astropix-python

Python based lightweight cross-platform tool to control the GECCO System, based on ATLASPix3_SoftAndFirmware

To interact with the FTDI-Chip the ftd2xx package is used, which provides a wrapper around the proprietary D2XX driver. The free pyftdi driver currently does not support the synchronous 245 FIFO mode.
For bit manipulation the bitstring package is used.

Features:

• Write ASIC config (SR and SPI)
• Configure Voltageboards (+offset cal)
• Configure Injectionboard
• Read/Write single registers
• SPI/QSPI Readout
• Import/export chip config from/to yaml

Work in progress:

• GUI

Installation

Requirements:

• Python >= 3.9
• packages: ftd2xx, async-timeout, bitstring
• D2XX Driver

$ git clone [email protected]:nic-str/astropix-python.git
$ cd astropix-python

# Create venv
$ python3 -m venv astropix-venv
$ source astropix-venv/bin/activate

# Install Requirements
$ pip install -r requirements.txt

Windows

D2XX Driver should be pre-installed.

Linux

Install D2XX driver: Installation Guide

Check if VCP driver gets loaded:

sudo lsmod | grep -a "ftdi_sio"

If yes, create a rule e.g., 99-ftdi-nexys.rules in /etc/udev/rules.d/ with the following content to unbid the VCP driver and make the device accessible for non-root users:

ATTRS{idVendor}=="0403", ATTRS{idProduct}=="6010",\
PROGRAM="/bin/sh -c '\
    echo -n $id:1.0 > /sys/bus/usb/drivers/ftdi_sio/unbind;\
    echo -n $id:1.1 > /sys/bus/usb/drivers/ftdi_sio/unbind\
'"

ATTRS{idVendor}=="0403", ATTRS{idProduct}=="6010",\
MODE="0666"

Reload rules with:

sudo udevadm trigger

Create links to shared lib:

sudo ldconfig

Mac

See FTDI Mac OS X Installation Guide D2XX Driver section from page 10.

How to use the astropixRun wrapper

Astropix.py is a module with the goal of simplifying and unifying all of the diffrent branches and modules into a single warpper which can be easily worked with. The goal is to provide a simple interface where astropix can be configured, initalized, monitored, and interfaced with without having to modify source files or copy and paste code from various repositories.

Directions for use:

1. Creating the instance
   • After import, call astropixRun().
   • Usage: astropixRun([none required], [opt] inject, offline)
   • optional arguments:
     • inject: [row, col] of pixel where injection will be enabled. If no argument provided, no pixel enabled for injection
     • offline: Default FALSE. Set to TRUE to interface with an astropixRun object but not collect data (ex. to only decode an existing file)
2. Initializing voltages
   • call astro.init_voltages([none required], [opt] vcal, vsupply, vthreshold, dacvals)
   • Optional arguments:
     • vcal: calibrated voltage. Default 0.989
     • vsupply: voltage to gecco board. Default 2.7
     • vthreshold: ToT threshold voltage. Default value provided in yml (or 100 if not provided in yml)
     • dacvals: if you want to configure the dac values, do that here
3. Initalizing the ASIC
   • call astro.asic_init()
   • Usage: astro.asic_init(yaml, [opt] dac_setup, bias_setup, analog_col)
   • Required arguments:
     • yaml: string of name of configuration .yml file in /config/*.yml
   • Optional arguments:
     • dac_setup: dictionary of values which will be used to change the defalt dac settings (from yml config). Does not need to have a complete dictionary, only values that you want to change. Default None
     • bias_setup: dictionary of values which will be used to change the defalt bias settings. Does not need to have a complete dictionary, only values that you want to change. Default None
     • analog_col: column of pixel in row0 to enable analog output. Default None (no analog output)
4. Initalizing injector board (optional)
   • call astro.init_injection()
   • Usage: astro.init_injection([none required], [opt] inj_voltage, inj_period, clkdiv, initdelay, cycle, pulseperset, onchip)
   • Optional arguments:
     • inj_voltage: Amplitude of injected square wave. Default provided in yml (or 300 [mV] if not provided in yml)
     • inj_period: period of injection. Default 100
     • clkdiv: Number of clock divisions. Default 300
     • initdelay: Initialization delay. Default 100
     • cycle: Default 0
     • pulseperset: Number of injection pulses per cycle. Default 1
     • onchip: bool regarding injeciton pulse generation. Default FALSE (generated with card in GECCO board. If TRUE, generated in periphery on chip - only valid for astropix v3 and higher)
5. enable SPI
   • astro.enable_spi()
   • takes no arguments
6. Send configuration to chip
   • astro.asic_configure()
   • takes no arguments

Useful methods:

astro.get_readout() --> bytearray. Gets bytestream from the chip

astro.decode_readout(readout, [opt] printer) --> list of dictionaries. Printer prints the decoded values to terminal

astro.write_conf_to_yaml() --> write configuration settings to *.yml

astro.start_injection() and astro.stop_injection() are self explainatory

Usage of beam_test.py

beam_test.py has the ability to:

• Save csv files
• Plot hits in real time
• Configure threshold and injection voltages
• Enable digital output based on pixel masks

CAUTION : try not to pass arguments to astropix.py as numpy objects - if looping through a numpy array, typecast to int, float, etc for the argument call or features may not work as intended (ie - pixels may not be activated/deactivated as expected)

Options:

Argument	Usage	Purpose	Default
-n --name	-n [SOME_STRING]	Set additional name to be added to the timestamp in file outputs	None
-o --outdir	-o [SOME_STRING]	Directory to save all output files to. Will be created if it doesn't exist.	./
-y --yaml	-y [NAME]	Name of configuration file, assuming config/*.yml where * is passed. If not specified, uses config/testconfig.yml and disables all pixels	testconfig
-V --chipVer	-V [SOME_INT]	Defines chip version and available settings. Should match yml file	2
-c --saveascsv	-c	Toggle saving csv files on and off	Does not save csv
-s --showhits	-s	Display hits in real time	Off
-p --plotsave	-p	Saves real time plots as image files. Stored in outdir.	Does not save plots
-t --threshold	-t [VOLTAGE]	Sets digital threshold voltage in mV.	100mV
-i --inject	-i [COL]	Toggles injection on or off at specified column. Injects 300mV unless specified.	Off
-v --vinj	-v [VOLTAGE]	Sets voltage of injection in mV. Does not enable injection.	300mV
-M --maxtime	-M [float]	Sets the length of time for data collection, in minutes.	No maximum
-r --maxruns	-r [int]	Sets the maximum number of readouts the code will process before exiting.	No maximum
-E --errormax	-E [int]	Amount of index errors encountered in the decode before the program terminates.	0
-a --analog	-a [COL]	Enable analog output on specified column	None
-L --loglevel	-L [D,I,E,W,C]	Loglevel to be stored. Applies to both console and file. Options: D - debug, I - info, E - error, W - warning, C - critical	I
--timeit	--timeit	Measures the time it took to decode and store a hitstream.	Off