RecSync documentation missing information

[aqshafei]

I'm currently developing a Python implementation of RecCaster to be used alongside p4p, Unfortunately, I've found the documentation a bit unclear or incomplete. Could you please help clarify or provide additional information?

In the existing implementation, the UDP announcement message includes a server address "SERV ADDR". However, it uses the broadcast address and not the actual IP used for TCP connections. RecCaster current implementation checks if "255.255.255.255" is received as "SERV ADDR" then uses the UDP source IP address as "SERV ADDR" instead.
Would it possible to update the documentation to provide a clearer explanation Of this behavior?

Would it be possible to expand the documentation to include more detailed information on the "Add Record" and "Add Info" TCP messages?

I am currently unsure about the specific expectations and requirements that RecCeiver has for these messages. While I have able to experiment with various values by reading RecCeiver source code.

These are the following question or additional documentation needed for "Add Record" and "Add Info"

Add Record

• What are RTYPE types, are they just EPICS types?
• What RecCeiver is expecting for RNAME? Is it just a full record name? For example, "PREFIX:RECORD:VALUE"

Add Info

• What is the format for the key/value?
• What specific information should be included in the "Add info" key/value pair?

[hinxx]

Would it possible to update the documentation to provide a clearer explanation Of this behavior?

That would be great. Also a bit more clarity with the bytes of the messages; not really clear from the table how many bytes are used for each part. One can of course always read the code to figure it out, though.

What are RTYPE types, are they just EPICS types?

EPICS record type name, yes.

What RecCeiver is expecting for RNAME? Is it just a full record name? For example, "PREFIX:RECORD:VALUE"

Yes.

What is the format for the key/value?

Two strings pasted together without any character glue and without terminating \0.

What specific information should be included in the "Add info" key/value pair?

Whatever you want. This code takes records info tags.

Chat-friendly bot created this code for me. I copy/pasted the README verbatim and the only thing it got wrong was the number of bytes required for RNLEN (1 instead of 2).

It is a POC quality but it works as I can see the PVs and their info tags in the channel finder.