read_counter.py

# simple script for reading Keysight 53230A counter

import vxi11 # https://pypi.org/project/python-vxi11/
import time
import datetime
import pytz
instr1 =  vxi11.Instrument("194.100.49.155") # lower counter
init_commands = ["*RST",
                 "SYST:TIM 5.0",
                 "CONF:TINT (@1), (@2)", # REVERSE!
                 "SAMP:COUN 1", "TRIG:COUN 1",
                 #"CONF:FREQ (@1)",
                 "INP1:SLOP POS", "INP2:SLOP POS",
                 "INP1:LEV:AUTO OFF", "INP2:LEV:AUTO OFF",
                 "INP1:LEV1 1.0",
                 "INP2:LEV1 0.2", # uBlox low amplitude pulse!
                 "INP1:IMP 50", # 1M
                 "INP2:IMP 50",
                 "INP1:COUP DC",
                 "INP2:COUP DC",
                 "INIT:IMM"]
# initialization commands
for cmd in init_commands:
    instr1.write(cmd)
    print cmd
    time.sleep(0.3)

# TCPIP::A-53230A-00151::inst0::INSTR
#instr.unlock()
#print(instr.ask(":READ?"))
def query(instr,cmd, sleep=0, length=100):
    reply = ""
    try:
        instr.write(cmd)
        time.sleep(sleep)
        reply = instr.read()
    except:
        pass
    return reply

def append_datarow(dt, row):
    """
    Write a new data-row to the text file.
    One file per day
    """
    fname = "data/my_data_%04d-%02d-%02d.txt" % (dt.year, dt.month, dt.day)
    print fname
    with open(fname, 'a+') as f:
        f.write(row)
        f.flush()

def num_pts(instr):
    return int( query(instr, ":DATA:POINTS?") )

while True:
    utc_t = time.time()
    r1 = " "
    try:
        r1 = instr1.ask( "READ?")
    except:
        pass
    dt = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(utc_t, tz=pytz.UTC)
    tstamp = "%04d-%02d-%02d %02d:%02d:%02d" % (dt.year, dt.month, dt.day, dt.hour, dt.minute, dt.second)
    datastring = "%s %s " %(tstamp, r1)
    datastring += "\n"
    print datastring
    append_datarow(dt, datastring)
    time.sleep(0.1)