Glossary

These are some commonly used terms in this documentation.

Attribute

A property of a block.

Attributes are divided into four categories based on their purpose:

• Parameter Attribute

• Input Attribute

• Output Attribute

• Readback Attribute

Attribute Group

A logically grouping of related attributes within a block.

Within the user interface these are represented as a collapsable block within the overall Block Information Panel.

Block

The graphical manifestation of a component within a design, encapsulating its attributes, methods and connectivity to other blocks.

Blocks may represent, for example:

• Input and output controllers (interfaces to the FPGA).

• Configurable clocks.

• Logic lookup tables and logic gates.

A Block is defined my its underlying Block specification, which is interrogated by malcolm and reflected into the user interface. For example, the list of supported blocks available for a PandA device is described in PandABlocks-FPGA documentation.

Block Information Panel

Panel displayed within the user inferface containing details of the attributes and methods associated with the currently selected block within the layout.

Child Block

A block within the layout of a Parent Block.

A Child Block may itself represent a Parent Block if its own functionality can be further decomposed.

Design

The technical definition of the overall system, or a component within it, describing the blocks it contains, their attributes and the links between them. A Design is represented as a Parent Block within the user interface.

Designs are presented graphically as a layout within the ‘Layout Panel’ on the web interface allowing a user to build, configure and manage the system represented by that Design.

Design Element

A generic term for any block, attribute or link currently forming the focus of interest within the layout view of the PandABox User Interface.

Flowgraph

The graphical representation of a design showing the Design Element within the Control System as presented within the user interface ‘Layout View’.

Input Attribute

An Input Attribute identifies the value (or stream of values) that will be received into a block via a Sink Port on the Block to which the attribute relates. There is a 1:1 mapping between Input Attribute and Sink Port.

Input Port

Synonym for Sink Port.

Layout

The graphical representation of a design within the web interface showing the blocks within the Design and the links between them based on the selected Root Block.

Link

The mechanism of transferring content from a Source Port in one block to a Sink Port in a second Block. Links can only be made between ports of the same logical type (e.g. Boolean -> Boolean, int32 -> int32).

Method

Defines an action that can be performed by a block in support of the purpose of that block.

Output Attribute

An Output Attribute identifies the value (or stream of values) that will be transmitted via a Source Port out of the block to which the attribute relates. There is a 1:1 mapping between Output Attribute and Source Port.

Output Port

Synonym for Source Port.

Parameter Attribute

An attribute whose value can be set by a User within a block in order to influence the behaviour of that block.

Parent Block

A block aggregating one-or-more Child Blocks each performing an action or activity in support of its parent’s functionality.

Parent blocks, together with their attributes and methods are typically presented in the left-hand panel of the web interface when open in Layout View.

Readback Attribute

An Attribute whose value is set automatically by a process within the execution environment. Readback attributes cannot be set manually via the User Interface.

Root Block

The outermost entity defining the content presented within the user interface. If the outermost Block representing a design is selected this encapulates the entire design, from where a user can ‘drill down’ to an area of interest. Otherwise the Root Block represents any configured block within the design.

Source Port

A port on a block responsible for transmitting data generated within that Block.

Every Source Port within a Block has a pre-defined type as described in the Block specification.

Sink Port

A port on a block responsible for accepting data for utilisation within that Block.

Every Sink Port within a Block has a pre-defined type as described in the Block specification.