Frontend and undulators

Only for expert users!

The frontend is the first shutter on a beamline. It is inside the storage ring, just beyond the thick concrete wall at the end (or the start, depending on perspective) of the optics hutch. Usually, it is open at all times during user experiment mode.

The frontend can be opened or closed with the jidappli program, which also controls the beamline's undulators:

For the beamline to be operational:

• The frontend must be open.
  This is only possible if:
  • the storage ring is running properly, and
  • the optics hutch is interlocked.
• Automatic mode should be on.
  (This means that the frontend is automatically re-opened after an intervention from the storage ring operator, for example after a refill.)

Vacuum and valves

Only for expert users!

The program jvacuum shows the state of the vacuum system of the beamline, and allows to control various pumps and valves.

If any of the valves leading to an endstation is shown in any color other than green, most likely there is no beam at the sample position.
(xxx Notable exception: ID29, because there is a valve which is a foil in reality. xxx)

This program can be used to open valves and restart vacuum pumps, but the valves usually close due to a vacuum problem, so please proceed with caution. Call your Local Contact or the Experimental Hall Operator (phone 2525) if you are not sure what to do.

SPEC

Only for expert users!
...but the spec sessions must be running, otherwise nothing works.

SPEC is a software package for instrument control and data acquisition that is widely used at synchrotrons around the world. It is used on the MX beamlines to control beamline motors, etc.

Typically there are several spec session windows on a beamline, for example for OH (optics hutch) and EH (experimental hutch):

The SPEC sessions have different names on the individual beamlines: