TANGO as instrument plugin

[aline-vernier]

Hello Salut :)
I would like to write my own instrument plugin to use PyMoDAQ as a viewer for some 1D and 2D stuff that's managed by a TANGO controls system. I'm starting from scratch, should I use the pymodaq_plugins_template, start from an existing plugin or use pymeasure ?
Can anyone help me hop on the boat, I'm drowning ^^ ? Thanks heaps merci !
et bonne année ;)

Aline

[seb5g]

Hello,
Usually we create a new plugin by using the instrument manufacturer name. So if you should follow this convention even if the "driver" you're using is Tango (could you specify a bit more what you want to do and with what instrument or thing?)

If the plugin of a given manufacturer is already existing, then you should fork it and add your instrument class within (copy paste the right python file from the pymodaq_plugins_template). If not you should create a brand new plugin from the template.

I'll let you answer before being more explicit!

PS: you should check out this tutorial that will tell you all you need about instrument plugins: https://pymodaq.cnrs.fr/en/5.0.x_dev/tutorials/plugin_development.html

[aline-vernier]

Thanks for your very quick reply, Sébastien :) I already looked through the story of a plugin development, and I started from the generic plugin template, but I can see no way to start testing simple code. I believe this thread https://github.com/orgs/PyMoDAQ/discussions/406 is relevant, but neither diagram enlightens me without some additional explanation. I guess I might be a little too impatient and skipping through some essential steps to get a good grasp of the information flow in PyMoDAQ.

[seb5g]

well most of the things are hidden within the inherited class. So the plugin you have to write should only handle:

• the communication with the instrument
• the eventual settings you want a user to be able to see and/or set and their consequences on the instruments
• for a detector, the emission of the data through a dedicated Qt signal object (see https://pymodaq.cnrs.fr/en/5.0.x_dev/developer_folder/instrument_plugins.html#emission-of-data)

If you are interested in a training, there will be one next march: https://cnrsformation.cnrs.fr/liste-stages-mc-PyMoDAQ.html

and next June (no announcement yet).

If you want to be warned about such things consider registering to the pymodaq mailing list: https://listes.services.cnrs.fr/wws/info/pymodaq

[seb5g]

You could also look at https://sdrive.cnrs.fr/s/WNwZBgy4pLbpxwq which is a presentation I give during the pymodaq training (it's in french... but that should not be a problem for you so :-D)

[seb5g]

and you can also call me on monday to have a chitchat about what you want to do and how to do it! Don't let this drown you ;-)

[aline-vernier]

Thanks heaps for taking the time, Sébastien, I appreciate the care you take ! ^^
I will first watch the presentation and explore a little further on my own, and then maybe bother you with questions that will most likely be related to how to integrate my plugin within the PyMoDAQ framework.

[aline-vernier]

I just wanted to add that the code and the documentation are very well structured: I just started on Monday and I now have a functioning tango plugin that runs in the dashboard and integrates so far bug-free with all the rest. I'm delighted ! Thanks for all the work you all put in maintaining the code, and I hope I can contribute at some point !

[seb5g]

That's really good news! Could you tell us what you do with Tango and what you needed to get from it for PyMoDAQ? You should then publish a first release on pypi: https://pymodaq.cnrs.fr/en/5.0.x_dev/tutorials/new_plugin.html for other to use it or complete it!

By the way where do you want to store your plugin, hosted on PyMoDAQ organisation (where you would be the maintener, this is the prefered way) or leave it on your github account (not so good a practice) or also create another organisation a bit like the guy from attolab did?

[aline-vernier]

@seb5g @quantumm I'm happy to go the preferred route :) Before I upload it I'd like to have a chat about what should be specific or more general within the plugin. Do you think we could plan this at some point this week with anyone who'd feel expert enough ? Cheers !

[quantumm]

Dear @aline-vernier ,

It happens that we just opened a new section of the documentation called Lab stories. The goal of this section is to give the users concrete examples of use of Pymodaq. So that they can learn to use it through examples.

I think your implementation with TANGO is highly interesting and could be useful for a lot of people as TANGO is widely spread. Would you be interested in writing a page about what you have done?

You can find an example here. You would have to describe step by step the procedure you have done. You can even give a little motivation and talk about your experiment if you like. If think it is important to do that just after you finished your implementation, as your memory is still fresh. Also, it is important to not put the difficulties under the carpet. The point is not to say "Pymodaq is perfect" but rather to point out the difficult points.

The procedure to write documentation is documented here, but if you do not feel like doing that, you can just send me your text with whatever format you like (pdf for example) and I will put it in the website.

This would made a very nice contribution to the documentation ;) Let me know if you feel like it.

[seb5g]

That's a very good idea :-D ! Also, your nice comment would fit nicely in the section https://pymodaq.cnrs.fr/en/5.0.x_dev/about.html#what-they-think-of-pymodaq . Do you authorize me to add it there?

[aline-vernier]

Well of course !! I should get a little time to first clean-up my code, upload it and write some documentation by the end of January. I'll be glad to contribute :)