pyindi-client 2.1.9

Third party Python API for INDI client

pyindi-client

version : v2.1.4

An INDI Client Python API, auto-generated from the official C++ API using SWIG.

Installation

Ubuntu

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:mutlaqja/ppa
sudo apt-get -y install python3-indi-client

Using Pip

pip install pyindi-client

Alternatively download a zip archive (use commits history to get a previous release), extract it and run

python setup.py install

The file [setup.cfg]{.title-ref} contains configuration options (mainly concerning [libindi]{.title-ref} installation path). Edit [setup.cfg]{.title-ref} if you use a libindi version < 1.4.1 (02/2017). The file setup.py searchs for the libindiclient.a library in some predefined directories. If not found, the script fails. Locate this library (try [locate lindiclient.a]{.title-ref} from the command line) and add its path to the [libindisearchpaths]{.title-ref} variable in the setup script.

Dependencies

For the above installation to work, you need to have installed from your distribution repositories the following packages: Python setup tools, Python development files, libindi development files and swig.

• On an Ubuntu-like distribution, you may use

  apt-get install python-setuptools
  apt-get install python-dev
  apt-get install libindi-dev
  apt-get install swig
  apt-get install libcfitsio-dev
  apt-get install libnova-dev
  

• On a Fedora-like distribution, you may use

  dnf install python-setuptools
  dnf install python-devel
  dnf install libindi-devel
  dnf install swig
  dnf install libcfitsio-dev
  dnf install libnova-dev
  

Getting Started

In the following simple example, an INDI 2.0.0 client class is defined giving the implementation of the virtual INDI client functions. This is not mandatory. This class is instantiated once, and after defining server host and port in this object, a list of devices together with their properties is printed on the console.

# for logging
import sys
import time
import logging
# import the PyIndi module
import PyIndi

# The IndiClient class which inherits from the module PyIndi.BaseClient class
# Note that all INDI constants are accessible from the module as PyIndi.CONSTANTNAME
class IndiClient(PyIndi.BaseClient):
    def __init__(self):
        super(IndiClient, self).__init__()
        self.logger = logging.getLogger('IndiClient')
        self.logger.info('creating an instance of IndiClient')

    def newDevice(self, d):
        '''Emmited when a new device is created from INDI server.'''
        self.logger.info(f"new device {d.getDeviceName()}")

    def removeDevice(self, d):
        '''Emmited when a device is deleted from INDI server.'''
        self.logger.info(f"remove device {d.getDeviceName()}")

    def newProperty(self, p):
        '''Emmited when a new property is created for an INDI driver.'''
        self.logger.info(f"new property {p.getName()} as {p.getTypeAsString()} for device {p.getDeviceName()}")

    def updateProperty(self, p):
        '''Emmited when a new property value arrives from INDI server.'''
        self.logger.info(f"update property {p.getName()} as {p.getTypeAsString()} for device {p.getDeviceName()}")

    def removeProperty(self, p):
        '''Emmited when a property is deleted for an INDI driver.'''
        self.logger.info(f"remove property {p.getName()} as {p.getTypeAsString()} for device {p.getDeviceName()}")

    def newMessage(self, d, m):
        '''Emmited when a new message arrives from INDI server.'''
        self.logger.info(f"new Message {d.messageQueue(m)}")

    def serverConnected(self):
        '''Emmited when the server is connected.'''
        self.logger.info(f"Server connected ({self.getHost()}:{self.getPort()})")

    def serverDisconnected(self, code):
        '''Emmited when the server gets disconnected.'''
        self.logger.info(f"Server disconnected (exit code = {code},{self.getHost()}:{self.getPort()})")

logging.basicConfig(format = '%(asctime)s %(message)s', level = logging.INFO)

# Create an instance of the IndiClient class and initialize its host/port members
indiClient=IndiClient()
indiClient.setServer("localhost", 7624)

# Connect to server
print("Connecting and waiting 1 sec")
if not indiClient.connectServer():
     print(f"No indiserver running on {indiClient.getHost()}:{indiClient.getPort()} - Try to run")
     print("  indiserver indi_simulator_telescope indi_simulator_ccd")
     sys.exit(1)

# Waiting for discover devices
time.sleep(1)

# Print list of devices. The list is obtained from the wrapper function getDevices as indiClient is an instance
# of PyIndi.BaseClient and the original C++ array is mapped to a Python List. Each device in this list is an
# instance of PyIndi.BaseDevice, so we use getDeviceName to print its actual name.
print("List of devices")
deviceList = indiClient.getDevices()
for device in deviceList:
    print(f"   > {device.getDeviceName()}")

# Print all properties and their associated values.
print("List of Device Properties")
for device in deviceList:

    print(f"-- {device.getDeviceName()}")
    genericPropertyList = device.getProperties()

    for genericProperty in genericPropertyList:
        print(f"   > {genericProperty.getName()} {genericProperty.getTypeAsString()}")

        if genericProperty.getType() == PyIndi.INDI_TEXT:
            for widget in PyIndi.PropertyText(genericProperty):
                print(f"       {widget.getName()}({widget.getLabel()}) = {widget.getText()}")

        if genericProperty.getType() == PyIndi.INDI_NUMBER:
            for widget in PyIndi.PropertyNumber(genericProperty):
                print(f"       {widget.getName()}({widget.getLabel()}) = {widget.getValue()}")

        if genericProperty.getType() == PyIndi.INDI_SWITCH:
            for widget in PyIndi.PropertySwitch(genericProperty):
                print(f"       {widget.getName()}({widget.getLabel()}) = {widget.getStateAsString()}")

        if genericProperty.getType() == PyIndi.INDI_LIGHT:
            for widget in PyIndi.PropertyLight(genericProperty):
                print(f"       {widget.getLabel()}({widget.getLabel()}) = {widget.getStateAsString()}")

        if genericProperty.getType() == PyIndi.INDI_BLOB:
            for widget in PyIndi.PropertyBlob(genericProperty):
                print(f"       {widget.getName()}({widget.getLabel()}) = <blob {widget.getSize()} bytes>")

# Disconnect from the indiserver
print("Disconnecting")
indiClient.disconnectServer()

Migration to INDI Core 2.0.0

For all property

Applies to all properties available in the library (Switch/Number/Text/Light/Blob)

New implementation since INDI Core 1.9.x

# set
anyProperty.setDeviceName("Some device")
anyProperty.setName("Some name")
anyProperty.setLabel("Some label")
anyProperty.setGroupName("Some group")
anyProperty.setState(PyIndi.IPS_IDLE)
anyProperty.setTimestamp("123")
anyProperty.setPermission(PyIndi.IP_RO) # no effect for Light Property
anyProperty.setTimeout(123)             # no effect for Light Property

anyProperty[0].setName("Some name of widget")
anyProperty[0].setLabel("Some label of widget")

# get
device    = anyProperty.getDeviceName()
name      = anyProperty.getName()
label     = anyProperty.getLabel()
group     = anyProperty.getGroupName()
state     = anyProperty.getState()
timestamp = anyProperty.getTimestamp()
perm      = anyProperty.getPermission() # returns IP_RO for Light Property
timeout   = anyProperty.getTimeout()    # returns 0 for Light Property

name      = anyProperty[0].getName()
label     = anyProperty[0].getLabel()

# auxiliary functions
if anyProperty.isNameMatch("Some name"):
    # anyProperty.getName() is equal to "Some name"
    pass

if anyProperty.isLabelMatch("Some label"):
    # anyProperty.getLabel() is equal to "Some label"
    pass

if not anyProperty.isValid():
    # e.g. PyIndi.Property() is not valid because type is unknown
    # PyIndi.PropertyText(somePropertySwitch) is also not valid because type
    # is mismatch (invalid cast)
    pass

stringState  = anyProperty.getStateAsString()            # returns Idle/Ok/Busy/Alert
stringPerm   = anyProperty.getPermissionAsString()       # returns ro/wo/rw
someWidget   = anyProperty.findWidgetByName("Some name") # returns widget with `Some name` name

Deprecated implementation

# set
anyProperty.device    = "Some device"
anyProperty.name      = "Some name"
anyProperty.label     = "Some label"
anyProperty.group     = "Some group"
anyProperty.s         = PyIndi.IPS_IDLE
anyProperty.timestamp = "123"
anyProperty.p         = PyIndi.IP_RO # except Light Property
anyProperty.timeout   = 123          # except Light Property

anyProperty[0].name   = "Some name of widget"
anyProperty[0].label  = "Some label of widget"

# get
device    = anyProperty.device
name      = anyProperty.name
label     = anyProperty.label
group     = anyProperty.group
state     = anyProperty.s
timestamp = anyProperty.timestamp
perm      = anyProperty.p       # except Light Property
timeout   = anyProperty.timeout # except Light Property

name  = anyProperty[0].name
label = anyProperty[0].label

Property Text

New implementation since INDI Core 1.9.x

# set
textProperty[0].setText("Some text")

# get
text  = textProperty[0].getText()

Deprecated implementation

# set
textProperty[0].text  = "Some text"

# get
text  = textProperty[0].text

Property Number

New implementation since INDI Core 1.9.x

# set
numberProperty[0].setFormat("Some format")
numberProperty[0].setMin(0)
numberProperty[0].setMax(1000)
numberProperty[0].setMinMax(0, 1000) # simplification
numberProperty[0].setStep(1)
numberProperty[0].setValue(123)

# get
format = numberProperty[0].getFormat()
min    = numberProperty[0].getMin()
max    = numberProperty[0].getMax()
step   = numberProperty[0].getStep()
value  = numberProperty[0].getValue()

Deprecated implementation

# set
numberProperty[0].format = "Some format"
numberProperty[0].min = 0
numberProperty[0].max = 1000
numberProperty[0].step = 1
numberProperty[0].value = 123

# get
format = numberProperty[0].format
min    = numberProperty[0].min
max    = numberProperty[0].max
step   = numberProperty[0].step
value  = numberProperty[0].value

Property Switch

New implementation since INDI Core 1.9.x

# set
switchProperty.setRule(PyIndi.ISR_NOFMANY)
switchProperty[0].setState(PyIndi.ISS_ON)

# get
rule  = switchProperty.getRule()
state = switchProperty[0].getState()

# auxiliary functions
stringRule  = switchProperty.getRuleAsString()     # returns OneOfMany/AtMostOne/AnyOfMany
stringState = switchProperty[0].getStateAsString() # returns On/Off
switchProperty.reset()                             # reset all widget switches to Off
switchProperty.findOnSwitchIndex()                 # find index of Widget with On state
switchProperty.findOnSwitch()                      # returns widget with On state

Deprecated implementation

# set
switchProperty.r = PyIndi.ISR_NOFMANY
switchProperty[0].s = PyIndi.ISS_ON

# get
rule  = switchProperty.r
state = switchProperty[0].s

Property Light

New implementation since INDI Core 1.9.x

# set
lightProperty[0].setState(PyIndi.IPS_BUSY)

# get
lightState = lightProperty[0].getState()

# auxiliary functions
stringState = lightProperty[0].getStateAsString() # returns Idle/Ok/Busy/Alert

Deprecated implementation

# set
lightProperty[0].s = PyIndi.IPS_BUSY

# get
lightState = lightProperty[0].s

Property Blob

New implementation since INDI Core 1.9.x

# set
blobProperty[0].setFormat("Some format")
blobProperty[0].setBlob("Some blob")
blobProperty[0].setBlobLen(123)
blobProperty[0].setSize(123)

# get
format  = blobProperty[0].getFormat()
blob    = blobProperty[0].getBlob()
bloblen = blobProperty[0].getBlobLen()
size    = blobProperty[0].getSize()

Deprecated implementation

# set
blobProperty[0].format  = "Some format"
blobProperty[0].blob    = "Some blob"
blobProperty[0].bloblen = 123
blobProperty[0].size    = 123

# get
format  = blobProperty[0].format
blob    = blobProperty[0].blob
bloblen = blobProperty[0].bloblen
size    = blobProperty[0].size

BaseClient virual methods

As of INDI Core 2.0.0, there are no features like:

• newText
• newSwitch
• newNumber
• newLight
• newBlob

They have been replaced with a single updateProperty function to differentiate the behavior between newProperty and to provide more memory control in the INDI Core library itself.

It is not required to implement all functions. Please use as needed.

class IndiClient(PyIndi.BaseClient):
    def __init__(self):
        super(IndiClient, self).__init__()

    # Emmited when a new device is created from INDI server.
    def newDevice(self, dev):
        pass

    # Emmited when a device is deleted from INDI server.
    def removeDevice(self, dev):
        pass

    # Emmited when a new property is created for an INDI driver.
    def newProperty(self, genericProperty):
        pass

    # Emmited when a new property value arrives from INDI server.
    def updateProperty(self, genericProperty):
        pass

    # Emmited when a property is deleted for an INDI driver.
    def removeProperty(self, genericProperty):
        pass

    # Emmited when a new message arrives from INDI server.
    def newMessage(self, device, messageId):
        pass

    # Emmited when the server is connected.
    def serverConnected(self):
        pass

    # Emmited when the server gets disconnected.
    def serverDisconnected(self, exitCode):
        pass

The function newProperty and updateProperty provide in argument a generic type in which you can read common information for all properties such as name, group, device, type, state. To read values associated with a specific type, e.g. Switch, you need to perform cast.

switchProperty = PyIndi.PropertySwitch(genericProperty)

If successful, the function switchProperty.isValid() will return true.

A similar mechanism existed before version 2.0.0 for the newProperty function.

BaseClient Example

With Python, migration can be simple. Nothing stands in the way of creating a function for a given property type and naming it the same as for the INDI Core 1.x.x version

class IndiClient(PyIndi.BaseClient):
    def __init__(self):
        super(IndiClient, self).__init__()

    # Call functions in old style
    def updateProperty(self, prop):
        if prop.getType() == PyIndi.INDI_NUMBER:
            self.newNumber(PyIndi.PropertyNumber(prop))
        elif prop.getType() == PyIndi.INDI_SWITCH:
            self.newSwitch(PyIndi.PropertySwitch(prop))
        elif prop.getType() == PyIndi.INDI_TEXT:
            self.newText(PyIndi.PropertyText(prop))
        elif prop.getType() == PyIndi.INDI_LIGHT:
            self.newLight(PyIndi.PropertyLight(prop))
        elif prop.getType() == PyIndi.INDI_BLOB:
            self.newBLOB(PyIndi.PropertyBlob(prop)[0])

    # The methods work again in INDI Core 2.0.0!
    def newBLOB(self, prop):
        print(f"new BLOB {prop.getName()}")
    def newSwitch(self, prop):
        print(f"new Switch {prop.getName()} for device {prop.getDeviceName()}")
    def newNumber(self, prop):
        print(f"new Number {prop.getName()} for device {prop.getDeviceName()}")
    def newText(self, prop):
        print(f"new Text {prop.getName()} for device {prop.getDeviceName()}")
    def newLight(self, prop):
        print(f"new Light {prop.getName()} for device {prop.getDeviceName()}")

INDI Version Compatibility

Versions	commit	pip
v2.0.4 - latest	HEAD	pip3 install 'git+https://github.com/indilib/pyindi-client.git'
v2.0.0 - v2.0.3	indilib/pyindi-client@674706f	pip3 install 'git+https://github.com/indilib/pyindi-client.git@674706f#egg=pyindi-client'
v1.9.9	indilib/pyindi-client@ce808b7	pip3 install 'git+https://github.com/indilib/pyindi-client.git@ce808b7#egg=pyindi-client'
v1.9.8	indilib/pyindi-client@ffd939b	pip3 install 'git+https://github.com/indilib/pyindi-client.git@ffd939b#egg=pyindi-client'

Notes

See the examples for more simple demos of using pyindi-client.

See the interface file for an insight of what is wrapped and how.

For documentation on the methods of INDI Client API, refer to the INDI C++ API documentation.

License

pyindi-client code is free software under the GNU General Public License v3 or later (GPLv3+).

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