Feature/remove multi processing

CONTRIBUTING.rst

@@ -59,13 +59,18 @@ Setup
 Running Tests
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-The core test runner is in ``qcodes/test.py``:
+We don't want to reinvent the wheel, and thus use py.test.
+It's easy to install:
 
 ::
 
-    python qcodes/test.py
-    # optional extra verbosity and fail fast
-    python qcodes/test.py -v -f
+    pip install coverage pytest-cov pytest
+
+Then to test and view the coverage:
+
+::
+    py.test --cov=qcodes --cov-report xml --cov-config=.coveragerc
+
 
 You can also run single tests with:
 
@@ -78,92 +83,6 @@ You can also run single tests with:
     # or
     python -m unittest qcodes.tests.test_metadata.TestMetadatable.test_snapshot
 
-If you run the core test runner, you should see output that looks
-something like this:
-
-::
-
-    .........***** found one MockMock, testing *****
-    ............................................Timing resolution:
-    startup time: 0.000e+00
-    min/med/avg/max dev: 9.260e-07, 9.670e-07, 1.158e-06, 2.109e-03
-    async sleep delays:
-    startup time: 2.069e-04
-    min/med/avg/max dev: 3.372e-04, 6.376e-04, 6.337e-04, 1.007e-03
-    multiprocessing startup delay and regular sleep delays:
-    startup time: 1.636e-02
-    min/med/avg/max dev: 3.063e-05, 2.300e-04, 2.232e-04, 1.743e-03
-    should go to stdout;should go to stderr;.stdout stderr stdout stderr ..[10:44:09.063 A Queue] should get printed
-    ...................................
-    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    Ran 91 tests in 4.192s
-
-    OK
-    Name                         Stmts   Miss  Cover   Missing
-    ----------------------------------------------------------
-    data/data_array.py             104      0   100%
-    data/data_set.py               179    140    22%   38-55, 79-94, 99-104, 123-135, 186-212, 215-221, 224-244, 251-254, 257-264, 272, 280-285, 300-333, 347-353, 360-384, 395-399, 405-407, 414-420, 426-427, 430, 433-438
-    data/format.py                 225    190    16%   44-55, 61-62, 70, 78-97, 100, 114-148, 157-188, 232, 238, 246, 258-349, 352, 355-358, 361-368, 375-424, 427-441, 444, 447-451
-    data/io.py                      76     50    34%   71-84, 90-91, 94, 97, 103, 109-110, 119-148, 154-161, 166, 169, 172, 175-179, 182, 185-186
-    data/manager.py                124     89    28%   15-20, 31, 34, 48-62, 65-67, 70, 76-77, 80-84, 90-102, 108-110, 117-121, 142-151, 154-182, 185, 188, 207-208, 215-221, 227-229, 237, 243, 249
-    instrument/base.py              74      0   100%
-    instrument/function.py          45      1    98%   77
-    instrument/ip.py                20     12    40%   10-16, 19-20, 24-25, 29-38
-    instrument/mock.py              63      0   100%
-    instrument/parameter.py        200      2    99%   467, 470
-    instrument/sweep_values.py     107     33    69%   196-207, 220-227, 238-252, 255-277
-    instrument/visa.py              36     24    33%   10-25, 28-32, 35-36, 40-41, 47-48, 57-58, 62-64, 68
-    loops.py                       285    239    16%   65-74, 81-91, 120-122, 133-141, 153-165, 172-173, 188-207, 216-240, 243-313, 316-321, 324-350, 354-362, 371-375, 378-381, 414-454, 457-474, 477-484, 487-491, 510-534, 537-543, 559-561, 564, 577, 580, 590-608, 611-618, 627-628, 631
-    station.py                      35     24    31%   17-32, 35, 45-50, 60, 67-82, 88
-    utils/helpers.py                95      0   100%
-    utils/metadata.py               13      0   100%
-    utils/multiprocessing.py        95      2    98%   125, 134
-    utils/sync_async.py            114      8    93%   166, 171-173, 176, 180, 184, 189-191
-    utils/timing.py                 72      0   100%
-    utils/validators.py            110      0   100%
-    ----------------------------------------------------------
-    TOTAL                         2072    814    61%
-
-The key is ``OK`` in the middle (that means all the tests passed), and
-the presence of the coverage report after it. If any tests fail, we do
-not show a coverage report, and the end of the output will contain
-tracebacks and messages about what failed, for example:
-
-::
-
-    ======================================================================
-    FAIL: test_sweep_steps_edge_case (tests.test_instrument.TestParameters)
-    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    Traceback (most recent call last):
-      File "/Users/alex/qdev/Qcodes/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py", line 360, in test_sweep_steps_edge_case
-        self.check_set_amplitude2('Off', log_count=1, history_count=2)
-      File "/Users/alex/qdev/Qcodes/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py", line 345, in check_set_amplitude2
-        self.assertTrue(line.startswith('negative delay'), line)
-    AssertionError: False is not true : cannot sweep amplitude2 from 0.1 to Off - jumping.
-
-    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    Ran 91 tests in 4.177s
-
-    FAILED (failures=1)
-
-The coverage report is only useful if you have been adding new code, to
-see whether your tests visit all of your code. Look at the file(s) you
-have been working on, and ensure that the "missing" section does not
-contain the line numbers of any of the blocks you have touched.
-Currently the core still has a good deal of untested code - eventually
-we will have all of this tested, but for now you can ignore all the rest
-of the missing coverage.
-
-You can also run these tests from inside python. The output is similar
-except that a) you don't get coverage reporting, and b) one test has to
-be skipped because it does not apply within a notebook, so the output
-will end ``OK (skipped=1)``:
-
-.. code:: python
-
-    import qcodes
-    qcodes.test_core()  # optional verbosity = 1 (default) or 2
-
 If the tests pass, you should be ready to start developing!
 
 To tests actual instruments, first instantiate them in an interactive
@@ -314,23 +233,13 @@ and then unit testing should be run on pull-request, using CI. Maybe
 simplify to a one command that says: if there's enough cover, and all
 good or fail and where it fails.
 
--  The standard test commands are listed above under
-   :ref:`runnningtests`. More notes on different test runners can
-   be found in  :ref:`testing`.
-
--  Core tests live in
-   `qcodes/tests <https://github.com/qdev-dk/Qcodes/tree/master/qcodes/tests>`__
-   and instrument tests live in the same directories as the instrument
-   drivers.
-
 -  We should have a *few* high-level "integration" tests, but simple
    unit tests (that just depend on code in one module) are more valuable
    for several reasons:
 -  If complex tests fail it's more difficult to tell why
 -  When features change it is likely that more tests will need to change
 -  Unit tests can cover many scenarios much faster than integration
    tests.
-
 -  If you're having difficulty making unit tests, first consider whether
    your code could be restructured to make it less dependent on other
    modules. Often, however, extra techniques are needed to break down a
@@ -339,9 +248,8 @@ good or fail and where it fails.
 -  Patching, one of the most useful parts of the
    `unittest.mock <https://docs.python.org/3/library/unittest.mock.html>`__
    library. This lets you specify exactly how other functions/objects
-   should behave when they're called by the code you are testing. For a
-   simple example, see
-   `test\_multiprocessing.py <https://github.com/qdev-dk/Qcodes/blob/58a8692bed55272f4c5865d6ec37f846154ead16/qcodes/tests/test_multiprocessing.py#L63-L65>`__
+   should behave when they're called by the code you are testing.
+
 -  Supporting files / data: Lets say you have a test of data acquisition
    and analysis. You can break that up into an acquisition test and an
    analysis by saving the intermediate state, namely the data file, in

README.rst

@@ -70,9 +70,11 @@ $QCODES_INSTALL_DIR is the folder where you want to have the source code.
     cd $QCODES_INSTALL_DIR
     pyenv install 3.5.2
     pyenv virtualenv 3.5.2 qcodes-dev
+    pyenv activate qcodes-dev
     pip install -r requirements.txt
+    pip install coverage pytest-cov pytest --upgrade
     pip install -e .
-    python qcodes/test.py -f
+    py.test --cov=qcodes --cov-config=.coveragerc
 
 If the tests pass you are ready to hack!
 This is the reference setup one needs to have to contribute, otherwise