Design and implementation of a user-friendly interface for DIII-D neutral beam automated operation

The operational interface to the DIII-D neutral beam system consisted of several interactive devices that the operator used to sequence neutral beam conditioning and plasma heating shots. Combined with an ongoing effort to increase the degree of automated operation and its reliability, a single microcomputer-based interface for each of the four neutral beam MODCOMP Classic control computers was developed, effectively replacing some twenty pieces of hardware. Macintosh II microcomputers were selected, with 1 MB RAM and off-the-shelf input/output (I/O) consisting of a mouse, serial ports, and two monochrome high-resolution video monitors. The software is written in Pascal and adopts standard Macintosh window techniques. From the Macintosh interface to the MODCOMP Classic, the operator can control the power-supply setpoints, adjust ion source timing and synchronization, call up waveform displays on the Grinnell color display system, view the sequencing of procedures to ready a neutral beam shot, and add operator comments to an automated shot-logging system. The Macintosh interface also provides a springboard for increased levels of automation of the neutral beam control system, within the framework of a cost-effective and standardized software environment