Known CSS Issues

CSS Won't run

If it doesn't run at all, see Java Versions.

Security Alert

On Windows, a "Windows Security Alert" stating that "Windows Firewall has blocked some features of this program" can appear when you first try to access the control system from CSS, or when you try to look at the CSS online help pages for the first time.
That's because these actions involve network traffic. Select Unblock.

Workspace Issues

The workspace stores your configuration files and settings, allowing CSS to start up in the same state as you left it when it was running the last time. You can only run one instance of CSS for a selected workspace. When multiple users run CSS on the same computer, for example "accl-oper" in the SNS control room, each CSS instance has to use a different workspace.
By default, the startup dialog will suggest a workspace like ".../CSS-Workspaces/current-host-name", so you can just press "OK" to run once instance of CSS per host. There should rarely be a need to run multiple instances of CSS on the same host, but if this is really necessary, you have to enter a different workspace name like like ".../CSS-Workspaces/current-host-name-2" or ".../CSS-Workspaces/your-name".

"Workspace ... is in use..." error on startup

The message might be the result of a power outage or a crash, anything that prevented CSS from properly closing the workspace.
If you know for sure that the workspace is indeed not in use, because no other instance of CSS is running on the computer that might use that workspace, You can then overcome this message by deleting the file .metadata/.lock inside the affected workspace directory.

"The selected directory is inside an existing workspace" error on startup

Workspaces should not be nested. It's OK to have workspaces but it is not possible to have workspaces The error most likely results from somebody having used the top-level directory ".../CSS-Workspaces" itself as a workspace, so now all the ".../host*" subdirectories that used to work fine appear to be inside an existing workspace. In that case, the fix is to remove the directory .../CSS-Workspaces/.metadata.

Cannot Save Files; "The folder is empty"

When saving a file, you enter the desired file name and you have to select a folder in the workspace where the file should be saved.

The "Folder is empty" error message indicates that you have not selected a folder, yet. After clicking on one of the available folders, maybe even navigating down to sub-folders, the error message will go away and instead you see the full path name to the file:

Before selecting a "folder" After selecting a "folder"
In case there is no folder, you will first have to create a "Project".

No folders; "Project"?

The top-level folders in the CSS (Eclipse) workspace as shown in the "Navigator" are called Projects.

The SNS versions of CSS will automatically create and open a project called "CSS". The Basic EPICS version of CSS has no initial default project.

To create an initial or additional projects:

  1. Open Navigator (Menu File/Open Workspace Navigator)
  2. In Navigator, right-click, select "New", "Project ..."
  3. Select "General", "Project", click "Next"
  4. Enter project name, "Finish"
When selecting a Project, you can create Folders in there via right-click, "New", "Other...", "General", "Folder".

Shared Folders

Projects and sub-folders of a project in a user's Workspace are private to a user. If you want to share configuration files with other CSS users, for example use common operator interface panels or Data Browser configurations, you can link to a shared folder in the file system.

In the SNS control room, each CSS workspace has a "Share" folder by default that points to a shared location.

To manually create a shared for users outside the SNS control room:

  1. Create a folder in a commonly accessible location, say /usr/share/css/shared_folder
  2. In the Navigator, selecting a Project, right-click, "New", "Other...", "General", "Folder".
  3. Click "Advanced", check "Link to folder in the file system" and "Browse..." to /usr/share/css/shared_folder.
  4. Repeat in each CSS instance that needs access to that shared folder.
In addition, assert that the preference setting General, Workspace, "Refresh automatically" is checked (Menu CSS/Preferences).

Java Versions

You need Java 1.5 or Java 1.6. Older Java versions won't work at all.

Windows

On most SNS office machines, java 1.5 is already installed, so just download the SNS CSS application and try it.

If you get error messages, check your java version:
Select Start/All Programs/Accessories/Command Prompt, type "java -version" (followed by RETURN). If it says "java version 1.5..." or "...1.6...", you're fine. If it says "java version 1.4.2" or anything smaller than 1.5, you need a java update. If you don't know how to do that, or lack administrator rights, call the ORNL helpdesk.

Linux

In a terminal, run "java -version". RedHat Linux by default includes the GNU version of Java. This will not work, you have to get the Sun Java 1.5 or 1.6.
kasemirk@ornl.gov