Rework IBEX Training Course material [Timebox: 1.5 days]

[ThomasLohnert]

Following the retrospective of the last IBEX training course, we propose a number of changes to the training material before delivering the next one:

General

• [x] Instead of displaying one exercise at a time on screen using the slides, hand out exercises sheets with multiple (i.e. "base" and "bonus" exercises, for people who go through it quicker) and reference at appropriate moments in the slides

Introduction to IBEX course

• [x] Introduce views / features of IBEX client with practical demos instead of slides where possible
• [x] Set aside time for attendees to freely explore views
• [x] Clearer explanation of client/server architecture and its benefits
  • This could include making people look at a real instrument at the start of the course to provide an idea of IBEX in reality
• [ ] Add exercises for common tasks in views, e.g. how to set up DAE experiment setup, start/stop runs etc.
• [x] Rework existing exercises such that it is more strongly related to practice. There should be a common thread throughout with the end goal of setting up a simple, but coherent beamline. E.g. exercise sets up a configuration with IOCs that are later used in synoptics.
• [x] Stronger separation between the introduction of configurations and components - e.g. run through all the aspects of creating a configuration, IOCs, blocks etc, then once users are comfortable with it, introduce components as "building blocks"
• [ ] Expand section on script server
• [ ] Get some example journal data on training machines

Genie_python course

• [ ] Consider advertising this differently: instead of "basic knowledge of python is assumed" --> "basic knowledge of python is beneficial"
• [x] Create reference sheet for common Genie_python commands and for how to convert OpenGENIE code to Genie_python
• [ ] Go through exercises in order and remove redundant ones
• [ ] Add exercises for doing scripting via script server
  • [ ] How to load / queue scripts
  • [ ] Teach the importance of importing genie_python in scripts
  • [ ] What happens when you run a script, then close the client in the scripting console vs. scriptserver?
• [ ] Script conversion exercise: make sure this code runs on training machines

[Kevin-Woods-Tessella]

FYI: next presentation of the training course is likely to be late January 2019.

[ThomasLohnert]

January training course is now not happening so moving this back to the backlog. Think the only major thing that is missing currently is an exercise for script server interactions, however other material might need to be updated by the time the next training course comes around. I have uploaded all the latest documents to sharepoint in the meantime.

[KathrynBaker]

We should be running a training course in August, so preparing in advance is wise