Real World Instrumentation with Python

Preface; Who Is This Book For?; The Programming Languages; Why Python?; The Systems; Methodology; How This Book Is Organized; Conventions Used in This Book; Using Code Examples; Safari?? Books Online; How to Contact Us; Acknowledgments; Chapter 1: Introduction to Instrumentation; 1.1 Data Acquisition; 1.2 Control Output; 1.3 Applications Overview; 1.4 Summary; Chapter 2: Essential Electronics; 2.1 Electrical Charge; 2.2 Electric Current; 2.3 Basic Circuit Theory; 2.4 Circuit Schematics; 2.5 DC Circuit Characteristics; 2.6 AC Circuits; 2.7 Interfaces; 2.8 Summary; 2.9 Suggested Reading; Chapter 3: The Python Programming Language; 3.1 Installing Python; 3.2 The Python Programming Language; 3.3 Python Development Tools; 3.4 Summary; 3.5 Suggested Reading; Chapter 4: The C Programming Language; 4.1 Installing C; 4.2 Developing Software in C; 4.3 C Development Tools; 4.4 Summary; 4.5 Suggested Reading; Chapter 5: Python Extensions; 5.1 Creating Python Extensions in C; 5.2 Python???s C Extension API; 5.3 Using the Python C Extension API; 5.4 Python???s ctypes Foreign Function Library; 5.5 Summary; 5.6 Suggested Reading; Chapter 6: Hardware: Tools and Supplies; 6.1 The Essentials; 6.2 Advanced Tools; 6.3 Supplies; 6.4 New Versus Used; 6.5 Summary; 6.6 Suggested Reading; Chapter 7: Physical Interfaces; 7.1 Connectors; 7.2 Serial Interfaces; 7.3 GPIB/IEEE-488; 7.4 PC Bus Interface Hardware; 7.5 Old Doesn???t Mean Bad; 7.6 Summary; 7.7 Suggested Reading; Chapter 8: Getting Started; 8.1 Defining the Project; 8.2 Requirements; 8.3 Designing the Software; 8.4 Functional Testing; 8.5 Implementation; 8.6 User Documentation; 8.7 Summary; 8.8 Suggested Reading; Chapter 9: Control System Concepts; 9.1 Basic Control Systems Theory; 9.2 Control System Types; 9.3 Implementing Control Systems in Python; 9.4 Summary; 9.5 Suggested Reading; Chapter 10: Building and Using Simulators; 10.1 What Is Simulation?; 10.2 Using Python to Create a Simulator; 10.3 Serial Terminal Emulators; 10.4 Displaying Simulation Data; 10.5 Creating Your Own Simulators; 10.6 Summary; 10.7 Suggested Reading; Chapter 11: Instrumentation Data I/O; 11.1 Data I/O Interface Software; 11.2 Data I/O: Acquiring and Writing Data; 11.3 Summary; 11.4 Suggested Reading; Chapter 12: Reading and Writing Data Files; 12.1 ASCII Data Files; 12.2 Binary Data Files; 12.3 Summary; 12.4 Suggested Reading; Chapter 13: User Interfaces; 13.1 Text-Based Interfaces; 13.2 Graphical User Interfaces; 13.3 Summary; 13.4 Suggested Reading; Chapter 14: Real World Examples; 14.1 Serial Interfaces; 14.2 USB Example: The LabJack U3; 14.3 Summary; 14.4 Suggested Reading; Free and Open Source Software Resources; Instrument Sources; Manufacturers; Used Test Equipment Sources; Manuals; Colophon;