Measurement classes

Measurement classes combine a complete domain workflow: device graph, measurement, autosave, evaluation, traceability, and reporting. Scripts below script are the preferred operator interface and configure the respective class.

Available measurement environments

Class

Tasks

Scripts

Preparatory data

MSC

MainCal, EUTCal, emission, and immunity in a mode-stirred chamber

msc-maincal.py, msc-eutcal.py, msc-emission.py, msc-immunity.py, and Qt variants

MainCal followed by EUTCal

TEMCell

Verification, e0y, emission, and immunity in TEM/GTEM cells

tem-verification.py, tem-e0y.py, tem-emission.py, tem-immunity.py, and Qt variants

Geometry and, depending on the task, verification or e0y

AmplifierTest

Small-signal gain, compression points, and protection limits

amplifier-test.py and amplifier-test-qt.py

Device configuration and correction paths

Configuration chains

Measurement scripts accept any number of configuration files. They are applied from left to right, allowing a local configuration to extend a common base configuration:

python script/tem-immunity.py \
    /opt/mpylab/gtem/conf/immunity_conf.py \
    local_conf.py

Each file is a Python module and may define cdict, update_config, or both. A cdict is merged recursively into the configuration built so far. Nested dictionaries are retained, with later values replacing values under the same key. Lists, tuples, and all other values are replaced in full. This keeps a local geometry override small and explicit, for example:

cdict = {
    "log_filename": "local_immunity.log",
    "geometry": {
        "height": 0.75,
    },
}

Use update_config(config) for a targeted change inside a list. The hook runs after the cdict from the same file, modifies the assembled configuration in place, and must return None:

def update_config(config):
    parameters = config["measure_parameters"][0]
    parameters.update(
        {
            "dotfile": "immunity.dot",
            "SearchPaths": ["/opt/mpylab/gtem/conf"],
            "freqs": [150e6],
        }
    )

List elements are deliberately not merged implicitly. To change a complete frequency or description list, specify the complete replacement in cdict. Use update_config for selective changes to measure_parameters or evaluation_parameters.

Text and Qt scripts use the same loading and override order. Configuration files are executable Python code and must only be loaded from trusted sources. Always inspect the resulting assembled configuration during preflight before a hardware run.

Common lifecycle

Measurement classes generally follow the same lifecycle:

  1. Load and validate configuration.

  2. Create a new history or continue from a pickle.

  3. Run preflight checks and initialize devices.

  4. Perform the measurement with periodic autosave.

  5. Switch RF off safely and close devices.

  6. Evaluate measured data.

  7. Store history and derived files.

  8. Optionally generate a modular report.

Pickle files are more than an export format. They retain measurement history and allow later measurements to trace their results back to calibrations and preceding steps.

Operator interface and programming API

Use the scripts for regular measurements. Direct calls to methods of MSC, TEMCell, or AmplifierTest are primarily intended for new applications, tests, and specialized workflows.

Measurement environments