3.3. Standard command line options

Prints a list of possible parameters and their arguments.

Prints the program version, which is a user defined string. Exits then without executing the main program loop.

Sets the main loop period in seconds. The program internal default value is overwritten.

Sets the main loop period in milliseconds. The program internal default value is overwritten.

Sets the main loop period in microseconds. The program internal default value is overwritten.

Set the global debug level. All debug messages on this or a higher level will be printed out. Look at MCA debugging technics for more information.

list is a comma separated list of domain names. All debug messages of the specified debug domains are switched on. Look at MCA debugging technics for more information.

list is a comma separated list of module-names. In each of these modules the debug flag is set, i.e. the M_DEBUG commands of the module leads to an output on stdout. Look at MCA debugging technics for more information.

Opens the specified file containing an attribute tree. The attributes of this tree can be read using the modules and parts functions GetAtrribute and GetAttributes. Look here for more information about attributes.

Compares the version string of this part with the version string of part No. 1. Starts the main loop only if these strings are equal.

Used for scale the timing in MCA. A value of smaller than 1 speeds up the execution, while a value luserinputer than 1 slows it down. If a loop is normally executed every 10 ms. A timing value of 2 leads to an execution every 20 ms. But the internal function LoopTime() return a time that is increased only by 10 ms every loop. (Use LoopTime() whenever a time is needed internally in a module.) A timing value of 0 is used, if the time is set by a module. This special case is reserved for Simulation purposes, where simulation modules need variable times for calculating values within one loop.

Part will not use system time in order to determine time and execute loops. It will synchronize its time with the specified part (which is probably influenced with --timing parameter).

A new part looks at local host for an already running Part. If parts are to distribute amoung several PCs, this parameter specifies where the first part has been executed.

The kernel of each MCA control program is a socalled handler. It is automatically started by the first part. It opens a TCP socket where all parts try to register themselfs and can also get informations about already running parts. Default port number is 1500. Especially if multiple systems have to be executed on same Hardware this port number has to be changed.

For security reasons the parts have to authorize themsefls when connecting to the handler. There is a standard password, but if you want to increase security you can specifiy different passwords for all MCA control programs on startup. Note, that also MCAGUI and MCAadmin will the need this password, too.

All hosts that are allowed to connect to the handler are listed in a file. Default is $(MCAHOME)/etc/hosts.allowed. Hosts that are not listed in this file will not be able to connect, i.e. new parts will not be able to participate at the system and also all tools like MCAGUI and MCAadmin will not be able to connect to the system.

The first part automatically tries to open RT-fifos and connect to RT-parts. This automatic process can be supressed by this parameter.