getting started

docs/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ set(SPHINX_SOURCE_FILES
   src/type_traits.rst
   src/ToString.rst
   src/examples.rst
+  src/pygettingstarted.rst
   
 )
 

docs/src/index.rst

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ Welcome to slsDetectorPackage's documentation!
     :caption: Python API
     :maxdepth: 2
 
+    pygettingstarted
     pydetector
     pyenums
     pyexamples

docs/src/pygettingstarted.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+Getting Started 
+==================
+
+--------------------------------------
+Which detector class should I use? 
+--------------------------------------
+
+We provide a generic class called Detector and detector specific 
+versions like, Eiger, Jungfrau etc. The most or all functionality 
+is there in the base class except the convenient access to dacs
+and temperatures. 
+
+:: 
+
+    from slsdet import Detector, Eiger
+
+    d = Detector()
+    e = Eiger()
+
+    # Both classes can be used to control an Eiger detector
+    d.exptime = 0.5
+    e.period = 1
+
+    # But Eiger gives a simpler interface to the dacs
+    >>> e.dacs
+    ========== DACS =========
+    vsvp           :    0
+    vtrim          : 2480
+    vrpreamp       : 3300
+    vrshaper       : 1400
+    vsvn           : 4000
+    vtgstv         : 2556
+    vcmp_ll        : 1000
+    vcmp_lr        : 1000
+    vcal           :    0
+    vcmp_rl        : 1000
+    rxb_rb         : 1100
+    rxb_lb         : 1100
+    vcmp_rr        : 1000
+    vcp            : 1000
+    vcn            : 2000
+    vishaper       : 1550
+    iodelay        :  650
+
+
+.. note ::
+
+    Depending on user feedback we might move some detector specific
+    functionality to the specialized classes.
+
+
+----------------------------------
+Hey, there seems to be two APIs?
+----------------------------------
+
+To make the Python approachable for both command line users and people 
+used to the C++ API we provide both a property based API similar to the 
+command line and a direct copy of the C++ API. There is also an underlying
+design reason for the two APIs since we auto generate the bindings to
+the C++ code. 
+
+::  
+
+    d = Detector()
+
+    # C++ like API 
+    d.setExptime(0.1)
+
+    # or a bit more pythonic
+    d.exptime = 0.1
+
+The c++ style API offers a bit more control over custom access to modules
+in a large detector.
+
+:: 
+
+    # Set exposure time for module 1, 5 and 7
+    d.setExptime(0.1, [1,5,7])
+
+--------------------
+Finding functions 
+--------------------
+
+To find out which properties and methods that a Python object have you
+can use dir()
+
+::
+
+    >>> from slsdet import Detector
+    >>> d = Detector()
+    >>> dir(d)
+    ['__class__', '__delattr__', '__dict__', '__dir__', '__doc__', 
+    '__eq__', '__format__', '__ge__', '__getattribute__', '__gt__', 
+    '__hash__', '__init__', '__init_subclass__', '__le__', '__len__', 
+    '__lt__', '__module__', '__ne__', '__new__', '__reduce__', 
+    '__reduce_ex__', '__repr__', '__setattr__', '__sizeof__', 
+    '__str__', '__subclasshook__', '_adc_register', '_frozen', 
+    '_register', 'acquire', 'adcclk', 'adcphase', 'adcpipeline', 
+    'adcreg', 'asamples', 'auto_comp_disable', 'clearAcquiringFlag', 
+    'clearBit', 'clearROI', 'client_version', 'config', 'copyDetectorServer', 
+    'counters', 'daclist', 'dacvalues', 'dbitclk', 'dbitphase' ...
+
+Since the list for Detector is rather long it's an good idea to filter it. 
+This list comprehension gives you properties and methods containing time in 
+their name.
+
+:: 
+
+    >>> [item for item in dir(d) if 'time' in item]
+    ['exptime', 'getExptime', 'getExptimeForAllGates', 'getExptimeLeft', 
+    'getSubExptime', 'patwaittime0', 'patwaittime1', 'patwaittime2', 
+    'setExptime', 'setSubExptime', 'subdeadtime', 'subexptime']
+
+The above method works on any Python object but for convenience we also 
+included two functions to find names. View prints the names one per line
+while find returns a list of names. 
+
+::
+
+    from slsdet.lookup import view, find
+
+    >>> view('exptime')
+    exptime
+    getExptime
+    getExptimeForAllGates
+    getExptimeLeft
+    getSubExptime
+    setExptime
+    setSubExptime
+    subexptime
+
+    >>> find('exptime')
+    ['exptime', 'getExptime', 'getExptimeForAllGates', 'getExptimeLeft', 
+    'getSubExptime', 'setExptime', 'setSubExptime', 'subexptime']
+
+