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 (11 pro 64 bits) computer.

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

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 11 pro 64 bits

Windows 7 and 10 are no more supported at ESRF.

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 shorcuts (supported packages only)
  - Tick Register miniconda3 as the system python 3.XX
  - Tick Clear the package cache upon completion
  - Click Install, wait a bit.
- Next
- “Completing Miniconda3”:
  - 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-dirs if it already exists) found here (415 MB):

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 conda environment¶

Do not use tango-controls and defaults channels
run anaconda powershell prompt (icon in the taskbar)

conda config --show channels

channels:
  - conda-forge
  - https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main   <---- to remove
  - https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r      <---- to remove
  - https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/msys2  <---- to remove
  - defaults          <---- to remove
  - tango-controls    <---- to remove
  - esrf-bcu

conda config --env --remove channels https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main
conda config --env --remove channels https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r
conda config --env --remove channels https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/msys2
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 3.10 and git:
```
conda create -n bliss -y python=3.10 gitpython
```

Installation of Bliss 2.1¶

Note

cannot use Makefile on Windows -> use conda package :)

conda create -n mosca python=3.10
conda activate mosca
mamba install bliss=2.1

test bliss installation:

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

Mosca environment¶

Temporary solution:

copy the file mosca_env.tgz from P:\\ISDD\SOFTWARE\Public\distrib\blissadm\ directory into C:\blissadm\
exctract it (right click / extract all…)
use a startup script like:

set CONDAPATH=C:\ProgramData\Miniconda3
set ACTIVATE=%CONDAPATH%\Scripts\activate.bat

set ENVNAME="C:\blissadm\mosca_env\mosca"
set ORBendPoint=giop:tcp:172.29.XX.YY:

set TANGO_HOST=idXX:20000
set BEACON_HOST=idXX:25000

call %ACTIVATE% %ENVNAME%

cd c:\blissadm
cd mosca.git
python.exe -m mosca.devices.falconx.FalconX lala

pause

Installation of XIA software¶

2022 versions. (latest available versions as of October 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 (latest as of oct 2024:22.4.0 june 2023)

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: xmap42
  module: mca
  plugin: bliss
  class: XMAP
  url: tcp://wid421:8000
  configuration_directory: C:\\blissadm\\xmap\\config\\ID42
  default_configuration: xmap.ini