Here is the user guide for the 3DXRD spec session. A wide range of commands are documented here, and your local contact will be able to advise you on which ones are most likely to be useful for your specific experiment.

fable_newsample sample_name

Setup the logfile and filename conventions for all images. For each individual image or scan all motor positions and counters are recorded in the logfile. Note: The image directory should be the name of the directory as mapped on the detector PC. The new folder will automatically be created and permissions set. All paths should end with a final backslash.

fable_newexperiment experiment_name
Can be used at the beginning of a new experiment to set default directories for logfiles on pingvin and default directories for images taken with each camera that will be used.

ccdmenu
Check where images are saved and what the current configuration is. Bizzarre interactions with fable macros?

reconfig
Strange behaviour? Try this early and often.

plotselect
Change the counter to be plotted during scans

counters
Change the monitor (usually set to –1(no monitor)) and detector (note that fitscan uses data from the counter set as Det!).

comment
Adds comment to the current datafile. The comment will be proceeded by #C.

General Trouble shooting:

 · The beam is gone!
Don’t panic
Are lights lit on the safety system panel?
Is there a significant amount of a heavy metal in front of your detector?
Check the undulator gap (motor und in OPTICS).
Occasionally the machine operator forgets to close the undulator after a refill.
If this happens please note when and let someone know so we can complain.
Check safety interlocks: See PSS application above. Look for any safety interlocks which have gone red and cannot be bypassed. Most common problem is the vacuum level of the beam pipe in the first hutch. The vacuum pumps go bad from time to time.
If all else fails go have a nice French dinner and some red wine.

 · Spec complaining about too many open files:
No problem:
In 3DXRD type open() a list of all open files will be shown.
Start closing files by typing Close(“path/filename”).
Leave tty and null open.
To prevent this make sure your macros close the files they create.

 · I’ve lost the 3DXRD prompt. Now it says quot>:
Type Ctrl-C. This should bring you back to 3DXRD.
Don’t ask. If this happens after trying to udo a macro this means the macro has some syntax error (probably unmatched brackets).

 · There are always streaks on the images but I am sure I am not saturating the detector:
Have you moved the millisecond shutter out of the beam? As images are read out they traverse the CCD chip.

 · Just about anything else which goes bump in the night:
Try asking the floor co-ordinator (25-25)
Check the ESRF's official guidelines to users and then calling someone, perhaps your local contact could help?