Introduction

This document serves as a general guide for the ICS Framework (IFW) version 2026, aiming to provide an updated ELT software stack for instrument developers. The framework is intended as a toolkit to assist instrument developers in implementing their control systems. The IFW has been validated with the following ELT packages:

• ELT Development Environment 7.0.1 (AlmaLinux 10.2)

• CII MAL 6.1.0

• CII Services 6.0.0

Note

From version 2024 onward, IFW changed the versioning scheme from a correlative number to a version based on the year.

Scope

This document is the transfer document for the ELT ICS Framework version 2026. The intended audience are ELT users, consortia developers, software quality assurance engineers or general users of this framework.

Acronyms

DB	Database
CCF	Camera Control Framework
CCS	Central Control System
DAQ	Data Acquisition
DDT	Data Display Tool
ELT	Extremely Large Telescope
ETR	Extensible Test Runner
FCF	Function Control Framework
FCS	Function Control System
GUI	Graphical User Interface
HLCC	High Level Coordination and Control
ICS	Instrument Control System
IFW	ICS Framework
ODP	Online Data Processing
OLDB	Online DB
OTTO	The new observing tool: Otto Tackles Telescope Observations
PLC	Programmable Logic Controller
RAD	Rapid Application Development
SEQ	Sequencer
SLM	Secondary Loop Manager
SUP	Supervisor

Overview

The framework components included in version 2026 are listed in the release notes Release Notes.

Components by Layer

The IFW is divided into several RPM packages built from independent Git repositories located under the same group in the ESO GitLab. IFW repositories could be organized by architectural layers. Components may depend on components from the same layers or beneath them.

IFW Git Packages.

Foundation and Infrastructure The base libraries and application frameworks that all other components build upon.

rad	Rapid Application Development framework. Event-driven applications based on callbacks or state machines. This is the base for all C++ servers.
ifw-core	Core shared libraries (ctd, dit, stoo), utility libraries, logger, and core definitions. Central foundation for all IFW components.
ifw-fnd	Fundamental shared definitions. Includes iComm adapter interfaces and the log4cplus bridge used across the framework.
ifw-rtmslib	RTMS Library for LLNETIO communication. Used by ifw-ccf and ifw-fgf.
ddt	Data Display Tool. Libraries and tools for detector data transfer, display, and manipulation. Includes DDT broker and DDT Viewer.
ifw-wdglib	Reusable GUI widget library for representing physical or logical system functions in panels.
uatools	OPC UA wrapper library (ualib) and tools, including the UaExplorer browser. Replaces the old OPC UA base in ifw-core.

Device and Function Control Components for controlling instrument hardware devices via OPC UA communication with PLCs.

ifw-fcf	Function Control Framework core. Device Manager controlling hardware devices.
ifw-fcfif	CII interface definitions for FCF. Separated from ifw-fcf to provide a standalone interface module.
ifw-fcfui	FCF user interfaces and Python client library. Separated from ifw-fcf.
ifw-fcfsim	New device simulator framework for FCF. Replaces the simulator framework in ifw-fcfif.
ifw-ll	PLC libraries code and Visual Studio source projects for TwinCAT 3.1 (4024, 4026).
ifw-resource	PLC libraries and tools (4024, 4026).

Note

The ifw-ll stores mainly PLC Visual Studio projects.

Camera and Detector Control Components for camera data acquisition and detector communication.

ifw-ccf	Camera Control Framework. GenICam/GigE Vision and ENVision OPC UA adapters, ROI control, and DDT publishing.
ifw-ccfui	CCF Engineering GUI (ccfGui). Separated from ifw-ccf.
ifw-fgf	Frame Grabber Framework for detector data acquisition hardware.
camcom	Camera Communication Toolkit. Simplifies implementation of camera communication interfaces.

Observation Coordination High-level coordination of observations, template library and image analysis.

ifw-daq	Data Acquisition component. Includes daqOcmServer, daqDpmServer, data history, and MAL resource management.
ifw-daqif	Interface definitions and libraries for the Data Acquisition component.
ifw-sup	System Supervisor. High-level coordination manager for all ICS subsystems.
ifw-supif	Interface definitions and libraries for the System Supervisor. Separated from ifw-sup.
ifw-slm	Secondary Loop Manager. Eases implementation of slow loops, especially in adaptive optics systems.
ifw-slmif	Interface definitions for Secondary Loop Manager.
ifw-tpl	Template Library. Common interface for instrument templates.
ifw-odp	Online Data Processing for real-time science data processing. Integrates with DDT and CPL.

Scripting, and Tooling General purpose tools and observatory scripting.

seq	Sequencer engine for executing observation blocks and engineering scripts. Includes CLI and GUI (seqtool).
etr	Extensible Test Runner. Supports Robot Framework tests, Jinja2 templating, and Nomad deployment.
ifw-rtmstools	RTMS tools for instrument control and communication utilities.
ifw-calob	Calibration Framework for instrument calibration observation handling.
ifw-iptool	Instrument Package Tool for preparing template signature files and instrument packages.
xarch	Cross-Architecture Archive Facility. Organizes data products and provides web-based retrieval interface.

Warning

Disclaimer: ESO does not warrant that the functions contained in version 2026 of the ICS Framework will meet all requirements or that the operation of their components and libraries will be flawless.

ESO does not ensure that solutions included in version 2026 are not subject to changes in future releases.

While every precaution has been taken in the development of the ICS Framework software and in the preparation of the documentation, ESO assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damage resulting from the use of the software or of the information contained in the documentation.

Note

Starting with version 2026, the ICS Framework is distributed under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 (LGPL v3.0). A LICENSE file containing the full terms is included in each IFW repository.

The rights of third party products, whose software is for convenience included in the development environment, are ruled by their copyright notice included in their software.