Record Processing

1. Normal Processing

StreamDevice is an asynchronous device support (see IOC Application Developer's Guide chapter 12: Device Support). Whenever the record is processed, the protocol is scheduled to start and the record is left active (PACT=1). The protocol itself runs in another thread. That means that any waiting in the protocol does not delay any other part of the IOC.

After the protocol has finished, the record is processed again, leaving PACT=0 this time, triggering monitors and processing the forward link FLNK. Note that input links with PP flag pointing to a StreamDevice record will read the old value first and start the protocol afterward. This is a problem all asynchronous EPICS device supports have.

The first out command in the protocol locks the device for exclusive access. That means that no other record can communicate with that device. This ensures that replies given by the device reach the record which has sent the request. On a bus with many devices on different addresses, this normally locks only one device. The device is unlocked when the protocol terminates. Another record trying to lock the same device has to wait and might get a LockTimeout.

If any error happens, the protocol is aborted. The record will have its SEVR field set to INVALID and its STAT field to something describing the error:

TIMEOUT

The device could not be locked (LockTimeout) because other records are keeping the device busy or the device did not reply in time (ReplyTimeout).

WRITE

Output could not be written to the device in time (WriteTimeout).

READ

Input from the device started but stopped unexpectedly (ReadTimeout).

COMM

The device driver reported that the device is disconnected.

CALC

Input did not match the argument string of the in command or it contained values the record did not accept.

UDF

Some fatal error happened or the record has not been initialized correctly (e.g. because the protocol is erroneous).

If the protocol is aborted, an exception handler might be executed if defined. Even if the exception handler can complete with no further error, the protocol will not resume and SEVR and STAT will be set according to the original error.

2. Initialization

Often, it is useful to initialize records from the hardware after booting the IOC, especially output records. For this purpose, initialization is formally handled as an exception. The @init handler is called as part of the initRecord() function during iocInit before any scan task starts and may be re-run later under circumstances listed below.

In contrast to normal processing, the protocol is handled synchronously. That means that initRecord() does not return before the @init handler has finished. Thus, the records initialize one after the other. The scan tasks are not started and iocInit does not return before all @init handlers have finished. If the handler fails, the record remains uninitialized: UDF=1, SEVR=INVALID, STAT=UDF.

The @init handler has nothing to do with the PINI field. The handler does not process the record nor does it trigger forward links or any links with the PP flag. It runs before PINI is handled. If the record has PINI=YES, the PINI processing is a normal processing after the @init handlers of all records have completed.

Depending on the record type, format converters might work slightly different from normal processing. Refer to the description of supported record types for details.

If the @inithandler has read a value and has completed without error, the record starts in a defined state. That means UDF=0, SEVR=NO_ALARM, STAT=NO_ALARM and the VAL field contains the value read from the device.

If no @init handler is installed, VAL and RVAL fields remain untouched. That means they contain the value defined in the record definition, read from a constant INP or DOL field, or restored from a bump-less reboot system (e.g. autosave from the synApps package).

The @init handler is called in the following situations:

• At startup by iocInit during record initialization as described above.
• When the IOC is resumed with iocRun (after beeing paused with iocPause) before the scan tasks restart and before records with PINI=RUN are processed.
• When the protocol is reloaded for example with streamReload ["recordname"].
• When StreamDevice detects that the device has reconnected (after being disconnected). This includes the case that the device was disconnected when the IOC started. Be aware that some drivers test the connection only periodically, e.g. the asynIPPort driver tests it every few seconds. Thus there may be a small delay between the device being online and the record re-initializing.
• When streamReinit "asynPortname"[,addr] is called (if using an asynDriver port).
• When the "magic value" 2 is written to the .PROC field of the record. In this case the record is processed and thus its FLNK and links with the PP flag are triggered.

3. I/O Intr

StreamDevice supports I/O event scanning. This is a mode where record processing is triggered by the device whenever the device sends input.

In terms of protocol execution this means: When the SCAN field is set to I/O Intr (during iocInit or later), the protocol starts without processing the record. With the first in command, the protocol is suspended. If the device has been locked (i.e there was an out command earlier in the protocol), it is unlocked now. That means that other records can communicate to the device while this record is waiting for input. This in command ignores replyTimeout, it waits forever.

The protocol now receives any input from the device. It also gets a copy of all input directed to other records. Non-matching input does not generate a mismatch exception. It just restarts the in command until matching input is received.

After receiving matching input, the protocol continues normally. All other in commands are handled normally. When the protocol has completed, the record is processed. It then triggers monitors, forward links, etc. After the record has been processed, the protocol restarts.

This mode is useful in two cases: First for devices that send data automatically without being asked. Second to distribute multiple values in one message to different records. In this case, one record would send a request to the device and pick only one value out of the reply. The other values are read by records in I/O Intr mode.

Example:

Device dev1 has a "region of interest" (ROI) defined by a start value and an end value. When asked "ROI?", it replies something like "ROI 17.3 58.7", i.e. a string containing both values.

We need two ai records to store the two values. Whenever record ROI:start is processed, it requests ROI from the device. Record ROI:end updates automatically.

record (ai "ROI:start") {
    field (DTYP, "stream")
    field (INP,  "@myDev.proto getROIstart dev1")
}
record (ai "ROI:end") {
    field (DTYP, "stream")
    field (INP,  "@myDev.proto getROIend dev1")
    field (SCAN, "I/O Intr")
}

Only one of the two protocols sends a request, but both read their part of the same reply message.

getROIstart {
    out "ROI?";
    in  "ROI %f %*f";
}
getROIend {
    in  "ROI %*f %f";
}

Note that the other value is also parsed by each protocol, but skipped because of the %* format. Even though the getROIend protocol may receive input from other requests, it silently ignores every message that does not start with "ROI", followed by two floating point numbers.