QT Py Datalogger

qtpy-datalogger -- A remote control and data acquisition system using the Adafruit QT Py S3 and CircuitPython

Documentation

Available at downtothewire.io/qtpy-datalogger/welcome

Status

Structure

graph LR
    AP(🛜 Access Point)
    App(🐍 App)
    MQTT(📨 MQTT)
    QTPy(🐍 QT Py S3)

    subgraph "🌐 Network"
        AP
    end

    subgraph "💻 PC Host"
        App<-.->MQTT
        MQTT<-.->AP
    end

    subgraph "🧪 Test Zone"
        AP<-.->|🛜 WiFi|QTPy
    end

The PC host controls and communicates with any number of sensor nodes on the wireless network.

Preview in 90 seconds

1. Connect your QT Py device with USB
   • (Optional) Back up its code.py file
2. Preview the program in a deletable Python virtual environment

   # Create and enter a new Python virtual environment
   mkdir qtpy-preview
   cd qtpy-preview
   python -m venv --upgrade-deps .venv
   .\.venv\Scripts\activate.ps1
   
   # Install
   pip install qtpy-datalogger
   
   # Show the package help
   qtpy-datalogger --help
   
   # Search for devices
   qtpy-datalogger connect --discover-only
   
   # Install the sensor node runtime the device
   qtpy-datalogger equip
   
   # Open a serial connection, use Ctrl-] to quit
   qtpy-datalogger connect
   
   qtpycmd get_apps
   
   qtpycmd stats
   
   qtpycmd read A0 A1 A2 A3
   
   # Ctrl-] to quit
   

3. Plot data in the Analog Plotter demo GUI app
4. Optionally, delete the folder qtpy-preview when you are done

Note: This preview does not demonstrate MQTT communication over WiFi

In order to communicate on the WiFi network, the QT Py sensor node must also have

• an MQTT broker
• WiFi credentials

Visit the MQTT setup page for more details if you want to try the demo apps over the network.

Gallery

In addition to the command line tools, the qtpy-datalogger package includes these GUI apps.

Scanner

qtpy-datalogger run scanner

Scan for nodes by group. Select a node to send it messages.

Data Viewer

qtpy-datalogger run data-viewer

Open a CSV file for time series data.

CSV format

• Series data are in columns
• Series names are in the first row
• The time axis is in the first column
  • ISO timestamps and floating point values both accepted

Time,Sensor 1,Sensor 2
0.0,1.284,2.713
0.22,1.302,5.536
...

Supported systems

Supported Python versions

• Host
  • Python 3.11
  • Python 3.12
  • Python 3.13
  • Python 3.14
• Node
  • CircuitPython 9.x
  • CircuitPython 10.x

Supported host platforms

• Windows

Supported connection types

• Serial / UART
• Network / MQTT

Entry points

• Host program: qtpy_datalogger/console.py
• QT Py program: qtpy_datalogger/sensor_node/code.py

Questions and help

Please go to the Welcome page for questions and help.

Contributing

This project manages its Python package with uv.

The environment setup instructions are on the Develop page.

The design documentation is in the wiki under the Design Doc pages.

Legacy system

This project replaces a legacy system that uses Python and JeeNodes.

See the summary and source code in the docs/legacy folder for details.