QInstrument 0.4.0

Qt-based framework for controlling scientific instruments over serial ports

QInstrument

A Qt-based framework for controlling scientific instruments over serial ports. Instruments are represented as Qt objects with a uniform property system, automatic UI binding, and JSON-based configuration persistence. Any Qt binding (PyQt5, PyQt6, PySide2, PySide6) is supported via qtpy.

Instruments

IPG Photonics

• YLR Series: Ytterbium fibre laser

Laser Quantum

• Opus: Continuous-wave laser

PiezoDrive

• PDUS210: Piezo transducer driver

Prior Scientific

• Proscan II/III: Motorised microscope stage controller

Stanford Research Systems

• DS345: 30 MHz Synthesised Function Generator
• SR830: 100 kHz Digital Lock-in Amplifier
• SR844: 200 MHz RF Lock-in Amplifier

Tektronix

• TDS1000: Digital oscilloscope

Installation

git clone https://github.com/davidgrier/QInstrument
cd QInstrument
python -m venv .qi
source .qi/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

Quick start

Each instrument widget has a built-in example() entry point. Run it directly from the command line:

python -m QInstrument.instruments.DS345.widget

This finds a connected DS345 and opens its control panel. If no instrument is detected it falls back automatically to a simulated (fake) device so the UI is always usable.

You can also drive the widget from your own application:

from qtpy.QtWidgets import QApplication
from QInstrument.instruments.DS345 import QDS345Widget

app = QApplication([])
widget = QDS345Widget()
widget.show()
app.exec()

Using a simulated instrument

When hardware is not available, import the fake class directly:

from QInstrument.instruments.DS345 import QDS345Widget, QFakeDS345

app = QApplication([])
widget = QDS345Widget(device=QFakeDS345())
widget.show()
app.exec()

Architecture

QtCore.QObject
└── QAbstractInstrument      # property/method registry, thread-safe get/set, settings I/O
    └── QSerialInstrument    # holds QSerialInterface; adds open/find/identify
        └── QXxxInstrument   # concrete instrument

QtSerialPort.QSerialPort
└── QSerialInterface         # raw serial I/O (owned by QSerialInstrument)

QWidget
└── QInstrumentWidget        # loads .ui file, auto-binds widgets to registered properties

Each instrument lives in instruments/<Name>/ with three files:

File	Purpose
instrument.py	Serial communication and property registration
fake.py	Simulated instrument for UI development without hardware
widget.py	Qt widget, .ui file binding, example() entry point

Development

Run the test suite:

source .qi/bin/activate
pytest tests/

Tests run automatically before every git push via a pre-push hook. To install the hook in a fresh clone:

cp hooks/pre-push .git/hooks/pre-push   # if tracked, else set up manually
chmod +x .git/hooks/pre-push

Acknowledgements

Work on this project at New York University is supported by the National Science Foundation of the United States under award number DMR-2438983.