CDEVZPLOT Version 0.95

1. What is CDEVZPLOT?
   • CDEVZPLOT is a motif program that plots device attribute values against their scoord values.

2. Capabilities:
   • CDEVZPLOT can plot any attributes specified in DDL files against scoord of devices. It can generate postscript files to print. It supports zoom-in/zoom-out and pan operations, and tracks device name under pointer. One can also select a particular device to monitor more attributes.

3. Version:
   • This is version 0.95. It may have bugs. Please send comments and bug reports to Jie Chen (chen@cebaf.gov).
   • Major diffrences between version 0.95 and the previous version 0.9:
     • Arithmetic plots for attributes: Users can input a arithmetic expression for currently plotted attributes. The arithmetic plots then will be appended in the same panel. Currently the following arithmetic operations are supported: +, -, *, /, ^.
     • Adjutable updating timer interval: Users can change the timer interval that controls how frequent the cdevzplot updates the plots. The default value is 4 seconds.
     • The CDEVZPLOT takes first argument as a configuration file. If no arguments provided, the CDEVZPLOT looks for CDEVZPLOT_CONFIG environment variable and $(HOME)/.cdevzplot files.
     • The CDEVZPLOT shows complete attributes as a list in the attribute dialog box. The attributes specified in the configuration file appear first, and the other attributes are sorted.

4. How to use it:
   • CDEVZPLOT requires a simple configuration file that specifies what classes and attributes one is interested. The names of classes and attributes must be consistent with those specified in the DDL file. The CDEVZPLOT access file through environment variable CDEVZPLOT_CONFIG or at the location of one's home directory with name .cdevzplot. Here is a simple configuration file.

     	# cdevzplot preference
     	# interested classes
     	class   BPM_4ch BPM_see
     	class   MAGquad
     
     	# interested attributes
     	# these must follow classes
     
     	BPM_4ch XPOS 
     	BPM_4ch YPOS
     	BPM_see XPOS YPOS
     	MAGquad BDL
     

   • The CDEVZPLOT starts with an empty panel. One has to select "New Plots" from the "File" Menu to show all classes one can chose from. The "New Plots" will popup a dialog box that contains all classes .

     Select one class from the list will trigger communication to the Model server to fetch all scoord values of devices of the selected class. Once all scoord values are obtained, the device name verses scoord plot will be shown in the bottom part of the panel.

     A dialog box that contains all attributes of the selected class also appears.

     Select one or more attributes result in one or more plots in the upper part of the panel. Dragging sash widget on the panel allows one to change vertical size of the plots. Clicking on update button enables/disables monitoring process of all devices.

   • The CDEVZPLOT allows users to plot arithmetic expression for currently plotted attributes. The attributes specified in the expression must match the attributes currently plotted. See a running example.

   • One can have more than one panel of plots by choosing "New Panel" from the "File" Menu.

   • ZoomIn and ZoomOut buttons allow one to zoom in and zoom out in X direction. Once the plots are zoomed in, one can use middle mouse button to move data around. One can also use middle mouse button to drag X axis in either direction to achieve zoom in and zoom out effect.

   • Use "Print" from the "File" Menu to generate a postscript file.
5. FAQs
   1. Why a specified attribute in the configuration file is not shown up in the attrbiute list?

      Attributes in the configuration file must match attrbutes in the DDL file. The DDL file, which is a binary file, is pointed by $CDEVDDL. All ASCII version of DDL files are in the same directory where the $CDEVDDL is. One can check all attributes of a particular class in that directory. For example, all attributes for magnet devices are defined in magnet-class.ddl.

   2. Why do I get a error dialog box saying syntax error for my arithmetic expression?

      All attributes specigfied in the arithmetic expression must match those atteibutes that are plotted in the panel.