Experience with the use of ''Macintrotte'' for commissioning process equipment of the LEP Pre-injector

''Macintrotte'' is a CAMAC control system which is composed of a Macintosh computer and a dedicated software package. The purpose of this system is to be a versatile and user-friendly tool in the field of equipment commissioning or local interaction. The CERN interpreter Nodal has been implemented as the programming language and integrated into the Macintosh environment. The primary function of Macintrotte is to provide a stand-alone CAMAC control system with a high-level user interface for programmers and end users. In this kind of application, a CERN-made CAMAC interface is used. This has been the main use of the system during the early phase of the LPI commissioning. A secondary function of Macintrotte is to act as a front-end computer for the SMACC, a 68000-based auxiliary crate controller used in the PS central control network. In this configuration, the Macintosh is connected as a terminal to the SMACC to provide local access, basic input/output and autonomous computational facilities. This is currently used for LPI equipment which is interfaced with the main control system. A third function of the system is to interconnect, in a LAN (local area network), SMACCs and Macintoshes in order to provide high-level local control facilities for machine development and to extend the functionality of the main consoles. This is still experimental and has not yet been used in operation. This paper gives an overview of the system and describes its use for the commissioning of the LPI equipment and the experience the authors gained from this application