Solutions for implementation challenges
This is a list of less common challenges, their solutions, and example instruments.
General issues
Small numbers (<1e-5) are shown as 0 with
%f
. If an instrument understands exponential notation, you can use%g
, which switches between floating point and exponential format, depending on the exponent.
Communication protocol issues
The instrument answers every message, even a setting command. You can set the setting’s
check_set_errors = True
parameter and redefinecheck_set_errors()
to read an answer, seehcp.TC038D
Binary, frame-based communication, see
hcp.TC038D
All replies have the same length, see
aja.DCXS
The device generates garbage messages at startup, cluttering the buffer, see
aja.DCXS
An instrument and its channel need to override values, but it has to use the correct ask method as well, see
tcpowerconversion.CXN
Channels
Not all channels have the same features, see
MKS937B
Channel names in the communication (1, 2, 3) differ from front panel (A, B, C), see
AdvantestR624X
A family of instruments in which a property of the channels is different for different members of the family , see
AnritsuMS464xB