Elettrolinux

Fsc2 is a program for controlling spectrometers. Experiments are done by interpretation of scripts written in a simple language scripting language EDL (Experiment Description Language) and employing a strictly modular approach to the handling of devices. Devices are handled via modules in order to allow easy integration of new devices. Device are not hard-coded into fsc2. Instead, devices are dealt with by modules that get loaded on demand (a single instruction in an EDL script. More than 50 devices are supported, connected via serial port, GPIB, or LAN, as well as data acquisition cards, etc, e.g.;

The state of an experiment can be remotly monitored via a built-in Web server. This flexibility has been achieved by making fsc2 basically an interpreter for a rather simple but powerful scripting language (EDL, that's exactly!). This allows setting up a completely new experiment or changing an already existing one fast and easily without requiring any detailed knowledge of the internals of fsc2 or how exactly devices are to be controlled by the computer - everything needed is to become aquainted with the EDL scripting language. Moreover, an already working script for an experiment can be swiftly made to display a graphical user interface for just entering the currently required experimental parameters by adding a few extra lines and then running it through a Perl script. Terms of license are GNU GPL.