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CAMAC Commands

When the computer wants to give an instruction to a module in a certain crate on a certain branch, it sents out a CAMAC command. A CAMAC command sent by the computer basically consists of five integers:

Branch

The branch to receive the command

Crate

The crate to receive the command

Niche

The slot number of the module to receive the command

Address

The section of the module to receive the command

Function

The function to be performed by the section addressed

The words ``branch, crate, niche, address, function'' are often abbreviated as B, C, N, A, and F. The B, C, N values help get the instruction to the correct module. The combination of A and F is the actual instruction for the module.

Before the B, C, N, A, F values are sent out of the computer, they are packed together as protocols. (The B, C, N are packed into one protocol, and the A, F are packed into another.) The protocols are disected and interpreted when they reach a module.