QInstrument

A Qt-based framework for controlling scientific instruments over serial ports. Instruments are represented as Qt objects with a uniform property system, automatic UI binding, and JSON-based configuration persistence. Any Qt binding (PyQt5, PyQt6, PySide2, PySide6) is supported via qtpy.

Contents

• Installation
  • Requirements
  • Install from PyPI
  • Install from source
• Quick start
  • Launch the rack application
  • Run a single instrument widget from the command line
  • Use a widget in your application
  • Use a simulated instrument
  • Access instrument properties programmatically
  • Use a parameter tree
  • Rate-limit sensitive properties
• How to Add an Instrument
  • Step 1 — Directory structure
  • Step 2 — instrument.py
  • Step 3 — fake.py
  • Step 4 — widget.py
  • Step 5 — tree.py
  • Step 6 — __init__.py
  • Step 7 — pyproject.toml
  • Step 8 — Test it
  • Instruments that share a protocol
• API Reference
  • QAbstractInstrument
  • QSerialInterface
  • QSerialInstrument
  • QFakeInstrument
  • QInstrumentWorker
  • QInstrumentWidget
  • QInstrumentTree
  • QInstrumentRack
  • Configure
• Instruments
  • DS345 Function Generator
  • IPG Photonics YLR Laser
  • Novanta Opus Lasers
  • PiezoDrive PDUS210
  • Prior Proscan Stage Controller
  • SR830 Lock-in Amplifier
  • SR844 RF Lock-in Amplifier
  • Tektronix TDS1000 Oscilloscope
• Widgets
  • QJoystick
  • QJoystickPad
  • QLedWidget
  • QRotaryEncoder
  • QRotaryEncoderSpinBox
• Changelog
  • 3.0.2 — 2026-04-29
  • 3.0.1 — 2026-04-29
  • 3.0.0 — 2026-04-29
  • 2.4.1
  • 2.4.0
  • 2.3.2
  • 2.3.1
  • 2.3.0
  • 2.2.0
  • 2.1.0
  • 2.0.0
  • 1.3.0
  • 1.2.0
  • 1.1.0
  • 1.0.2
  • 1.0.1
  • 1.0.0
  • 0.4.0