[evla-sw-discuss] Simple subarrays: a modest proposal

[Vrcic, Sonja]

Hi Michael,
it just occurred to me that there is one more possible solution: vci parameter "mapping time" could be used to delay the mapping of subarrays until all are received by CM. 

Parameter mappingTime has been implemented to allow messages  transmitted from different sources to be mapped as a single configuration, and to provide deterministic mapping in general. Mapping time has not been used so far, but I tested it long ago and to my knowledge it works. 

Executor could  transmit Activation Trigger for each subarray, as it does now, and use different Activation ID for each, as it does now;  the only change would be to add a parameter mappingTime to the Activation Triggers to postpone the mapping of vci messages until all subarrays that should start at the same time are received by CM. The necessary delay could be determined empirically (by testing). Also, the Executor would have to be aware that subarrays (Scheduling Blocks) belong to the same observation (and should be mapped at the same time). If that is not already the case, perhaps an indication (a parameter 'delayMapping') could be passed to it,  to let it know. This would still require changes in the Executor,  but perhaps smaller.  
Sonja