Object Hierarchy

Todo

make sure it is updated and easy to read.

Rough linkages:

In bold the containing class creates this object. In italics the container just holds this object (or class) as a default for derivatives to use. Normal text shows the container includes and uses of this object.

  • Station

  • Instrument: IPInstrument, VisaInstrument, MockInstrument

    • Parameter

    • Validator: Anything, Strings, Numbers, Ints, Enum, MultiType

    • SweepValues: SweepFixedValues, AdaptiveSweep

    • Function

    • Validator

  • Monitor

  • actions

  • DataManager

  • DataServer

  • qcodes.loops

  • actions: Parameter, Task, Wait, (Active)Loop

  • ActiveLoop

    • DataSet

    • DataArray

    • Formatter: GNUPlotFormat

    • DiskIO (may become subclass of IOManager?)

    • FormatLocation (a location_provider)

Station

A convenient container for instruments, parameters, and more.

More information:

Instrument

A representation of one particular piece of hardware.

Lists all Parameters and Functions this hardware is capable of, and handles the underlying communication with the hardware. Instrument sets the common structure but real instruments will generally derive from its subclasses, such as IPInstrument and VisaInstrument. There is also MockInstrument for making simulated instruments, connected to a Model that mimics a serialized communication channel with an apparatus.

Todo

add all the things from the github issue

Parameter

A representation of one particular state variable.

Most Parameters are part of an Instrument, and parameter is linked to specific commands that are sent to a specific instrument. But you can also create Parameters that execute arbitrary functions, for example to combine several gate voltages in a diagonal sweep. Parameters can have setters and/or getters (they must define at least a setter OR a getter but do not need to define both)

Gettable Parameters often return one value, but can return a collection of values - several values with different names, or one or more arrays of values, ie if an instrument provides a whole data set at once, or if you want to save raw and calculated data side-by-side

Settable Parameters take a single value, and can be sliced to create a SweepFixedValues object.

Validator

Defines a set of valid inputs, and tests values against this set

Subclasses include Anything, Strings, Numbers, Ints, Enum, and MultiType, each of which takes various arguments that restrict it further.

SweepValues

An iterator that provides values to a sweep, along with a setter for those values connected to a Parameter.

Mostly the SweepFixedValues subclass is used (this is flexible enough to iterate over any arbitrary collection of values, not necessarily linearly spaced) but ot