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Pixie-16 C API Example#

example_pixie16api compiles and links against Pixie16Api.so. This library provides users a C wrapper to the PixieSDK. We also provide a python example that uses the same configuration file and library.

Configuration file#

File Format#

The configuration file uses JSON. This file format is ideal as it provides us a semi-structured format that allows expansion without impacting older versions.

Slot Definition Order#

The software will automatically determine the number of requested modules in the system according to the number of objects in the array. Note that this is separate from the process that the SDK uses to identify the PLX 9054 devices present. The order of the objects defines the slot to module number mapping. For example, Slot 2 will map to Module 0.

Module definitions#

Each requested module must have a JSON array element. These elements contain the information necessary for the SDK to fully initialize and boot the hardware.

Name

Description

Elements

Required?

slot

Defines the physical slot this module occupies

N/A

Yes

dsp

Defines the DSP firmware and settings file to load to the hardware.

ldr, var, par

Yes

fpga

Defines the FPGA firmware to load to the hardware.

fippi, sys

Yes

fw

Used during parallel booting to associated a registered firmware with the module

version, revision, adc_msps, adc_bits

Yes, if using parallel boot functionality or python example.

worker

Used to setup the module’s list-mode worker FIFO configuration

bandwi dth_mb_per_sec, buffers, dma_trigg er_level_bytes, hold_usecs, i del_wait_usecs, run_wait_usecs

No

Example config#

The same configuration file is used on both Linux and Windows systems. Please note that on Windows that \ characters in paths need to be escaped. For example

"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\XIA\\Pixie16_VB 2.3.1\\DSP\\Pixie16DSP_revfgeneral_16b250m_r35921.ldr"

Base format#

[
  {
    "slot": "<slot number>",
    "dsp": {
      "ldr": "<absolute or relative path to DSP LDR file>",
      "par": "<absolute or relative path to binary settings file>",
      "var": "<absolute or relative path to DSP VAR file>"
    },
    "fpga": {
      "fippi": "<absolute or relative path to FPGA FIPPI settings file>",
      "sys": "<absolute or relative path to FPGA SYS settings file>"
    }
  }
]

Single module configuration#

[
  {
    "slot": 2,
    "dsp": {
      "ldr": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/dsp/Pixie16DSP_revfgeneral_16b250m_r35921.ldr",
      "par": "pixie.json",
      "var": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/dsp/Pixie16DSP_revfgeneral_16b250m_r35921.var"
    },
    "fpga": {
      "fippi": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/firmware/fippixie16_revfgeneral_16b250m_r36563.bin",
      "sys": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/firmware/syspixie16_revfgeneral_adc250mhz_r33339.bin"
    }
  }
]

Multi-module configuration w/ parallel boot#

[
  {
    "slot": 2,
    "dsp": {
      "ldr": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/dsp/Pixie16DSP_revfgeneral_16b250m_r35921.ldr",
      "par": "pixie.json",
      "var": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/dsp/Pixie16DSP_revfgeneral_16b250m_r35921.var"
    },
    "fpga": {
      "fippi": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/firmware/fippixie16_revfgeneral_16b250m_r36563.bin",
      "sys": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/firmware/syspixie16_revfgeneral_adc250mhz_r33339.bin"
    },
    "fw": {
      "version": 35921,
      "revision": 15,
      "adc_msps": 250,
      "adc_bits": 16
    }
  },
  {
    "slot": 4,
    "dsp": {
      "ldr": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/dsp/Pixie16DSP_revfgeneral_16b250m_r35921.ldr",
      "par": "pixie.json",
      "var": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/dsp/Pixie16DSP_revfgeneral_16b250m_r35921.var"
    },
    "fpga": {
      "fippi": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/firmware/fippixie16_revfgeneral_16b250m_r36563.bin",
      "sys": "/usr/local/xia/pixie/firmware/revf_general_16b250m_r35921/firmware/syspixie16_revfgeneral_adc250mhz_r33339.bin"
    },
    "fw": {
      "version": 35921,
      "revision": 15,
      "adc_msps": 250,
      "adc_bits": 16
    }
  }
]

Usage Instructions#

These instructions assume that you’ve built and installed PixieSDK into the default location.

Linux#

  1. Create the directory

mkdir ~/pixie_sdk_example && cd ~/pixie_sdk_example

  1. Copy the sample configuration file from the repo

cp /usr/local/xia/PixieSDK/share/config/example_config.json .

  1. Update the configuration file. You can name it whatever you want.

  2. Execute the program to boot the modules

LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/xia/PixieSDK/lib/ /usr/local/xia/PixieSDK/bin/example_pixie16api boot <name of config file>

Windows#

Windows will work similarly to Linux. You’ll need to add the PixieSDK library and bin paths to your Path variable.

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