Restarting ADX Data Collection Processes

If data collection stalls and there are no error messages it is time to halt the various applications and restart them. A complete restart is detailed below.

NOTE: It is vary rarely necessary to reboot any of the computers.

  1. Stop the ADX application on the data collection computer by typing "stop_ccd" in a terminal window, or by using the EXIT button of the main ADX menu (select ADX). If the crystal-centering and rspec processes are also running, use "stop_ccd_plus" instead, or select All in the EXIT pop-up window, to stop all processes. Note that if you restart ADX alone while the centering program keeps running, the programs will not communicate properly; the same problem happens with rspec in the case where it must talk to ADX (i.e. on F2).

    Stop the detector control application on the PC which runs the CCD by clicking on the X in the upper right corner of the det_api or OPERATE Detector window.

    For Q-210 and Q-270 - switch to each other PC (there are a total of two PC's for Q-210 # 441 (at A-1) and four PC's for Q-210 # 448 (at F-2) and the Q-270), using the button module at the bottom of the control rack (for # 441, use the CHANNEL button to step between PC's; to get from 2 to 1 you must step up to 8 and then on to 1) or the back of the keyboard tray. Stop the detector control application on each PC.

  2. Start the application on the PC(s):

  3. Start the ADX application on the data collection computer by typing "start_ccd" (for ADX only) or "start_ccd_plus" (for ADX, centering, and rspec) in a terminal window, or by clicking Collect Data on the desktop. At F1 only, use "start_ccd_q270" or "start_ccd_q4" (or the corresponding "start_ccd_plus_q.." commands_ to select the desired detector. You should see several windows appear, and no error messages. If you are starting crystal-centering, it will take some time for everything to get going - please be patient. The centering window normally appears on the data collection computer, but may be set to be on the station computer, if desired.

  4. For MAD data collection (on F2), rspec is normally started up with the "start_ccd_plus" command on the data collection computer. If it is necessary to start it separately, do this on the station computer by clicking RSpec on the desktop. An OpsTerm window and a CHESS spec functions panel will be posted, also a window titled ccd_bl_station in which messages about "connecting to guideline" and "got LAMBDA" should appear.

    For monochromatic data collection, rspec is independent of ADX; it is not necessary to restart it when restarting ADX, although it will do no harm to do so using "start_ccd_plus". If the OpsTerm window or the CHESS spec functions panel gets hung up or is acting strangely, you can stop and restart rspec using the Stop RSpec and RSpec buttons on the desktop of the station computer.

  5. Collect some data.

    If there is still a problem you can verify that there is communication with the Compumotor by using the ADX Manual Control window to advance the spindle a few degrees while observing the rotation on a video monitor. Data transfer to and from Compumotor can be observed by deiconifying the window ccd_bl_cm. Each time the Compumotor finishes a motion it returns "CMD_DONE", which appears in this window. If it appears that communication is not working correctly proceed to step 6.

  6. Stop data collection with "stop_ccd" or "stop_ccd_plus". Cycle the power on the Compumotor Isobar power strip located at the bottom of the Compumotor cabinet (in A1, this switch is on the back side of the cabinet). A number of LED's on the units in the cabinet should come on. Restart data collection with "start_ccd" or "start_ccd_plus".

  7. If these steps do not get data collection going again, ask the CHESS operator for help.