Installation and configuration of XIA MCA¶

Installation of XIA devices is common to 3 XIA MCA electronics:

Xmap
Mercury
FalconX

The devices are connected to a Windows (10 or 11 pro 64 bits) computer.

BLISS must be installed on that Windows PC to be able to run a BLISS RPC server.

Handel is the library used to deal with XIA devices and data. It comes with ProSpect, the Windows software provided by XIA for testing and calibrating XIA devices.

BLISS running on a linux station needs a BLISS rpc server named bliss-handel-server. It runs on a windows PC and uses the Handel library to access the XIA devices.

There are 2 versions of ProSpect:

ProSpect for Xmap and Mercury (merged with the deprecated xManager)
ProSpect for FalconX

Windows PC installation¶

Windows version must be 10 or 11 pro 64 bits

Windows 7 is no more supported.

Installation of conda¶

Download a conda installer:
- miniconda

Warning

Run miniconda installer as administrator (right clic / run as administrator)

Miniconda Installer:
- Next / I agree / tick Install for All users / Next
- “Destination Folder:” C:\ProgramData\Miniconda3 / Next
- Advanced Installation Options:
  - Tick Create start menu shorcuts
  - UNtick Add Miniconda3 to my PATH
  - Tick Register miniconda3 as the system python 3.XX
  - Tick Clear the package cache upon completion
  - Click Install / Next
- Tuto
  - Untick “Anaconda Individual Edition Tutorial”
  - Untick “Getting Started with Anaconda”
  - Click Finish
Create a link from taskbar to anaconda powershell:
- click on Windows Start Menu / type anaconda / Right click on Anaconda Powershell Prompt ( not Anaconda Prompt) / Pin to taskbar

Install some software¶

Copy into C:\ the blissadm directory (or sub-dir if it already exists) found here:

P:\\ISDD\SOFTWARE\Public\distrib\blissadm\

Install Git
Install what you can find interesting :)
GIT guis:
- git-cola-4.7.1.tar.gz
- Guitar-1.2.999-win32-installe.exe
- TortoiseGit-2.16.0.0-64bit.msi
HashCheckInstall-2.1.11.exe tool to check hash of files
HxDSetup.exe: Hexadecimal editor
nmap-7.40-setup.exe: to debug network problems
npp.7.3.2.Installer.x64.exe: notepad++
windirstat1_1_2_setup.exe: find lost space on disk
WinMerge-2.16.12-Setup.exe: diff tool

Creation of bliss environment¶

Do not use tango-controls and defaults channels

conda config --show channels

channels:
  - conda-forge
  - defaults          <---- to remove
  - tango-controls    <---- to remove
  - esrf-bcu

conda config --env --remove channels tango-controls
conda config --env --remove channels defaults
conda config --env --add channels conda-forge
conda config --env --append channels esrf-bcu

install mamba in base environment

conda activate base
conda install -y mamba -c conda-forge

Create the bliss conda environment with python 3.9 and git:
```
conda create -n bliss -y python=3.9 gitpython
```

Installation of Bliss 2.0¶

Note

cannot use Makefile on Windows.

conda activate bliss

cd c:\blissadm\

git clone https://gitlab.esrf.fr/bliss/bliss bliss.git

cd bliss.git\

git checkout 2.0.x

pip install -e . -e  .\blisswriter

mamba install --file .\conda-requirements-win.txt

test bliss installation:

C:\ python
>>> import bliss
>>>

Installation of XIA software¶

2022 versions. (versions available as of May 2024)

ProSpect for Falconx
- version 1.1.71
ProSpect for Mercury and Xmap
- version 1.1.66
Handel-all library for Mercury/Xmap devices
- version 1.2.28 64 bits
Handel-sitoro library for Falconx
- version 1.1.22 64 bits

Depending on the XIA device type, FalconX or Xmap/Mercury:
- Install the corresponding ProSpect
- Test connection to the device with ProSpect

Tip

For Xmap/Mercury: Avoid to rename Prospect directory. There is a hard coded link ths the directory in config files. An update of the name implies an update of all config files.

If available, install configuration file(s) in: c:\blissadm\falconx\config\idXX\ or in c:\blissadm\xmap\config\idXX\

For FalconX

Connection to the falconX can be tested with a browser using address http://192.168.200.201
In firmware tab, check firmware version (May 2024: 21.2.0)

Server Startup script¶

Note

Examples are given for FalconX. Xmap/Mercury behaviour is similar.

Important

To ensure a peaceful coexistence between conda and powershell, the shortcut falconx/falconx-start IDXX should point to the startup script falconx/falconx-server_IDXX.ps1. They need to be customized.

Duplicate startup script (let it in falconx/ directory) and rename it:
- falconx\falconx-server_IDXX.ps1 -> falconx\falconx-server_ID00.ps1
Customize it according to Beamline configuration (BEACON_HOST / Device Name):
- right-clisk / edit
Copy and rename the shortcut falconx\falconx-start IDXX on the desktop:
- drag’n drop with right mouse button OR ctrl-c ctrl-v
- rename the desktop shortcut falconx-start ID00 (right click / rename)
Customize the desktop shortcut:
- ‘right-click’ / ‘properties’ ; Change end of “Traget” line: IDXX -> ID00

Developer’s details

The bliss-handel-server start-up script is created at installation time using the entry_points definitions in setup.py of the BLISS repository.

entry_points={
      "console_scripts": [
          ...
      "bliss-handel-server = bliss.controllers.mca.handel.server:main",
      ] }

The wrapping of the Handel library is made with cffi. see: bliss/controllers/mca/handel/_cffi.py

BLISS Configuration in Beacon¶

Example for mercury:

- name: mercury
  module: mca
  plugin: bliss
  class: Mercury
  url: tcp://wfameid42xia:8000
  configuration_directory: C:\\blissadm\\mercury\\config\\BM16
  default_configuration: Vortex3_Mercury4ch_05us_Hg.ini

Example for FalconX:

- name: fxid42
  module: mca
  plugin: bliss
  class: FalconX
  url: tcp://wid421:8000
  configuration_directory: C:\\blissadm\\falconx\\config\\ID42
  default_configuration: falconxn.ini

Example for Xmap:

- name: fxid16
  module: mca
  plugin: bliss
  class: XMAP
  url: tcp://wid421:8000
  configuration_directory: C:\\blissadm\\xmap\\config\\ID42
  default_configuration: xmap.ini