Sub Runs

A run can be broken up into sub runs if desired. To start a sub run boundary, push the “End Sub Run” button. This will insert a run record into the data stream with the “end sub run bit” set and put the run into “Maintenance Mode” if it isn’t already. Changes can then be made to hardware as desired. Data will continue to be taken between sub runs. When ready to resume normal running, push the “New Sub Run” button. The “Maintenance Mode” returned to the original state, the run number will be incremented by a tenth, a run record will be inserted into the data stream with the “start sub run bit” set, and the run will continued.

Run Types File

The run type bits can be labeled by providing a file with the following format (example taken from the NCD experiment):

1,NEUTRINOOrca Help

2,SOURCE

3,CALIB

4,NCD

5,SALT

6,POISON

7,PARTIAL FILL

8,AIR FILL

9,D2O

10,H2O

11,UC BIT

12,TRANSITIONAL

13,SOURCE MOVING

14,COMP. COILS

15,ECA

16,DIAGNOSTIC

17,SUPERNOVA

18,PMT MAINTENANCE

19,PCA

20,EXPERIMENTAL

21,D20 CIRC.

22,BUBBLERS

23,S. L. ASSAY

The format is just a comma separated list of bit numbers and the bit names.

Run Scripts

It is possible to select a script to automatically run before the run is started and just before it is stopped. The return value of the start up script must be non-zero for the run to be allowed, a return value of zero will cause the run startup process to be aborted. The return value of a shut down script is ignored. The scripts selected here are independent of the scripts selected via the popup above the run start/stop buttons.

Scripts that are selected in the run control dialog, either via the popup above the run start/stop buttons or if selected via the ‘At Start’ popup button can place custom data into the raw data header.

Data Format

The run control object puts out a data record at the start and the end of every run, and a heart beat record every so often. For a heart beat record the time is the number of seconds until the next heart beat. Otherwise it is the run start time or the run stop time. This record is a fixed length record with the following content:

xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx

^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^------------------------ RunControl ID (from header)

-----------------^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^-- length (fixed at 4 longs)

xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx

^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^--------------------- sub run number

--------------------------------^------- 1==Start subRun record

---------------------------------^------ 1==End subRun record

-----------------------------------^---- 1==heart beat record

------------------------------------^--- 1==Was a remote control run

-------------------------------------^-- 1==Was a quick start run

--------------------------------------^- 1==Run Started, 0==Run Stopped

xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx  Run Number

xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx  UT time or heart beat time

Run Control Using ORCAScript

Here is an example script that will do ten consecutive 30 second runs:

function main()

{

rc = find(ORRunModel,1);

//require that any runs already in progress be stopped

if([rc isRunning]){

[rc stopRun];

waituntil(![rc isRunning]);

}

[rc setTimedRun:NO]; //this script will control the duration

for(j=0;j<10;j++){

//here we could change parameters if, for example, we

//wanted to ramp a threshold on a card or something

[rc startRun];

waituntil([rc isRunning]);

sleep(30);

[rc stopRun];

waituntil(![rc isRunning]);

}

}

Run Control in an ORCA Process

You can link run control into a process bit with the following definitions:

chan 0 -> True if run stopped

chan 1 -> True if running

chan 2 -> True if run is starting (not likely you’ll actually see this state)

chan 3 -> True if run is stopping (not likely you’ll actually see this state)

chan 3 -> True if run is between subruns

ORCA’s run control object is control of starting, stopping, and timing data runs.

Run Number Drawer

Run Types Drawer

This drawer pops out when you click the 'Run Type...' button above.

Run Scripts Drawer

This drawer pops out when you click the 'Scripts...' button above.