Operation

Starting up Specfe

Default Startup

The usual way to start up specfe is to type its name in a terminal window.

	    [jennings@weimar specfe]$ specfe
	    spawn psic
	    tweaker init
	    qdo /home/jennings/.specfe/specfetmp
	    
	                      Welcome to "spec" Release 5.04.04-1
	             Copyright (c) 1987-2003 Certified Scientific Software
	                              All rights reserved
	    
	    (Portions derived from a program developed at Harvard University.)
	    (Psic based on work done at Argonne National Laboratory,
	    Materials Science Division [J. Appl. Cryst. (1999) 32, 614-623].)
	    (Linked with GNU Readline and History libraries for command line editing.)
 
	    Using "/usr/local/lib/spec.d" for auxiliary file directory (SPECD).
	    
	    Getting configuration parameters from "SPECD/psic/config".
	    Server on host "weimar:fourc" unreachable.  Will keep trying.
	    Server on host "weimar:fourc" unreachable.  Will keep trying.
	    SPI-8 motor "m1" (unit 0, ch 0) unusable:  unit not configured.
 
	    Using s2d2-type psi-circle configuration.
	    
	    =
	    spec Hot Line:  (617) 576-1610.
	    Type h changes for info on latest changes.
	    Browse to http://www.certif.com for complete documentation.
	    =
 
	    
	    182.PSIC> qdo /home/jennings/.specfe/specfetmp
	    Reading file "/home/jennings/.specfe/specfetmp".
	    
	    183.PSIC>
	    
	  

When you do this, specfe will start up in a new window and will attempt to run spec in the original terminal window. If more than one spec geometry is installed on your system specfe will run the geometry that was set up in its preferences dialog.

Starting other Spec geometries

If you want to run a different spec geometry than that configured as the specfe default, simply give its name as a second argument on the specfe command line.

	    [jennings@weimar specfe]$ specfe fourc
	    spawn fourc
	    tweaker init
	    qdo /home/jennings/.specfe/specfetmp
 
	                      Welcome to "spec" Release 5.04.04-1
	             Copyright (c) 1987-2003 Certified Scientific Software
	                              All rights reserved
	    
	    (Portions derived from a program developed at Harvard University.)
	    (Linked with GNU Readline and History libraries for command line editing.)
	    
	    Using "/usr/local/lib/spec.d" for auxiliary file directory (SPECD).
	    
	    Getting configuration parameters from "SPECD/fourc/config".
	    Warning:  Not linked with NI cib.o for GPIB!
	    Can't open "gpib0" for National Instruments GPIB unit 0.
	    (Not compiled or linked for a "PC_BIT3PCI".)
	    Using PC-port byte I/O at base address 0xa800.
	    Using "/dev/ttyS0" for IMS device.
	    =
	    spec Hot Line:  (617) 576-1610.
	    Type h changes for info on latest changes.
	    Browse to http://www.certif.com for complete documentation.
	    =
	    
 
	    112.FOURC> qdo /home/jennings/.specfe/specfetmp
	    Reading file "/home/jennings/.specfe/specfetmp".
 
	    113.FOURC>
 
	    

Specfe will start up as before, then attempt to run the 'fourc' spec geometry.

If there is a problem starting the spec geometry, the specfe window will open up as usual, but it will not be able to start spec. There will be an error message in the terminal window suggesting that you change the default geometry with the preferences dialog and then restart specfe.

	    [jennings@weimar specfe2]$ specfe spec
	    spawn spec
	    Could not start spec geometry spec
	    couldn't execute "spec": no such file or directory
	    Choose a new default geometry with File->SPECFE Preferences... and restart SPECFE
	    
	  

Passing additional options to spec when starting specfe

If you need to pass extra command line options to spec when you start it up from inside specfe, you can do so. Simply add the options to the end of the specfe command line after the geometry name.

	    [jennings@weimar jennings]$ specfe fourc -f
	    spawn fourc -f
	    tweaker init
	    qdo /home/jennings/.specfe/specfetmp
 
                              Welcome to "spec" Release 5.04.04-1
                     Copyright (c) 1987-2003 Certified Scientific Software
                                      All rights reserved
	    
	    (Portions derived from a program developed at Harvard University.)
	    (Linked with GNU Readline and History libraries for command line editing.)
	    
	    Using "/usr/local/lib/spec.d" for auxiliary file directory (SPECD).
	    
	    Getting configuration parameters from "SPECD/fourc/config".

	    ... more output ...

	    Reading file "SPECD/standard.mac".
	    Using macros for a single-motor monochromator.
 
	    Reading file "SPECD/mono_settings" (level 2).
	    Monochromator d-spacing is 3.13542 Angstroms.
	    Warning:  No open data file.  Using "/dev/null".
	    Type "startup" to initialize data file, etc.
	    
	    Reading file "SPECD/four.mac".
	    Warning:  Using default lattice constants.
	    (UB recalculated from orientation reflections and lattice.)
	    
	    
	    1.FOURC> qdo /home/jennings/.specfe/specfetmp
	    Reading file "/home/jennings/.specfe/specfetmp".
	    
	    2.FOURC>
	  

Shutting down specfe

You can shut down specfe either by choosing the File->Quit command from the specfe window or by typing the 'quit' command in spec. There is a slight quirk in earlier versions of specfe (before 1.5.10) in that specfe didn't automatically shut down when you type the 'quit' command in spec. You must separately quit specfe in this situation, either by choosing its File->Quit command, or by typing CTRL-C in the terminal window where spec was running.

Monitoring a Spec data file

There is a secondary mode of operation for specfe where it doesn't attempt to run spec at all, it merely monitors a spec data file and displays any data added to that file. You can enter this mode of operation by giving the name of the file on the specfe command line.

	    [jennings@weimar specfe2]$ specfe data/myscans.dat
	  

In this mode of operation the user interface of specfe is simplified by the removal of the features designed for use in controlling spec, namely the "Motors/Counters" display, the "EXAFS Scan" and "Powder Scan" displays and a number of commands from the menus. Specfe will still display scanned data as it is scanned, however. It is also possible for several instances of specfe to watch the same data file simultaneously (possibly as different users). This provides a convenient 'trick' to allow several users to collaborate on an experiment at the same time.

You can also start up specfe from inside spec by a command something like the following

	    139.PSIC> unix(sprintf("specfe %s &", DATAFILE))
 
	    140.PSIC>
	  

Note the use of the ampersand to cause specfe to be run in the background, thereby allowing you to continue working with spec.