Variable/Scan Tab

The Scan tab loads all controls that are necessary to start an experiment scan. A typical procedure to start a scan is provided here.

The Scan tab is divide into two main control sections. A few display indicators placed the right and bottom of these seconds provide a real time system status. Figure 1. Shows the Scan tab with the control and display sections.

Click Here to go to Description Video for Variable Control Section

Click Here to go to Description Video for Scan Control Section

Figure 1. Variable/Scan Tab

The Variable control section lists the following controls and indicators:

1. Device Selector: This is a drop down control that lists all the devices that are added to the chosen experiment. All Devices that are on are highlighted and enabled in this list. Devices that are off are greyed and disabled.

2. Class Filter: This is a drop down list that allows user to filter devices listed in the Device Selector control based on their device class type. Typical example of a device class is 'Camera.' Thus, is the user selected 'camera' in the class filter, the Device Selector control will list only camera devices.

3. Location Filter: This is a drop down control list that allows user to filter devices listed in the Device Selector control based on their physical location. Typical example of a physical location is 'Bella Assembly Area".

4. State or Variable: This is a drop down control that lists all the settable variables of the device that is selected using the Device Selector control.

5. Value: The current value of the selected variable from the "State or Variable" control is displayed in the value control. This control also allows user to change the value of the selected variable. Entering/Selecting a new value for the variable and clicking anywhere outside the control will send the new value to the device.

6. Resend Command: This button re-sends the entered/displayed value in the "Value" control to the selected device.

7. Get Value: This button queries the device for the most current value of the selected device variable.

8. Set Default: This button records the displayed value from the "Value" control as the selected device variable's default value in the database. This means that when the device is restarted the next time, the recorded default value will be used for the selected device variable.

9. Local GUI: This button launches a GUI for the selected device on the local machine.

The Second control section on the Scan Tab loads all the controls necessary to start an experiment scan.

1. Scan/No Scan Selector: This is a drop down control that allows users to select the type of scan to be performed. It lists the following options:

a. No Scan: Allows a user to perform an experiment scan without changing the value of the selected device variable.

- Selecting No Scan displays the NO SCAN SETTINGS tab underneath the Scan/No Scan Selector control:

i. No of Shots: Allows user to enter the number of shots/steps required in the scan.

ii. Override X axis: A check box that allows shots nos to be replaced by a variable of choice while displaying and recording scan data

iii. X axis override variable: The variable that would override the shots nos on the x axis of the display. Format (Device space Variable)

b. Scan: Allows a user to perform an experiment scan by changing the selected device variable.

- Selecting No Scan displays the SCAN SETTINGS tab underneath the Scan/No Scan Selector control:

i. Scan Min: The minimum value of the selected device variable to start the scan from.

ii. Scan Max: The maximum value of the selected device variable to end the scan at.

iii. Scan Step Size: The size if the increment step while scanning. This determines the number of steps in the scan.

iv. # shots each step: The number of data points to acquire after each step increment in the selected device variable value. The total number of shots during the scan will be "No of Steps * # shots each step"

c. Saved Scans: Allows user to choose from a list of saved scan settings.

- Selecting No Scan displays the SAVED SCANS tab underneath the Scan/No Scan Selector control:

i. A drop down list of saved scan settings. Selecting an entry from the list will populate the controls for the SCAN SETTINGS tab.

d. File Scan: Allows user to browse configuration file which contains multiple scan and command information.

-File scan information format is given here:

[Scan1]

Device="SimCam"

Variable="gain"

Values:#shots = "1:5,2:5,3:1"

[Command2]

Device="SimCam"

Variable="gain"

Value= "1"

-Browse scan configuration file and Click on Load File button.

-Click on Start Scan to run File Scan, Then master control will run all commands and scans mentioned in file.

2. Save Scan button: This button saves the currently entered scan settings in the SCAN SETTINGS tab (Scan Min, Scan Max etc) to the database. The user is prompted to enter a name of the scan settings to be saved.

3. Start Scan button: This button starts a Scan or No Scan.

4. Pause Scan Button: This button allows a user to pause a Scan or No Scan.

5. Quit Scan Button: This button allows a user to stop a running scan.

6. Rep Rate control: This is a numeric control that allows user to specify a desired rep rate for acquiring data during a scan. The unit is Hz.

7. Rate: Displays the actual calculated rep rate of the system during a scan.

8. Scan#: The number of the current scan.

9. Shot#: The current shot number during a scan.

10. Graph indicator: A plot of the current scan value vs the current shot number.

11. SingleShot Checkbox: The scan is paused automatically after each shot when the singleshot checkbox is selected.

Videos:

1. Variable control section on Variable/Scan Tab

2. Scan control section on Variable/Scan Tab