Earthworm Modules:
K2ew Configuration File

(last revised March 7, 2007)
Page Index:
1. Functional command listing
2. Alphabetic command listing & description
3. Sample Configuration File

On startup, k2ew reads the configuration file named on the command line. Commands in this file set all the parameters used for configuring the Earthworm k2ew module. In the control file, lines may begin with a valid k2ew command (listed below) or with one of 2 special characters:

#  marks the line as a comment (example: # This is a comment).

@ allows control files to be nested; one control file can be
accessed from another with the command "@" followed by
a string representing the path name of the next control file
(example: @model.d).
Command names must be typed in the control file exactly as shown in this document (upper/lower case matters!). Blank lines are also permitted in the control file.

1. FUNCTIONAL COMMAND LISTING

Below are the commands recognized by k2ew, grouped by the function they influence. Some of the commands are required, as noted. They may be specified in any order in the control file, with the exception of the K2 communications mode settings: these must be listed in the order shown here.

   Earthworm system setup:
ModuleId required
RingName required
LogFile required
HeartbeatInt required
Debug optional

The two commands for any ONE of the three communication modes:
K2 communication parameters: TCP mode
TcpAddr required
TcpPort required

K2 Communications parameters: Solaris TTY mode
TtyName required
Speed required

K2 Location Code configs
LCFlag optional
LocationNames optional

K2 communication parameters: Windows 2000 COM port

ComPort required
Speed required

k2ew buffer and timing parameters:
CommTimeout optional
MaxRestartAge optional
WaitTime optional
DontQuit optional
RestartFile optional
MaxBlkResends optional
MaxReqPending optional
ResumeReqVal optional
WaitResendVal optional
RestartComm optional
ForceBlockMode optional

K2 configuration, status and alarm parameters:
Network required
StationID optional
ChannelNames optional
LocationNames optional
InvPolFlags optional
BasePinno optional
StatusInterval optional
ExtStatus optional
HighTempAlarm optional
OnBattery optional
LowBattAlarm optional
LowTempAlarm optional
MinDiskKB optional
LCFlag optional

2. ALPHABETIC COMMAND LISTING & DESCRIPTION

In the following section, all configuration file commands are listed in alphabetical order. Listed along with the command (bold-type) are its arguments (in red), the name of the subroutine that processes the command, and the function within the module that the command influences. A detailed description of the command and is also given. Default values and example commands are listed after each command description.


command arg1                                       function

BasePinno n                                 K2ew Configuration

Sets the base pin number to n. Earthworm pin numbers are assigned to each trace packet using this base number plus the K2 stream numbers, which normally range from 0 to 5.

Default:  0
Example: BasePinno 1001

ChannelNames names-list                      K2 Configuration

Sets the channel (or component) names for earthworm trace packets to the given names-list. All earthworm trace packets are identified by their station, component, and network names (SCN). K2ew obtains a station name from the K2. (The K2 is configured separately from k2ew; see the K2 User Manual from Kinemetrics.) The StationID command may be used to set the station name. The K2 may also have its channel (or component) names configured in it, and these names will be used if no ChannelNames entries are given. In the names-list argument, one or more channel names are listed, separated by spaces or commas. Each position in the list corresponds to a channel (or stream) in the K2. Using a comma-separated list, empty positions may be specified (i.e.: ChannelNames HLE,,HLZ), allowing the K2-configured names to be used on those channels. If no channel names are configured in the K2 and no ChannelNames entries are given then the channels will be named "C01", "C02", etc.

Default:  (The channel names configured in the K2)
Example: ChannelNames HLE,HLN,HLZ

ComPort n                                     Windows 2000 COM mode

Sets the Windows 2000 communications port to COMn. This command can only be used with k2ew_com on Windows 2000. K2ew supports COM port numbers up to 256; the PC must be specially configured to use anything besides COM port 1 or 2.

Default:  none
Example: ComPort 1

CommTimeout N                                K2ew Buffer and Timing

Sets the time k2ew will wait for communications with the K2 to N milliseconds. If nothing is heard from the K2 in this interval and the 'DontQuit' flag is not enabled then 'k2ew' will terminate. If a RestartFile is specified, k2ew will record all the information it needs for a restart so that it can attempt to resume the data stream when k2ew is restarted, such as by statmgr.

Note that when a TCP-to-serial connection is used, a CommTimeout value of 10000 or larger may be needed to allow enough time for K2 responses to be received during program initialization.


Default:  5000
Example:  CommTimeout 25000
  

Debug N                                     Earthworm setup 

Sets the debug level for k2ew. Level 0 is no debug logging, level 5 is very verbose logging.

Default:  0
Example: Debug 1

DontQuit                                K2ew Buffer and Timing

If present, this command tells k2ew not to quit on timeout conditions while attempting to read data from teh K2. Instead of quiting, a log entry will be made when the timeout condition starts, and when k2ew resumes reading data from the K2.

Default:  off
Example: DontQuit

ExtStatus                                K2ew Status and Alarm Parameters

Configures 'k2ew' to request K2 'extended' status in addition to the regular status messages. See StatusInterval for obtaining K2 status messages. The extended status message includes temperature at the K2, last K2 restart time, and fault indicators for K2 parameters, flash memory, RAM, DSP system. Thresholds can be set for high and low temperature alarms. Most (all?) K2 instruments do not support the extended status message.

Default: off
Example: ExtStatus



ForceBlockMode                           K2ew communications Parameters

Configures 'k2ew' to request control from the modem during SDS streaming in cases where a K2 has both the modem and the frontpanel SDS streaming active. The modem will gain control of the command task on the K2 and not release it unless forced to do so. This behavior is because the modem will regain control after 5 minutes of inactivity in the communications with the command task.

Default:  0
Example:  ForceBlockMode 1 
  

HeartbeatInterval nsec                             Earthworm Setup

Defines the number of seconds, nsec, between TYPE_HEARTBEAT messages issued by k2ew.

Default:  none
Example: HeartbeatInterval 30

HighTempAlarm N                          K2ew Status and Alarm Parameters

Sets the threshold for the K2 high temperature to N tenths of a degree C. That is, for an alarm at 30 C, use a setting of 300 here. When this threshold is exceeded, k2ew sends a status message to statmgr, which can be configured to send email or pages.

Default:  1000   # (for an alarm at 100 C, essentially no alarm)
Example: HighTempAlarm 350 # For an alarm at 35.0 C

InvPolFlags flags-list                   K2 Configuration

This command may be used instruct 'k2ew' to invert the polarity of the data values received from the K2 for any given channel before sending them to the Earthworm ring buffer. The flags-list argument must contain one or more flag values (0 or 1), separated by spaces or commas. Each position in the list corresponds to a channel (or stream) in the K2. A value of 1 instructs 'k2ew' to invert the polarity of the data values; a value of 0 instructs 'k2ew' to leave the data values unchanged. The polarity inversion is accomplished by multiplying each data value by -1.

Default: (No data values are polarity-inverted)
Example: InvPolFlags 1,0,1




LCFlag switch                           Earthworm Setup

Indicator for action on missing ChannelNames and LocationNames. A value of 1 for the switch will use the default location code and channel code if none found in the k2ew configuration. A value of 2 will cause the program to exit with error if any data channel is not assigned in the ChannelName and LocationName commands.

Default: none
Example: LCFlag



LocationNames loc,loc,loc Earthworm Setup


This command if present will assign location codes to the TRACEBUF2 packets as specified per channel. This should be a comma separated list of location codes. Otherwise, the default location code will be assigned "--".

Default: none
Example: LocationNazmes 01,01,01


LogFile switch                           Earthworm Setup

Sets the on-off switch for writing a log file to disk. If switch is 0, no log file will be written. If switch is non-zero, k2ew will write daily log file(s) called nnnnnxx.log_yyyymmdd where nnnnn is the name of the configuration file (with the suffix '.d' removed), xx is k2ew's module id (set with ModuleId command) and yyyymmdd is the current UTC date (ex: 19960123) on the system clock. The file(s) will be written in the EW_LOG directory (environment variable).

The log file is particularly useful for k2ew because it records status and event messages sent by the K2. These messages also appear on the k2ew console window when running on Windows 2000.


Default:  none
Example:  LogFile   1
  

LowBattAlarm N                           K2ew Status and Alarm Parameters

Sets the low battery voltage alarm threshold to N tenths of a volt. When this threshold is exceeded, k2ew sends a status message to statmgr, which can be configured to send email or pages. The K2 reports its battery voltage in the status message. When the K2 is powered from external sources, it reports the voltage as '0'. The actual battery voltage is reported only when the K2 is running off the internal battery. See the K2 User Manual for recommended battery voltages and maintenance.

Default:  -1    #(no alarm)
Example:  LowBattAlarm 110  # (for an alarm at 11.0 Volts.)
  

LowTempAlarm N                           K2ew Status and Alarm Parameters

Sets the threshold for the K2 low temperature to N tenths of a degree C. That is, for an alarm at 20 C, use a setting of 200 here. When this threshold is exceeded, k2ew sends a status message to statmgr, which can be configured to send email or pages.

Default:  -1000   # (for an alarm at -100 C, essentially no alarm)
Example: LowTempAlarm 150 # For an alarm at 15.0 C

MaxBlkResends N                           K2ew Buffer and Timing

Sets the maximum number of times a resend request may be sent to the K2 asking for a given packet.

Default:  4
Example: MaxBlkResends 3

MaxReqPending N                           K2ew Buffer and Timing

Sets the maximum for the total number of data blocks upon which resend requests may be pending to the K2 at any given time. Once 'MaxReqPending' resend requests is reached, no additional data blocks are requested until 'MaxReqPending'-'ResumeReqVal' or fewer resend requests are pending.

Default:  6
Example: MaxReqPending 3

MaxRestartAge N                           K2ew Buffer and Timing

Sets the maximum acceptable age of the restart file to N seconds. When k2ew starts up, it reads the restart file if it exists. If the restart file is younger than this limit, k2ew will attempt to resume stream data from the K2 at the last packet k2ew sent before last shut down. This will allow the trace data from this K2 to be sent to earthworm in time-order, though it will be late in arriving at the earthworm transport ring. MaxRestartAge should be less than WaitTime. For this restart feature to work, the K2 stream packet sequence number must not have been reset since k2ew last wrote the restart file.

Because of limitations in the K2, it is recommended that this value be limited to about 120 seconds. When trying to recover from longer restarts, the K2 may not be able to keep up with its processing. The result will be gaps in the trace data with no accompanying gaps in packet sequence numbers.


Default:  0   # turns off use of restart file
Example:  MaxRestartAge 60  # max age of restart file is 1 minute
  

MinDiskKB Na Nb                            K2ew Status and Alarms

Sets the alarm thresholds for low disk space for disk A to Na KiloBytes and disk B to Nb KiloBytes. When this threshold is exceeded, k2ew sends a status message to statmgr, which can be configured to send email or pages. The K2 reports free disk space in the status message. Some K2s have a disk (actually a PCMCIA solid-state memory device) installed only in slot 'A'; in that case Nb should be set to -1 to disable the alarm for that disk.

Default:  -1 -1  # For no alarms
Example:  MinDiskKB 500 -1  # for 500 KB on disk A and no alarm on disk B
  

ModuleId mod_id                                  Earthworm setup

Sets the module id for labeling all outgoing trigger, heartbeat, and error messages. mod_id is a character string (valid strings are listed in earthworm.d) that relates to a unique single-byte number. In general, a different module ID is needed for each instance of k2ew.

Default:  none
Example: MyModuleId MOD_K2_SEA

Network net-code                              K2 Configuration

Sets the network name for earthworm trace packets to net-code. All earthworm trace packets are identified by their station, component, and network names (SCN). K2ew obtains a station name from the K2. (The K2 is configured separately from k2ew; see the K2 User Manual from Kinemetrics.) The StationID command may be used to set the station name. The K2 may also have its component names configured in it. If so, k2ew will use these names; otherwise it will name the components "C01", "C02", etc. (The component names may also be set by the ChannelNames command.) The third part of the SCN is set by the Network command.

Default:  none
Example: Network NC

OnBattery                           K2ew Status and Alarm Parameters

If present, this command enables reporting of "loss of external power" alarm. The K2 reports battery voltage in its status message. When external power is provided, the K2 reports battery voltage as zero. Since a real battery voltage of zero would not let the K2 do anything, this is reasonable. When the K2 first reports battery voltage as non-zero (indicating external power has been lost) k2ew will report this fact if this command is present. This command applies to both internal and external batteries. But since the K2 does not normally have external power (from a 110 VAC power adapter) while using an external battery, this command should not be used when using an external battery. Any provision for charging an external battery is separate from the K2 and would not be monitored by k2ew.

Default:      #(no alarm)
Example: OnBattery

RestartComm                                 K2ew Status and Alarm Parameters

This command is pertinent only when the 'DontQuit' command is present. In this case, when 'k2ew' detects a timeout condition (and 'RestartComm' is set), the communications link to the K2 will be closed and reopened before 'k2ew' resumes reading data. These actions are logged.

Default:  off
Example: RestartComm

RestartFile filename                              K2ew Buffer and Timing

This command is used to specify the name of the restart file. filename can be an absolute or relative (to the EW_PARAMS directory) file name. This command, in conjunction with MaxRestartAge is used to control the restart mechanism that k2ew uses with the K2. If filename is the null string (""), or the Restart command is absent, the restart mechanism is disabled and now restart file will be written.

The restart file name must be unique for each instance of k2ew. This is because k2ew reads the station name from this file instead of from the K2. If this file contains the wrong station name, then the trace data will be labeled incorrectly. K2ew now requests a 'params' message from the K2 after starting up with a restart file. If the K2's station name does not match the name in the restart file, k2ew will write an error message and exit.


Default:  ""  # the null string, for no restart file
Example:  RestartFile "SEA.k2"
  

ResumeReqVal N                            K2ew Buffer and Timing

Sets the number of pending "waiting" blocks that must be received before new resend requests are resumed after reaching the 'MaxReqPending' limit.

Default:  2
Example: ResumeReqVal 3

RingName ring                                      Earthworm setup

Tells k2ew which shared memory region to use for output. ring is a character string (valid strings are listed in earthworm.d) that relates (in earthworm.d) to a unique number for the key to the shared memory region.

Default:  none
Example: RingName WAVE_RING

Speed N                                     K2ew COM and TTY modes

Sets the serial port speed to N bits per second. This speed must match the speed setting of whatever device is connected to the COM or TTY ports (on Windows 2000 or Unix, respectively.) This may be the K2 if it is connected directly to the computer by RS-232 cable, or another device such as a Lantronix MSS100 for serial tunneling over IP. This command is required, and must follow, after either the ComPort (on Windows 2000) or the TtyName (on Unix) commands if they are used.

Default:  none
Example:  Speed 19200
  

StationID station-name                    K2 Configuration

Sets the station name for earthworm trace packets to station-name. All earthworm trace packets are identified by their station, component, and network names (SCN). K2ew obtains a station name from the K2. (The K2 is configured separately from k2ew; see the K2 User Manual from Kinemetrics.) When this command is specified, the given station-name is used instead. The K2 may also have its component names configured in it. If so, k2ew will use these names; otherwise it will name the components "C01", "C02", etc. (The component names may also be set by the ChannelNames command.) The third part of the SCN is set by the Network command.

Default:  (The station name configured in the K2)
Example: StationID MIS

StatusInterval N                           K2ew Buffer and Timing

Configures k2ew to request a status message from the K2 every N minutes. If configured, the extended status message will be requested at the same time. The status message from the K2 includes K2 time, battery voltage, hardware status flag (OK/FAULT), alarm and trigger status, and disk status. All information from the status message is logged in the k2ew log file and printed to the standard-error output stream.

Default:  30
Example:  StatusInterval 10  # Every ten minutes
  

TcpAddr address                           K2 TCP communications

Sets the IP address of the network device that is connected to the serial port of the K2, for TCP communications mode on Windows 2000 and Unix. Note that the K2 does not have a network device installed, this is a separate piece of hardware. This address can be a numerical IP address, or if your nameserver is configured, a domain name. This command can only be used with k2ew_tcp.

Default:  none
Example: TcpAddr moonunit.seismo.podunk.edu

TcpPort N                                K2 TCP Communication Mode

Sets TCP port number for the network device connected to the K2 to N. This is the port number for establishing communications through the network device to the K2. This command is allowed only after the TcpAddr, where it is required.

Default:  none
Example:  TcpPort 3001
  

TtyName tty                              K2 TTY Communications

Sets the TTY device name to tty for establishing communications to the K2 via a serial port on a Unix computer. This command is allowed and required only for k2ew_tty on Unix. It could be used when the K2 is connected directly to the computer by an RS-232 cable, or when a device such as a Lantronix MSS100 is connected to the computer for serial tunneling over IP.

Default:  none
Example: /dev/sts/ttyC29

WaitResendVal N                     K2ew Buffer and Timing

Sets the change in the data sequence values (from the K2) that must occur before a resend request for a given missing packet is reissued to the K2. This value affects the length of time that 'k2ew' will wait for resend-requested packets to arrive, and generally equates to seconds.

Default:  20
Example: WaitResendVal 50

WaitTime N                           K2ew Buffer and Timing

Sets the maximum time that k2ew will wait for packets to be resent from the K2 to N seconds. After this time limit, these packets will be skipped. K2ew places 'waiting' slots in its internal buffer to be filled when it receives the requested packets from the K2. Output from k2ew to the transport ring will wait until either the requested packet is received or the time limit expires for a waiting packet. This ensures that trace packets are sent to the earthworm ring buffer in time order.

Default:  60
Example: WaitTime 120


3. Sample Configuration File

#
# k2ew configuration file
#
# This code receives serial data stream (SDS) packets from the K2 via
# a TCP/IP port, converts them into Earthworm trace buf messages, and
# stuffs them into a wave ring.
#

TcpAddr mss-1 # IP address or domain name of K2 interface
TcpPort 3001 # TCP port number of K2 interface

ModuleId MOD_K2EW # module id for this import
RingName WAVE_RING # transport ring to use for input/output

LogFile 1 # If 0, don't output to logfile

HeartbeatInt 30 # Heartbeat interval in seconds

Network NC # Network name for EW msg headers

# Optional commands:

BasePinno 1001 # Earthworm pin numbers are assigned by
# adding this base number to the stream
# number (0 - 5) of each packet
# default: 0

# RestartFile "SEA.k2" # If you want to attempt a K2 restart, give
# a name for the restart file. It MUST be
# a unique name for this K2 or gross confusion
# will result!
# default: none

MaxRestartAge 120 # Maximum age of the restart file, in seconds
# If the restart file is older than this
# when k2ew restarts, a normal start will
# be used.
# Should be less than WaitTime (below)
# default: 0 (seconds)

CommTimeout 25000 # If unable to communicate with K2 for X
# milliseconds, retry socket or terminate
# default: 5000 (milliseconds)

WaitTime 120 # Maximum number of seconds to wait for a
# packet to be resent from the k2
# default: 60 (seconds)

DontQuit # Optional command; if present, k2ew will
# not quit on timeouts. K2ew will quit on
# errors in any event.

# MaxBlkResends 4 # Maximum number of resend requests per block
# default: 4

# MaxReqPending 6 # Maximum total number of pending resend requests
# default: 6

# ResumeReqVal 2 # Number of pending blocks that must be received
# before new resend requests are resumed after
# reaching 'MaxReqPending' limit; default: 2

# WaitResendVal 20 # Number of data sequences between resend requests
# default: 20

# RestartComm # if 'DontQuit' enabled then close and reopen
# communications to the K2 after a comm timeout

StatusInterval 30 # Interval in minutes between requests for
# K2 status (if 0, then no status requests)
# default: 30 (minutes)

OnBattery # Report when K2 loses external power and is
# running on battery power.
# default: do not report

LowBattAlarm 110 # In tenths of volts, threshold for low
# battery alarm (if -1, then no alarm)
# default: -1

MinDiskKB 500 -1 # Low disk alarm threshold in Kilobytes, for
# disk A and disk B (if -1, then no alarm)
# default: -1 -1

ExtStatus # Request extended status with normal status
# Comment this out for no extended status
# default: no extended status

LowTempAlarm 150 # Low temperature alarm threshold, in tenths
# degree, C; default: -1000

HighTempAlarm 350 # High temperature alarm threshold, in tenths
# degree, C; default: 1000

Debug 0 # debug level: 0 or commented out for no debug
# logging; 1 - 4 for increasing verbosity
# default: no debug output

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