X-Git-Url: http://git.uio.no/git/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=HLT%2FBASE%2FAliHLTSystem.cxx;h=1508db209f9c1522796a31a9e3e29177a347a0fb;hb=820b4d9ec8aaaa083ffa8d6753d1c2b767c6ef3f;hp=cbef2c8378dd93d3954fd535fc52c8791dfbb331;hpb=5e9d702403cbe545a75bd72c678847be4f7b3289;p=u%2Fmrichter%2FAliRoot.git

diff --git a/HLT/BASE/AliHLTSystem.cxx b/HLT/BASE/AliHLTSystem.cxx
index cbef2c8378d..1508db209f9 100644
--- a/HLT/BASE/AliHLTSystem.cxx
+++ b/HLT/BASE/AliHLTSystem.cxx
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ using namespace std;
 #include "AliHLTComponent.h"
 #include "AliHLTConfiguration.h"
 #include "AliHLTConfigurationHandler.h"
+#include "AliHLTOnlineConfiguration.h"
 #include "AliHLTTask.h"
 #include "AliHLTModuleAgent.h"
 #include "AliHLTOfflineInterface.h"
@@ -56,10 +57,14 @@ const char* AliHLTSystem::fgkHLTDefaultLibs[]= {
   "libAliHLTRCU.so", 
   "libAliHLTTPC.so", 
   //  "libAliHLTSample.so",
-  //  "libAliHLTPHOS.so",
+  "libAliHLTCalo.so",
+  "libAliHLTEMCAL.so",
+  "libAliHLTPHOS.so",
   "libAliHLTMUON.so",
   "libAliHLTTRD.so",
   "libAliHLTITS.so",
+  "libAliHLTVZERO.so",
+  "libAliHLTZDC.so",
   "libAliHLTGlobal.so",
   "libAliHLTTrigger.so",
   NULL
@@ -68,10 +73,12 @@ const char* AliHLTSystem::fgkHLTDefaultLibs[]= {
 /** ROOT macro for the implementation of ROOT specific class methods */
 ClassImp(AliHLTSystem)
 
-AliHLTSystem::AliHLTSystem(AliHLTComponentLogSeverity loglevel, const char* name)
-  :
-  fpComponentHandler(AliHLTComponentHandler::CreateHandler()),
-  fpConfigurationHandler(AliHLTConfigurationHandler::CreateHandler()),
+AliHLTSystem::AliHLTSystem(AliHLTComponentLogSeverity loglevel, const char* name,
+			   AliHLTComponentHandler* pCompHandler,
+			   AliHLTConfigurationHandler* pConfHandler
+			   )
+  : fpComponentHandler(pCompHandler==NULL?AliHLTComponentHandler::CreateHandler():pCompHandler)
+  , fpConfigurationHandler(pConfHandler==NULL?AliHLTConfigurationHandler::CreateHandler():pConfHandler),
   fTaskList(),
   fState(0),
   fChains(),
@@ -82,9 +89,12 @@ AliHLTSystem::AliHLTSystem(AliHLTComponentLogSeverity loglevel, const char* name
   fpEsdHandlers(NULL),
   fpProprietaryHandlers(NULL),
   fpHLTOUTTask(NULL),
+  fpHLTOUT(NULL),
+  fHLTOUTUse(0),
   fpControlTask(NULL),
   fName(name)
   , fECSParams()
+  , fUseHLTOUTComponentTypeGlobal(true)
 {
   // see header file for class documentation
   // or
@@ -115,9 +125,7 @@ AliHLTSystem::AliHLTSystem(AliHLTComponentLogSeverity loglevel, const char* name
   } else {
     HLTFatal("can not create Component Handler");
   }
-  if (fpConfigurationHandler) {
-    AliHLTConfiguration::GlobalInit(fpConfigurationHandler);
-  } else {
+  if (fpConfigurationHandler==NULL) {
     HLTFatal("can not create Configuration Handler");
   }
 }
@@ -126,9 +134,8 @@ AliHLTSystem::~AliHLTSystem()
 {
   // see header file for class documentation
   fgNofInstances--;
-  CleanHLTOUT();
+  CleanupHLTOUTHandlers();
   CleanTaskList();
-  AliHLTConfiguration::GlobalDeinit(fpConfigurationHandler);
   if (fpConfigurationHandler) {
     fpConfigurationHandler->Destroy();
   }
@@ -146,51 +153,6 @@ AliHLTSystem::~AliHLTSystem()
 
 int AliHLTSystem::fgNofInstances=0;
 
-int AliHLTSystem::AddConfiguration(AliHLTConfiguration* pConf)
-{
-  // see header file for class documentation
-  HLTLogKeyword("configuration handling");
-  int iResult=0;
-  if (pConf) {
-    HLTError("function not yet implemented");
-    iResult=-ENOSYS;
-  } else {
-    iResult=-EINVAL;
-  }
-  return iResult;
-}
-
-int AliHLTSystem::InsertConfiguration(AliHLTConfiguration* pConf, AliHLTConfiguration* pPrec)
-{
-  // see header file for class documentation
-  HLTLogKeyword("configuration handling");
-  int iResult=0;
-  if (pConf) {
-    if (pPrec) {
-      // find the position
-      HLTError("function not yet implemented");
-      iResult=-ENOSYS;
-    }
-  } else {
-    iResult=-EINVAL;
-  }
-  return iResult;
-}
-
-int AliHLTSystem::DeleteConfiguration(AliHLTConfiguration* pConf)
-{
-  // see header file for class documentation
-  HLTLogKeyword("configuration handling");
-  int iResult=0;
-  if (pConf) {
-    HLTError("function not yet implemented");
-    iResult=-ENOSYS;
-  } else {
-    iResult=-EINVAL;
-  }
-  return iResult;
-}
-
 int AliHLTSystem::BuildTaskList(const char* id)
 {
   // see header file for class documentation
@@ -226,7 +188,8 @@ int AliHLTSystem::BuildTaskList(AliHLTConfiguration* pConf)
       }
       // task for this configuration exists, terminate
       pTask=NULL;
-    } else if (pConf->SourcesResolved(1)!=1) {
+    // check first if the configuration has all sources resolved, try to extract otherwise
+    } else if (pConf->SourcesResolved()!=1 && pConf->ExtractSources()!=1) {
 	HLTError("configuration \"%s\" has unresolved sources, aborting ...", pConf->GetName());
 	iResult=-ENOLINK;
     } else {
@@ -384,7 +347,9 @@ void AliHLTSystem::PrintTaskList()
   }
 }
 
-int AliHLTSystem::Run(Int_t iNofEvents, int bStop, AliHLTUInt64_t trgMask)
+int AliHLTSystem::Run(Int_t iNofEvents, int bStop, AliHLTUInt64_t trgMask,
+		      AliHLTUInt32_t timestamp, AliHLTUInt32_t eventtype,
+		      AliHLTUInt32_t participatingDetectors)
 {
   // see header file for class documentation
   int iResult=0;
@@ -408,7 +373,11 @@ int AliHLTSystem::Run(Int_t iNofEvents, int bStop, AliHLTUInt64_t trgMask)
 	  // reset and prepare for new data
 	  fpHLTOUTTask->Reset();
 	}
-	if ((iResult=ProcessTasks(i, trgMask))>=0) {
+	if (eventtype == 0) {
+	  eventtype = gkAliEventTypeData;
+	  participatingDetectors = 0x0;
+	}
+	if ((iResult=ProcessTasks(i, trgMask, timestamp, eventtype, participatingDetectors))>=0) {
 	  fGoodEvents++;
 	  iCount++;
 	} else {
@@ -620,20 +589,26 @@ int AliHLTSystem::StartTasks()
   return iResult;
 }
 
-int AliHLTSystem::ProcessTasks(Int_t eventNo, AliHLTUInt64_t trgMask)
+int AliHLTSystem::ProcessTasks(Int_t eventNo, AliHLTUInt64_t trgMask,
+	  AliHLTUInt32_t timestamp, AliHLTUInt32_t eventtype,
+	  AliHLTUInt32_t participatingDetectors)
 {
   // see header file for class documentation
   int iResult=0;
   HLTDebug("processing event no %d", eventNo);
   TObjLink *lnk=fTaskList.FirstLink();
-  while (lnk && iResult>=0) {
+  while (lnk) {
     TObject* obj=lnk->GetObject();
     if (obj) {
       AliHLTTask* pTask=(AliHLTTask*)obj;
-      iResult=pTask->ProcessTask(eventNo, gkAliEventTypeData, trgMask);
+      if (iResult>=0) {
+      iResult=pTask->ProcessTask(eventNo, eventtype, trgMask, timestamp, participatingDetectors);
 //       ProcInfo_t ProcInfo;
 //       gSystem->GetProcInfo(&ProcInfo);
 //       HLTInfo("task %s processed (%d), current memory usage %d %d", pTask->GetName(), iResult, ProcInfo.fMemResident, ProcInfo.fMemVirtual);
+      } else {
+	pTask->SubscribeSourcesAndSkip();
+      }
     } else {
     }
     lnk = lnk->Next();
@@ -678,6 +653,9 @@ int AliHLTSystem::StopTasks()
     lnk = lnk->Next();
   }
   PrintBenchmarking(fStopwatches, 1 /*clean*/);
+  if (fEventCount!=fGoodEvents) {
+    HLTError("%d out of %d event(s) failed", fEventCount-fGoodEvents, fEventCount);
+  }
   ClearStatusFlags(kStarted);
   return iResult;
 }
@@ -723,7 +701,7 @@ int AliHLTSystem::SendControlEvent(AliHLTComponentDataType dt)
       if (dt==kAliHLTDataTypeSOR) eventType=gkAliEventTypeStartOfRun;
       else if (dt==kAliHLTDataTypeEOR) eventType=gkAliEventTypeEndOfRun;
       else HLTWarning("unknown control event %s", AliHLTComponent::DataType2Text(dt).c_str());
-      iResult=pTask->ProcessTask(-1, eventType);
+      iResult=pTask->ProcessTask(-1, eventType, 0, 0);
     } else {
     }
     lnk = lnk->Next();
@@ -761,7 +739,7 @@ int AliHLTSystem::DeinitTasks()
   return iResult;
 }
 
-int AliHLTSystem::CleanHLTOUT()
+int AliHLTSystem::CleanupHLTOUTHandlers()
 {
   // see header file for class documentation
   if (fpChainHandlers) {
@@ -841,11 +819,13 @@ int AliHLTSystem::Reconstruct(int nofEvents, AliRunLoader* runLoader,
 	if (!CheckStatus(kError)) {
 	StopTasks();
 	DeinitTasks();
-	CleanHLTOUT();
+	CleanupHLTOUTHandlers();
 	}
       } else {
       if ((iResult=AliHLTOfflineInterface::SetParamsToComponents(runLoader, rawReader))>=0) {
 	AliHLTUInt64_t trgMask=0x1;
+	AliHLTUInt32_t timestamp=0;
+	AliHLTUInt32_t eventtype=0;
 	if (runLoader==NULL) {
 	  // this is a quick workaround for the case of simulation
 	  // the trigger framework is still under development, secondly, AliHLTSimulation
@@ -853,11 +833,35 @@ int AliHLTSystem::Reconstruct(int nofEvents, AliRunLoader* runLoader,
 	  // AliHLTTask will initialize one dummy CTP trigger class with bit 0, that's why the
 	  // default trigger mask is 0x1
 	  trgMask=AliHLTMisc::Instance().GetTriggerMask(rawReader);
+
+	  // get the timestamp and type of the event from the raw reader
+	  // this is currently only meaningfull for reconstruction (runloader==NULL)
+	  timestamp=AliHLTMisc::Instance().GetTimeStamp(rawReader);
+	  eventtype=AliHLTMisc::Instance().GetEventType(rawReader);
 	}
 	// the system always remains started after event processing, a specific
 	// call with nofEvents==0 is needed to execute the stop sequence
-	if ((iResult=Run(nofEvents, 0, trgMask))<0) SetStatusFlags(kError);
+	if ((iResult=Run(nofEvents, 0, trgMask, timestamp, eventtype))<0) SetStatusFlags(kError);
+      }
       }
+
+      // add the current HLTOUT task to the collection
+      if (fpHLTOUTTask) {
+	AliHLTOUT* pTask=dynamic_cast<AliHLTOUT*>(fpHLTOUTTask);
+	if (pTask && (iResult=pTask->Init())>=0) {
+	  if (pTask->GetNofDataBlocks()>0) {
+	    AliHLTOUT* pHLTOUT=RequestHLTOUT();
+	    if (pHLTOUT) {
+	      pHLTOUT->AddSubCollection(pTask);
+	      ReleaseHLTOUT(pHLTOUT);
+	    } else {
+	      HLTWarning("no HLTOUT instance available, output blocks of the chain are ignored");
+	    }
+	  }
+	} else {
+	  HLTWarning("can not initialize HLTOUT sub collection %s for reconstruction chain (%d), data blocks are lost", pTask?fpHLTOUTTask->GetName():"nil", iResult);
+	  iResult=0;
+	}
       }
     } else {
       HLTError("wrong state %#x, required flags %#x", GetStatusFlags(), kReady);
@@ -890,20 +894,6 @@ int AliHLTSystem::ProcessHLTOUT(AliHLTOUT* pHLTOUT, AliESDEvent* esd)
   if (!pHLTOUT) return -EINVAL;
   HLTDebug("processing %d HLT data blocks", pHLTOUT->GetNofDataBlocks());
 
-  // add the current HLTOUT task to the collection
-  if (fpHLTOUTTask) {
-    AliHLTOUT* pTask=dynamic_cast<AliHLTOUT*>(fpHLTOUTTask);
-    if (pTask && (iResult=pTask->Init())>=0) {
-      if (pTask->GetNofDataBlocks()>0) {
-	pHLTOUT->AddSubCollection(pTask);
-      }
-    } else {
-      HLTWarning("can not initialize HLTOUT sub collection %s for reconstruction chain (%d), data blocks are lost", pTask?fpHLTOUTTask->GetName():"nil", iResult);
-      iResult=0;
-    }
-  }
-
-  
   //
   // process all kChain handlers first
   //
@@ -1077,7 +1067,7 @@ int AliHLTSystem::ProcessHLTOUTkChain(AliHLTOUT* pHLTOUT)
     pHandler->ProcessData(pHLTOUT);
     if ((size=pHandler->GetProcessedData(pBuffer))>0) {
       AliHLTModuleAgent::AliHLTOUTHandlerDesc desc=*chainHandler;
-      AliHLTComponentDataType dt=desc;
+      //AliHLTComponentDataType dt=desc;
 
       pHandler->ReleaseProcessedData(pBuffer, size);
     }
@@ -1101,7 +1091,7 @@ int AliHLTSystem::LoadComponentLibraries(const char* libraries)
       if (pTokens) {
 	int iEntries=pTokens->GetEntriesFast();
 	for (int i=0; i<iEntries && iResult>=0; i++) {
-	  iResult=fpComponentHandler->LoadLibrary((((TObjString*)pTokens->At(i))->GetString()).Data());
+	  iResult=fpComponentHandler->LoadLibrary((((TObjString*)pTokens->At(i))->String()).Data());
 	}
 	delete pTokens;
       }
@@ -1168,12 +1158,13 @@ int AliHLTSystem::ScanOptions(const char* options)
   if (options) {
     //AliHLTComponentHandler::TLibraryMode libMode=AliHLTComponentHandler::kDynamic;
     TString libs("");
+    TString excludelibs("");
     TString alloptions(options);
     TObjArray* pTokens=alloptions.Tokenize(" ");
     if (pTokens) {
       int iEntries=pTokens->GetEntriesFast();
       for (int i=0; i<iEntries; i++) {
-	TString token=(((TObjString*)pTokens->At(i))->GetString());
+	TString token=(((TObjString*)pTokens->At(i))->String());
 	if (token.Contains("loglevel=")) {
 	  TString param=token.ReplaceAll("loglevel=", "");
 	  if (param.IsDigit()) {
@@ -1200,15 +1191,53 @@ int AliHLTSystem::ScanOptions(const char* options)
 	  }
 	} else if (token.Contains("alilog=off")) {
 	  SwitchAliLog(0);
-	} else if (token.Contains("config=")) {
-	  TString param=token.ReplaceAll("config=", "");
-	  Int_t error=0;
-	  gROOT->Macro(param.Data(), &error);
-	  if (error==0) {
-	    SetStatusFlags(kConfigurationLoaded);
+	} else if (token.Contains("config=") || token.Contains("run-online-config")) {
+	  if (!CheckStatus(kConfigurationLoaded)) {
+	    Int_t error=0;
+	    AliHLTOnlineConfiguration* pConf = NULL;
+	    if (token.Contains("run-online-config")) {
+	      AliCDBEntry* pEntry=AliHLTMisc::Instance().LoadOCDBEntry("HLT/Calib/OnlineConfig");
+	      if (pEntry) {
+		TObject* pObject=AliHLTMisc::Instance().ExtractObject(pEntry);
+		if (pObject && pObject->IsA() == AliHLTOnlineConfiguration::Class())
+		  pConf = (AliHLTOnlineConfiguration*)pObject;
+	      }
+	    }
+	    if (token.Contains("config=")) {
+	      TString param=token.ReplaceAll("config=", "");
+	      if (token.EndsWith(".xml", TString::kIgnoreCase)) {
+		Int_t filesize = 0;
+		pConf = new AliHLTOnlineConfiguration;
+		filesize = pConf->LoadConfiguration(param.Data());
+		if (filesize <= 0) {
+		  HLTError("cannot load config \'%s\'", param.Data());
+		  iResult=-EBADF;
+		}
+	      } else {
+		gROOT->Macro(param.Data(), &error);
+		if (error==0) {
+		  SetStatusFlags(kConfigurationLoaded);
+		} else {
+		  HLTError("cannot execute macro \'%s\'", param.Data());
+		  iResult=-EBADF;
+		}
+	      }
+	    }
+	    if (pConf) {
+		error = pConf->Parse();
+		if (error==0) {
+		  fChains = pConf->GetDefaultChains();
+		  libs = pConf->GetComponentLibraries();
+		  libs += " ";
+		  SetStatusFlags(kConfigurationLoaded);
+		} else {
+		  HLTError("cannot parse online configuration");
+		  iResult=-EBADF;
+		}
+	    }
+	    delete pConf; pConf=NULL;
 	  } else {
-	    HLTError("can not execute macro \'%s\'", param.Data());
-	    iResult=-EBADF;
+	    HLTWarning("HLT options has both a config file and run-online-config set");
 	  }
 	} else if (token.Contains("chains=")) {
 	  TString param=token.ReplaceAll("chains=", "");
@@ -1228,9 +1257,19 @@ int AliHLTSystem::ScanOptions(const char* options)
 	  }
 	} else if (token.BeginsWith("ECS=")) {
 	  fECSParams=token.ReplaceAll("ECS=", "");
+	} else if (token.BeginsWith("hltout-mode=")) {
+	  // The actual parameter for argument 'hltout-mode' is treated in AliSimulation.
+	  // For AliHLTSystem the occurrence with parameter 'split' signals the use of the
+	  // separated HLTOUTComponents for digit and raw data. All others indicate
+	  // HLTOUTComponent type 'global' where the data generation is steered from global
+	  // flags
+	  fUseHLTOUTComponentTypeGlobal=token.CompareTo("hltout-mode=split")!=0;
 	} else if (token.BeginsWith("lib") && token.EndsWith(".so")) {
 	  libs+=token;
 	  libs+=" ";
+	} else if (token.BeginsWith("!lib") && token.EndsWith(".so")) {
+	  excludelibs+=token;
+	  excludelibs+=" ";
 	} else {
 	  HLTWarning("unknown option \'%s\'", token.Data());
 	}
@@ -1241,8 +1280,9 @@ int AliHLTSystem::ScanOptions(const char* options)
     if (iResult>=0) {
       if (libs.IsNull()) {
 	const char** deflib=fgkHLTDefaultLibs;
-	while (*deflib) {
-	  libs+=*deflib++;
+	for (;*deflib; deflib++) {
+	  if (excludelibs.Contains(*deflib)) continue;
+	  libs+=*deflib;
 	  libs+=" ";
 	}
       }
@@ -1308,7 +1348,7 @@ int AliHLTSystem::LoadConfigurations(AliRawReader* rawReader, AliRunLoader* runl
     TObjArray* pTokens=dependencies.Tokenize(" ");
     if (pTokens) {
       for (int n=0; n<pTokens->GetEntriesFast(); n++) {
-	TString module=((TObjString*)pTokens->At(n))->GetString();
+	TString module=((TObjString*)pTokens->At(n))->String();
 	HLTDebug("  checking %s", module.Data());
 	module.ReplaceAll("libAliHLT", "");
 	module.ReplaceAll(".so", "");
@@ -1370,15 +1410,15 @@ int AliHLTSystem::BuildTaskListsFromReconstructionChains(AliRawReader* rawReader
     chains=fChains;
     HLTImportant("custom reconstruction chain: %s", chains.Data());
   } else {
-    AliHLTModuleAgent* pAgent=AliHLTModuleAgent::GetFirstAgent();
-    while ((pAgent || fChains.Length()>0) && iResult>=0) {
+    for (AliHLTModuleAgent* pAgent=AliHLTModuleAgent::GetFirstAgent();
+	 pAgent && iResult>=0;
+	 pAgent=AliHLTModuleAgent::GetNextAgent()) {
       const char* agentchains=pAgent->GetReconstructionChains(rawReader, runloader);
       if (agentchains) {
 	if (!chains.IsNull()) chains+=" ";
 	chains+=agentchains;
 	HLTInfo("reconstruction chains for agent %s (%p): %s", pAgent->GetName(), pAgent, agentchains);
       }
-      pAgent=AliHLTModuleAgent::GetNextAgent();
     }
   }
 
@@ -1387,7 +1427,7 @@ int AliHLTSystem::BuildTaskListsFromReconstructionChains(AliRawReader* rawReader
   if (pTokens) {
     int iEntries=pTokens->GetEntriesFast();
     for (int i=0; i<iEntries && iResult>=0; i++) {
-      const char* pCID=((TObjString*)pTokens->At(i))->GetString().Data();
+      const char* pCID=((TObjString*)pTokens->At(i))->String().Data();
       AliHLTConfiguration* pConf=fpConfigurationHandler->FindConfiguration(pCID);
       if (pConf) {
 	iResult=BuildTaskList(pConf);
@@ -1434,7 +1474,19 @@ int AliHLTSystem::BuildTaskListsFromReconstructionChains(AliRawReader* rawReader
       // add the HLTOUT component
       if (fpComponentHandler->FindComponentIndex("HLTOUT")>=0 ||
 	  fpComponentHandler->LoadLibrary("libHLTsim.so")>=0) {
-	AliHLTConfiguration globalout("_globalout_", "HLTOUT", chains.Data(), NULL);
+	// for the default HLTOUTComponent type 'global' the data generation is steered
+	// by global flags from AliSimulation. This allows for emulation of the old
+	// AliHLTSimulation behavior where only one chain is run on either digits or
+	// simulated raw data and the HLT digits and raw files have been generated
+	// depending on the configuration
+	const char* HLTOUTComponentId="HLTOUT";
+	if (!fUseHLTOUTComponentTypeGlobal) {
+	  // choose the type of output depending  on the availability of
+	  // the raw reader
+	  if (rawReader) HLTOUTComponentId="HLTOUTraw";
+	  else HLTOUTComponentId="HLTOUTdigits";
+	}
+	AliHLTConfiguration globalout("_globalout_", HLTOUTComponentId, chains.Data(), NULL);
 	iResult=BuildTaskList("_globalout_");
       } else {
 	HLTError("can not load libHLTsim.so and HLTOUT component");
@@ -1479,7 +1531,7 @@ int AliHLTSystem::AddHLTOUTTask(const char* hltoutchains)
   if (pTokens) {
     int iEntries=pTokens->GetEntriesFast();
     for (int i=0; i<iEntries && iResult>=0; i++) {
-      const char* token=((TObjString*)pTokens->At(i))->GetString().Data();
+      const char* token=((TObjString*)pTokens->At(i))->String().Data();
       AliHLTConfiguration* pConf=fpConfigurationHandler->FindConfiguration(token);
       if (pConf) {
 	TString cid=pConf->GetComponentID();
@@ -1513,7 +1565,9 @@ int AliHLTSystem::AddHLTOUTTask(const char* hltoutchains)
 
   fpHLTOUTTask=new AliHLTOUTTask(chains);
   if (fpHLTOUTTask) {
-    if (fpHLTOUTTask->GetConf() && fpHLTOUTTask->GetConf()->SourcesResolved()>=0) {
+    if (fpHLTOUTTask->GetConf() && 
+	(fpHLTOUTTask->GetConf()->SourcesResolved()>0 ||
+	 fpHLTOUTTask->GetConf()->ExtractSources()>0)) {
       iResult=InsertTask(fpHLTOUTTask);
     } else {
       HLTError("HLTOUT task (%s) sources not resolved", fpHLTOUTTask->GetName());
@@ -1558,7 +1612,7 @@ int AliHLTSystem::ClearStatusFlags(int flags)
   return fState;
 }
 
-void (*AliHLTSystem::FindDynamicSymbol(const char* library, const char* symbol))()
+AliHLTfctVoid AliHLTSystem::FindDynamicSymbol(const char* library, const char* symbol)
 {
   // see header file for class documentation
   if (fpComponentHandler==NULL) return NULL;
@@ -1590,3 +1644,46 @@ int AliHLTSystem::LoggingVarargs(AliHLTComponentLogSeverity severity,
 
   return iResult;
 }
+
+int AliHLTSystem::InitHLTOUT(AliHLTOUT* instance)
+{
+  // Init the HLTOUT instance for the current event.
+  // The instance can be used by other classes to get hold on the data
+  // from HLTOUT.
+  if (!instance) return -EINVAL;
+  if (fpHLTOUT && fpHLTOUT!=instance) return -EBUSY;
+  fpHLTOUT=instance;
+  return 0;
+}
+
+int AliHLTSystem::InvalidateHLTOUT(AliHLTOUT** target)
+{
+  // Clear the HLTOUT instance.
+  int iResult=0;
+  if (fHLTOUTUse>0) {
+    HLTWarning("HLTOUT instance still in use, potential problem due to invalid pointer ahead");
+    fHLTOUTUse=0;
+    iResult=-EBUSY;
+  }
+  if (target) *target=fpHLTOUT;
+  fpHLTOUT=NULL;
+  return iResult;
+}
+
+AliHLTOUT* AliHLTSystem::RequestHLTOUT()
+{
+  // Get the HLTOUT instance.
+  // User method for processing classes. To be released after use.
+  if (!fpHLTOUT) return NULL;
+  fHLTOUTUse++;
+  return fpHLTOUT;
+}
+
+int AliHLTSystem::ReleaseHLTOUT(const AliHLTOUT* instance)
+{
+  // Release the HLTOUT instance after use.
+  if (!instance) return -EINVAL;
+  if (instance!=fpHLTOUT) return -ENOENT;
+  fHLTOUTUse--;
+  return 0;
+}