Added Fastcomtec MCS8A timetagger for measurements with SPCM

Note that in this implementation, the timetagger does not restart the measurement for every shot in BLACS, but measures 10mins continuously. The data is (unfortunately) not stored directly in the hdf5 files, but in a separate 'list' file in binary format containing the timestamps from the SPCM (CH2) and trigger times (CH1). The hdf5 file contains the path to the 'list' file and index of the trigger, to find the relevant data.

FastComtecMCS8A/docs/FastComTec_Doc_From_Manual.txt

+[MCS8A] 1004            ; Device and serial number
+range=4096              ; Spectrum length
+periods=2               ; Number of periods for folding
+fstchan=0               ; acquisition delay = number of first bin / 64
+holdafter=0             ; hold after sweep in units of 64 basic dwelltimes
+sweepmode=227ea080      ; (hex) sweepmode & 0xF: 0 = normal,
+                        ; 1=differential (relative to first stop in sweep)
+                        ; 4=sequential
+                        ; 5=seq.+diff (Ch1), bit0 = differential mode
+                        ; 9=differential to stop in Ch2, bit3 = Ch2 ref (diff.mode)
+                        ; 0xF = Corr.+diff (Ch2)
+                        ; bit 4: Softw. Start
+                        ; bit 5: "Don't show" tagbits
+                        ; bit 6: Endless
+                        ; bit 7: Start event generation
+                        ; bit 8: Enable Tag bits
+                        ; bit 9: start with rising edge
+                        ; bit 10: time under threshold for pulse width
+                        ; bit 11: pulse width mode for any spectra with both edges enabled
+                        ; bit 12: abandon Sweepcounter in Data
+                        ; bit 13: "one-hot" mode with tagbits
+                        ; bit 14: start ref (diff.mode) (MCS8)
+                        ; bit 15: MCS8, MCS8A1: enable start input sampling
+                        ; bit 16..bit 22 ~(input channel enable)
+                        ; MCS8A: bit 16..bit 23 ~(input channel enable)
+                        ; bit 26: 100 ps time resolution instead of 80 ps
+                        ; bit 27: Folded
+                        ; bit 28: Interleaved
+                        ; bit 29: MCS8A: don't use trigger, use CH1 to start sweep
+                        ; bit 30: Use only 1 decoder
+calreg0=fe00            ; result of input delay calibration, l
+                        ; lower 8 bits: start channel (always 0),
+                        ; higher 8 bits, first channel after start
+calreg1=0               ; second, third channel
+calreg2=0               ; ..
+calreg3=0               ; ..
+swpreset=1000000        ; Sweep-Preset value
+prena=4                 ; bit 0: realtime preset enabled
+                        ; bit 1:
+                        ; bit 2: sweep preset enabled
+                        ; bit 3: ROI preset enabled
+                        ; bit 4: Starts preset enabled
+                        ; bit 5: ROI2 preset enabled
+                        ; bit 6: ROI3 preset enabled
+                        ; bit 7: ROI4 preset enabled
+                        ; bit 8: ROI5 preset enabled
+                        ; bit 9: ROI6 preset enabled
+                        ; bit 10: ROI7 preset enabled
+                        ; bit 11: ROI8 preset enabled
+syncout=0               ; LOWORD: sync out; bit 0..5 NIM syncout, bit 8..13 TTL syncout
+                        ; bit7: NIM syncout_invert, bit15: TTL syncout_invert
+                        ; 0="0", 1=5 MHz, 2=50 MHz, 3=100 MHz, 4=1/(80 ps or 100 ps * 64),
+                        ; 5=1/(80 ps or 100 ps * 32), 6=PLL ref clock, 7=Input 0(Start), 8=Input 1,
+                        ; 9=Input 2, 10..13=Input 3..7, 15=GO in, 16=Start_of_sweep, 17=Armed,
+                        ; 18=SWEEP_ON, 19=WINDOW, 20=HOLD_OFF, 21=EOS_DEADTIME
+                        ; 22=TIME[0],...,51=TIME[29], 52...63=SWEEP[0]..SWEEP[11]
+cycles=18               ; cycles for sequential mode
+sequences=1             ; for sequential mode (default 1)
+                        ; specifies how often to repeat
+                        ; after performing cycles acquisitions
+tagbits=16              ; number of tagbits
+vdac0=8fa               ; (hex) dac0 value (start) voltage=2.048 * (1-vdac/2048)
+                        ; bit 16: start with rising edge
+                        ; (bit 14, 15) : 0=falling, 1=rising, 2=both, 3=both+CFT
+vdac1=8fa               ; dac1 value
+vdac2=8fa               ; dac2 value
+vdac3=8fa               ; ...
+vdac4=8fa               ; ...
+vdac5=8fa               ; ...
+vdac6=8fa               ; ...
+vdac7=8fa               ; …dac7 value
+dac0v=-0.2              ; dac0 value = -0.2 V (start)
+dac1v=-0.2              ; dac1 value = -0.2 V (STOP1)
+..
+dac7v=-0.2              ; dac7 value in Volt
+dacv=-0.1               ; set dac1..dac7 to -0.1 V, all dacs without dac0 (start)
+dacv+=0.001             ; increase all dac values without dac0 by 1 mV
+dac0v+=0.001            ; increase dac0 value by 1 mV (start)
+rtpreset=20.000         ; Timepreset (seconds)
+digio=0                 ; LOWORD: Use of Dig I/O, GO Line:
+                        ; bit 0: status dig 0..3
+                        ; bit 1: Output digval and increment digval after stop
+                        ; bit 2: Invert polarity
+                        ; bit 3: Push-Pull output, not possible
+                        ; bit 4: Start with Input Dig 4
+                        ; bit 5: Start with Input GO
+                        ; bit 8: GOWATCH
+                        ; bit 9: GO High at Start
+                        ; bit 10: GO Low at Stop
+                        ; bit 11: Clear at triggered start
+                        ; bit 12: Only triggered start
+digval=0                ; digval=0..255 value for samplechanger
+autoinc=0               ; 1=Enable auto increment of filename
+savedata=0              ; 0=No Save at Halt
+                        ; 1=Save at Halt
+                        ; 2=Write list file, no save at Halt
+                        ; 3=Write lit file, Save at Halt
+mpafmt=asc              ; data fromat used in MPA files
+                        ; (dat=binary, asc=ASCII, csv=CSV)
+sephead=0               ; 1=Seperated Header file (extension .MP) and
+                        ; Data file (extension dat, asc or spe) for seperated spectra
+fmt=asc                 ; data format used in seperated spectra (extension .MP)
+                        ; (dat=binary, asc=ASCII, csv=CSV)
+smoothpts=5             ; number of points to average for a smooth operation
+wndwidth=155            ; width of server window
+wndheight=273           ; height of server window
+sysdef=0                ; System definition word:
+                        ; bit0=0, bit1=0: dev#0 in system 1
+                        ; bit0=1, bit1=0: dev#0 in system 2
+                        ; bit0=0, bit1=1: dev#0 in system 3
+                        ; bit0=1, bit1=1: dev#0 in system 4
+                        ; ...
+                        ; bit6=1, bit7=1: dev#3 in system 4
+                        ; bit 31: any preset stops all
+
+[CHN1]                  ; the following section concerns parameters of CHN1
+range=4096              ; Spectrum length
+active=1                ; Spectrum definition words for CHN1..8:
+                        ; active & 0xF ==0 not used
+                        ; ==1..4 enabled, system 1..4
+                        ; bit 8: Enable Tag bits
+                        ; bit 9: start with rising edge
+                        ; bit 10: time under threshold for pulse width
+                        ; bit 11: pulse width mode for any spectra with both edges enabled
+                        ; Spectrum definition words for calc. Spectra:
+                        ; active & 0xF ==3 MAP, ((x-xoffs)>>xsh) x ((y-yoffs)>>ysh)
+                        ; bit4=1: x zoomed MAP
+                        ; bit5=1: y zoomed MAP
+                        ; ==5 SUM, (x + y)>>xsh
+                        ; ==6 DIFF,(x - y + range)>>xsh
+                        ; ==7 ANY, (for compare)
+                        ; ==8 COPY, x
+                        ; ==10 SW-HIS, Sweep History
+                        ; bit 8..11 xsh, bit 12..15 ysh or bit 8..15 xsh
+                        ; HIWORD(active) = condition no. (0=no condition)
+bitshift=0              ; LOWORD: Binwidth = 2 ^ (bitshift)
+                        ; HIWORD: Threshold for Coinc
+cftfak=2580100          ; LOWORD: 256 * cft factor (t_after_peak / t_to_peak)
+                        ; HIWORD: max pulse width for CFT
+evpreset=10             ; ROI preset value
+roimin=0                ; lower ROI limit
+roimax=4096             ; upper limit: roimin <= channel < roimax
+caloff=0.000000         ; calibration parameter: offset
+calfact=0.080000        ; calibration parameter: factor
+calfact2=0
+calfact3=0
+calunit=nsec            ; calibration unit
+caluse=1                ; bit 0=1: use calibration, higher bits: calibration formula
+roi=0 9986 ;starts      ; rectangular ROI from 0 to 9986 with name “starts” (lower left, upper right corner)
+
+[CHN2]                  ; the following section concerns parameters of CHN2
+...
+
+The following commands perform actions and therefore usually are not included in the MCS8A.SET file:
+
+start                   ; Clears the data and starts a new acquisition of system 1.
+                        ; Further execution of the .CTL file is suspended until any
+                        ; acquisition stops due to a preset.
+halt                    ; Stops acquisition of system 1 if one is running.
+cont                    ; Continues acquisition of system 1. If a time preset
+                        ; is already reached, the time preset is prolongated
+                        ; by the value which was valid when the “start“ command
+                        ; was executed. Further execution of the .CTL file
+                        ; is suspended (see start).
+erase                   ; Clears all spectra of system 1.
+savecnf                 ; Writes the settings into MCS8A.SET
+mpaname=filename        ; Defines the mpa filename
+savempa                 ; Saves all configuration and spectra data.
+                        ; An existing file is overwritten.
+pushname                ; pushes the actual mpa filename on an internal stack that can hold 4 names
+popname                 ; pops the last mpa filename from the internal stack
+loadmpa                 ; Loads mpa data; the filename
+                        ; must be specified before with a command mpaname=...
+addmpa                  ; Adds mpa data to actual spectra; the filename
+                        ; must be specified before with a command mpaname=...
+submpa                  ; Subtracts mpa data from actual spectra; the filename
+                        ; must be specified before with a command mpaname=...
+MC_A                    ; Sets actual input channel to MC_A (STOP1) for the rest of
+                        ; the control file.
+MC_B                    ; Sets actual multichannel analyzer to MC_B (STOP2)
+                        ; … MC_H (ch8)
+savedat                 ; Saves data of actual channel as separated
+                        ; spectrum (extension .MP) An existing file
+                        ; is overwritten.
+loaddat                 ; Loads data of actual channel, the filename
+                        ; must be specified before with a command datname=...
+adddat                  ; Adds data into actual spectra; the filename
+                        ; must be specified before with a command datname=...
+subdat                  ; Subtracts data from actual spectra channel; the filename
+                        ; must be specified before with a command datname=...
+smooth                  ; Smoothes the data in actual spectra
+erasedat                ; Clears the data of actual spectra.
+exit                    ; Exits the server (and MPANT) programs
+alert Message           ; Displays a Messagebox containing Message and an OK
+                        ; button that must be pressed before execution can continue.
+waitinfo 5000 Message   ; Displays a Messagebox containing Message, an OK
+                        ; and an END button. After the specified time (5000 msec)
+                        ; the Messagebox vanishes and execution continues. OK
+                        ; continues immediately, END escapes execution.
+beep *                  ; Makes a beep. The character '*' may be replaced with '?', '!' or
+                        ; left empty. The corresponding sound is defined in the WIN.INI
+                        ; file in the [sounds] section.
+delay 4000              ; Waits specified time (4000 msec = 4 sec).
+pulse 100               ; Outputs a pulse of 100 ms duration at dig 3
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