October 2010 Test beam data taking

Setup configuration

Changing the setup

1. check the list of detectors to be included in the data acquisition here
2. cable them according to the RO and HV cabling map you can find here (RO and HV)
3. verify all the inputs are connected from the patch pannel to the RO modules according to the RO schema can find here
4. check that all the high voltage channels are on at the nominal value (see here)

Oscilloscope setup

High voltage setup

1. Connect to the HV mainframe via telnet (for username and passwd look in the CR)
• telnet dream-hv.cern.ch 1527
2. go to "menu" -> "channel" and go to the channel you are interested in by moving with arrows. Move to the On/Off column (5th column) with the arrow and use "space" to enable the channel

Data taking

Start the run

1. Open a terminal.
2. To start a run use the command  daq <readout> <number of events>  (e. g. "daq vme 10000") . The parameter  <readout> indicates the readout system you want to use for the data acquisition :  
   • vme to only read out the ADCs, 
   • drs to read out the ADCs and the DRS, osc to read out the ADCs and the Oscilloscope
   • all to read out ADCs, DRS and Oscilloscope at the same time. 
   The parameter <number of events> indicates the number of events you want in a run.
3. Several windows will open with details on the run being taken. The window on the top left will show you the number of events acquired and the approximate number of spills till the end of the run.
4. If you want to stop the run at any time click on the terminal where you typed the daq command and press CTRL+C.
5. If the run gets stuck or exits giving errors do a daq cleaning before starting another run using the command daq clean 

Logging informations

1. Log into elog page
2. Click on "new"
3. Fill in the required informations plus comments (if any)
4. To avoid having to re-enter all the information you can open the page of the previuous run and press Reply, but please write a new entry each time you start a new task.
   

Monitoring informations

1. Type show_monitoring_plots <run number> in a terminal.  Warnings and the error messages Error in <TFile:::TFile:file /home/dreamtest/working/hbook/datafile_histo_pedestal_runXXXX.root doesn't exist  can be ignored.
2. This opens a TBrowser window. Click on the folder ROOT Files and then on the file in there.
   
3. Now you have several folders (Dream, Leakage...) that contain the relevent monitoring plots.
4. Double-Click on a plot to view it.
5. To print a plot press File -> Print and enter the following information:
• Print command: lpr -P 
• Printer: laser_lan
  

Troubleshotting

• The DAQ is stuck!
• check that the trigger is working: are the trigger scintillator on? Are they connected? 
  
• Try to stop it by pressing CTRL+C. If that does not work open a terminal and type daq clean.
• If this happens often report to the DAQ people
  
• The moving plattaform is stuck!
• check if the power is on (the switch is by the door, labeled "sapphire table")
• check if the switch in the test beam area is set to "local"
• 
  

On call experts