not yet another epics display manager!? kay kasemir, xihui chen [email protected]@ornl.gov...

Not Yet Another EPICS Display Manager!?

Kay Kasemir, Xihui [email protected] [email protected]

Kobe EPICS Meeting

October 2009

2 Managed by UT-Battellefor the U.S. Department of Energy

EDM …

serves us well at the SNS– Stable

– Many deployed screens

But:

• Somewhat dated, especially the ‘edit’ part:– Fixed-size configuration panels;

pop up in unexpected places– Limited editing of shared properties for multiple widgets– Limited integration with other tools

• Keep maintaining it?– Coded in C++ for Unix, X11, Motif– Fedora dropped OpenMotif


Use CSS Synoptic Display (SDS)?

Good Ideas– Java, SWT (Windows, Linux GTK, Mac OS X)

– Eclipse Graphical Editor Framework (GEF)

– Generic Data Access Layer (DAL) for EPICS, Tine, Simulated PVs, …

Every widget propertycan be ‘dynamic’

“Label” with static “Text”

Label with“Text” linkedto PV


Are simple things simple?

• EDM: Add Text Update1) Create Text Update 2) Enter PV Name 3) Save & Run

• EDM widgets with PV connectivity: Show the PV’s value (with units) Show PV name on middle-button click Reflect PV’s severity via e.g. border color Use PV’s display limits as default range for “meter” widget etc. Indicate ‘disconnected’ state via e.g. white-out appearance

• SDS: Same accomplished via dynamic properties– ‘Text’: Link to PV’s value

– Border color: Link to PV’s severity and connection state

– Tool Tip: Show PV’s name

– Involved manual process

– “Initializers” automate this, but we couldn’t reach EDM functionality


Re-think Dynamic Properties

• EDM describes meaning– “Text Update” for PV, “Alarm Sensitive”

• SDS’ dynamic properties implement representation– Text = value of PV

– Border = red if value of PV’s severity is 2, yellow if …, white if severity is 3 or connection state is …


Concept for Best OPI, Yet (BOY) Prototype

• Best of SDSJava portabilityCSS integrationGreat GEF editing

• Best of EDMSimple things (Label, Text Update, …) are simpleConfigure the meaning, leave representation to tool

• Combined withProduction-tested PV layerPV-triggered scripts can make everything dynamic


Basic “Editor” Perspective

• Navigator, Outline, Palette, Properties can be rearranged


Adding Widgets

• Select widget on Palette– Draw outline in display or drag/drop to display

• Configure Properties– Label ‘Text’ also editable via double-click– Can configure common properties of all selected widgets


Editor Features (GEF)

• Context menu, keyboard shortcuts:– Copy/cut/paste/delete– Change front/back order– Full undo/redo

• Snap to grid, geometry, align, distribute

• Duplicate widgets via Alt-Drag

• Select any types of widgets,edit common properties

• Zoom, Outline view

• Snap-to-Geometry


PV Connectivity

1. Create“Text Update”

2. Enter “PV Name” EPICS CA, local, simulated, …

3. Save & Run

Simple things are simple:

By default, widgets use PV Metadata(units, precision, limits, …)and are sensitive to alarms

(Note use of rulers to align widgets)


Macros

• Macros can be defineda) In CSS preferencesb) As ‘display’ propertiesc) In actions that invoke related displays

• Use:a) $(macro_name)b) ${macro_name}

• Every property isavailable as a macro;Example: Tooltip


Screen Navigation• Idea: Minimize number of open screens.

• Similar to Web Browser links:– Default: Related displays replace the current display.

– Optional open in ‘tabs’ or new window

– Allow previous/next navigation over display historyDisplays in ‘Tabs’


Scripts…– are written in JavaScript

– can be attached to any Display or Widget

– are executed whenever one of the input PVs change

– can read/write widget properties, PVs,open dialogs, access any Java code

Example: Dynamic Visibility


More Script Examples

• React to operator input,possibly correct it


More Scripting Ideas

• Arbitrary ‘color rules’

• Animation


Widgets …

• So far 23 widgets– More to come– Eclipse plug-in

mechanism;add site-specificwidgets

• Arc, polygon, …– Rotation– Fill-level

• Buttons– “Are you sure?”– Password


Grouping Container‘Group’ in EDM:

1. Rectangle around widgets

2. Label on top of Rectangle for group name

Looks OK, hard to edit/move

Grouping Container Example:1. Create from context of

selected widgets,or drop widgets into it

2. Configure name,move,(auto-)size,even remove.

3. When movingwidgets,highlight indicatesif they’re still‘inside’ container

Optical feedback when moving widget in group


Linking Container

• Like EDM ‘embedded display’

• Common EDM use: ‘Tabs’1. Invisible button writes

to local PV2. Rectangle etc. show/hide

depending on value of that PV3. Embedded display shows

different file depending on PV

Plan for OPI (not yet):Designated ‘Tab’ support


XY Graph Widget• Chart types: Line, Scatter, Bar, Steps, Area, ...

• Five Zoom Types, Panning, Auto Scale

• Add/Remove Annotations, Undo/Redo, Take snapshot.

• Multiple axes: Linear, Log, Date/time

• Configure properties during runtime

• Generic SWT code, usable outside of CSS– Plan: Replace Data Browser’s plot


Transition from EDM

• Translator for basics in the works– Rectangles, Label, Text Update, Text Entry, …– Includes handling of colors

• Harder to translate:– “Tabs” simulated by invisible Message Buttons

writing to local PVs, …– Rectangles that are really meant to create a ‘Group’– Invisible related display buttons that could now be ‘actions’

attached to visible widgets


Summary

• Initial Demo available for download fromhttp://ics-web.sns.ornl.gov/css/products.html

• Please try it out:– Online Help:

CSS Menu Help/Help Content/CSS Applications/Display– Tutorial for first steps: See Online Help

• Send comments on issues or suggestions!

not yet another epics display manager!? kay kasemir, xihui chen [email protected]@ornl.gov...

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