ids properties

Sardana 3.4 comes with the possibility to use Sardana element names instead of numeric identifiers when referring in the configuration between the elements e.g. a motor mot01 can refer to its controller by using motctrl01 name instead of the numeric identifier 1.

The major benefits of this are:

  • more self-descriptive configuration, both in the Configuration format and tools and in the Tango DB

  • more self-descriptive runtime exception messages related to invalid configuration

The same release comes with the improved pseudo element controller properties. First, the property name was unified between the pseudo motor and pseudo counter controllers, from motor_role_ids and counter_role_ids to physical_roles. Second, now its value contains the physical role names together with the ids of the physical element. So, again it offers a more self-descriptive configuration.

In Sardana 3.4 using the above explained features is optional and needs to be explicitly enabled using Sardana custom settings:

For newly created Sardana systems it is enough to enable these features. For existing, systems before using Sardana element names instead of numeric identifiers, you will need to perform a manual migration process. The new pseudo element controller properties will be migrated automatically on the next server startup.

Important

Both of these features are necessary to use the Configuration format and tools introduced by SEP20.

Migrating existing systems

Backup

Before you migrate your system it is highly recommended that you perform the Tango DB backup, at least of the Sardana system part. For example, you can use directly the MySQL tools:

mysqldump -u tango -p tango > backup.sql

or use the dsconfig tool (here demo1 is the instance name of your servers):

python -m dsconfig.dump server:MacroServer/demo1 > backup_macroserver.json
python -m dsconfig.dump server:Pool/demo1 > backup_pool.json

Run migration script

The migration script is available here: upgrade_ids.py.

Important

You should not modify your Sardana system configuration during the migration process.

First, it is a good idea to run it in dry-run mode (default) so no changes will written to the Tango DB (here demo1 is the instance name of your servers):

python upgrade_ids.py --server=Pool/demo1
python upgrade_ids.py --server=MacroServer/demo1

Some existing systems may contain incomplete or broken configuration. The script will detect such cases and report them on the output. You will need to fix them manually and repeat the script execution until all errors are fixed. The typical errors are:

  • no alias defined for an element

  • deleted physical element still referenced by a pseudo element controller

When all errors are fixed you can proceed to run the script so it applies the modification in the Tango DB. We recommend that you redirect the detailed output of the changes being performed to a file and keep if for reference in case of any future problems. These details are output on the standard error.

So, the full command to run the script to apply the changes and to redirect its standard error is (here demo1 is the instance name of your servers):

python upgrade_ids.py --server=Pool/demo1 --write 2> upgrade_id_pool.log
python upgrade_ids.py --server=MacroServer/demo1 --write 2> upgrade_id_macroserver.log

In case of a successful execution of the script, you should enable the new features using Sardana custom settings as explained above before re-starting the server(s).