Introduction
This page is part of the ING document
INS-DAS-24:
client-server interface for control of cameras
Purpose of this document
The DRAMA interface between clients and camera-servers of UltraDAS is described
here. This document is the formal definition: if, in tests, the software
is found to differ from the description, then the software should be changed.
Scope of the software
The client programmes are the domain logic of UltraDAS. They run
on the system-coordination computer.
The clients talk to the camera-server programmes on the DAS computer.
The servers provide these services to the observing system:
-
clearing and reading out the detectors;
-
processing and storing pixel-data read from the camera;
-
controlling the integration and exposure;
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monitoring and reporting the state of the camera.
Overview of the interface
The interface consists in the use of DRAMA actions of the servers, which
are invoked by the clients, and of DRAMA parameters of the servers, which
the clients read and monitor. No other communications are used in parallel
with DRAMA.
The set of actions is the same for any camera server, regardless of
what camera it is driving. Actions that do not apply to a particular camera
(e.g. shutter actions on a shutterless IR device) are provided as stubs.
The parameters may be read and monitored by the clients. One particular
pair - ITH_CYCLE and N_CYCLES - may also be set by clients.
The software interface is made over an Ethernet connection between the
system computer and the DAS computer. This document does not define or
constrain the physical interface.