Installation instructions

We provide both a python module that can be installed to the system using pip and can be added manually to a project by copying a file into the directory that you are working in. For either installation method please make sure that you have installed Pickering PXI Installer Package. This can be found at the following addresses:

• PXI Installer Package

Install Using pip

To install Python Pilpxi using pip open a command line prompt and navigate to the directory the driver has been extracted to. From there enter the following command:

pip install .

Install Manually

To install Python Pilpxi manually please copy the pilpxi module from the extracted directory to your working directory.

Using Pilpxi

Pilpxi can be used to control our 40/50 series pickering products.

List cards

To get a count of available cards IDs use CountFreeCards(). This will return the total card count. To list the bus and slot number for all of the cards use FindFreeCards(). Please see below for worked examples on how to use both of these functions:

?x
import pilpxi

# Connect to chassis
base = pilpxi.Base()

# Get number of Card IDs for cards in chassis
card_count = base.CountFreeCards()
# Get list of tuples containing Bus and Device numbers
devices = base.FindFreeCards()

# The number of cards present can be found from the length of the list of devices
print("Card count: ", len(devices))

Open Card

Cards are opened when the Pi_Card constructor is called. It takes bus and slot numbers in a tuple as parameters as shown below:

xxxxxxxxxx
import pilpxi

bus = 2
device = 5

# Takes a tuple containing bus and device numbers
card = pilpxi.Pi_Card(bus, device)

Operate Switching cards

There are three main types of switching cards: - Switches - Multiplexer - Matrix

To operate Switches and Multiplexers use OpBit() providing subunit, switch point, and switch state. Matrices can be controller using OpCrosspoint() which requires the subunit, row, column, and switch state. Please see below for worked examples on using these functions:

xxxxxxxxxx
# Control Switches and Multiplex cards
subunit = 1
switchpoint = 1
try:
    # Close switch at switchpoint
    card.OpBit(subunit, switchpoint, 1)

    # Open switch at switchpoint
    card.OpBit(subunit, switchpoint, 0)
except pilpxi.Error as ex: 
    print("Error: ", ex.message)


# Control Matrix cards
row = 1
column = 1

try:
    # Connect crosspoint at row, column
    card.OpCrosspoint(subunit, row, column, 1)

    # Disconnect crosspoint at x, y
    card.OpCrosspoint(subunit, row, column, 0)

except pilpxi.Error as ex: 
    print("Error: ", ex.message)

Using Subunit States

The Python-Pilpxi wrapper contains methods to read entire subunit states, e.g. the current switch configuration of a switching or matrix card, manipulate these states and apply the state back to the card in one single operation. This means, for example, multiple crosspoints can be connected at once, or the user may have multiple desired matrix/switch states and alternate between them.

Example for manipulating matrix card states:

xxxxxxxxxx
# Get an object representing the current state of the specified matrix subunit:
subState = card.GetSubState(subunit)

# Set matrix crosspoints 1, 1 and 2, 2 on the subunit state;
# No actual switching occurs yet.
subState.PreSetCrosspoint(1, 1, True)
subState.PreSetCrosspoint(2, 2, True)

# Apply the subunit state.
# Crosspoints changed will now be applied to the physical card. 
card.WriteSubState(subunit, subState)

Example for manipulating switching card states:

xxxxxxxxxx
# Get an object representing the current state of the specified switch subunit:
subState = card.GetSubState(subunit)

# Set switches 1 and 2 on the subunit state;
# No actual switching occurs yet.
subState.PreSetBit(1, True)
subState.PreSetBit(2, True)

# Apply the subunit state.
# Switches changed will now be applied to the physical card. 
card.WriteSubState(subunit, subState)

It is also possible to obtain a subunit state object representing a blank subunit:

xxxxxxxxxx
blankSubunitState = card.GetBlankSubState(subunit)

Operate Resistor Cards

Resistor cards come in two varieties: Programmable Resistor, and Precision Resistor. Programmable Resistors are controlled like Switch Cards shown above. Precision Resistor Cards have specific resistor functions. To set a resistance ResSetResistance is used and to get the current resistance ResGetResistance is used as shown below:

xxxxxxxxxx
# Set Resistance of given subunit
resistance = 330.0

try:
    card.ResSetResistance(subunit, resistance)

except pilpxi.Error as ex: 
    print("Error: ", ex.message)


# Retrive current resistance of given subunit
try:
    resistance = card.ResGetResistance(subunit)
    print("Resistance: ", resistance)

except pilpxi.Error as ex: 
    print("Error: ", ex.message)

Operate Attenuator

Attenuators have specific functions for controlling them. To set attenuation use SetAttenuation() providing the subunit and attenuation expressed in decibels. To retrieve the current attenuation use GetAttenuation() giving the subunit. It returns the attenuation expressed in decibels. Please see below for worked examples on how to use these functions:

xxxxxxxxxx
# Setting Attenuation
attenuation = 1.5     # Attenuation in dB
try:
    card.SetAttenuation(subunit, attenuation)

except pilpxi.Error as ex: 
    print("Error: ", ex.message)

# Retrieving Attenuation
try:
    attenuation = card.GetAttenuation(subunit)
    print("Attenuation (dB): ", attenuation)

except pilpxi.Error as ex: 
    print("Error: ", ex.message)

Operate Power Supply

Power Supplies have specific functions for controlling them. To set voltage use PsuSetVoltage() providing the subunit and voltage. To retrieve voltage use PsuGetVoltage() giving the subunit. It returns the set voltage. To enable output use PsuEnable providing the subunit and the state to be set. Please see below for worked examples on how to use these functions:

xxxxxxxxxx
try:
    # Set Voltage
    volts = 3.3
    card.PsuSetVoltage(subunit, volts)


    # Enable output
    card.PsuEnable(subunit, 1)


    # Get Voltage
    volts = card.PsuGetVoltage(subunit)


    # Disable output
    card.PsuEnable(subunit, 0)

except pilpxi.Error as ex: 
    print("Error: ", ex.message)

Operate Battery Simulator

Battery Simulators have specific functions for controlling them. To set voltage use BattSetVoltage() providing the subunit and voltage. To retrieve the set voltage use BattGetVoltage() giving the subunit. To set current use BattSetcurrent() providing the subunit and current. To retrieve the set current use BattGetcurrent() giving the subunit. It returns the set current. To enable output use BattSetEnable() providing the subunit and the state to be set. To retrieve the present output state use BattGetEnable(). It returns the state. On supported battery simulator cards, BattMeasureVoltage() and BattMeasureCurrentmA() functions are available to measure live actual voltage and current values from the card's output. Please see below for worked examples on how to use these functions:

xxxxxxxxxx
volts = 3.3
currrent = 0.5

try:
    # Set Voltage
    card.BattSetVoltage(subunit, volts)

    # Set Current
    card.BattSetCurrent(subunit, current)

    # Enable Output
    card.BattSetEnable(subunit, 1)

    # Check interlock state 
    interlock = card.BattReadInterlockState(subunit)

    # Get Voltage
    volts = card.BattGetVoltage(subunit)

    # Set Current
    current = card.BattGetCurrent(subunit)

    # Get Output state
    state = card.BattGetEnable(subunit)

except pilpxi.Error as ex:
    print("Error operating battery simulator: {}".format(ex.message))
    print("Error code: {}".format(ex.errorCode))

If you attempt to enable the outputs of a battery simulator card without the hardware interlock, BattSetEnable() will throw an exception (error code 70, hardware interlock error). Therefore it is important to call functions in a try block and handle errors appropriately.

41-752A-01x functionality

The 41-752A-01x battery simulator cards have extra capabilities beyond what is supported by other cards. Please consult your manual for information on your product's capabilities. Worked examples on using the extra functionality are below:

xxxxxxxxxx
try:
    # The following functionality is not supported by all battery simulator
    # cards. Please consult your product manual for information on your card's 
    # functionality. 

    # Enable set-measure-set mode (increases measurement accuracy on supported cards)
    card.BattSetMeasureSet(subunit, True)

    # Configure measurement mode to alter device accuracy/sampling: 
    numSamples                  = pilpxi.BattNumSamples.SAMPLES_128     # Average values after 128 samples
    VConversionTimePerSample    = pilpxi.BattConversionTime.T_1052us    # 1052 us voltage sample time
    IConversionTimePerSample    = pilpxi.BattConversionTime.T_540us     # 540 us current sample time
    triggerMode                 = pilpxi.BattOperationMode.CONTINUOUS   # Measure continuously (no wait for trigger)

    card.BattSetMeasureConfig(subunit, numSamples, VConversionTimePerSample, IConversionTimePerSample, triggerMode)

    # The battery simulator (41-752A-01x) has the capability to take into consideration the load
    # at which the voltage must be provided. Calculated data for voltage at different loads are
    # used to provide this functionality.
    load = 100  # units: mA
    card.BattSetLoad(subunit, load)

    # Measure channel voltage
    voltage = card.BattMeasureVoltage(subunit)

    # Measure channel current (in milliamps)
    currentmA = card.BattMeasureCurrentmA(subunit)

    # Measure channel current (in amps)
    current = card.BattMeasureCurrentA(subunit)

except pilpxi.Error as ex: 
    print("Error operating special battery simulator functions: ", ex.message)
    print("Error code: {}".format(ex.errorCode))

Operate Thermocouple Simulator

Thermocouple Simulators have specific functions for controlling them. To set the range use VsourceSetRange() providing the subunit and the range. To retrieve the range use VsourceGetRange() providing the subunit. It returns the range. To set the voltage use VsourceSetVoltage() providing the subunit and the voltage in millivolts. To retrieve the voltage use VsourceGetVoltage() providing the subunit. It returns the voltage in millivolts. To enable or disable outputs use OpBit() providing the subunit, bit number for the channel isolations, and the state that should be set. To retrieve the state of the outputs use ViewBit() providing the subunit and bit number for the channel isolations. It returns the state of the requsted bit. Please refer to the product manual for more information on what subunit and bits to operate. To retrieve temperature readings from a connected thermocouple compensation block us VsourceGetTemperatures() providing either pilpxi.Attributes.TS_TEMPERATURES_C or pilpxi.Attributes.TS_TEMPERATURES_F for temperature unit. It will return a list of four temperatures. Please see below for worked examples on how to use these functions:

xxxxxxxxxx
range = 0.0
mvolts = 0.0

try:
    # Set Range
    range = pilpxi.TS_Range.AUTO
    card.VsourceSetRange(subunit, range)

    # Get Range
    range = card.VsourceGetRange(subunit)

    # Set Voltage
    card.VsourceSetVoltage(subunit, mvolts)

    # Get Voltage
    mvolts = card.VsourceGetVoltage(subunit)

except pilpxi.Error as ex: 
    print("Error: ", ex.message)

# Set Isolation switches (41-760-001)
try: 
    isosub = 33
    card.OpBit(isosub, 1, 1) # Turn Vo1 on
    card.OpBit(isosub, 2, 1) # Turn Vcold1 on

    card.OpBit(isosub, 1, 0) # Turn Vo1 off
    card.OpBit(isosub, 2, 0) # Turn Vcold1 off

except pilpxi.Error as ex: 
    print("Error: ", ex.message)

# Get a dict containing Thermocouple subunit information
vsourceInfoDict = card.VsourceInfo(subunit)

# Get Compensation Block Temperatures
temperatures = card.VsourceGetTemperature(pilpxi.Attributes.TS_TEMPERATURES_C)

for temp in temperatures:
    print(temp)

Error handling

Most of the functions in Pilpxi will raise an exception on errors. To handle pilpxi.Error exceptions and obtain error messages and (optionally) an error code from the driver:

xxxxxxxxxx
try:
    # Call pilpxi functionality here

except pilpxi.Error as ex: 
    ErrorMessage = ex.message
    DriverErrorCode = ex.errorCode

    print("Error {code} occured: {message}".format(code=DriverErrorCode, message=ErrorMessage))

Close Cards

A card should be closed when it is no longer being used. To close a card CloseSpecifiedCard is used as shown below:

xxxxxxxxxx
card.Close()     # Closes individual card

Migrating from old versions of the Python Pilpxi wrapper

From wrapper version 1.0 onwards, major changes were made to the Python pilpxi wrapper API. Most notably, opening/listing cards and error handling conventions have changed. The new wrapper does not rely on returning an integer error code from every method, as is conventional in a C program. Instead. Python-style exceptions are raised, and the exception contains attributes giving the integer error code, and a human-readable description of the error.

Old wrapper example:

xxxxxxxxxx
from pilpxi import *

# Connect to card at bus 8 device 14
bus = 8
device = 14

# No error checking is possible at this point because Python constructors only return 
# a class instance 
card = pilpxi_card(bus, device) 

# Close and then open crosspoint X1, Y1 on subunit 1 (matrix subunit)

subunit = 1
row = 1
column = 2
state = 1

err = card.OpCrosspoint(subunit, row, column, state)

# Check the error code. Note that strings must be decoded (Python 3.x only)
if err:
    message = card.ErrorMessage(err)
    print("Error ocurred: " message.decode())
    exit()

state = 0

err = card.OpCrosspoint(subunit, row, column, state)

if err:
    message = card.ErrorMessage(err)
    print("Error ocurred: " message.decode())
    exit()

card.CloseSpecifiedCard()

New wrapper example:

xxxxxxxxxx
import pilpxi 

try:
    # Connect to card at bus 8 device 14
    bus = 8
    device = 14

    card = pilpxi.Pi_Card(bus, device)

except pilpxi.Error as ex:
    print("Error occurred opening card: ", ex.message)
    exit()

try:
    # Close and then open crosspoint X1, Y1 on subunit 1 (matrix subunit)

    subunit = 1
    row = 1
    column = 2
    state = True # Can be True, False or 1, 0 

    card.OpCrosspoint(subunit, row, column, state)

    state = False 

    card.OpCrosspoint(subunit, row, column, state)

except pilpxi.Error as ex:
    print("Error occurred closing crosspoint: ", ex.message)
    exit()

# Close card. Will be called automatically when card object is garbage collected. 
card.Close()

Function signatures remain largely identical between versions of the wrapper, except error codes are not returned. Therefore, previously a function returning a value would also return an error code:

xxxxxxxxxx
error, resistance = card.ResGetResistance(subunit)

Would now become:

xxxxxxxxxx
resistance = card.ResGetResistance(subunit)

Errors would be caught in a try/except block.