king@suphys.physics.su.OZ.AU (Peter King) (01/31/91)
Here at the Plasma Physics Department of Sydney University we are currently using a MicroVAX II to acquire data from our tokamak. This involves interrogating our CAMAC crates to obtain data. We are using part of a commercial package called CAMVMS v 2.1 by Sunrise Software as well as two CAMAC crate controllers made be DSP Technology. I would like to know whether anyone out there has used this software and if so whether it runs under VMS 5.4-1. Currently we running VMS 5.2 and would like to upgrade to VMS 5.4-1. Is this possible without upgrading CAMVMS as well? In addition I would like to know whether anyone can turn off their CAMAC crates without causing their MicroVAX to crash. At the moment sometimes we can turn off the crates without crashing the MicroVAX and when we turn the crates back on they're left in some unknown state despite the fact that the software says that everything is okay and that the CLEAR and INHIBIT lights on the crate controller flash when told the appropriate commands. If anyone out there has experience with CAMAC crates on a MicroVAX I would be grateful for some advice. Has anyone had similar problems? ************************************************************************************************** Peter King TORTUS = TORoidal Tokamak of the University of Sydney Plasma Physics Department University of Sydney, NSW 2006. email: king@alfven.physics.su.oz.au AUSTRALIA king@extro.ucc.su.oz.au **************************************************************************************************
erbvax@helios.lerc.nasa.gov (Glenn Christman (Sverdrup)) (02/05/91)
In article <1991Jan30.220306.13451@metro.ucc.su.OZ.AU>, king@suphys.physics.su.OZ.AU (Peter King) writes... > > Here at the Plasma Physics Department of Sydney University we are >currently using a MicroVAX II to acquire data from our tokamak. This >involves interrogating our CAMAC crates to obtain data. We are using part of >a commercial package called CAMVMS v 2.1 by Sunrise Software as well as two >CAMAC crate controllers made be DSP Technology. > > I would like to know whether anyone out there has used this software >and if so whether it runs under VMS 5.4-1. Currently we running VMS 5.2 and >would like to upgrade to VMS 5.4-1. Is this possible without upgrading CAMVMS >as well? > > In addition I would like to know whether anyone can turn off their CAMAC crates without >causing their MicroVAX to crash?........ Peter, We are currently running two CAMAC systems here that are connected to MicroVaxes. Originally one was hooked up to a MicroVax II, but it is now connected to a MicorVax 3300...the other system is connected to a 3400. We have two different interfaces on the systems...one is the DSP interface that I think you are using - going through a DEC DRV11-W to the crate. Unfortunatly, I cannot tell you if the CAMVMS software will work under VMS 5.4-1, since I am also still at V 5.2. I suggest that you call DSP or Sunrise Software directly, as they should be able to give you that information. As to having the Vax crash when you power down the crate, I have have the same problem...it even happens if I first run their CAMAC_POWER.COM program which supposeably prevents the system from responding to interrupts from the crate. It is because of these and a couple other problems, that I switched to a Kenitic Systems interface for our second CAMAC system. In addition to much better (IMHO) documentation and ease of use of the software, we do not experiece the power-down/crash feature of the DSP system. The KS system does not use the DRV11-W (actually a DRV-1 on the 3000 series), rather they have their own interface board that plugs into the Q-bus. I am planning in the near future to upgrade to VMS 5.4-1, and I will try to remeber to post here what problems I encounter when I do so. Good luck with your system, and if you find a solution to the crash problem, please let me know!! - Glenn J. Christman +----------------------------------------------------+---------------------+ | Some things have to be believed to be seen | Amigas, VAXen, Suns | | - Ralph Hodgson| | +----------------------------------------------------+---------------------+ | Any opinions expressed or implied are my own, and do not necessarily | | reflect those of my employer....no matter how spacy they are. | | Glenn J. Christman - WD8OMW NASA Lewis Research Center | +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+