pslab-python 2.0 is now available! Get it from PyPI or Github.

Large parts of pslab-python have been rewritten to improve user friendliness. pslab-python version 1.0 was written primarily as a back end for pslab-desktop. While it could be used as a standalone library, it was not designed with that use case foremost in mind.

pslab-python 2.0 still serves as the back end for pslab-desktop, but it has been rewritten to be more user-friendly when being used as a standalone library.

Also worth mentioning is pslab-python’s new test suite. Although tests are not immediately useful for users, they help developers avoid accidentally introducing regressions, which in turn makes pslab-python more pleasant to use.

The rewrite touches almost every part of pslab-python and is too extensive to go into detail, so here are the most important user-facing improvements:

Highlights

General

• Package renamed from PSL to pslab.
• Simplified API.
• Improved documentation now available on readthedocs.
• pslab-python now has a command line interface. Type pslab --help in a terminal for more information.
• pslab-python can now be installed from PyPI: pip install pslab
• Reworked exception handling. Exceptions are now raised as soon as possible instead of being suppressed and allowed to propagate.
• Many, many bug fixes.

Oscilloscope

• Oscilloscope-related functionality can now be found in the Oscilloscope class.
• The many different capture methods (capture1, capture2, capture4, capture_multiple, capture_fullspeed, capture_fullspeed_hr, capture_traces, capture_highres_traces) have been combined into a single capture method.
• Trigger settings can optionally be configured directly in the capture call, without the need to call configure_trigger separately.

Logic Analyzer

• Logic analyzer-related functionality can now be found in the LogicAnalyzer class.
• The many different capture methods (capture_edges1, start_one_channel_LA, start_two_channel_LA, start_three_channel_LA, start_four_channel_LA, start_one_channel_LA_backup__) have been combined into a single capture method.
• The type of logic event to capture is now given as a string instead of a number (e.g. “falling” instead of 2 to capture only falling edges).

Multimeter

• Multimeter-related functionality can now be found in the Multimeter class.
• Several different methods for measuring capacitance (capacitance_via_RC_discharge, get_capacitor_range, get_capacitance) have been combined into measure_capacitance.
• New calibrate_capacitance method added, which allows for measurement of very small (single picofarad) capacitors.

Waveform Generator

• Analog waveform-related functionality can now be found in the WaveformGenerator class.
• The many different methods for generating waveforms (set_wave, set_sine1, set_sine2, set_w1, set_w2, set_waves) have been combined into a single generate method.
• Waveform amplitude is now set directly as part of a loaded function.

PWM Generator

• PWM-related functionality can now be found in the PWMGenerator class.
• Several different methods for generator PWM signals (sqr1, sqr1_pattern, sqr2, set_sqrs, sqrPWM) have been combined into a single generate method.

Power Supply

• Power supply-related functionality can now be found in the PowerSupply class.
• Voltage and current are now set via properties, e.g. to set the voltage on pin PV1 to 3 V, write power_supply.pv1 = 3.
• The load resistance limitation on PCS is now clearly documented.

I2C

• The I2C class has been split into the I2CMaster and I2CSlave classes.
• Primitive I2C calls (start, stop, wait, restart, etc.) are no longer available. Instead, use read and write which take care of I2C session handling under the hood.

Known issues

• Not every part of pslab-python has been rewritten. Specifically, the external subpackage (previously known as SENSORS) contains many sensor classes which remain untested.