OpenCode Skills for EPICS

A collection of OpenCode skills for EPICS (Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System) development. These skills provide the AI assistant with detailed, accurate reference material for writing EPICS code.

Available Skills

Skill	Description
streamdevice	Write StreamDevice protocol files (.proto) and database records for byte-stream device communication (serial, TCP/IP, GPIB)
epics-database	Write EPICS database files (.db), templates (.template), and substitution files (.substitutions) for all 34 standard record types
epics-module	Create and configure EPICS IOC applications and support modules -- directory structure, Makefiles, configure files, DBD files, and st.cmd startup scripts
epics-device-support	Write custom EPICS device support in C/C++ -- dset structures, init/read/write routines, async processing, I/O Intr scanning, iocsh commands, and sub/aSub functions
epics-ca-client	Write Channel Access client programs in C -- context management, get/put/monitor, DBR types, callbacks, and error handling
epics-pva-client	Write PV Access client and server programs in C++ -- pvac API, pvData structures, normative types, SharedPV servers, and QSRV group configuration
epics-libcom	Use libCom OS-independent APIs -- threading, mutexes, events, message queues, ring buffers, timers, time stamps, error logging, linked lists, and iocsh registration
asyn-port-driver	Write asynPortDriver subclasses in C++ -- parameter library, virtual read/write methods, interface/interrupt masks, background threads, and callbacks
asyn-database	Write database records for asyn drivers -- DTYP choices, INP/OUT link format, setpoint/readback patterns, I/O Intr scanning, and array records
asyn-port-config	Configure asyn ports in st.cmd -- IP, serial, and server ports, serial options, EOS settings, trace control, and diagnostic commands
asyn-gpib	Write GPIB/SCPI device support using the devGpib framework -- gpibCmd command tables, DSET macros, EFAST tables, and custom conversions
motor-driver	Write model-3 asyn motor drivers -- module creation with createMotorDriverModule, dual-build mode, asynMotorController and asynMotorAxis subclasses, and iocsh snippets
motor-ioc	Configure and deploy motor IOCs -- database templates, substitution files, motor record fields, st.cmd startup, motorUtil, and driver submodule integration
areadetector-driver	Write areaDetector camera/detector drivers -- ADDriver subclasses, NDArray allocation and lifecycle, acquisition thread patterns, image modes, and shutter control
areadetector-ioc	Configure and deploy areaDetector IOCs -- plugin chain configuration, database templates, commonPlugins.cmd, file writing patterns, and build configuration
areadetector-plugin	Write custom areaDetector plugins -- NDPluginDriver processing plugins and NDPluginFile file writer plugins with processCallbacks and NDArray handling
snl	Write State Notation Language (SNL) programs (.st/.stt) -- state machines, PV interaction, event flags, built-in functions, safe mode, embedded C code, and build integration
modbus	Configure Modbus IOCs for PLC and device communication -- register map translation, drvModbusAsynConfigure, 37 data types, function codes, 30 database templates, and TCP/serial setup
synapps-deploy	Deploy and configure EPICS synApps -- assemble_synApps script usage, module customization, building, creating IOCs from the xxx template, and managing module versions
synapps-ioc	Create and configure synApps IOCs using mkioc and the xxx template -- mkioc options, post-creation workflow, xxx template structure, hardware configuration examples, and module customization
aeroscript-language	Write AeroScript programs for Aerotech Automation1 -- syntax, data types, scoping, control flow, functions, libraries, preprocessor, G-code, and built-in functions
aeroscript-motion	AeroScript motion programming -- enable/home, linear/rapid/arc, PVT, async/sync moves, velocity blending, camming/gearing, transformations, lookahead
aeroscript-pso	AeroScript Position-Synchronized Output -- distance/event/output/window/waveform modules, fixed/array/continuous outputs, part-speed PSO
aeroscript-runtime	AeroScript runtime and I/O -- tasks, program lifecycle, I/O, TCP sockets, callbacks, parameters, status, faults, data collection, MachineApps

Note: The AeroScript skills cover Aerotech controller programming, which is separate from the EPICS ecosystem. They are useful for writing reproducer programs for Aerotech support.

Installation

Clone this repository into your OpenCode skills directory:

git clone git@git.aps.anl.gov:kpetersn/opencode-skills.git ~/.config/opencode/skills

If the ~/.config/opencode/skills directory already exists, clone to a temporary location and copy:

git clone git@git.aps.anl.gov:kpetersn/opencode-skills.git /tmp/opencode-skills
cp -r /tmp/opencode-skills/*/ ~/.config/opencode/skills/
rm -rf /tmp/opencode-skills

Or, if you want to manage the skills directory as the git repo itself:

rm -rf ~/.config/opencode/skills   # Remove existing (back up first if needed)
git clone git@git.aps.anl.gov:kpetersn/opencode-skills.git ~/.config/opencode/skills

Verification

After installation, restart OpenCode. The skills should appear in the available skills list. You can verify by checking for the skill directories:

ls ~/.config/opencode/skills/*/SKILL.md

Each skill is activated automatically when OpenCode detects a task matching the skill's description.

Project-Local Installation

Skills can also be installed into a specific project's .opencode/skills/ directory to make them available only within that project:

cd /path/to/my/project
mkdir -p .opencode/skills
git clone git@git.aps.anl.gov:kpetersn/opencode-skills.git /tmp/opencode-skills
cp -r /tmp/opencode-skills/*/ .opencode/skills/
rm -rf /tmp/opencode-skills

Sources

These skills were derived from analysis of the EPICS base 7.0, asyn 4.45, motor R7, areaDetector R3, sequencer 2.2, modbus R3-4, assemble_synApps and synApps support, mkioc and xxx, StreamDevice 2.8.25+ source code and documentation, and the Aerotech Automation1 help documentation, including record type definitions, build system templates, device support headers, CA/PVA client APIs, libCom headers, asynPortDriver class, asyn device support, devGpib framework, asynMotorController/asynMotorAxis base classes, motor record fields, ADDriver/NDPluginDriver/NDPluginFile base classes, NDArray lifecycle, plugin architecture, SNL language reference and built-in functions, Modbus data types and database templates, synApps assembly and build infrastructure, mkioc IOC creation workflow, xxx template IOC structure, StreamDevice protocol syntax and format converters, AeroScript language reference and motion/PSO/runtime APIs, and example programs.