Call for input on MCA software improvements

[Mark Rivers <RIVERS@cars3.uchicago.edu>]

    Folks,

I am in the middle of a major upgrade of the EPICS MCA software.  I would
appreciate input from people who have been using it, and/or have thoughts on
what they would like to see in MCA software.  The things which I have done
and/or plan to do soon include:

- In the IDL MCA display program:
    - Improve the 'look and feel'
    - Add support for record-based Regions-Of-Interest (ROIs)
    - Add support for easy energy calibration
    - Add support for KLM markers for easy identification of x-ray fluorescence
      lines
    - Improve network efficiency by using Channel Access monitors

- In the MCA record
    - Add fields for energy calibration parameters
    - Add fields for a label for each ROI
    - Improve the means of specifying the input device address

- MCA device support
    - Add device support for the DXP module from XIA, Bill Warburton's company.
      This is a 4-channel DSP-based CAMAC module.  It effectively replaces 
      a spectroscopy amplifier, ADC and MCA for each of the 4 channels in a
      single CAMAC slot for ~$8,000.

- Additional devices
    - New record for the Canberra programmable spectroscopy amplifier
    - New record for the Canberra programmable ADC
    - New record for the Canberra programmable HV power supply

____________________________________________________________
Mark Rivers                             (312) 702-2279 (office)
CARS                                    (312) 702-9951 (secretary)
Univ. of Chicago                        (312) 702-5454 (FAX)
5640 S. Ellis Ave.                      (708) 922-0499 (home)
Chicago, IL 60637                       rivers@cars3.uchicago.edu (Internet)