Core keys¶

Keys the server itself reads, independent of the frame outputs.

Important

These tables list only keys the code actually reads. Configuration files in the wild, and the superseded 2022 ICD, carry a number of keys that nothing reads any more: IMDIR, BASENAME, AUTODIR, DIRMODE, DAEMON, LONGERROR, TM_ZONE, TZ_ENV, ASYNCPORT and ASYNCGROUP among them. Setting them has no effect. Image naming and location moved to the frame output keys.

Instrument modules read keys of their own, which are documented with the instrument rather than here.

Controller connection¶

Key	Meaning
`ARCHON_IP`	IP address of the Archon controller. Point this at the emulator to run without hardware.
`ARCHON_PORT`	Port of the Archon controller
`DEFAULT_FIRMWARE`	Firmware that load uses when given no argument

Archon parameters¶

The server drives an Archon by writing named parameters defined in the ACF. These keys say which names to use, so one binary works with differently authored timing scripts.

Key	Meaning
`ABORT_PARAM`	Parameter written to abort an exposure
`EXPOSE_PARAM`	Parameter written to trigger an exposure
`EXPTIME_MSEC_PARAM`	Parameter holding the milliseconds part of the exposure time. Required.
`EXPTIME_SEC_PARAM`	Parameter holding the whole-seconds part of the exposure time. Optional.

Server¶

Key	Meaning
`BLKPORT`	TCP port the server listens on. This is the only port camerad opens.
`LOGPATH`	Directory for the daily log file. Required; the server refuses to start without it.
`LOG_STDERR`	Also write the log to stderr, overriding what –foreground implies
`TM_ZONE_LOG`	Time zone for log entry timestamps, UTC or local

Exposure¶

Key	Meaning
`LONGEXPOSURE`	Unit for a bare exptime argument. true for seconds, false for milliseconds.

See exposure time for what the unit affects.

Heater¶

Key	Meaning
`HEATER_TARGET_MAX`	Upper bound for heater targets, overriding the backplane default
`HEATER_TARGET_MIN`	Lower bound for heater targets, overriding the backplane default

Emulator¶

Read by camerad-emulator, not by the server, but conventionally kept in the same file.

Key	Meaning
`EMULATOR_DATADIR`	Directory of real frames for the emulator to serve. Unset means synthetic pixel data.
`EMULATOR_PORT`	Port the emulator listens on. ARCHON_PORT points here to run without hardware.
`EMULATOR_SYSTEM`	Path to the .system file describing the module complement the emulator reports
`INSTRUMENT`	Instrument name the emulator reports
`NBPORT`	Read by the emulator only. camerad itself does not open a non-blocking port.