diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.html b/RELEASE_NOTES.html index 58255b9cb..71e8e7b80 100644 --- a/RELEASE_NOTES.html +++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.html @@ -11,9 +11,25 @@

June 2001

-

Changes since 3.13.4

- -

+

+Changes since 3.13.4

+

+Constant Links +

+Hex and octal constants are now accepted for constant links. +

+Breakpoint tables +

+A bug that caused an invalid conversion when the raw value is greater than the maximum table value is fixed. +If the raw value is outside the table, the aiRecord and aoRecord now specify a severity of MAJOR_ALARM instead of INVALID_ALARM. +

+VAL field a promptgroup +

+The VAL field of the following recordtypes can now be given values by database +configuration tools: aiRecord, aoRecord, biRecord, boRecord, calcoutRecord, longinRecord, longoutRecord, mbbiDirectRecord, mbbiRecord, mbboDirectRecord, mbboRecord. +

+Several of the changes have been made to help prevent exceptions on powerPcs +when conversions are made from float to double.

CA Server Bug

@@ -501,30 +517,20 @@ includes the following

  • drvRs232.h
    • NOTE: drvBitBus.h, drvBitBus.c, drvBitBusInterface.h, and drvBitBusErr.h -appear in both base and unbundled because drvGib uses it.  Must be fixed when -gpib is unbundled. - -

    drvBBMsg.c drvBBMsg.c drvRs232.c drvTy232.h

    - -

    Removedfrom base. Seemed to be old duplicate version of drvBB232.c or not -used at all.

    - -

    devXxDig500Msg232.c

    - -

    removed, was replaced by the digitel record type & device support

    - -

    CAN and IPAC

    - -

    This support has been available for some time as an unbundled product. It -is not longer included with base.

    - -

    Allen Bradley

    - +appear in both base and unbundled because drvGib uses it.  Must be +fixed when gpib is unbundled. +

    drvBBMsg.c drvBBMsg.c drvRs232.c drvTy232.h +

    Removedfrom base. Seemed to be old duplicate version of drvBB232.c or +not used at all. +

    devXxDig500Msg232.c +

    removed, was replaced by the digitel record type & device support +

    CAN and IPAC +

    This support has been available for some time as an unbundled product. +It is not longer included with base. +

    Allen Bradley

    The allen bradley support has been available for some time as an unbundled -product. It is not longer included with base.

    - -

    devOpt support

    - +product. It is not longer included with base. +

    devOpt support

    The following gpib support modules have been changed to fix compiler bug for vxWorks 5.3:

    -

    base.dbd

    +

    +base.dbd

    + +For all utilities the required database definition files are generated +from a dctsdr file from a previous epics release. A dctsdr file can be +specified or else the utilities can be run in a directory which contains +default.dctsdr (or a soft link with that name). sdr2recordtype also requires +the header file generated by a previous epics release. +

    +Conversions - replacement for DBF_CVTCHOICE

    +Let's briefly review database conversion, i.e. the LINR field for ai and +ao records. +

    The allowed conversions are:

      -
    1. None
      2. -
    2. Linear
      3. -
    3. Breakpoint Tables
      4. +
    4. +None
      5. + +
    5. +Linear
      6. + +
    6. +Breakpoint Tables
    The main complication results from the breakpoint tables. Previously EPICS handled breakpoint tables as follows: - -

    The user prepares files in one of two formats: The first is just a list of -"raw value, eng units value". The second format is a file with a header line -followed by a table of raw data values that represent data at equally spaced -engineering unit values. In either case the ascii data is converted to an -internal binary format containing breakpoint tables. This data is part of -default.dctsdr.

    - -

    Here is how breakpoint table are now handled.

    +

    The user prepares files in one of two formats: The first is just a list +of "raw value, eng units value". The second format is a file with a header +line followed by a table of raw data values that represent data at equally +spaced engineering unit values. In either case the ascii data is converted +to an internal binary format containing breakpoint tables. This data is +part of default.dctsdr. +

    Here is how breakpoint table are now handled.

    -One other comment needs to be made about conversions. The Allen Bradley device -support for the IXE module uses the LINR field in a non standard way. This was -a mistake but compatibility must be maintained. Thus menuConvert contains a -lot of choices used only by the IXE device support. +One other comment needs to be made about conversions. The Allen Bradley +device support for the IXE module uses the LINR field in a non standard +way. This was a mistake but compatibility must be maintained. Thus menuConvert +contains a lot of choices used only by the IXE device support. +

    +Converting existing applications

    -

    Converting existing applications

    +

    +Database Configuration Tools

    + +
  • +DCT - Rather than making major changes to DCT, a TCL/TK replacement has +been written. The executable is named DCT313.
    • + +
  • +GDCT - A new version is provided that supports 3.13. The executable is +named GDCT313.
    • + +
  • +CAPFAST
    • -

    Database Configuration Tools

    - -

    Application Source/Release Control

    +

    +Application Source/Release Control

    At the present time There are at least three Application Source/Release Control Systems in active use. The old technique of having cat_ascii and replace_ascii directories no longer work. In addition makesdr no longer @@ -1439,392 +1512,463 @@ exists. The new system offers developers far more flexibility but it also means that each Application Source/Release Control system has to be modified to take advantage of the new capabilities. Again the changes in RULES and makeBaseApp should make this task easier. +

    The document "EPICS +IOC Applications: Building and Source/Release Control" describes a +utility makeBaseApp which can be used for small applications. It also provides +guidlines that can be used for large applications. +

    +Locally developed Record/Device support

    -

    The document "EPICS -IOC Applications: Building and Source/Release Control" describes a utility -makeBaseApp which can be used for small applications. It also provides -guidlines that can be used for large applications.

    - -

    Locally developed Record/Device support

    + +

    +Record Instance Definitions

    + +

    +Convert to proper format

    +All record instances must be capable of being loaded into an ioc via dbLoadDatabase, +dbLoadRecords, or dbLoadTemplate. This is the same format that dbLoadRecords +and dbLoadTemplate used in 3.12 releases. Note that if any files contain +the statements: +
            database(x) { nowhere() {
+        }
+        }
 
 or
 
-        database(x) {
-        }
    +        database(x) { +        } These statements must be removed. They were in pre 3.12 releases. - -

    CONSTANT Links with value "0"

    -Release 3.13 is now capably of distingushing between a null link (a link that -is not given any value at all) and a constant link with the value 0. This -cause problems for some old record instance files. For example if a record -instance is defined as: -
            record(fanout,name) {
-                field(SELN,"1")
-                field(SELL,"0")
-        }
    +

    +CONSTANT Links with value "0"

    +Release 3.13 is now capably of distingushing between a null link (a link +that is not given any value at all) and a constant link with the value +0. This cause problems for some old record instance files. For example +if a record instance is defined as: +
            record(fanout,name) {
+                field(SELN,"1")
+                field(SELL,"0")
+        }
    Such definitions can be fixed by either completly removing the link definition or changing the value from "0" to "". -

    here is a complete list of record types and fields that may have this -problem:

    +problem: A good way to find these problems is to use grep. For example: -
            grep SELL */*.db
    +
            grep SELL */*.db
    This assumes that you are in directory that contains subdirectorys containing .db files. - -

    IOC Startup files

    -The command dbLoad is no longer supported. The new method is to issue one or -more dbLoadDatabase commands and any combination of dbLoadRecords and +

    +IOC Startup files

    +The command dbLoad is no longer supported. The new method is to issue one +or more dbLoadDatabase commands and any combination of dbLoadRecords and dbLoadTemplate commands. +

    +Other Release Notes

    -

    Other Release Notes

    - -

    IOC Test routines

    +

    +IOC Test routines

    Many changes have been made to the EPICS ioc test routines, i.e., routines -given to the vxWorks shell. Please read the chapter "IOC Test Facilities" in -the Application Developer's Guide for details. +given to the vxWorks shell. Please read the chapter "IOC Test Facilities" +in the Application Developer's Guide for details. +

    +Changes to Record and Device Support

    -

    Changes to Record and Device Support

    + +

    +Make rules and config files

    +The config environment has been extensively changed. BASE now has its own +set of config files. Extensions will be able to use the base config files +(for the version of base it is built against) and add it's own definitions. +Changes to extensions will come at a future time. +

    +GNU C++ for base

    +It is now possible to compile 3.13 EPICS base with the gnu C and C++ compilers. +A C++ compiler that properly supports templates is required to build the +new ca server and the gdd library. +

    +log server

    Thanks to William Lupton at KECK the log server will now (under the latest EPICS 3.13) obtain a new directory for the log file in response to SIGHUP. - -

    CA repeater fix

    -Thanks to Kim Gillies, Bret Goodrich, and others at NOAO a problem has been -discovered and fixed in the 3.12 CA repeater under solaris. - -

    Portable CA server

    +

    +CA repeater fix

    +Thanks to Kim Gillies, Bret Goodrich, and others at NOAO a problem has +been discovered and fixed in the 3.12 CA repeater under solaris. +

    +Portable CA server

    A new CA server C++ class library is available. The server library is in libcas.a. The API is described in casdef.h. Doc is in progress. An example server tool can be found at base/src/cas/example. The server has been tested under sunos4 and solaris. A multi-threaded version of the new server for vxWorks is in progress. - -

    Macro Substitution Library

    +

    +Macro Substitution Library

    The macro substitution library discussed in tech-talk is now part of epics -base. Thus was contributed by Bill Lupton. The static database library uses -this library. dbLoadRecords and dvbLoadTemplate also use it. - -

    VXI Resource Manager fix

    +base. Thus was contributed by Bill Lupton. The static database library +uses this library. dbLoadRecords and dvbLoadTemplate also use it. +

    +VXI Resource Manager fix

    Thanks to Ric Claus of SLAC a bug has been isolated in the VXI resource -manager.
    -Symptom: correct slot isnt located when EPICS_VXI_LA_BASE is set to something -other than zero. - -

    Access Security

    +manager. +
    Symptom: correct slot isnt located when EPICS_VXI_LA_BASE is set to +something other than zero. +

    +Access Security

    If asSetFile has been set in a startup file and access security initialization fails, then iocInit returns -1 so that startup file does not finish. - -

    errPrintf

    +

    +errPrintf

    On Unix this now calls fprintf(stderr instead of printf - -

    iocLogClient.c

    +

    +iocLogClient.c

    This now calls printf instead of epicsPrintf to prevent deadlocks. - -

    Native type for DBF_USHORT

    -Formerlly old database access, which does not have unsigned short called the -native type DBR_FLOAT. It now calls it DBF_LONG - -

    Allen Bradley Driver

    +

    +Native type for DBF_USHORT

    +Formerlly old database access, which does not have unsigned short called +the native type DBR_FLOAT. It now calls it DBF_LONG +

    +Allen Bradley Driver

    Analog Output Block Transfers were being requested too frequently -

    If link_status command fails (3 times in succession) adapters are now -immediatly declared down.

    - +immediatly declared down.

    For btRead and btWrite, The driver now enforces a timeout of 5 seconds which is 1 second more than scanner itself enforces. This is so that if -scanner throws away a BT request it will still timeout.

    - -

    For btRead and btWrite is is no longer permissible to issue a new btRead or -btWrite from tha callback routine.

    - -

    The on line doc has the following two changes:

    +scanner throws away a BT request it will still timeout. +

    For btRead and btWrite is is no longer permissible to issue a new btRead +or btWrite from tha callback routine. +

    The on line doc has the following two changes:

    -

    vmic2534

    +

    +vmic2534

    Support has been added by LBL. It still needs to be ansified. +

    +New options for links

    -

    New options for links

    - -
    -A forward link now works between IOCs but only if the field is PROC. When -recGblFwdLink is executed, a 1 is written. - -
    -CA means always make it channel access link - - -dbAccess (dbGetField dbPutField) make sure that link field strings are not -longer than 39 characters. They allow M for MS and N for NMS +
  • +FWDLINK
    • -

    callback and scan task names

    +
    A forward link now works between IOCs but only if the field is PROC. +When recGblFwdLink is executed, a 1 is written. +
  • +OUTLINK new option CA (In addition to PP and NPP)
    • + +
    CA means always make it channel access link +
  • +INLINK new options CA CP CPP (In addition to PP and NPP)
    • + + +dbAccess (dbGetField dbPutField) make sure that link field strings are +not longer than 39 characters. They allow M for MS and N for NMS +

    +callback and scan task names

    The task names have been changed to make them unique - -

    dbPutString

    -If the strlen of the new field is >= field_size an error is returned. - -

    event scanned records

    -Multiple priorities are now supported.
    -WARNING: Default PRIO is low thus old event scanned records may be executed at -a lower priority then previous release. - -

    Allen Bradley Stepper Motor Support (Ric Claus SLAC)

    +

    +dbPutString

    +If the strlen of the new field is >= field_size an error is returned. +

    +event scanned records

    +Multiple priorities are now supported. +
    WARNING: Default PRIO is low thus old event scanned records may be +executed at a lower priority then previous release. +

    +Allen Bradley Stepper Motor Support (Ric Claus SLAC)

    Support for the allen bradley stepper motor is available. See the APS EPICS Hardware Support page for details. - -

    initHooks

    -INITHOOKafterCaLinkInit1 is replaced by INITHOOKafterCaLinkInit
    -INITHOOKafterCaLinkInit2 no longer exists +

    +initHooks

    +INITHOOKafterCaLinkInit1 is replaced by INITHOOKafterCaLinkInit +
    INITHOOKafterCaLinkInit2 no longer exists +