QUESTIONNAIRE

1. VLT Software User Profile

Name (optional) ...... : 
Organization ......... : 
Project ...............:

Your function:	scientist	technical manager	software developer
Type of user:	end user	developer at WS level	developer at LCU level
Experience:	beginner	regular	expert

2. Questionnaire

For each of the items listed below, please give your vote in the two areas, with a code from 1-5 as explained below:

Concept: How good and important is the concept described?

Useless: I do not know what to do with it
Very limited use: I could live without this feature
Useful: It is an interesting concept and I use it often
Important: It is an important concept and I use it all the time
Essential: I could not live without

Implementation: How good is the implementation (also in terms of performances) of the concept described?

Very bad: I really cannot use it
Bad: I have a lot of problems using it
Acceptable: It mostly works flawlessly
Good: I can use it without any problem
Very good: I cannot ask anything more

For all items you are not familiar with, please leave the field empty.

2.1 Basic Architectural Concept

1

2

3

4

5

2.1.1 All real-time aspects are bound to LCUs. There is no real-time traffic over the network Concept:

Implem.:

2.1.2 Master-slave relations. LCUs are only slaves Concept:

Implem.:

2.1.3 Concept of "Environment" with database and process space Concept:

Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

2.2 Command System and Messages		1	2	3	4	5
2.2.1 Fixed command/reply protocol (1 cmd, at least 1 reply)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.2.2 Mandatory set of standard commands and states	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.2.3 Predefined application commands (CDTs)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.2.4 Run-time command/parameter checking	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.2.5 Filtering mechnism for reception of messages	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.2.6 Generic messaging tools (ccseiMsg, msgSend, ....)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.2.7 EVH command and application classes	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

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2.3 Real-Time Database		1	2	3	4	5
2.3.1 Real-time hierachical database	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.3.2 Calculation engine embedded in the database	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.3.3 OO database definition language (dbl)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.3.4 Database structure is static and cannot change at run time	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.3.5 Database navigation tools (ccseiDb, rtapdbConfig, dbRead)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.3.6 Restore and backup tools	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

2.4 Events		1	2	3	4	5
2.4.1 Attach events to real-time database attributes	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.4.2 Selectable triggering conditions (any write, on change...)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.4.3 EBH Event classes	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

2.5 Scan System		1	2	3	4	5
2.5.1 Scanning as an efficient way to distribute data	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.5.2 Scanning policies: polling and on change	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.5.3 Scan configuration tools (scanei, scanConfig)	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

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2.6 Logging System		1	2	3	4	5
2.6.1 Logging of LCUs on a reporting WorkStation	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.6.2 Standard API for logging errors, FITS logs, generic data	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.6.3 Log file browsing tool (logMonitor)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.6.4 Automatic logging of messages as a debugging tool	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

2.7 Error System		1	2	3	4	5
2.7.1 Error stack and error propagation to higher levels	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.7.2 Error management functions (errCloseStack, errResetStack)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.7.3 Error handling tools (logMonitor, errDisplay)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.7.4 Error definition tools (errEditor)	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

2.8 Alarm System		1	2	3	4	5
2.8.1 Alarm conditions based on database attribute values	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.8.2 Alarms are asynchronous events	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.8.3 Alarm display capabilities (colours, acknowledgement)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.8.4 Alarm API for programmatic access to alarm notification	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.8.5 Usage of dbl-macros for off-line alarm configuration	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

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2.9 Time System		1	2	3	4	5
2.9.1 API to access time information according to ISO standards	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.9.2 Timers and periodic triggering of events	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.9.3 Support for ESO time bus on LCUs	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.9.4 Use of ntp for WS time synchronisation	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

2.10 High Level Tools and Support Libraries		1	2	3	4	5
2.10.1 Panel Editor	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.10.2 Use of Tcl/Tk as basis for Sequencer	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.10.3 Sequencer as rapid-prototyping/testing tool	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.10.4 Broker of Observation Blocks: BOB	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.10.5 Historian, Sampling and Plotting tools	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.10.6 VCC Environment Configuration tools	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.10.7 FITS file handling: SLX/OSLX	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.10.8 Dictionary handling: OSLX	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.10.9 Foundation C++ classes: FND	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.10.10 LCC Device Drivers for standard boards	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

2.11 High Level Application Frameworks		1	2	3	4	5
2.11.1 Event Handling Toolkit (EVH)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.11.2 Sequencer (as glue for individual components)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.11.3 LCC Command Interpreter and citmp sample module	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.11.4 CCD/TCCD software	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.11.5 Motor Control Software	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.11.6 Real time display	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.11.7 Base ICS toolkit (IC0/ICB)	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

2.12 Software Engineering		1	2	3	4	5
2.12.1 Programming standards	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.12.2 SW Configuration Management (CMM)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.12.3 VLTROOT/INTROOT concept	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.12.4 Test Support Tools (tat, test driver)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.12.5 Standard Module Structure and Makefile	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.12.6 SW Problem Reporting (SPR)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.12.7 Software Configuration Control Board dealing with SPRs	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

2.13 Documentation		1	2	3	4	5
2.13.1 Templates for specification documents, user manuals,...	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.13.2 Use of examples to explain subjects (also sample code)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.13.3 Quality (accuracy, level, organisation, ....)	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.13.4 Quantity (amount of manuals, pages per manual)	Concept:
	Implem.:

Comments and suggestions:

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3 The Good and the Bad

Here you can either point to the items enumerated in the section above, or give a more verbose description.

3.1 The 3 best things in the VLT Software

3.2 The 3 worst things in the VLT Software

4 Free comments and suggestions

Here you can also list the features which in your opinion are missing in the VLT Common Software.

2.1 Basic Architectural Concept		1	2	3	4	5
2.1.1 All real-time aspects are bound to LCUs. There is no real-time traffic over the network	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.1.2 Master-slave relations. LCUs are only slaves	Concept:
	Implem.:
2.1.3 Concept of "Environment" with database and process space	Concept:
	Implem.:

QUESTIONNAIRE

1. VLT Software User Profile

2. Questionnaire

2.1 Basic Architectural Concept

Comments and suggestions:

2.2 Command System and Messages

Comments and suggestions:

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2.3 Real-Time Database

Comments and suggestions:

2.4 Events

Comments and suggestions:

2.5 Scan System

Comments and suggestions:

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2.6 Logging System

Comments and suggestions:

2.7 Error System

Comments and suggestions:

2.8 Alarm System

Comments and suggestions:

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2.9 Time System

Comments and suggestions:

2.10 High Level Tools and Support Libraries

Comments and suggestions:

2.11 High Level Application Frameworks

Comments and suggestions:

2.12 Software Engineering

Comments and suggestions:

2.13 Documentation

Comments and suggestions:

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3 The Good and the Bad

3.1 The 3 best things in the VLT Software

3.2 The 3 worst things in the VLT Software

4 Free comments and suggestions

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Please complete and submit this form to us by 31 March 2000 .