QCoDeS 0.63.0 (2026-11-11) ========================== Breaking Changes: ----------------- - Several instrument driver parameters now return numbers or booleans instead of the raw string from the instrument, or an integer for an on/off state. Code that compares the returned value to a string, or to ``0``/``1`` by identity, needs updating: - ``Keithley2450.line_frequency`` and ``Keithley2450Sense.count`` now return ``int``, and ``Keithley2450Sense.nplc`` and ``Keithley2450Source.delay`` return ``float``. - ``Keithley7510Sense.user_delay`` now returns ``float``, and ``Keithley7510Sense.average_count``, ``Keithley7510DigitizeSense.acq_rate`` and ``Keithley7510DigitizeSense.count`` return ``int``. - ``SR86xBuffer.count_capture_kilobytes`` now returns ``int``. - ``RigolDG1062Burst.ncycles`` now returns ``int``, and ``RigolDG1062Burst.phase``, ``RigolDG1062Burst.time_delay`` and ``RigolDG1062Channel.duty_cycle`` return ``float``. - ``RigolDS1074Z.trigger_level`` and ``TektronixTPS2012.trigger_level`` now return ``float``. - ``TektronixDPOHorizontal.record_length`` now returns ``int`` instead of ``float``, as the record length is a number of samples. - ``AgilentE8267C.pulse_width`` now returns ``float`` and its unit is ``s`` instead of ``ns``, matching the value sent to and returned by the instrument. - ``RohdeSchwarzRTO1000ScopeChannel.impedance`` and ``KeysightE4980A.range`` now return ``float``. - ``RohdeSchwarzZNBChannel.bandwidth`` now returns ``float``, e.g. ``10000.0`` instead of ``10000``. - The channel ``state`` and ``direct_output`` and the instrument ``DC_output`` of ``TektronixAWG5014`` now return ``bool``. They accept ``True``/``False``, ``1``/``0`` and ``"on"``/``"off"``. ``TektronixAWG5014.sequence_pos`` now returns ``int``. - ``KeysightB1520A.ac_dc_volt_monitor`` now returns ``bool`` and also accepts ``1``/``0`` and ``"on"``/``"off"``. (:pr:`8658`) - The field units of an ``AMIModel430`` can no longer be changed while it is part of an ``AMIModel4303D``, and doing so now raises a ``RuntimeError``. The set point and field limit of the 3D driver are in the field units of the magnets, so changing them silently changed their meaning by a factor of 10. Set the field units before creating the 3D driver, or close the 3D driver first. The coordinate vectors of ``AMIModel4303D`` (``cartesian``, ``spherical``, ``cylindrical`` and their ``*_measured`` versions) now return a named tuple (``CartesianVector``, ``SphericalVector`` or ``CylindricalVector`` from ``qcodes.math_utils``) instead of a list, so the components can also be accessed by name, e.g. ``cartesian_measured().z``. Code that compares the result to a list, or modifies it, needs updating. Setting these parameters still accepts lists, tuples and numpy arrays. (:pr:`8679`) - The ``auto_zero_once`` parameter of ``Keithley7510Sense`` and the ``trigger_in_ext_clear`` parameter of ``Keithley7510`` have been replaced by methods of the same name. Both were command-only parameters, so calling them without an argument, e.g. ``dmm.sense.auto_zero_once()``, only returned the cached value and did not send anything to the instrument. Calling them like this now sends the command. Code that passed a value to them, e.g. ``dmm.trigger_in_ext_clear(None)``, must drop the argument, and they are no longer part of the instrument's parameters or snapshot. (:pr:`8694`) - The ``trigger_count`` parameter of ``Keithley6500``, which sets the number of times a scan is repeated (``ROUT:SCAN:COUN:SCAN``), now accepts the full range documented in the DMM6500 Reference Manual: 0 to 100,000,000, where 0 repeats the scan until it is aborted. It previously only accepted 1 to 9999 or the strings ``"inf"``, ``"default"``, ``"minimum"`` and ``"maximum"``, which were copied from the Keithley 2000 and are not documented for this command. These strings are now rejected; use 0 instead of ``"inf"``. Whole-number floats are accepted and sent as integers, and the parameter is annotated as ``Parameter[int, Self]``. (:pr:`8694`) Improved: --------- - Fixed a rare error on Python 3.12 and 3.13 where closing an instrument could fail with ``RuntimeError: dictionary changed size during iteration`` if the garbage collector cleaned up another instrument at the same time. The instrument then stayed registered, so its name could not be reused. (:pr:`8680`) - The "Creating Instrument Drivers" example notebook now explains how to annotate a parameter with the type of its value, e.g. ``Parameter[float, Self]``, and all of its example drivers are annotated this way. This also fixed bugs in the example code: the Ithaco example passed ``units`` instead of ``unit``, the Keithley 2600 example lacked its ``model`` attribute and ``_display_settext`` method, and the Alazar example used outdated ``TraceParameter`` arguments. (:pr:`8694`) - Dataset preparation now writes startup metadata and the snapshot in one transaction, inserting the snapshot after the other run metadata updates to avoid repeatedly rewriting large snapshots. The complete snapshot is committed before background writers and pending subscribers are started. Improved Drivers: ----------------- - Add convenience methods to Tektronix DPO7200xx (``single``, ``download_waveforms``, ``get_timebase``) and AWG70000A (``upload_seqx``) drivers for streamlined waveform acquisition and sequence upload workflows. (:pr:`7865`) - The current ranges of the Keithley 2634B, 2635B and 2636B include 10 mA; their lists contained 10 µA twice in its place, so a 10 mA range was rejected. (:pr:`8618`) - Most instrument driver parameters are now annotated with the type of their value, e.g. ``Parameter[float, Self]``, so static type checkers can infer the type returned by ``get`` and accepted by ``set``. As part of this, the mock instruments no longer pass the default ``parameter_class=Parameter`` explicitly, and ``Keysight34980A.module`` is typed as a mapping from slot number to switch matrix submodule. Fixed the following driver bugs found along the way: - ``RigolDS4000.enable_auto_scale`` always read back as ``True``, since ``bool("0")`` is ``True``, and was set with ``True``/``False`` instead of ``1``/``0``. - ``RohdeSchwarzRTO1000.trigger_mode`` queried the trigger source instead of the trigger mode. - ``Keithley6500.digits`` sent a set command with a stray ``?``. - ``MessageBuilder.pch_query`` of the Keysight B1500 sent ``PCH`` instead of ``PCH?``. - ``LakeshoreModel325Heater.output_range`` accepted the high (25 W) range on loop 2, which is only supported on loop 1. - ``LakeshoreModel325Sensor.curve_index`` now accepts ``0`` (no curve), which the instrument also reports when the selected curve does not match the input, and rejects non-integer values. Whole-number floats such as ``23.0`` are still accepted and sent as integers. - The ``LakeshoreModel325`` curve list now includes user curve 35, so ``upload_curve(35, ...)`` no longer raises an ``IndexError``. - ``LakeshoreModel325Curve.get_data`` now reads all 200 points of a curve instead of 199. - ``LakeshoreModel325Curve.set_data`` now writes curve points with 6 significant digits, the resolution of the instrument, instead of rounding them to 3 decimals. - ``LakeshoreModel325Sensor.curve`` now raises a ``RuntimeError`` when no curve is selected for the sensor, instead of returning a curve 0, which the instrument does not have. - ``RohdeSchwarzZNBChannel.bandwidth`` failed to read a non-integer bandwidth such as 1.5 Hz, which the instrument supports. - The ``current_compliance`` and ``power_compliance`` of the ``KeysightB1517A`` sweep could not be set back to ``None``, which leaves the compliance out of the ``WV`` command. Since a power compliance can only be sent together with a current compliance, clearing the current compliance also clears the power compliance. - ``Keysight34980A.scan_slots`` can now be called again; it skips slots that already have a module instead of failing to register a duplicate submodule. - ``Keithley7510DigitizeSense.aperture`` was labelled in ``us`` although the instrument uses seconds; its unit is now ``s``. - ``averages``, ``points`` and ``active_trace`` of the Keysight PNA (``KeysightPNABase``) drivers now reject non-integer values. Previously ``averages`` failed to format a float such as ``2.5`` and the others sent it to the instrument. Whole-number floats such as ``2.0`` are still accepted and sent as integers. (:pr:`8658`) - ``CopperMountainM5xxx.averages``, ``AimTTiChannel.curr_range``, ``RigolDG1062Burst.ncycles``, ``Keithley7510Sense.average_count`` and the ``dwell``, ``pause``, ``curve_number`` and ``excitation_range_number`` of ``LakeshoreModel372Channel`` now reject non-integer values. Previously these were sent to the instrument, or for ``CopperMountainM5xxx.averages`` silently truncated. Whole-number floats such as ``2.0`` are still accepted and sent as integers. Also removed the incorrect unit of ``AimTTiChannel.curr_range``, which is a range number, fixed the label of ``LakeshoreModel372Channel.temperature_coefficient``, and removed incorrect units from ``RigolDS1074Z.trigger_mode``, ``waveform_npoints``, ``waveform_yorigin`` and ``waveform_yref``. (:pr:`8678`) - The field parameters of ``AMIModel4303D``, such as ``cartesian``, ``x`` and ``field_measured``, now use the field units of the individual magnets, tesla or kilogauss, instead of always reporting tesla. A warning is logged if the magnets use different field units. Also removed the placeholder unit ``tuple?`` of ``AMIModel4303D.spherical`` and ``cylindrical``, whose components have different units, which are now described in their docstrings. Closing an ``AMIModel4303D`` now detaches its magnets, so ``set_field``, ``zero`` and changing the units of a magnet that is still open no longer fail. (:pr:`8679`) - The parameters of the Basel SP983, SP983a and SP983c, Ithaco 1211, Keithley 2450, DMM7510, S46 and 2600 drivers that were not yet typed are now annotated with the type of their value, e.g. ``Parameter[float, Self]``, so static type checkers can infer the type returned by ``get`` and accepted by ``set``. (:pr:`8694`) New: ---- - Added the named tuples ``CartesianVector`` (``x``, ``y``, ``z``), ``SphericalVector`` (``field``, ``theta``, ``phi``) and ``CylindricalVector`` (``rho``, ``phi``, ``z``) to ``qcodes.math_utils``, for the components of a field vector in a given coordinate system. (:pr:`8679`) - Added recording of parameter access: inside a ``with qcodes.parameters.record_parameter_accesses() as accesses:`` block, every ``get`` and ``set`` of a parameter made by the current thread (or asyncio task) is appended to ``accesses`` as a ``qcodes.parameters.ParameterAccess``: the names of the parameter and its instrument, the value and raw value, when the access started, how long it took and the error it raised, if any. A set that ramps in steps is recorded once per step. Accesses are appended to a new list, or to a mutable sequence that is passed in, whose ``append`` must only store them. ``qcodes.parameters.log_parameter_accesses`` logs the accesses to the ``qcodes.parameters.parameter_access`` logger instead. Recording only stores data: it is not a way to react to an access, and a record holds names rather than the parameter or instrument. This makes it possible to see all instrument communication made by a piece of code without changing it. (:pr:`8684`) Under the hood: --------------- - The test suite now runs faster. Tests using the simulated Keysight B220x and B1500 instruments no longer first try to connect to a real instrument, and a number of unneeded sleeps and waits have been removed or shortened. (:pr:`8725`) - The documentation builds faster: the ``InstrumentGroup`` example notebook ramps its gate in fewer steps, and the ``qcodes.sphinx_extensions.parse_parameter_attr`` Sphinx extension now parses the source of each class only once instead of once for every attribute documented on it. (:pr:`8742`) - All temporary files created by the test suite are now placed under pytest's temporary directory root, so setting ``PYTEST_DEBUG_TEMPROOT`` (or ``--basetemp``) relocates all of them. (:pr:`8749`) - The test suite runs faster, especially on Windows: test databases are now opened with SQLite's ``PRAGMA synchronous=OFF`` so that commits are not flushed to disk.