Conditions DB Interface

Abstract

The conditions database interface is a system to create new conditions and store the updated value of these conditions into the conditions database.

Introduction

The aim of the conditions database interface is to provide to the users a simple way to create new conditions and to store the value of these conditions in the conditions database.

In order to do that the system is divided in two parts, the PVSS interface and the DIM server.

The PVSS interface allows users to define new conditions. Once these conditions are created the updated values of them are sent to the DIM server which stores the new values into the database.

Conditions database interface diagram

Installation

The conditions database can be a sqlite file or an Oracle database. For users who are testing their conditions in their laboratories is recommended to install the system as in previous versions. For users who runs their PVSS projects from the pit, is available an oracle database to store the conditions.

Users in the pit

The users in the pit only need to install the PVSS panel as it is explained in the following steps:

1. Download the Component Installation tool and the Framework from the web page:

 http://itcobe.web.cern.ch/itcobe/Projects/Framework/Download/

 2. Download the lbCondDB.zip (v5r3) file and extract it into a directory. This will create the lbCondDB directory.

 3. Instal the lbCondDB component:

• Create a new PVSS project. 
• Unzip the Component Installation tool in the top of the directory of the new  PVSS project and restart this project.
• Run the  fwInstallation.pnl that is located in the fwInstallation subdirectory of the new PVSS project path.
• Unzip the framework distribution file to a temporary directory if it is not done yet. Then choose this directory in the field "Look for new components in" of the fwInstallation main panel.
• Select the fwCore and fwDIM components and click the Install button.
• Before restart the project, change the source directory to the one where you have unzip the lbCondDB.zip file and install the lbCondDB component.
• Restart the project.

Other Users

Below are numbered the necessary steps to install and run the conditions database interface.

 1. Download and install DIM (Distributed Information Management System) from the web page:  http://dim.web.cern.ch/dim/

 2. Download the Component Installation tool and the Framework from the web page:

 http://itcobe.web.cern.ch/itcobe/Projects/Framework/Download/

 3. Download the lbCondDB.zip file and extract it into a directory. This will create the lbCondDB directory.

 4. Download condDBServer.zip file.

• In the AFS execute the following comands:

          - $LHCBSCRIPTS/CMT.csh

          - setenvGaudi v19r4

        This will create a directory called cmtuser/Gaudi_v19r4. Unzip the condDBServer.zip file in this directory.

• Edit the start_server.csh file that exists in the top of the condDBServer directory  generated as the result of unzip the condDBServer.zip file. In the line setenv DIM_DNS_NODE pclhcb158.cern.ch of this file, change the value of the DIM_DNS_NODE environment variable by the name of the pc in which the DIM dns will be running.    

 5. Instal the lbCondDB component:

• Create a new PVSS project. 
• Unzip the Component Installation tool in the top of the directory of the new  PVSS project and restart this project.
• Run the  fwInstallation.pnl that is located in the fwInstallation subdirectory of the new PVSS project path.
• Unzip the framework distribution file to a temporary directory if it is not done yet. Then choose this directory in the field "Look for new components in" of the fwInstallation main panel.
• Select the fwCore and fwDIM components and click the Install button.
• Before restart the project, change the source directory to the one where you have unzip the lbCondDB zip file and install the lbCondDB component.
• Restart the project.

 6. Run the DIM dns

 7. Execute the start_server.csh file. To stop the server you only need to click Ctrl^C.

 8.  Edit the properties of the PVSS00dim manager.

• Change de dim_dns_node value  to the name of the pc where the DIM dns is running.    

• Set the manager start mode to “always”.

Visualization of the conditions

Users in the pit

• In  /group/online/condb_viewer

• >sh CondDBBrowser.sh partitionID

         Where partitionID can be:

         - For the online partition: CondDBOnline/ONLINE

         - For the private partition: CondDBPrivate/PRIVATE

      * Due to some problems, please run this scrip from a plus node.

Note

• The Condb Browser only runs in Linux

• More information about this browser in the web page:

http://lhcb-comp.web.cern.ch/lhcb-comp/Frameworks/DetCond/conddbui/CondDBBrowser/index.html#mozTocId530557

Remarks

• Some of the functionalities available in the lbCondDb component are implemented in the lbCondDb library. The documentation of this library can be found here.

• For any question or suggestion please contact Maria del Carmen Barandela