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= Experimental Python Alarm Handler =
'''For full documentation see [[Alarm_Documentation|Alarm Documentation]]
'''For instructions on how to set up the alarm handler fresh (for new experiments) see [[Alarm Handler Setup]]

The new python alarm handler lives (for now) in a [https://github.com/sbujlab/AlarmHandlerGUI SBU JLab GitHub Repository]
== Start a new instance ==
* Sound Server
** From within the hacuser acount on hacweb7, cd to ~/parity-alarms/ and execute "./bserver" to allow the alarm handler to make sounds
** Verify the alarm handler makes sound successfully by either using the Hall A Alarm Handler sound test, or by unsilencing some alarming alarm for a few seconds
* Parity Alarm Handler GUI
** From within the apar account on adaq1, execute the ~/bin/ command "ParityAlarms"
** If the online analysis is running then live JAPAN data alarms should be updating in the background
** To enable audible alarms please run the '''AlarmServer''' command from a new and separate terminal on the hacweb7 (EPICS) computer
** If the Parity Alarm handler complains about not finding numbers or config parameters then restore a back up of alarm.csv or alarmConfig.txt into the ~/alarm/ folder and try again (if that doesn't fix it ask Cameron)

= Hall A/Target Alarm Handler =

[[File:hacweb7tools.png|thumb|600px|right|Figure 1 - Click on the red toolbox in the lower left of the hacweb7 screen (4th icon from the left).]]
[[File:Snapshot_1_1762.png|thumb|600px|right|Figure 2 - The alarm handler window when there is a red alarm.]]
[[File:Alarm_handler_open.png|thumb|600px|right|Figure 3 - The window that opens when you click on the alarm handler button. There is a red alarm]]

== Start a new instance of the Hall A Alarm handler ==

* First check if any other instances are running, don't duplicate alarm handlers
* From the EPICS control computer (hacweb7), click on the red toolbox in the lower left corner (see Figure 1)
* Click on '''"AlarmHandler"''' in the popup menu
* The window shown in Figure 2 should appear
* Move the alarm handler window to the upper right of the screen
* Pin the window to all of the desktops
** Right Click on the '''"AlarmHandler"''' in the upper left corner
** Mouse over '''"To Desktop"'''
** Choose '''"All Desktops"''' at the top of the drop down menu
* Keep Above All Windows
** Right Click on the '''"AlarmHandler"''' in the upper left corner
** Go to Advanced, and select '''"Keep Above Others"'''
* Open the Current Alarm History 
** Click the '''"View"''' context menu and select '''"Current Alarm History Window"'''
** This is most useful for getting detailed information about timing and values of alarms as they accumulate
** Information about alarms is also accessible by double clicking on items in the right half-panel

== Checking or changing the Compton background rate alarm levels on the Hall A alarm handler ==
To check the Compton background rate alarm levels:
# Open a terminal as hacuser@hacweb7
# Run the command:  <code>caget ComptonDSbg1.HIHI ComptonDSbg2.HIHI ComptonUSbg1.HIHI ComptonUSbg2.HIHI</code>

To change the Compton background rate alarm levels:
# Check with Adam Zec or David Gaskell before changing the alarm settings
# Open a terminal as hacuser@hacweb7
# <code>ssh hacuser@hlal00</code>
# Execute a caput command to set each channel's "HIHI" level
#*  For example, use this to change the ComptonDSbg1 limit to 7500:  <code>caput ComptonDSbg1.HIHI 7500</code>
# After changing the four settings, run <code>caget ComptonDSbg1.HIHI ComptonDSbg2.HIHI ComptonUSbg1.HIHI ComptonUSbg2.HIHI</code> and post the new alarm settings in the HALog and email Adam (ajz3ee@virginia.edu)

<!-- Other Keywords:  ComptonDSbg ComptonUSbg ComptonDS ComptonUS -->

== Start a new instance of the Target Alarm Handler == 

* Make sure the target gui is running on the poltarac computer
 cd ~/Desktop/PRex
 ./tgtgui
 Select the ALARMS button
* It should be similar to the Hall A alarm handler, but with difference tracked EPICS variables

== Responding to an (audible) alarm ==

* Click on the alarm handler window in the upper right of the hacweb7 monitor (see Figure 2)
* This will open a window that lists the various pieces of equipment (see Figure 3)
* Please feel free to make strip charts out of any interesting EPICS variables that you find in the Alarm Handler or other GUIs. See [[Strip chart]] for more information.
* If an alarm is white then it is a communications failure from an EPICS Input/Output controller (IOC) and should rectify itself in a minute or less (otherwise call the RC)
* If an alarm is red it means that some important parameter is out of range
** Please keep track of the set points and current value of anything that alarms, and if the alarm isn't transient and trivial please make a HALOG entry about it
** If the alarm continues for more than a few seconds please try to understand the nature of the issue and contact the RC or other nearby experts if it isn't immediately clear how to resolve it

[[File:LQ3current.jpg|thumb|500px|top|Figure 1 - parity alarm sound bars]]
* To increase/decrease the volume of parity alarm
There are some sound level bars at the bottom left of the screen, use the mouse to pull those bars up/down to increase/decrease the volume.

== VESDA Hall A Fire Alarm System ==
Is the VESDA System OK? (VESDA is the smoke/fire detection and alarm system. Check the Hall A VESDA Console on the wall beside the door to the computer room. Every light should be green and in the minimum lowest alert setting.

[[File:VESDA.jpg|thumb|600px|right|Figure 4 - The VESDA panel in the counting house.]]