Fastcomtec: New device code to let MCS8A run for long time and save trigger...

Fastcomtec: New device code to let MCS8A run for long time and save trigger signals instead of starting and stopping for each shot.

FastComtecMCS8A/MCS8A_default_config.SET

 [MCS8A A] 208 FW 3.104 SV 1.243 
-range=256
+range=44736
 periods=2
-sweepmode=22fd2088
+sweepmode=22fc2088
 fstchan=0
 holdafter=0
 streamstatus=0
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ wndheight=286
 sysdef=0
 showstarts=0
 [CHN1]
-range=256
-active=0
+range=44736
+active=1
 bitshift=18
 cftfak=2580100
 evpreset=10          
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ calfact3=0
 calunit=nsec
 caluse=1 
 [CHN2]
-range=256
+range=44736
 active=1
 bitshift=18
 cftfak=2580100

FastComtecMCS8A/blacs_workers.py

@@ -9,83 +9,73 @@
 
 from . import fastcomtec_api
 from blacs.tab_base_classes import Worker
-from labscript import config
+from labscript_utils.labconfig import LabConfig
 import os
 import labscript_utils.h5_lock
 import h5py
 import numpy as np
 import time
+from datetime import datetime
 
 class MCS8AWorker(Worker):
 
     def init(self):
-        self.start = time.perf_counter()
-        self.base_dir = "C:/mcs8x64/"
-        self.data_mame_tmp = "CHN2_tmp"
-        
-        # ONLY FOR MPA AND AUTOSAVE
-        self.data_path_tmp = self.base_dir + self.data_mame_tmp + ".mpa"
-        # ONLY FOR DAT WITHOUT AUTOSAVE
-        # self.data_path_tmp = self.base_dir + self.data_mame_tmp
+        self.base_dir = LabConfig().get("DEFAULT","experiment_shot_storage") + "\\MCS8A"
+        os.makedirs(self.base_dir, exist_ok=True) # create MCS8A folder if it doesn't exist yet
 
         self.device = fastcomtec_api.FastComTec()
-        print("Connected...")
         # print("Status: ", self.device.get_acq_status())
+        self.device.halt_measurement()
 
         # load (default) config
         if not os.path.realpath(self.config_path) == self.config_path.replace("/","\\"):
             self.config_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)) + "\\" + self.config_path
             self.config_path = self.config_path.replace("\\", "/")
-
         print("Load config...", self.config_path)
         self.device.load_config(self.config_path)
 
-
-        # print(f"Data file path: {self.data_path_tmp}")
         
-        # ONLY FOR MPA AND AUTOSAVE
-        # self.device._send_dll_command(f"mpaname={self.data_path_tmp}") # mpa might be slow
+        # Save data only in list file and in binary format
         self.device._send_dll_command("mpafmt=dat")
         self.device._send_dll_command("savedata=2")
 
-        # ONLY FOR DAT WITHOUT AUTOSAVE
-        # self.device._send_dll_command(f"datname={self.data_mame_tmp}")
-        # self.device._send_dll_command("fmt=dat")
-        self.smart_cache = {}
-
-        print('init completed')
+        # Set how long each measurement lasts, i.e. how ofen a new file is started.
+        # We don't want it too long, because then the single files get huge, but we also don't
+        # want it too often, because each stopping and starting takes some time.
+        self.maxduration = 300 # seconds
+        self.device._send_dll_command("bitshift=18") # 400ps * 2^0x18 = 0.0067 s
+        range_int = np.ceil(self.maxduration / (400e-12 * 2**0x18) / 64) * 64
+        self.device._send_dll_command(f"range={int(range_int)}")
+    
+    def get_new_mpapath(self):
+        mpaname = self.device_name + "_" + datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%d-%m_%H-%M-%S") + ".mpa"
+        return self.base_dir + "\\" + mpaname
     
     def transition_to_buffered(self, device_name, h5_file, initial_values, fresh):
-        print(f"Cycle time: {time.perf_counter()-self.start:.1f} s")
-        self.start = time.perf_counter()
-
-        self.h5file = h5_file # save for 'transition_to_manual'
-        self.mpaname = h5_file.replace("\\","/").replace(".h5",".mpa")
-        self.device._send_dll_command(f"mpaname={self.mpaname}")
-        
-        while True:
-            status = self.device.get_acq_status()
-            status = getattr(status,"started")
-            if status!=1:
-                break
-            print("Waiting for device to stop running (from previous shot)...", end="\r")
-            time.sleep(0.1)
-
-        self.device.halt_measurement()
-
-        with h5py.File(h5_file,'r') as f:
-            command_group = f[f"devices/{self.device_name}/commands"]
-            for command in command_group.attrs:
-                if (command in self.smart_cache and command_group.attrs[command]==self.smart_cache[command]) and not fresh:
-                    continue
-                self.smart_cache[command] = command_group.attrs[command]
-                if command_group.attrs[command] is not None:
-                    command = f"{command}={command_group.attrs[command]}"
-                self.device._send_dll_command(command)
-                print(f"Programmed command '{command}'")
-
-        # self.device.erase_measruement() # Don't erase because this takes super long for some reason
-        self.device.start_measurement()
+        # If device is already started, we leave it running and just save the datapath and index in the h5file.
+        # If the device is not running, or already longer than the defined duration, send the stop command, set new datafile and start new measurement.
+        # TODO: How to handle parameters (start new measurment when they changed, or treat parameters statically)
+        if getattr(self.device.get_acq_status(),"started") != 1 or time.perf_counter()-getattr(self,"start_time",-self.maxduration)>self.maxduration:
+            time.sleep(1) # TODO: Do we need this wait? What's the minumum?
+            self.device.halt_measurement()
+            mpapath = self.get_new_mpapath()
+            self.device._send_dll_command(f"mpaname={mpapath}")
+            self.datapath = mpapath.replace(".mpa",".lst")
+            self.dataindex = 0
+            print("Set filename...", self.datapath.split("\\")[-1])
+
+            # self.device.erase_measruement() # Don't erase because this takes super long for some reason
+            self.device.start_measurement()
+            self.start_time = time.perf_counter()
+            time.sleep(0.2) # some buffer time to make sure the measurement already started for sure
+            # TODO: What's the minimum time to wait here?
+
+        # Save where to find the measurement data (which file and within file)
+        with h5py.File(h5_file,'r+') as f:
+            group = f[f"devices/{self.device_name}"]
+            group.attrs["datapath"] = self.datapath
+            group.attrs["dataindex"] = self.dataindex
+            self.dataindex += group.attrs["n_trigger"]
 
         return {}
 
@@ -104,5 +94,5 @@ class MCS8AWorker(Worker):
     def abort_transition_to_buffered(self):
         return True
     
-    # def shutdown(self):
-    #     self.device._send_dll_command("exit")
\ No newline at end of file
+    def shutdown(self):
+        self.device._send_dll_command("exit")
\ No newline at end of file

FastComtecMCS8A/labscript_devices.py

@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 #                                                                   #
 # /user_devices/FastComtecMCS8A/labscript_devices.py                #
 #                                                                   #
-# Jan 2023, Stephan Roschinski                                      #
+# Feb. 2024, Leonard Group                                          #
 #                                                                   #
 #                                                                   #
 #####################################################################
-from labscript import TriggerableDevice, LabscriptError, set_passed_properties
+from labscript import TriggerableDevice, LabscriptError, set_passed_properties, config
 import numpy as np
 
 class MCS8A(TriggerableDevice):
@@ -19,34 +19,23 @@ class MCS8A(TriggerableDevice):
         super().__init__(name, parent_device, connection, **kwargs)
         self.BLACS_connection = "SPCM MCS8A"
         self.config_path = config_path
-        self.commands = {}
+        self.labels = {}
 
-    def do_checks(self):
-        if len(self.trigger_device.triggerings) > 1:
-            raise NotImplementedError("Only 1 acquistuin allowed, working on code!")
-        
-    def set_dll_command(self, command, value = None):
-        if command in self.commands:
-            raise LabscriptError("Do not set the same config command twice!")
-        self.commands[command] = value
-
-    def set_binwidth_and_duration(self, binwidth, duration):
-        """
-        Parameters:
-        """
-        bitshift = round(np.log2(binwidth/400e-12))
-        self.set_dll_command(f"bitshift", hex(bitshift)[2:])
-
-        range_dec = duration/binwidth//64 * 64
-        self.set_dll_command("range", str(int(range_dec)))
+    def acquire(self, t, duration, trigger_duration=None, label=""):
+        if trigger_duration is None:
+            trigger_duration = duration
+        self.labels[t] = label
+        self.trigger(t,trigger_duration)
 
     def generate_code(self, hdf5_file):
         group = hdf5_file.create_group(f"devices/{self.name}")
-        commands_group = group.create_group("commands")
-        for command,value in self.commands.items():
-            commands_group.attrs[command] = value
+        labels_group = group.create_group("labels")
+        for t,label in self.labels.items():
+            labels_group.attrs[str(t)] = label
         
-        self.do_checks()
+        group.attrs["n_trigger"] = len(self.trigger_device.triggerings)
+        durations = [triggering[1] for triggering in self.trigger_device.triggerings]
+        group.create_dataset("durations", compression = config.compression, data = durations)
 
         super().generate_code(hdf5_file)
        

FastComtecMCS8A/test_config.SET

-[MCS8A A] 208 FW 3.104 SV 1.243 
-range=29824
-periods=2
-sweepmode=22fd2088
-fstchan=0
-holdafter=0
-streamstatus=3
-calreg0=0
-calreg1=0
-calreg2=0
-calreg3=0
-swpreset=1           
-prena=6
-syncout=0
-cycles=2
-sequences=1
-tagbits=16
-vdac0=1079c
-vdac1=479c
-vdac2=43b4
-vdac3=3b4
-vdac4=3b4
-vdac5=3b4
-vdac6=3b4
-vdac7=3b4
-timepreset=0.000       
-digio=0
-digval=0
-autoinc=0 
-savedata=1 
-mpafmt=asc
-sephead=1 
-fmt=asc
-smoothpts=5 
-wndwidth=163
-wndheight=286
-sysdef=0
-showstarts=0
-[CHN1]
-range=29824
-active=0
-bitshift=11
-cftfak=2580100
-evpreset=10          
-roimin=0
-roimax=29824
-caloff=0.000000
-calfact=52428.800000
-calfact2=0
-calfact3=0
-calunit=nsec
-caluse=1 
-[CHN2]
-range=29824
-active=1
-bitshift=11
-cftfak=2580100
-evpreset=10          
-roimin=0
-roimax=64
-caloff=0.000000
-calfact=52428.800000
-calfact2=0
-calfact3=0
-calunit=nsec
-caluse=1