How to Fix RAVEL's Dial Box

RAVEL is the RS6000 used for the 3D Event Display in the DAR. From time to time, its dial box fails to respond.

This is usually due to a poor connection at one of four points:

Even after the connection has been restored, RAVEL will still not recognize the dial box.

LJM's notes on the correct restart procedure follow. The procedure must be performed by someone with enough privilege to run SMIT and shutdown on ravel.


RS/6000 models GT0 and GL have special graphics hardware that includes a dial box, i.e., a set of 8 dials that can be used as input devices by a graphics application program. Unfortunately, the cable for these dial boxes is quite prone to come loose. When this happens, the RS/6000 loses track of the device and the following procedure is needed to make them available again.
  1. Make sure the cable has been reseated as securely as possible.
  2. sudo smit and then select: Devices -> TTY -> List defined TTYs
    This list should be empty; if not, backup to the TTY screen select Remove a TTY, and remove the TTY[s].
  3. Backup to the Devices screen then select High Function Terminal (HFT) -> Dials/LPFKeys -> List all defined Dials/LPFKeys [note: this path will probably change in AIX 4.x which does not support HFTs; if you have trouble locating the Dials/LPFKeys panel, try exiting smit and reentering with the command "sudo smit dials"]. The resulting list should show the Dials defined; if not, backup to the Dials/LPFKeys panel, select Add a Dials/LPFKeys, and define a Dials device.
  4. Now backup to the Dials/LPFKeys, select Configure a Defined Dials LPFKeys, and select the Dials device in the pop-up list. If the attempt to configure fails, try disconnecting and reconnecting the plug at the top of the dial box and then repeat the configuration. If it still fails, check the connectors behind the system unit (of which there are two, not equivalent). The small black one is particularly prone to disconnecting, but try both if necessary, repeating the smit reconfiguration.
  5. Once the Dials device shows as Available, the machine must be rebooted for the device to become usable once again.