TICSPRO-SW: : LMX2594EVM and TICSPRO-SW: possible to use scripts (Python, Perl, ..etc) to do some automation?

AnBer

Part Number: TICSPRO-SW
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: LMX2594, LMX2492

Team,

Is there a way to use script language on the PC side in order to do some automated testing with the LMX2594 EVM?

The idea is to be able to read/write registers in order to make an analysis of spurious with different register settings.

Thanks in advance,

Anthony

over 7 years ago

0 Puneet Sareen over 7 years ago

TI__Expert 8865 points

Hi Anthony,
There are some possibilities. I would recommend to contact Dean directly via email.
Best regards
Puneet

0 Dean Banerjee over 7 years ago

TI__Mastermind 28001 points

4722.TicsPro Automation with Labview.pdf LabView Automation.zipHi all,

Consider this a generic response for anyone who wants to automate TICSPro.

TICSPro can be called through excel or Labview. The attached paper discusses automation of TICSPro through labview and the zip file has some attached VI files.

Regards,

Dean

0 AnBer over 7 years ago in reply to Dean Banerjee

TI__Mastermind 30150 points

Hi Dean,

Thanks for the answer!

I have seen the below page that show a basic Python script to access a Labview VI file:
https://forums.ni.com/t5/Example-Programs/Controlling-a-VI-using-Python-using-LabVIEW/ta-p/3536468
However this seems outdated (from 2012).

-Do you know if somebody has tried Python already to access the .vi files you provided?
-Would it be possible to have a simple python example that would just read a register and change a bitfiled on the LMX2594 EVM (via TicsPro_Read_Register.vi and TicsPro_set_field_value.vi)?

I assume that the below NI tool kit (Python for labview) is needed?
https://www.enthought.com/product/python-for-labview

EDITED: I have found other old community information but I am not sure if it is helping:
https://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/Calling-LabVIEW-VI-s-from-Python/td-p/1215167/page/2
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/45208876/launch-labview-program-through-python

Thanks in advance,

Anthony

0 Bert De Mulder over 7 years ago in reply to AnBer

Prodigy 60 points

Dear Anthony and Dean,

Thank you for the useful suggestions. The labview file seems like a very good entry point. However we do not have this software available, and the method suggested by Anthony is even a more complicated workaround.

Basically, I would like to check two other options:

* Do you have a definition of the USB packet protocol that I can use to tap directly into the communication channel? I tried to capture and decrypt the USB packets but it's not really straight forward.

* Do you have a definition of the complete API of the TICS Pro software? This might allow me to program the registers through the Tics PRO tool.

Thanks,
Bert

0 Dean Banerjee over 7 years ago in reply to AnBer

TI__Mastermind 28001 points

Anthony,

This uses ActiveX which can be called from Excel, Python, or Labview.

I'm an excel user and it looks something like this:

Set TICSproLoader = CreateObject("TICSPro.ActiveX")

TICSproLoader.SetText "Fvco_FREQ","900"

If you look at the TICSPro GUI on a PLL tab, often the VCO frequency is labeled "Fvco_FREQ" this changes this to 900 MHz. There is also a SetIndex and SetPin command.

Regards,

Dean

0 Dean Banerjee over 7 years ago in reply to Dean Banerjee

TI__Mastermind 28001 points

Anthony,

I created this excel sheet that can use some simple commands in Excel. Yes, it has macros, so make sure that you allow macros and set up the excel trust center.

1. It starts TICSPro and selects a part.

2. It allows you to try various commands to change things.

The documentation is the code. To see a list of commands, go to developer mode and view the code as examples.

Regards,TICSPro Automation Example.xlsm

Dean

0 Bert De Mulder over 7 years ago in reply to Dean Banerjee

Prodigy 60 points

Dean,

That's a big step forwards, we're almost there. I am able to control TICS Pro from my script using the COM interface of the program now.

When skimming through the excel macro, I found a lot of interesting stuff. I found the "LOAD" command that writes all the registers to the PLL and "LOADREG" that writes a single one. I found a lot of commands to interact with the GUI fields to set N, F and so on. But I would like to interact with the PLL on register level and it's not clear yet how to write update a register in TICS Pro through the COM interface.

Once that is clear, I'm all done!

Thanks

0 Dean Banerjee over 7 years ago in reply to Bert De Mulder

TI__Mastermind 28001 points

3276.TICSPro Automation Example.xlsmBert,

Let's take another big step forward:

1. I added a SETREG command to set register value.

2. There were a bunch of useless and redundant commands. So I stripped these out.

3. I updated the descriptions to make it easier to understand.

Attached is the new file.

Regards,

Dean

0 Mina Habib31 over 7 years ago in reply to Dean Banerjee

Prodigy 10 points

Hi Dean,

thank you very much for the info.
I have a question regarding automation using labview. I am trying to load a part from the select device menu using invoke node in labiew with select device method but I can't load the device because it is under multiple dropdown menu. for example, to load the LMX2492 I have to go to the PLL menu first and then choose the LMX2492, can you please let me know how to do that in labview?.

Thanks
Mina

0 Dean Banerjee over 7 years ago in reply to Mina Habib31

TI__Mastermind 28001 points

Mina,

Myself and my group use Excel based automation for TICSPro based on the excel worksheet I attached.

As for Labview, it has been done and documented in the other attachment to this thread, but the person that wrote this document is not with our group any more, so I can't support it.

That being said, I think the Labview approach must be similar to the Excel approach. To select a part in excel we use

TICSProLoader.SelectDevice PartName

PartName is just the part like "LMX2594"; it doesn't need any folder information.

Regards,
Dean

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TICSPRO-SW: : LMX2594EVM and TICSPRO-SW: possible to use scripts (Python, Perl, ..etc) to do some automation?