MMI Object Analysis and the Distributed Components
for a New Console in the KEK e-/e+ LinacIsamu ABE, Subrata Dasgupta*, and Masakatsu Mutoh**(KEK)High Energy Accelerator Research Organization
Oho 1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan*VECC, Calcutta India.
**LNS, Tohoku university, Sendai, Japan
Abstract
The J portion of the electron-positron accelerator (e+/eLinac) is now under construction (1994-1998). Itscompletion will greatly improve and reinforce the consolesystem. The operators’ console consists of PCs and amethod to enhance cost efficiency, software developmentproductivity and flexibility. The system, which consists ofmiddle layers that include the PC-based console and a
Windows NT server database, has reached the stage ofpractical use.
It has been reported that system construction based on
PCs, Windows NT, and its hardware and software haveproduced successful results at several research institutes,
and is reaching the phase of maturity.
Consequently, the rapid emergence of a new trend insoftware development has made it necessary to review theman-machine interface (MMI) in the operation and display
systems of the console. This paper discusses the fact that areanalysis of MMI and the abstraction of the lower layers atdatabases have become increasingly important researchsubjects.
1

Preconditions for MMI analysis

We have set up a project[1] for review of man-machineinterface (MMI) at the operation console, and reanalysis has
been carried out looking for an common objects which issharable among different institute. Device classes andoperation classes are reported in a paper[2]. This paper
analyzes MMI objects in the following sections:(1) MMI components;(2) Operation phases, patterns, and procedures;(3) Operation tools.
In the future, added to the above, the production of MMI
objects should be studied and designed while maintaining abalance with the middle-layer objects expected of databases.

2Items dealt with in MMI

If the accelerator is viewed from the standpoint of humaninterface (HI/F) layers, all device layers are abstracted bymiddle-layer databases. In particular, the spread of Java andother software is making this tendency increasingly clear,which demands revising the notion that databases are solely
for the purpose of storing and providing information. Inconjunction with Web servers, databases abstract lowerlayer objects and show them to upper MMI strata. The
following are some of the data items required for theoperation of an accelerator when operated in HI/F layers:(1) Various fixed parameters, system data and its
operation;(2) Real-time processing of information concerningchanges in various systems and other data;(3) Storage and control of wave signal information, image
data and system photographs;(4) Recording of commands sent from theoperationconsole;(5) Accelerator operation record and Maintenance log.
Items (2), (3) and (4) must be accomplished in real time.
3 Operation phases
From the viewpoint of operation, the foregoing items arechanged to the phases shown below. Essentially, it isdesirable that the accelerator has data structures andoperation procedures that suit the operation phases. It shouldhave common MMI components at each of the phase:(1) Start-up phase;(2) Partial test run;(3) Trial- operation phase (beam commissioning);(4) Regular operation;(5) Diagnosis and support;(6) Shut-down;(7) Maintenance phase;(8) DTP and provision of data to Web and others
4 Operation patterns
This Linac has various devices or components, such as agun, a vacuum system, RF, a monitor, beam transport, andsafety interlock and control systems. In each device,
operation patterns can be divided into the following
categories:(1) Direct operation;(2) Linked operation between devices;(3) Operation via log (relative) trend analysis and support;(4) Diagnosis support using the alarm system.
Basically, it is desirable that data and methods related tothese devices be abstracted in middle layers and handled as
objects reducing clients load. It is also necessary to not
only abstract devices through databases, but also make themvirtual in order to provide them to the console system.
5 MMI components
The operators can handle the accelerator in a specific andunified manner by operating it in HI/F layers using actual

MMI windows visual components. The more successfully
middle layer objects are formed, the more easily theaccelerator is operated. The following are tools that can beoperated in the console system:
1) Creation of displays using language;
2) Creation of displays at an exclusive tool level;3) Construction through such commercially available
general-purpose software as Excel;
4) Software for operating networks, such as Web and Java;
5) Construction via combining parts and components (VBX,OCX, VB-forms).

KEK PF Linac have used the client/server system, which
continues to be used in that way. G/W and DB are placed in
one machine (distributed operation also possible) and serveas middle layer; abstracting layers between lower andupper device strata. In other words, all data from the device
layers go through these strata and are controlled, while links
to databases are controlled by G/W.
In the remodeling at the outset of constructing the PF
Linac device, a commercially available database having anengine was not installed. A server for client control wasinstalled as a console system along with the trial operationof a database engine, conducted because Windows NT wasused. A database engine was introduced since it could beintroduced at a relatively low cost, and worked well withother applications. Since then, improvements have been
made, including upgraded speed and response to real-timedata.
6.3 This DB offers the features listed below bystandardizing:(a) the trigger functions;(b) cashing mechanism;(c) sdf object commands.

Fig. 1 Example of VB-form Objects
We have used Visual Basic Enterprise 4.0 until now (it ischanging with 5.0J) , linking IE, Netscape and MS-Officeproduct. Common objects are being make by OCX or VBform sharable objects shown in Fig.1. These items must be
checked as to whether they work on:1) Single-station operation;2) That which enables multiple-station operation;3) Multiple-vendor operation.
However, actually, not every component works on amulti-CPU, OS, or platform. At this moment, operators’
console is running on Windows NT, and about half of thecomponents are made by VB. The VB components are very
portable and easy to add to other objects. These arecommunicated to only by messages. All others are made byJava and other commercial packages.
6Database system

6.1 Overall configuration
All data from the device layers are provided to MS-SQL
DB through VME, PLC or UNIX, as well as a PC device
manager at a regular basis, or when the data change. MSSQL 6.5J and Windows NT4.0 were upgraded in June 1997.
A new command format between the MMI components hasbeen installed. Same format command is available between
server and clients.
6.2 Link with gateway (G/W)
Historically, the operation and display systems of the

6.3.1 This database conditions data using SQL's trigger
functions, and by bringing about triggering under suchconditions and starting other tasks (possible to start tasks atstations beyond networks); it conducts database-driven
operation to enable object distribution.
6.3.2 In the past, it was hard for DB to follow dynamic data,much less the impossibility of its following dynamic data on
personal-computer systems. Recently, however, it has
become possible to change the situation by adding a cashingmechanism to the G/W on a Pentium CPU.
6.3.3 It has become possible to exchange with DB in clientbased communication systems even without issuing SQL
commands to DB. As shown below, the format is based on
the one which has become familiar through the operation ofVB and others.
Object name. method/property. Option <= value>
It can also be set. If data are conditioned in a more complex
way by issuing SQL commands, and exchanges areconducted with DB through the program, operation throughVB using the ODBC connection and other means alsooccurs.
7DB operation MMI

DB has been considered as abstraction layers for MMI,
and our present system is described in the previous chapter.
To operate databases, the following three methods areavailable. ( The figure below shows a recent method of
operation using a WWW browser):(1) Operation using applications (possible only at theconsole) ;(2) Operation using browsers (possible from anywhere);(3) Operation using tools (used for development,maintenance and other occasions).

(2)

(3)

Fig. 2 CPU load factor on NT4.0 server
8DB performance helps MMI operation

The load factor on the CPUs when using the databaseappears in Fig 2. The figure shows how information
concerning changes in various devices emerges from device
layers, and collectively goes down from cash to DB, as
clients access DB. In the past, when Windows NT3.51(Pentium 133MHz) was used, the load factor on G/Wreached 15%; however, when multi CPU (X4) Windows
NT4.0 (Pentium 200MHz) was bought for the J-linac, theload factor decreased to less than 5-6%. If the clock rate israised, the processing speed improves remarkably, whichindicates the possibility of loading more distributed objects.

10 Conclusion
System construction based on PCs and Windows NT has
produced successful results[3].
To enhance the cost efficiency, a software development
productivity and flexibility, MMI reanalysis resulted inimportant and good efforts. Common MMI objects being
developed are becoming shareable software on Windowsand others.
References[1][2]

9 Future improvement measures(1)

In the future, consoles using Web browsers and othermethods where the learning cost is very low will
increasingly spread. It is already obvious that there
is a possibility that more displays based on multiplatform specifications will develop than exclusive
displays.

Because the clients described above tend to grownumerically, the volume of processing at the DB level
will expand if the load on clients is reduced. Moreand more pre-processing of functions that users need
together with Web servers tend to be conducted at theDB layer, which will make object distribution a major
subject of research.
In June 1997, load and other tests were conductedusing the existing Linac; it was confirmed that several
problems had been resolved, and that it is possible tooperate DB for the J-Linac at the PC level. InOctober, 1997, partial operation of the J-Linac started,
and, with this, the main system also began actual
operation.

[3]

S. Dasgputa and I Abe“Finding Universal Objects for Accelerator MMI”
p201-203, Linac meeting, 1997/9 Sendai Japan
S. Dasgputa and I Abe“Sharable GUI Objects for the Operators’ console”
This conference.
Masahiko TANAKA, Isamu Abe and Hitoshi
KOBAYASHI“Evaluation for operators console from operators
points of view ”,
p.196-198, Linac meeting, 1997/9 Sendai