Device Connection

Connecting to a single device with the GCS DLL

Via dialog

On Windows systems the GCS DLL provides a graphical user interface to select the connection parameters.

from pipython import GCSDevice
with GCSDevice() as pidevice:
    pidevice.InterfaceSetupDlg()
    print('connected: {}'.format(pidevice.qIDN().strip()))

If you pass a string as the optional key argument to the InterfaceSetupDlg method, the DLL stores the settings in the Windows registry and retrieves them the next time you connect with the same key.

from pipython import GCSDevice
with GCSDevice() as pidevice:
    pidevice.InterfaceSetupDlg('MyTest')
    print('connected: {}'.format(pidevice.qIDN().strip()))

Via device identification

There are functions to scan for available devices:

Interface	Function
USB	`EnumerateUSB(mask='')`
TCP/IP	`EnumerateTCPIPDevices(mask='')`

Use mask (= string) to limit the number of devices to be found. If it is contained in the device identification, the device is found - see qIDN.

from pipython import GCSDevice
with GCSDevice() as pidevice:
    devices = pidevice.EnumerateTCPIPDevices(mask='C-884.4DB')
    for i, device in enumerate(devices):
        print('{} - {}'.format(i, device))
    item = int(input('Select device to connect:'))
    pidevice.ConnectTCPIPByDescription(devices[item])
    print('connected: {}'.format(pidevice.qIDN().strip()))

Via dedicated interface

You can connect to a device via the following interfaces using the corresponding methods:

Interface	Method
RS-232	`ConnectRS232(comport, baudrate)`
USB	`ConnectUSB(serialnum)` `serialnum` = the device's serial number as a string or the device identification returned by the `EnumerateUSB` method
TCP/IP	`ConnectTCPIP(ipaddress, ipport=50000)`
TCP/IP	`ConnectTCPIPByDescription(description)` `description` = string returned by the `EnumerateTCPIPDevices` method
NI GPIB	`ConnectNIgpib(board, device)`
PCI board	`ConnectPciBoard(board)`

from pipython import GCSDevice
with GCSDevice() as pidevice:
    pidevice.ConnectTCPIP('192.168.178.42') # Use the default port
    print('connected: {}'.format(pidevice.qIDN().strip()))

Connecting to devices in a daisy chain network

Open the interface to the daisy chain master device (i.e., the device connected to the PC), then connect all devices of the daisy chain network to this interface.

Info

In a daisy chain network, each device must have a unique address (= device ID). There must be one device with the address 1, though this device does not have to be the master device (see controller manual on how to change the address of a device).

Use the following methods to connect to the master device in a daisy chain network:

Interface	Method
RS-232	`OpenRS232DaisyChain(comport, baudrate)`
USB	`OpenUSBDaisyChain(serialnum)`
TCP/IP	`OpenTCPIPDaisyChain(ipaddress, ipport=50000)`

In the following example, three controllers are being connected:

C-863 controller as the master device, address 3
E-861 controller, address 7

C-867 controller, address 1

from pipython import GCSDevice
with GCSDevice() as c863:
    c863.OpenRS232DaisyChain(comport=1, baudrate=115200)
    # c863.OpenUSBDaisyChain(description='1234567890')
    # c863.OpenTCPIPDaisyChain(ipaddress='192.168.178.42')
    daisychainid = c863.dcid
    c863.ConnectDaisyChainDevice(3, daisychainid)
    with GCSDevice() as e861:
        e861.ConnectDaisyChainDevice(7, daisychainid)
        with GCSDevice() as c867:
            c867.ConnectDaisyChainDevice(1, daisychainid)
            print('\n{}:\n{}'.format(c863.GetInterfaceDescription(), c863.qIDN()))
            print('\n{}:\n{}'.format(e861.GetInterfaceDescription(), e861.qIDN()))
            print('\n{}:\n{}'.format(c867.GetInterfaceDescription(), c867.qIDN()))

Connecting via low-level interface

The preferred method for connecting to devices is GCSDevice using the GCS DLL. However, on platforms where the GCS DLL is not available, low-level functions of the PIPython package can be used instead.

Interface	Method
RS-232	`PISerial(comport, baudrate)`
USB	`PIUSB(serialnum)`
TCP/IP	`PISocket(ipaddress, ipport=50000)`

PISerial

from pipython.pidevice.gcscommands import GCSCommands
from pipython.pidevice.gcsmessages import GCSMessages
from pipython.pidevice.interfaces.piserial import PISerial
with PISerial(port=1, baudrate=115200) as gateway:
    messages = GCSMessages(gateway)
    pidevice = GCSCommands(messages)
    print(pidevice.qIDN())

PIUSB

from pipython.pidevice.gcscommands import GCSCommands
from pipython.pidevice.gcsmessages import GCSMessages
from pipython.pidevice.interfaces.piusb import PIUSB
with PIUSB() as gateway:
    gateway.connect(serialnumber='1234567890', pid=0x1234)
    messages = GCSMessages(gateway)
    pidevice = GCSCommands(messages)
    print(pidevice.qIDN())

PISocket

from pipython.pidevice.gcscommands import GCSCommands
from pipython.pidevice.gcsmessages import GCSMessages
from pipython.pidevice.interfaces.pisocket import PISocket
with PISocket(host='192.168.178.42', port=50000) as gateway:
    messages = GCSMessages(gateway)
    pidevice = GCSCommands(messages)
    print(pidevice.qIDN())

Connecting to unknown devices

If GCSDevice is called with the controller name, the corresponding GCS DLL is chosen automatically. For unknown devices, a dedicated GCS DLL can be used instead.

from pipython import GCSDevice
with GCSDevice(gcsdll='PI_GCS2_DLL.dll') as pidevice:
    pidevice.InterfaceSetupDlg()