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INSTALL.md

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INSTALLING QTLAB

QTlab does not have an installer. It just needs to be copied to the local hard drive. It does have numerous dependencies on 3rd party software. For more information on the dependencies see below.

QUICK START

The fastest way to get ready for QTLab is the following steps:

#####1) Install Anaconda python (32-bit):

URL: continuum.io

#####2) Install pygtk all-in-one URL: pygtk.org

#####3) Install NI-VISA URL: pyvisa.readthedocs.org

#####4) Install pip (Optional) URL: pip.pypa.io

#####5) Install pyvisa URL: pyvisa.readthedocs.org

(or run 'pip install -U pyvisa' in terminal)

That was all the python routines needed, now for the the QTLab files:

#####a) Download GNUplot URL: gnuplot.info

#####b) Download console2 URL: sourceforge.net and place them in a new folder called 3rd_party in the qtlab folder.

Now you should be able to run qtlab.bat which starts qtlab.

Final note, you can have a shortcut to qtlab on the taskbar with the following steps:

  1. Create a shortcut for qtlab
  2. Go the properties of the shortcut and change the target to cmd.exe /C "path-to-your-qtlab.bat"
  3. Now you can drag it to the taskbar

DEPENDENCIES

The dependencies are split into two groups:

#####A) Python and python libraries.

These always need to be installed separately by the user on the computer where QTlab will be running.

#####B) Other programs.

These programs generally do not need to be installed, but just have to 'be there'. Adding their locations to the PATH will make sure that QTLab can find the necessary files. This you can do any way you like, below we will describe one way as an example.

####Group A

  1. python (2.6.x or 2.7.x)

    NOTE: python is in transition to an new and incompatible version 3.x. Python 2.7 is the last of the 2.x series and will likely be supported for a very long time. It contains many features that should make the transition smooth (if we will ever make it). We will stick with 2.7.x until all the dependencies have switched to 3.x. URL: python.org

2a) numpy (>=1.4.0) 2b) scipy (>=0.7.1) (optional)

numpy gives numerical-math functionality (similar to matlab)
scipy has many math routines (like fitting), based on numpy.
URL: scipy.org (for both numpy and scipy)

3a) ipython (>=0.10) 3b) pyreadline (>=1.5)

enhanced interactive shell for python
pyreadline is needed by ipython for 'tab'-completion
URL: ipython.scipy.org (pyreadline in download dir)

NOTE: it is highly recommended to use ipython >0.11 as it
contains a much more robust interactive gui implementation.

  1. pygtk-all-in-one (>=2.24.0)

    containing pygtk, pygobject, pycairo and gtk-runtime.

    libraries used for creating graphical interfaces. URL: pygtk.org

  2. jinja2 (>=2.7.2)

    Templating library used for generating plots. Can be installed by unpacking the latest .tar and linking/copying the "jinja2" subdirectory to anywhere in Python's path (e.g. "3rd_party"). URL: jinja.pocoo.org/

  3. pyvisa (1.3)

    library for communication with GPIB/USB/SERIAL instruments URL: pyvisa.sourceforge.net/

####Group B

  1. gnuplot (>=4.3)

    plotting in QTlab is done using the gnuplot program. URL: gnuplot.info

  2. Console2 (>=2.00)

    an enhanced interface for the windows 'cmd'-terminal URL: sourceforge.net/projects/console

    NOTE: Don't get the _src version, but just the regular binary version from the files list.

  3. subprocess32 (if using Python 2.7.*)

    Backport of (some features of) the subprocess module from Python 3 to Python 2. Can be installed by unpacking the latest .tar and linking/copying the "subprocess32.py" file to anywhere in Python's path (e.g. "3rd_party"). URL: pypi.python.org/pypi/subprocess32/

To 'install' the programs of group B, we recommend the following.

a) Make a folder '3rd_party' inside the QTLab folder.

b) Both gnuplot and Console2 don't have an installer. They are just copied to the 3rd_party folder.

c) Make sure that QTlab can find the executables. In stead of changing the PATH permanently (in system => advanced => system_variables), we prefer to add them on the commandline. Adjust the qtlab.bat file to correspond to the location of your '3rd_party' folder. If you did it exactly as recommended here, you can just uncomment the four 'SET' lines. This will add the following variables to the PATH:

<path_to_gnuplot_folder>\bin
<path_to_console2_folder>\

It is important to add them to the beginning of the list (of the PATH variable), so if any other versions exist, ours will be found before.

This is it, your done. Happy measuring.

RUNNING QTLAB

win32:

qtlab.bat

(assumes python installed in c:\python2X, change if needed)

linux:

./qtlab