SciSDK: Sci-Compiler Python SDK wrapper

This package will install a wrapper for the Sci-Compiler SDK, the software layer to develop Python application to readout and configure firmware generated by Sci-Compiler

Introduction

The SciSDK is a cross-platform library to write custom control and readout software for Sci-Compiler generated user firmware.

Sci-Compiler is a Nuclear Instruments (http://www.nuclearinstruments.eu) tool to generate FPGA firmware con NI/Caen OpenHardware FPGA (https://www.caen.it/families/open-fpga-digitizers/)

The Sci-Compiler convert a block diagram description of the user firmware is a hardware compatible bitstream managing also the readout of the data from the hardware. This library is intended to be used to write the control and readout software for the user firmware and works only with firmware generated by Sci-Compiler.

Installation

Pre-requisites (Binary files installation)

This library requires that the SciSDK and all hardware related libraries are installed in the system.

The SciSDK can be installed precompiled or compiled from source. Detailed instructions on haw install the SciSDK are explained at this link: SciSDK installation(https://sci-sdk.sci-compiler.com/) The last version of the compiled SciSDK libraries setup are available here: SciSDK setup (https://gitlab.sci-compiler.com/sdk/sci-sdk/-/releases)

It is also possible to install avoid to install the SciSDK libraries system wide copying all DLL or so in the python script exectuable folder. It that case double check to execute the python.exe command from the folder where the script and all the libraries are located otherwise the script will be unable to locate the required libraries and an exception is rised. While the setup will install in the system folder the SciSDK dll and all the libraries for the supported boards, if manual setup is used, the user must ensure thal all dll are copied in the python script executable folder. For example if the user intent to connecto to the DT1260 on windows system ( Python x64 ) the following libraries are required: SciSDK_DLL.dll SCIDK_Lib.dll ftd2xx64.dll For example if the user intent to connecto to the R5560 on windows system ( Python x64 ) the following libraries are required: SciSDK_DLL.dll R5560_SDKLib.dll libzmq-v140-mt-4_3_4.dll libsodium.dll Please double check the version of python (32 or 64 bit) and use dll/so accordingly.

Python wrapper installation

In order to install the SciSDK python wrapper, just run the following command:

pip install scisdk

Usage

Import the library

Import the library in your python script:

from scisdk.scisdk import SciSDK
from scisdk.scisdk_defines import *

Create the SciSDK object

Create the SciSDK object and pass the connection string and the path to the JSON file:

# initialize scisdk library
sdk = SciSDK()

# add new device

# USB board (DT1260)                usb:10500
# ETHERNET (X556X) board            192.168.90.2:8888
# FELIB based board (CAEN X274x):   10.105.250.18
res = sdk.AddNewDevice("usb:10500","dt1260", "./DT1260RegisterFile.json","board0")
if res != 0:
    print ("Script exit due to connetion error")
    exit()

Readout the data

Please refere to the official documentation (https://sci-sdk.sci-compiler.com/)

Example of readout of the data from the oscilloscope:

res = sdk.SetParameterString("board0:/MMCComponents/Oscilloscope_0.data_processing","decode")
res = sdk.SetParameterInteger("board0:/MMCComponents/Oscilloscope_0.trigger_level", 1000)
res = sdk.SetParameterString("board0:/MMCComponents/Oscilloscope_0.trigger_mode","self")
res = sdk.SetParameterInteger("board0:/MMCComponents/Oscilloscope_0.trigger_channel", 0)
res = sdk.SetParameterInteger("board0:/MMCComponents/Oscilloscope_0.pretrigger", 150)
res = sdk.SetParameterString("board0:/MMCComponents/Oscilloscope_0.acq_mode", "blocking")
res = sdk.SetParameterInteger("board0:/MMCComponents/Oscilloscope_0.timeout", 3000)

res, buf = sdk.AllocateBuffer("board0:/MMCComponents/Oscilloscope_0")

res, buffer = sdk.ReadData("board0:/MMCComponents/Oscilloscope_0", buffer)# read data from board