add Thorlabs DotNetAPI by DCEM · Pull Request #386 · QCoDeS/Qcodes_contrib_drivers

DCEM · 2024-11-27T12:59:44Z

replacement for: #267 discussed in #262

This pull request introduces drivers for the QCoDeS framework, enabling control of Thorlabs devices via the Thorlabs .NET API. The integration aims to provide a structured and extendable approach to instrument control within QCoDeS.

What's Included:

Integration Manual: A guide for integrating Thorlabs devices with QCoDeS via .NET API
API Structure Classes: Classes that provide a framework mirroring the Thorlabs .NET API.
Drivers for BSCxxx and KDC101: Initial implementations for specific Thorlabs devices.

Current Status:
The API-structured classes are foundational but not complete. They can be expanded with more features and support for additional devices.

Further Information:
Detailed implementation notes can be found in the README at ...Thorlabs/private/DotNetAPI/README.md.

… decimal-to-float conversions - Introduce a new constructor argument `decimal_as_float` to toggle .NET Decimal conversion to either Python Decimal or float. - Refactor getter/setter methods to distinguish between DIRECT and ACCESSOR API interface usage with reflection. - Migrate from string-based .NET Enum handling to integer-based handling (verifying Int32 underpinnings). - Add `_get_thorlabs_enum_dict` to generate a QCoDeS-friendly dictionary for enum names and values. - Use `CultureInfo.InvariantCulture` for .NET Decimal to string conversion to ensure consistent locale handling. - Improve validation and error handling throughout the mixin to guard against incorrect usage and data type mismatches.

Untested with sceleton classes for: IntegratedStepperMotor and CageRotor, I do not have the hardware to test.

Copilot

Pull Request Overview

This pull request introduces a comprehensive driver framework for the QCoDeS framework that enables control of Thorlabs devices via the Thorlabs .NET API. The integration provides a structured and extendable approach to instrument control, mirroring the Thorlabs .NET API inheritance structure.

Integration Framework: Implements API structure classes that mirror the Thorlabs .NET API with ThorlabsMixin, ThorlabsQcodesInstrument, and various interface classes
Device Drivers: Provides initial implementations for BSCxxx, KDC101, K10CR1, MFF10x, KLSnnn, and TDC001 devices
Documentation and Templates: Includes comprehensive README documentation and template files for adding new device support

Reviewed Changes

Copilot reviewed 20 out of 20 changed files in this pull request and generated 7 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
qcodes_thorlabs_integration.py	Core integration framework with mixins and base classes for .NET API interaction
init.py	Import handling for pythonnet dependency
README.md	Comprehensive documentation for implementation approach and examples
Device driver files	Individual drivers for specific Thorlabs devices (BSCxxx, KDC101, etc.)
API structure files	Classes mirroring .NET API inheritance (DeviceManagerCLI, GenericMotorCLI, etc.)
Template file	Template for creating new device drivers

Comments suppressed due to low confidence (3)

src/qcodes_contrib_drivers/drivers/Thorlabs/private/DotNetAPI/qcodes_thorlabs_integration.py:67

The parameter 'setter_name' should be 'setter_name' instead of 'getter_name' in the set_cmd. The current code incorrectly uses 'getter_name' which would cause the setter operation to fail.

            decimal_as_float (bool): If True, automatically converts .NET Decimal attributes to Python floats.

src/qcodes_contrib_drivers/drivers/Thorlabs/private/DotNetAPI/qcodes_thorlabs_integration.py:422

The method call should access 'VelocityMaximum' instead of 'AccelerationMaximum' for the velocity_max parameter, as indicated by the docstring.

                except Exception as e:

Copilot · 2025-07-22T13:23:45Z

+            self.log.error(f"Failed to import DLLs for Thorlabs device with serial number {self._serial_number}")
+            raise
+
+        # Enable siumulation if self._simulation is True.


Typo in comment: 'siumulation' should be 'simulation'.

Suggested change

# Enable siumulation if self._simulation is True.

# Enable simulation if self._simulation is True.

Copilot · 2025-07-22T13:23:46Z

+        self.add_parameter(
+            'firmware_version',
+            get_cmd=lambda: device_info.FirmwareVersion.ToString(),
+            docstring='Serial model of the device, read-only.')


The docstring should describe 'firmware version' not 'serial model' since this parameter is for firmware_version.

Suggested change

docstring='Serial model of the device, read-only.')

docstring='Firmware version of the device, read-only.')

Copilot · 2025-07-22T13:23:46Z

+        while self.state() != 'Idle':
+            if countdown.passed():


The variable 'countdown' is referenced but never defined. This will cause a NameError when the method is called.

Suggested change

while self.state() != 'Idle':

if countdown.passed():

start_time = time.time()

while self.state() != 'Idle':

if timeout_s is not None and (time.time() - start_time) > timeout_s:

Copilot · 2025-07-22T13:23:46Z

+            docstring='Gets the actual position.'
+            	'This parameter is motor dependent so its range is variable.'
+            	'The position or -1 if the filter is in motion.'
+            	'TODO: The operation will use the current value of "movement_timeout" for the move operation.'


[nitpick] The docstring spans multiple lines but is formatted as a single string. It should either be properly formatted as a multi-line docstring or combined into a single line.

Suggested change

docstring='Gets the actual position.'

'This parameter is motor dependent so its range is variable.'

'The position or -1 if the filter is in motion.'

'TODO: The operation will use the current value of "movement_timeout" for the move operation.'

docstring="""Gets the actual position.

This parameter is motor dependent so its range is variable.

The position or -1 if the filter is in motion.

TODO: The operation will use the current value of "movement_timeout" for the move operation."""

Copilot · 2025-07-22T13:23:47Z

+        if position < 0:
+        	raise ValueError("position must be non-negative.")


[nitpick] The position validation should be done by the validator in the parameter definition rather than in the setter method to ensure consistency.

Suggested change

if position < 0:

raise ValueError("position must be non-negative.")

Copilot · 2025-07-22T13:23:47Z

+            get_cmd=lambda: self._get_thorlabs_decimal('StepSize'),
+            set_cmd=lambda x: self._set_thorlabs_decimal(x, 'StepSize'),
+            unit=length_unit,
+            docstring="Stop Mode",


The docstring should describe 'Step Size' not 'Stop Mode' since this parameter is for step_size.

Suggested change

docstring="Stop Mode",

docstring="Step Size",

Copilot · 2025-07-22T13:23:47Z

+        Raises:
+            ValueError: If the provided mode is not one of the accepted modes.
+        """
+        if not hasattr(self, '_set_startup_mode_value'):


The condition checks for '_set_startup_mode_value' method but should check for '_startup_mode_value' attribute instead.

Suggested change

if not hasattr(self, '_set_startup_mode_value'):

if not hasattr(self, '_startup_mode_value'):

jenshnielsen · 2025-07-22T13:27:56Z

@DCEM I was experiencing with code review from copilot but I am not sure of the quality of the input. Please feel free do discard its suggestions where they don't apply.

add Thorlabs DotNetAPI

42aae2c

DCEM mentioned this pull request Nov 27, 2024

Thorlabs kinesis drivers #262

Open

DCEM and others added 28 commits November 27, 2024 17:23

updated readme, added template

95aecdb

Update README.md - typo

a56cc02

fix model variable

8684ee1

correct error in Template

44339ce

Update docstring Thorlabs_Template_DotNet.py

0967fef

cast serial_number as a string

357648c

remove dll_directory from kwars

c292373

update comments

866d17f

update/corect destructor behaviour

e2db70e

dont use validators if min >= max (true for simulation)

7408bc3

Update Template file

2e61735

update Template file

2db86f4

correct DotNetDecimal conversion

0c3669b

update ThorlabsObjectWrapper to handle decimal_as_float

2a9c80c

add KLSnnn

45a01a1

update GenericMotorCLI to handle int based enums

3454341

add MFF10x

41b27d1

add MFF002 to knownmodels

f8fa484

add KDC101

1d406e7

Untested with sceleton classes for: IntegratedStepperMotor and CageRotor, I do not have the hardware to test.

updated Thorlabs_K10CR1_DotNet.py

4512879

apply CageRotator typo patch

ebdc5af

fix Thorlabs uppercase L type in Namespace

8210c78

corect device name and update comments

7de5c08

correct name and location of IntegratedStepperMotorCLI classes

4a836f5

update K10CR1 to new class location

3506862

update GenericMotorCLI ControlParameters to use int based enums

f8b80a9

update GenericMotorCLI_AdvancedMotor DCStatus

adda5c2

DCEM added 6 commits December 28, 2024 21:10

Update Template File

0bcdfed

update _compute_move_time_ms

9509456

add TDC001

67b512c

Merge branch 'add-MFF10x' into add-Thorlabs-DotNetAPI

930d055

Merge branch 'add-KLSnnn' into add-Thorlabs-DotNetAPI

b8486fe

Merge branch 'add_KDC101' into add-Thorlabs-DotNetAPI

1af668e

jenshnielsen closed this Jul 22, 2025

jenshnielsen reopened this Jul 22, 2025

jenshnielsen requested a review from Copilot July 22, 2025 13:22

Copilot AI reviewed Jul 22, 2025

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add Thorlabs DotNetAPI#386

add Thorlabs DotNetAPI#386
DCEM wants to merge 35 commits into
QCoDeS:mainfrom
Geowissenschaften:add-Thorlabs-DotNetAPI

DCEM commented Nov 27, 2024

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	# Enable siumulation if self._simulation is True.
	# Enable simulation if self._simulation is True.

	docstring='Serial model of the device, read-only.')
	docstring='Firmware version of the device, read-only.')

		if position < 0:
		raise ValueError("position must be non-negative.")

	if not hasattr(self, '_set_startup_mode_value'):
	if not hasattr(self, '_startup_mode_value'):

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