ISISComputingGroup / ISISComputingGroup/IBEX

Anton-Paar iSorb: Add Remote Control

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#8,935 7 comments 0 reactions 1 assignee Claimed by @Tom-Willemsen View on GitHub
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Description

## Feature Description

As a scientist, user or technician, I would like to be able to remotely control the "Anton-Paar iSorb High Pressure Gas Sorption System".

### Explanation

The device is controlled by its own PC running a bespoke application, "iSorb HPwin". This runs custom sequences of pressure setpoints, taking sorption data at each one. The very minimum that is required is for the device to be integrated into a beamline is for it to pause at each of these setpoints so that neutron data can be collected.

This device was supplied _without_ the ability to remotely control it, and so it has been requested that this be added retrospectively. The manufacturers seem not to be able to do this.

### Options

- Use iSorb HPwin's ability to control valves (or other internal devices) to interact with an external system. e.g. a signal to open a valve would be sent, but read by a DIO device and fed to IBEX. A neutron data run would then be started, and when sufficient data collected, a signal sent back to the DIO device to mimic the valve being closed. The iSorb would then move on to its next pressure setpoint. This would use the iSorb's internal scripting and/or "direct commands" functionality.
- Use AutoIt (located in `ICP_Binaries`) to operate the iSorb HPwin software programmatically. A menu item could be selected to pause the sequence, knowing the _ID_ of the item in advance.
- Reverse-engineer iSorb HPwin to add the missing functionality.

### Additional Information

- Manual for the device is in `\ISIS_Experiment_Controls\Manuals\Anton-Paar iSorb\` along with some brochures.
- Control software installation file is located here: `\ISIS_Experiment_Controls\Anton-Paar iSorb HP Control Software (USB drive copy)\iSorbHP Suite PO1950787\iSorbHP Software\iSorbHP Suite v3.2.1\`. Manual for this is in a couple of directories above.

See our [Git Workflow](https://isiscomputinggroup.github.io/ibex_developers_manual/processes/git_and_github/Git-workflow.html).

## Acceptance Criteria

- iSorb can be remotely controlled

**To the reviewer: Make sure to [update submodules](https://isiscomputinggroup.github.io/ibex_developers_manual/processes/git_and_github/Git-workflow.html)!**

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