Editing Instrument control package

Instrument-Control is a package for interfacing the outside world of hardware via Serial, i2c or Parallel interfaces. It is currently under development by Andrius Sutas and Stefan Mahr, you can browse the [https://sourceforge.net/p/octave/instrument-control/ci/default/tree/ mercurial repository here] and download the package [http://octave.sourceforge.net/instrument-control/index.html here].

= Compatibility =

Below is a table showing package compatibility with various platforms:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!  !! Linux                !! Windows (Cygwin)         !! Windows (native)         !! FreeBSD                !! Mac OS X 
|-
! Serial
| bgcolor="green" | v0.1.0 || bgcolor="green" | v0.2.0 || bgcolor="green" | v0.2.1 || bgcolor="skyblue" | stalled || bgcolor="green" | v0.2.2
|-
! Parallel
| bgcolor="green" | v0.1.0 || -                        || -                        || bgcolor="skyblue" | stalled || -
|-
! i2c
| bgcolor="green" | v0.1.0 || -                        || -                        || bgcolor="skyblue" | stalled || - 
|-
! TCP
| bgcolor="green" | v0.2.0 || bgcolor="green" | v0.2.0 || bgcolor="green" | v0.2.0 || bgcolor="skyblue" | stalled ||  bgcolor="green" | v0.2.2
|-
! UDP
| bgcolor="green" | v0.3.0 || bgcolor="green" | v0.3.0 || bgcolor="green" | v0.3.0 || -                        || bgcolor="green" | v0.3.0
|-
! USBTMC
| bgcolor="green" | v0.2.0 || -                        || -                        || -                        ||  - 
|-
! GPIB
| bgcolor="green" | v0.2.0 [[#Linux|(*)]] || bgcolor="green" | v0.2.0 [[#Windows_.28cygwin.29|(*)]] || - ||- ||  - 
|-
! VXI11
| bgcolor="green" | v0.2.0|| bgcolor="green" | v0.2.0 [[#Windows_.28cygwin.29|(*)]] || - || - || bgcolor="yellow" | WIP [[#MacOS|(*)]]
|}

Where: <span style="background:green">(VER)</span> - Included since VER version; <span style="background:yellow">(WIP)</span> - Work In Progress and will probably be included in next release; <span style="background:skyblue">(stalled)</span> - Some work has been done, but it's not tested and no one is actively contributing; (-) - Not supported / Untested.

You might see errors while doing "pkg install", which mean that package is unable to support related interface on your platform (e.g. due to missing header files), therefore one should <b>always</b> check for the supported interfaces before trying to use them:

{{Code|Check for interface support|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
pkg load instrument-control

if (exist("serial") == 3)
    disp("Serial: Supported")
else
    disp("Serial: Unsupported")
endif

#similarly with:
#exist("parallel") == 3
#exist("i2c") == 3
</syntaxhighlight>}}

= Requirements =
== Linux ==

For GPIB support, please install [http://linux-gpib.sourceforge.net linux-gpib] before installing instrument-control.

== Windows (cygwin) ==

For VXI11 support, please install 'rpcgen', 'libtirpc-devel', and 'libtirpc1' before installing instrument-control.

To be able to use GPIB on windows, the linux-gpib library needs to be 'faked'. This can be done by copying the following script and run it in a bash-terminal.

<source lang="bash">
#!/bin/bash
# fake_linux_gpib.sh, Kire Pûdsje, Dec 2017

# This file generates a fake linux-gpib library on Windows, based on the
# installed NI libraries.
# Prerequisits are that during install of the NI drivers, the C/C++ support 
# and the NI Measurement & Automation explorer has been enabled.

# set the base for includes and libraries on your system
# it is usually /usr, but on newer windows installs of octave, it will be
# /mingw64
INSTALL_BASE=/usr

# this define should find the NI header file, if properly installled
# otherwise just point it to the proper header file.
NI_H_FILE="${NIEXTCCOMPILERSUPP}/include/ni4882.h"
NI_DLL_FILE=ni4882.dll
NI_DEF_FILE=/tmp/${0##*/}-$$.def

# symlink NI header file
mkdir -p ${INSTALL_BASE}/include/gpib/
ln -sf "${NI_H_FILE}" ${INSTALL_BASE}/include/gpib/ib.h

# generate .def for all functions in the NI header file with a NI488CC prefix
echo LIBRARY ${NI_DLL_FILE} > ${NI_DEF_FILE}
echo EXPORTS >> ${NI_DEF_FILE}
grep "NI488CC  *[A-Za-z]" ${INSTALL_BASE}/include/gpib/ib.h \
  | sed "s/^.*NI488CC  *//" \
  | sed "s/(.*$//" >> ${NI_DEF_FILE}

# generate the wrapper library simulating gpib-linux
dlltool -d ${NI_DEF_FILE} -l ${INSTALL_BASE}/lib/libgpib.a

#cleanup 
rm -f ${NI_DEF_FILE}
</source>

== MacOS ==

You need to build '''rpcgen''' from source [http://mirror.ancl.hawaii.edu/pub/FreeBSD/FreeBSD-current/src/usr.bin/rpcgen].

If rpcgen cannot be build from source, the following error might be obtained:
<syntaxhighlight lang="text"  style="font-size:13px">
pkg: error running `make' for the instrument-control package.
error: called from
    configure_make at line 99 column 9
    install at line 184 column 7
    pkg at line 437 column 9
</syntaxhighlight>

If the '''VXI-11 interface''' is not required, a workarround is proposed in [https://stackoverflow.com/questions/46720092/make-error-when-installing-instrument-control-package-for-octave/52860282#52860282] after the bug reported on [https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?54842].

= Examples =
== Serial ==
=== Configuring interface ===
You might want to configure interface in a loopback mode for testing.
* If you have a Serial adapter, then simply connect pins 3 (Tx) and 2 (Rx) together (assuming your adapter is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DE9_D-subminiature_RS-232_pinout.png RS-232 DE9], otherwise check before doing anything). One can also insert an LED in series to view the actual bitstream.
* If you do not have a Serial adapter then create a virtual port using:
<pre>
$ socat PTY,link=/dev/ttyS15 PTY,link=/dev/ttyS16
</pre>

which will open two interconnected interfaces, where one (e.g. /dev/ttyS15) can be opened in Octave and second (e.g. /dev/ttyS16) using something like GNU screen:
<pre>
$ screen /dev/ttyS16 <baudrate>
</pre>

do not forget to change interface permissions if you want to use them with Octave/screen without root privileges.

=== Example: basic use ===
Here is a simple example to get started with the serial package. It tests the RxD and TxD lines. Make sure you have defined a loopback or connected the pins of your adapter.
{{Code|Serial port example|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
# Opens serial port ttyUSB1 with baudrate of 115200 (config defaults to 8-N-1)
s1 = serial("/dev/ttyUSB1", 115200) 
# Flush input and output buffers
srl_flush(s1); 
# Blocking write call, currently only accepts strings
srl_write(s1, "Hello world!") 
# Blocking read call, returns uint8 array of exactly 12 bytes read
data = srl_read(s1, 12)  
# Convert uint8 array to string, 
char(data) 
</syntaxhighlight>
}}

Changing some configurations is simply done by calling helper functions
{{Code|Serial port example: helper functions|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
set(s1, "baudrate", 9600) # Change baudrate
set(s1, "bytesize", 5)    # Change byte size (config becomes 5-N-1)
set(s1, "parity", "E")    # Changes parity checking (config becomes 5-E-1),
                          # possible values [E]ven, [O]dd, [N]one.
set(s1, "stopbits", 2)    # Changes stop bits (config becomes 5-E-2), possible
                          # values 1, 2.

set(s1, "dataterminalready", "on")  # Enables DTR line
set(s1, "requesttosend", "on")      # Enables RTS line
                                    # possible values "on", "off". 

</syntaxhighlight>
}}
Some properties can be set at opening time
{{Code|Serial port example: constructor call|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
s2 = serial("/dev/ttyS0", 9600, 10) # Opens serial port ttyS0 in
                                    # 9600 baudrate with 1s read timeout
</syntaxhighlight>
}}

Do not forget to close the ports when you are done!
{{Code||<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
fclose(s1) # Closes and releases serial interface object
fclose(s2) # Closes and releases serial interface object
</syntaxhighlight>
}}

=== Example: Windows, serial port >COM9 ===
Opening a serial port higher than COM9 requires special syntax. [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/115831]
{{Code|open Windows higher serial port example|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
# Opens serial port COM10
s1 = serial("\\\\.\\COM10");
</syntaxhighlight>
}}

== Parallel ==
=== Configuring interface ===
You will need to load following modules:
<pre>
# modprobe parport
# modprobe ppdev
</pre>

Now you should see devices like "/dev/parport0". In case you do not, you will need to create them manually and give sufficient privileges for your user:

<pre>
# mknod /dev/parport0 c 99 0 -m 666
</pre>

=== Example 1: LED trace ===
For this example you will need to connect 8 LEDs to Parallel interface Data port as shown below:

[[File:parport_schematic.png|300px|text-bottom]]

And then the actual script:
{{Code|trace.m|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
delay = 0.1;

pp = parallel("/dev/parport0", 0);
pp_data(pp, 0);

pins = pow2([0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]);

while 1
    for p = pins
        pp_data(pp, p);
        sleep(delay);
    endfor	

    # Reverse the order
    pins = pins(end:-1:1);
endwhile

pp_close(pp);
</syntaxhighlight>}}

Run it and you should see LEDs "tracing" forwards and backwards.


=== Example 2: LED dimming a.k.a. PWM control ===
Use the same schematic as in Example 1.

{{Code|dim.m|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
delay = 0.00005;

pp = parallel("/dev/parport0", 0);
pp_data(pp, 0);

dRange = 0:100;
while 1
    for duty = dRange
        pp_data(pp, 255);		

        for dOn = 0:duty
            sleep(delay);
        endfor	

        pp_data(pp, 0);

        for dOff = 0:(100-duty)
            sleep(delay);
        endfor
    endfor
	
    # Reverse order
    dRange = dRange(end:-1:1);
endwhile

pp_close(pp);
</syntaxhighlight>}}

Run it and you should see LEDs changing brightness from lowest to maximum.


=== Example 3: Logic analyzer ===
We can surely make something more interesting, right? Enter basic logic analyzer.

Assume you are working with [[http://datasheets.maximintegrated.com/en/ds/MAX31855.pdf this]] temperature sensor. Something is not right. You do not have one of those expensive logic analyzers, but you do have a Parallel port! You remember that someone made a package for interfacing it with GNU Octave. So you connect your probes to appropriate Data port terminals and change settings accordingly. In this example: 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Probe !! Port terminal
|-
| !CS || DATA0
|-
| SCK || DATA1
|-
| SO || DATA2
|}
NB: Parallel ports usually have weak pull-ups to +5V even when in "input" mode, so do not do this if unsure.
One could potentially use different terminals in Control/Status ports to get true high-impedance inputs.

And write a simple script below:

{{Code|logic_analyzer.m|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
#####################################################################
# Settings
#####################################################################

# Channels to capture
#channels = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7];
channels = [2, 1, 0];

# Channel labels
#channel = {"CH0"; "CH1"; "CH2"; "CH3"; "CH4"; "CH5"; "CH6"; "CH7"};
channel = {"SO"; "SCK"; "!CS"};

# Trigger channel
triggerCh = 0;

# When to trigger
trigger = 0; # Capture on low. For high - 1

#####################################################################

samplesTime = [];
samplesValue = [];

#pp_close(pp);
pp = parallel("/dev/parport0", 1);

printf("Waiting for trigger...\n");
fflush(stdout);

data = pp_data(pp);
while (bitget(data, triggerCh + 1) != trigger)
    oldData = data;
    data = pp_data(pp);
endwhile

printf("Capturing...\n");
fflush(stdout);

startTime = time();
samplesTime(end + 1) = 0;
samplesValue(end + 1) = oldData;

while (bitget(data, triggerCh + 1) == trigger)
    data = pp_data(pp);
    samplesTime(end + 1) = time() - startTime;
    samplesValue(end + 1) = data;
endwhile

# Statistics
printf("Average sample rate: %f kHz\n", size(samplesValue)(2) / samplesTime(end) / 1000.0);

pp_close(pp);

# Plotting

figure;
for p = 1:size(channels)(2)
    subplot (size(channels)(2), 1, p)
    plot(samplesTime, bitget(samplesValue, channels(p) + 1))

    ylabel(channel{p});
    axis([-0.01, samplesTime(end)+ 0.01, -1, 2], "manual");
    set(gca(), 'ytick', -1:2);
    set(gca(), 'yticklabel', {''; '0'; '1'; ''});
endfor
xlabel ("t");
</syntaxhighlight>}}

If connections and settings are correct you should see something like this:

[[File:logic_analyzer.png|600px|text-bottom]]

Now you can fully debug what is going with your hardware from comfort of GNU Octave.

== i2c ==
i2c

== TCP ==
=== Example: basic use ===
For testing you could start a tcp listener
<pre>
$ socat TCP-LISTEN:8000 -
</pre>

Now you can connect your listener.

{{Code|TCP example|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
# Open TCP connection to 127.0.0.1:8000
t0 = tcp("127.0.0.1",8000)
# write to listener
tcp_write(t0, "Hello world!") 
# Blocking read call, returns uint8 array of exactly 12 bytes read
data = tcp_read(t0, 12)  
# Convert uint8 array to string, 
char(data) 
</syntaxhighlight>
}}
There are several ways to set timeout of read call.
{{Code|set TCP timeout|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
# Open TCP connection to 127.0.0.1:8000 with timeout of 100 ms
t0 = tcp("127.0.0.1",8000,100)
# set timeout to blocking
tcp_timeout(t0, -1) 
# the timeout can be overwritten for single read call, in this case 1000ms
data = tcp_read(t0, 12, 1000)  
# close tcp session
tcp_close(t0)
</syntaxhighlight>
}}

== USBTMC ==
=== Configuring interface ===
Recent linux kernels support USBTMC out of the box. Connect your instrument and check if /dev/usbtmc* exists. Set appropriate permissions to /dev/usbtmc*
=== Example: basic use ===
{{Code|USBTMC example|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
# Open interface to USB instrument
t0 = usbtmc('/dev/usbtmc0')
# write to listener
usbtmc_write(t0, '*IDN?') 
# Blocking read call, returns uint8 array
data = usbtmc_read(t0, 10000)  
# Convert uint8 array to string, 
char(data) 
# close usbtmc session
usbtmc_close(t0)
</syntaxhighlight>
}}

== VXI11 ==
=== Example: basic use ===
{{Code|VXI11 example|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
# Open VXI11 connection to 192.168.100.100
t0 = vxi11('192.168.100.100')
# write to listener
vxi11_write(t0, '*IDN?') 
# read from instrument, returns uint8 array
data = vxi11_read(t0, 10000)  
# Convert uint8 array to string, 
char(data) 
# close usbtmc session
vxi11_close(t0)
</syntaxhighlight>
}}
=== Limitations ===
For now,
* it's not possible to connect more than one instrument per IP address (e.g. VXI11-GPIB gateways)
* only instrument ''inst0'' can be connected
* setting timeout is not implemented (defaults: 10 seconds global timeout, 2 seconds read timeout)

== GPIB ==
=== Configuring interface ===
For using GPIB you need to install and configure the linux-gpib kernel modules and libraries.
=== Example: basic use ===
{{Code|GPIB example|<syntaxhighlight lang="octave" style="font-size:13px">
# Open GPIB instrument with ID 7 and set timeout to 1 second (see ibtmo / NI-488.2 Function Reference)
t0 = gpib(7,11)
# write to listener
gpib_write(t0, '*IDN?') 
# read from instrument, returns uint8 array
data = gpib_read(t0, 10000)
# Convert uint8 array to string, 
char(data) 
# close usbtmc session
gpib_close(t0)
</syntaxhighlight>
}}
=== Limitations ===
* Setting minor, sad, send_eoi and eos_mode is not implemented yet.
* Every read or write command opens and closes a new gpib session, since the linux-gpib session pointer is only valid for single command.

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