeper level of the representation, the instrument level.

At this level we report all the informations, related to the selected device. Through this panel the operator gains the full access to the device: he may send commands, or read the representative value and the status. Furthermore, some resources allow the on-line (diagrams) and off-line (file) log and analysis of the informations.

In the General tab are presented the informations related to the specific device. Several types of this window were implemented according to the device functionality.

The instrument level (general)The instrument level (general)

A photo of the device is very useful for the operators training.

Each window has its own update rate that can be configured by the operator. This setting will affect only the update rate of the single operator workstation. Any change with respect the default setting will be stored in the operator profile and it will be applied at the next login session.

Beam Profile Monitor

Beam Profile Monitor

The Graphics tab allows to configure a time diagram of the device value. The operator may start/stop and store the diagrams.

The instrument level (graphics)The instrument level (graphics)

The Alarms tab allows the setting of the lower and upper alarm thresholds. The operator may enable/disable the check and choice the notification action.

The instrument level (alarms)The instrument level (alarms)

The instrument level (logfile)The instrument level (logfile)

The LogFile tab allows to set up the report generation on file. The operator may choice the recording media (file or printer), start/stop the report, set the recording time interval and select the informations to be reported.

The operator, configuring the report generation on file, may choice two modes: table or graphics. Previously stored informations can be loaded and displayed again for off-line analysis.

Advanced tools (tree view)Advanced tools (tree view)

The tree view is an explorer like representation of the accelerator facility components. Beam lines and specific devices can be explored just like directories and files. This representation allows to see all the simple objects inside complex objects.

The main function of this view is the component search. A mouse click on the complex object (the directory) will expand its content showing the name of the simple objects (the files). The graphic representation of the object allows an easy understanding of its typology (the file extension). A double click on the selected object will display immediately on the right-lower window its position.

Advanced tools (search view)Advanced tools (search view)

The main function of this view is the component search. The typical search file options were implemented for the simple device search.

• All the devices• All the devices of the same type• Search the device by:

• name• beginning with• state (on/off, alarm, etc.)

This search can be applied to one single complex object or to the whole facility. Also in this case the device is displayed on the right window.

The operator may configure a special window for the parameters monitoring. From this box it

will be possible to:

• Create heterogeneous parameters reports

• Build x/y graphs selecting any parameter

• Create functional relationships between parameters

• Look for parameters correlation

• Interact with heterogeneous devices according to:

• a beam optimization procedure

• an operating mode

• his personal feeling or attitude

• whatever

The personalized window (in progress)The personalized window (in progress)

These custom views will be inserted in a list box and stored in the operator profile. During the session the operator can display or hide these representations and, in any case, they will be always available at the next login session.

Other featuresOther features

• Operator password validation

• Policy rights according to the security access level:

• Administrator(grant the full control)

• Operator (grant the full device interaction)

• Guest (grant only to read the informations)

• Operator profile management

• Control system configuration

TrendsTrends && Conclusions Conclusions

• The interface seems to be efficient and versatileThe interface seems to be efficient and versatile

• The custom view and log must be improved The custom view and log must be improved

• The OOP is a mandatory technique developing the MMIThe OOP is a mandatory technique developing the MMI

… … but a lot of work has to be done to approach the endbut a lot of work has to be done to approach the end !!

• The MMI is going to become a virtual facilityThe MMI is going to become a virtual facility

• The request for instrumentation abstractionThe request for instrumentation abstraction

• Implementation of the beam optimization toolsImplementation of the beam optimization tools

• Investigations on new and most useful componentsInvestigations on new and most useful components