Blu-Ice and the Distributed Control System

General Information

BLU-ICE is a graphical Interface to the Distributed Control System (DCS) for crystallographic data collection at synchrotron light sources. Designed for highly heterogeneous networked computing environments, it uses an efficient message passing protocol for communication between underlying, disparate hardware control systems and multiple, fully synchronized instances of the graphical user interface. A server process at each beam line centralizes control over all beam line hardware and provides a central point through which all messages between user interfaces and hardware control systems pass. The server also embeds a scripting engine capable of handling complex operations spanning multiple control systems with a powerful event driven language.

The highly graphical BLU-ICE user interface simplifies sophisticated experimental protocols and complex motor relationships, hides the complexities of the control and computer infrastructure, and allows the user to concentrate on the problem at hand - the collection of diffraction data or the maintenance of a beam line. This high level of abstraction enables the user to cope with sophisticated experimental protocols and complex hardware. A strip chart placed in the Collect tab, enables the user to evaluate a fast-moving experiment in real time. Detailed user instructions describing the most recent version of Blu-ice/DCS are available online.

BLU-ICE and the Distributed Control System is based on modern software development strategies and will serve as a model for the control of other crystallographic beam lines and home X-ray sources. Its design philosophy exemplifies the Collaboratory paradigm, featuring cross-platform portability, remote access capability, and collaboration enabling features. The unification of the graphical interfaces across multiple beam lines and home laboratories bears significant advantages in training and education.

Obtaining BluIce

For evaluation or installation of BluIce/Dcss, send a request for a gitlab account to scottm@slac.stanford.edu with a brief statement of interest and the synchrotron and beam line(s) of which you are affiliated.

More Information

References

T. M. McPhillips, S. E. McPhillips, et al. Blu-Ice and the Distributed Control System: software for data acquisition and instrument control at macromolecular crystallography beamlines. J. Synchrotron Rad. (2002). 9, 401-406.
S. M. Soltis, et al. New paradigm for macromolecular crystallography experiments at SSRL: automated crystal screening and remote data collection. Acta Cryst. (2008). D64, 1210-1221
D. Mendez, et al. Deep residual networks for crystallography trained on synthetic data. Acta Cryst. (2024). D80, 26-43

Last modified:Friday, 09-Feb-2024 13:33:48 PST.

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Blu-Ice and the Distributed Control System General Information BLU-ICE is a graphical Interface to the Distributed Control System (DCS) for crystallographic data collection at synchrotron light sources. Designed for highly heterogeneous networked computing environments, it uses an efficient message passing protocol for communication between underlying, disparate hardware control systems and multiple, fully synchronized instances of the graphical user interface. A server process at each beam line centralizes control over all beam line hardware and provides a central point through which all messages between user interfaces and hardware control systems pass. The server also embeds a scripting engine capable of handling complex operations spanning multiple control systems with a powerful event driven language. The highly graphical BLU-ICE user interface simplifies sophisticated experimental protocols and complex motor relationships, hides the complexities of the control and computer infrastructure, and allows the user to concentrate on the problem at hand - the collection of diffraction data or the maintenance of a beam line. This high level of abstraction enables the user to cope with sophisticated experimental protocols and complex hardware. A strip chart placed in the Collect tab, enables the user to evaluate a fast-moving experiment in real time. Detailed user instructions describing the most recent version of Blu-ice/DCS are available online. BLU-ICE and the Distributed Control System is based on modern software development strategies and will serve as a model for the control of other crystallographic beam lines and home X-ray sources. Its design philosophy exemplifies the Collaboratory paradigm, featuring cross-platform portability, remote access capability, and collaboration enabling features. The unification of the graphical interfaces across multiple beam lines and home laboratories bears significant advantages in training and education. Obtaining BluIce For evaluation or installation of BluIce/Dcss, send a request for a gitlab account to scottm@slac.stanford.edu with a brief statement of interest and the synchrotron and beam line(s) of which you are affiliated. More Information How to Collect Data with Blu-Ice Blu-Ice/DCS software license Documentation for older distributions (CVS versions prior to git) References T. M. McPhillips, S. E. McPhillips, et al. Blu-Ice and the Distributed Control System: software for data acquisition and instrument control at macromolecular crystallography beamlines. J. Synchrotron Rad. (2002). 9, 401-406. S. M. Soltis, et al. New paradigm for macromolecular crystallography experiments at SSRL: automated crystal screening and remote data collection. Acta Cryst. (2008). D64, 1210-1221 D. Mendez, et al. Deep residual networks for crystallography trained on synthetic data. Acta Cryst. (2024). D80, 26-43

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Last modified:Friday, 09-Feb-2024 13:33:48 PST.