SKippylab - work with SCPI instruments

Rationale

The allows for a fairly standardized way to control electronic equipment via the network.

This software is intended for the use in a lab where instruments like function generators, oscilloscopes need to work together in a coherent way.

To support instruments which do not have an ethernet interface but are equipped with a , the software relies on

Requirements

• python >= 3.5

• prologix-gpib-ethernet from github/pip: pip install git+git://github.com/nelsond/prologix-gpib-ethernet.git

Supported oscilloscopes

• Tektronix DPO4104B

• Rhode&Schwarz RTO1044

Supported function generators

• Agilent 33220A (via GPIB)

Supported power supplies

• Keysight E3631A

Extending the software

Many commands are of the form getter/setter, like DATa:STARt can be issued in the form DATa:STARt? or DATa:STARt 1000. These getter/setters are modeled by python property objects.

def setget(cmd):
    """
    Shortcut to construct property object to wrap getters and setters
    for a number of settings

    Args:
        cmd (str): The command being used to get/set. Get will be a query
        value (str): The value to set

    Returns:
        property object
    """
    return property(lambda self: self.send(q(cmd)),\
                    lambda self, value: self.set(aarg(cmd,value)))

This can be used to expand the functionality with such commands easily:

class MyNewFancyScope(AbstractBaseOscilloscope):
    """
    Implement functionality for a new scope...
    """

    ...

    mynewcommand = setget("COMMAND:COMMAND")
    

And the command will be wrapped as a class attribute.