valmix 0.0.1

Adjust numerical values from a terminal user interface.

Valmix

Adjust numerical values from a terminal user interface.

Usage

Suppose you have a Python program with parameters you want to tune:

def main(kp: float, kd: float):
    pass  # your code here

Valmix gives a systematic way to tune these parameters from the command line. First, wrap your parameters in multiprocessing.Values:

import multiprocessing as mp

kp = mp.Value("f", 10.0)
kd = mp.Value("f", 1.0)

Next, update your program to read from the multiprocessing values. For example:

import numpy as np
import time

def main(kp: mp.Value, kd: mp.Value):
    with open("/tmp/output", "w") as output:
        for _ in range(100):
            u = np.clip(kp.value * 1.0 + kd.value * 0.1, 5.0, 20.0)
            output.write(f"{u}\n")
            output.flush()
            time.sleep(1.0)

Finally, run your program and Valmix together, specifying the tuning range for each value:

    # Call the main function in a separate process
    main_process = mp.Process(target=main, args=(kp, kd))
    main_process.start()

    # Display the terminal user interface in this process (blocking call)
    valmix.run(
        {
            "kp": (kp, np.arange(0.0, 20.0, 0.5)),
            "kd": (kd, np.arange(0.0, 10.0, 0.5)),
        }
    )

This will fire up a terminal user interface (TUI) where you can tune kp and kd while the program runs in the background:

Useful for instance to tune robot behaviors in real-time 😉

Installation

From PyPI

pip install valmix

See also

Related software:

• Textual: terminal user interface (TUI) framework for Python, used to build this tool.