add preliminary PBMotionAnalyzer.py

python/PBMotionAnalyzer.py

@@ -0,0 +1,232 @@
+import os,sys
+import wx
+import wx.py
+import numpy as np
+#from hdfTree import *
+#from hdfGrid import *
+#from hdfAttrib import *
+#from hdfImage import  *
+
+import utilities as ut
+
+class Path():
+  @staticmethod
+  def GetImage():
+    path=__file__
+    try:symPath=os.readlink(path) #follow symbolic link
+    except (AttributeError,OSError) as e:pass
+    else:
+      path=symPath
+    path=os.path.abspath(path)
+    path=os.path.dirname(path)
+    return os.path.join(path,'images')
+
+
+class AboutFrame(wx.Frame):
+  def __init__(self,parent):
+    wx.Frame.__init__(self,parent,-1,'About MotionAnalyzer',size=(300,330))
+    imgDir=Path.GetImage()
+    icon = wx.Icon(os.path.join(imgDir,'PBMA.ico'), wx.BITMAP_TYPE_ICO)
+    self.SetIcon(icon)
+    self.Centre()
+    panel=wx.Panel(self,-1)
+    #import pkg_resources
+    #v=pkg_resources.get_distribution("h5pyViewer")
+    v='my version info'
+    s='Version:'+str(v)+'\n(c) www.psi.ch\n Author: Thierry Zamofing\n thierry.zamofing@psi.ch'
+
+    st0=wx.StaticText(panel,-1,s,(30,10))
+    bmp = wx.StaticBitmap(panel,-1,wx.Bitmap(os.path.join(imgDir,'PBMA.png'), wx.BITMAP_TYPE_ANY ), (30,st0.Position[1]+st0.Size[1]+10))
+    for k,v in os.environ.iteritems():
+      print k,'=',v
+
+class MAMainFrame(wx.Frame):
+
+  def OpenFile(self,fn_npz):
+    try:
+      self.fh=fh=np.load(fn_npz)
+    except IOError as e:
+      sys.stderr.write('Unable to open File: '+fn_npz+'\n')
+    else:
+      pass
+    s='content of numpy file: '+fn_npz+'\n'
+    for k,v in fh.iteritems():
+      s+='   '+k+': '+str(v.dtype)+' '+str(v.shape)+'\n'
+    self.wxTxt.SetLabel(s)
+      #self.wxTree.ShowHirarchy(self.fid)
+
+  def CloseFile(self):
+    #http://docs.wxwidgets.org/2.8/wx_windowdeletionoverview.html#windowdeletionoverview
+    #print 'CloseFile'
+    try:
+      self.fh.close()
+      del self.fh
+    except AttributeError as e:
+      pass
+
+  def __init__(self, parent, title):
+    wx.Frame.__init__(self, parent, title=title, size=wx.Size(650, 350))
+    imgDir=Path.GetImage()
+    icon = wx.Icon(os.path.join(imgDir,'PBMA.ico'), wx.BITMAP_TYPE_ICO)
+    self.SetIcon(icon)
+    #wxSplt = wx.SplitterWindow(self, -1)
+    #wxTree = HdfTreeCtrl(wxSplt, 1, wx.DefaultPosition, (-1,-1),  wx.TR_HAS_BUTTONS)
+    #wxTree.Bind(wx.EVT_TREE_SEL_CHANGED, self.OnSelChanged, id=1)
+    #wxTree.Bind(wx.EVT_TREE_ITEM_MENU, self.OnMenu, id=1)
+    #wx.EVT_TREE_ITEM_MENU(id, func)
+    #wxTxt = wx.StaticText(wxSplt, -1, '',(10,10) )#, style=wx.ALIGN_CENTRE)
+    self.wxTxt = wx.StaticText(self, wx.ID_ANY, "MyLabel", wx.DefaultPosition, wx.DefaultSize, 0 )
+
+    #wxSplt.SplitVertically(wxTree, wxTxt)
+    #wxSplt.SetMinimumPaneSize(320)
+    #wxLstCtrl=HdfAttrListCtrl(wxSplt)
+    #wxSplt.SplitVertically(wxTree, wxLstCtrl)
+    self.BuildMenu()
+
+    self.Centre()
+
+    #self.wxTree=wxTree
+    #self.display=wxTxt
+  def __del__(self):
+    self.CloseFile()
+
+  def OnOpen(self, event):
+    dlg = wx.FileDialog(self, "Choose a file", os.getcwd(), '','numpy files (*.npz;*.npy)|*.npz;*.npy|all (*.*)|*.*', wx.OPEN|wx.FD_CHANGE_DIR)
+    if dlg.ShowModal() == wx.ID_OK:
+      path = dlg.GetPath()
+      #mypath = os.path.basename(path)
+      #self.SetStatusText("You selected: %s" % mypath)
+      self.CloseFile()
+      self.OpenFile(path)
+      #print 'OnOpen',path
+    dlg.Destroy()
+
+  def OnCloseWindow(self, event):
+    #print 'OnCloseWindow'
+    self.Destroy()
+
+  def OnAbout(self,event):
+    frame=AboutFrame(self)
+    frame.Show()
+
+  def BuildMenu(self):
+    #http://wiki.wxpython.org/AnotherTutorial#wx.MenuBar
+    mnBar = wx.MenuBar()
+
+    #-------- File Menu --------
+    mn = wx.Menu()
+    mnItem=mn.Append(wx.ID_OPEN, '&Open', 'Open a new document');self.Bind(wx.EVT_MENU, self.OnOpen, mnItem)
+    #mnSub = wx.Menu()
+    #mnItem=mnSub.Append(wx.ID_ANY, 'SubMenuEntry', 'My SubMenuEntry')
+    #mn.AppendMenu(wx.ID_ANY, 'SubMenu', mnSub)
+    mn.AppendSeparator()
+    mnItem=mn.Append(wx.ID_EXIT, '&Quit', 'Quit the Application');self.Bind(wx.EVT_MENU, self.OnCloseWindow, mnItem)
+    mnBar.Append(mn, '&File')
+
+    self.Bind(wx.EVT_CLOSE, self.OnCloseWindow)
+
+    #-------- Edit Menu --------
+    mn = wx.Menu()
+    mnItem = mn.Append(wx.ID_ANY, 'Show &XY-Path', 'Show XY-path motion path');self.Bind(wx.EVT_MENU, self.OnShowXYPath, mnItem)
+    mnItem = mn.Append(wx.ID_ANY, 'Show &Error', 'Show error of motion path');self.Bind(wx.EVT_MENU, self.OnShowError, mnItem)
+    mnItem = mn.Append(wx.ID_ANY, 'Show &Velocity', 'Show velocity of motion path');self.Bind(wx.EVT_MENU, self.OnShowVelocity, mnItem)
+    mnItem = mn.Append(wx.ID_ANY, '&Python Shell', 'Opens an interactive python shell"');self.Bind(wx.EVT_MENU, self.OnShell, mnItem)
+
+    mnBar.Append(mn, '&Window')
+
+    #-------- Help Menu --------
+    mn = wx.Menu()
+    #mnItem=mn.Append(wx.ID_HELP,'Help','Application Help')
+    mnItem=mn.Append(wx.ID_ABOUT,'About','Application About');self.Bind(wx.EVT_MENU, self.OnAbout, mnItem)
+    mnBar.Append(mn, '&Help')
+
+    #mn.AppendSeparator()
+    #mnItem = wx.MenuItem(mn, 105, '&Quit\tCtrl+Q', 'Quit the Application')
+    #mnItem.SetBitmap(wx.Image('stock_exit-16.png', wx.BITMAP_TYPE_PNG).ConvertToBitmap())
+    #mn.AppendItem(mnItem)
+    self.SetMenuBar(mnBar)
+    self.CreateStatusBar()
+
+  def OnShowXYPath(self, event):
+    pass
+  def OnShowError(self, event):
+    pass
+  def OnShowVelocity(self, event):
+    pass
+
+  def OnShell(self, event):
+    frame = wx.Frame(self, -1, "wxPyShell",size=wx.Size(800, 500))
+    imgDir=Path.GetImage()
+    icon = wx.Icon(os.path.join(imgDir,'PBMA.ico'), wx.BITMAP_TYPE_ICO)
+    frame.SetIcon(icon)
+    frame.Centre()
+    fh=app.GetTopWindow().fh
+    wnd=app.GetTopWindow()
+    loc={'app' :app,
+         'fh'  :fh,
+         'pts' :fh['pts'],
+         'rec' :fh['rec']
+         }
+    introText='''Shell to the HDF5 objects
+app: application object
+fh: numpy file
+pts: desired motion points
+rec: recorded data
+
+#Examples:
+pts
+rec
+
+#using user defined modules
+#import userSample as us;reload(us);us.test1(hid)
+'''
+    shell=wx.py.shell.Shell(frame, introText=introText,locals=loc)
+    frame.Show(True)
+    #if loc is None, all variables are visible. the context is global
+    #shell.push('wnd=app.GetTopWindow()')
+    #for cmd in [
+    #  'wnd=app.GetTopWindow();wxTree=wnd.wxTree',
+    #  'wxNode=wnd.wxTree.GetSelection()',
+    #  'print wnd.fid',
+    #  'lbl=wxTree.GetItemText(wxNode)',
+    #  'hid=wxTree.GetPyData(wxNode)']:
+    #  shell.run(cmd, prompt=False)
+
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+  def GetArgs():
+    import sys,argparse #since python 2.7
+    exampleCmd='/tmp/shapepath.npz'
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
+                                     description=__doc__,
+                                     epilog='Example:\n'+os.path.basename(sys.argv[0])+' '+exampleCmd+'\n ')
+    parser.add_argument('npzFile',   nargs='?', help='the npz file with motion path data to show',default='/tmp/shapepath.npz')
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    return args
+
+
+  class MyApp(wx.App):
+
+    def OnInit(self):
+      args=GetArgs()
+      frame = MAMainFrame(None, 'PBMotionAnalyzer')
+      if args.npzFile:
+        frame.OpenFile(args.npzFile)
+      frame.Show(True)
+      self.SetTopWindow(frame)
+      return True
+
+#------------------ Main Code ----------------------------------
+  #redirect stdout/stderr:
+  #http://www.blog.pythonlibrary.org/2009/01/01/wxpython-redirecting-stdout-stderr/
+  #https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/wxpython-users/S9uSKIYdYoo
+  #https://17677433047266577941.googlegroups.com/attach/e4d343dc6a751906/REDIRECT.PY?part=2&view=1&vt=ANaJVrFeyCjCMydKnkyfFbYJM7ip07mE-ozUIBxJ5A1QuK1GhycJYJsPTxpAaNk5L2LpXvGhzRPInxDt8_WUcUyK2Ois28Dq8LNebfYoWG9Yxr-tujf5Jk4
+  #http://www.wxpython.org/docs/api/wx.PyOnDemandOutputWindow-class.html
+  rd=not sys.stdout.isatty()#have a redirect window, if there is no console
+  #rd=True #force to open a redirect window
+  rd=False #avoid a redirect window
+  app = MyApp(redirect=rd)
+  app.MainLoop()
+

python/shapepath.py

@@ -0,0 +1,272 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# *-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
+# |                                                                       |
+# |  Copyright (c) 2016 by Paul Scherrer Institute (http://www.psi.ch)    |
+# |                                                                       |
+# |              Author Thierry Zamofing (thierry.zamofing@psi.ch)        |
+# *-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
+'''
+shape an optimal path with given points
+
+verbose bits:
+  1 basic info
+  2 plot sorting steps
+  4 list program
+  4 upload progress
+  8 plot gather path
+
+#config file example:
+{
+  "points": [
+    [100,523],[635,632],[756,213],
+  "sequencer":[
+    'gen_grid_points(w=10,h=10,pitch=100,rnd=.2)',
+    'sort_points()',
+    'gen_prog(file="/tmp/shapepath.prg")',
+    'plot_gather()']
+}
+
+Sequencer functions are:
+ - generate points (if not in the 'points' configuration)
+   gen_rand_points(self,n=107,scale=1000)
+   gen_grid_points(w=10,h=10,pitch=100,rnd=.2)
+ - sorting points:
+    sort_points(self)
+ - generate/download/execute motion progran, upload trace of motors (gather data)
+    gen_prog(self,prgId=2,file=None,host=None)
+      if host=None nothing will be downloaded/executed and trace of motors will not be uploaded
+      if file=None the program will not be saved and nothing will be executed
+ - plot gathered data
+     plot_gather()
+       this makes only sence, if motion has been executed and data can be gathered from the powerbrick
+
+Acquired time is:MaxSamples*Period*.2
+'''
+
+import os, sys, json
+import numpy as np
+import matplotlib as mpl
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import subprocess as sprc
+import telnetlib
+from utilities import *
+
+class ShapePath:
+    def __init__(self,args):
+      if args.cfg:
+        fh=open(args.cfg,'r')
+        s=fh.read()
+        cfg=json.loads(s, object_hook=ConvUtf8)
+        s=json.dumps(cfg, indent=2, separators=(',', ': '));print s
+      else:
+        #cfg={"points": [[100,523],[635,632],[756,213]],"sequencer":['sort_points()','gen_prog(file="/tmp/shapepath.prg",host="SAROP11-CPPM-MOT6871")','plot_gather()']}
+        #cfg={"sequencer":['gen_rand_points(n=107, scale=1000)','sort_points()','gen_prog(file="/tmp/shapepath.prg",host="SAROP11-CPPM-MOT6871")','plot_gather()']}
+        #cfg={"sequencer":['gen_grid_points(w=10,h=10,pitch=100,rnd=.2)','sort_points()','gen_prog(file="/tmp/shapepath.prg",host="SAROP11-CPPM-MOT6871")','plot_gather()']}
+        #cfg={"sequencer":['gen_grid_points(w=10,h=10,pitch=100,rnd=0.2)','sort_points()','gen_prog(file="/tmp/shapepath.prg")','plot_gather()']}
+        #cfg = {"sequencer": ['gen_rand_points(n=107, scale=1000)', 'sort_points()','plot_gather()']}
+        cfg={"sequencer":['gen_grid_points(w=20,h=20,pitch=50,rnd=.2)','sort_points()','gen_prog(file="/tmp/shapepath.prg",host="SAROP11-CPPM-MOT6871")','plot_gather()']}
+        cfg={"sequencer":['gen_grid_points(w=20,h=20,pitch=50,rnd=.2)','sort_points()','gen_prog(file="/tmp/shapepath.prg")','plot_gather()']}
+        #cfg={"sequencer":['gen_rand_points(n=400, scale=1000)','sort_points()','gen_prog(file="/tmp/shapepath.prg",host="SAROP11-CPPM-MOT6871")','plot_gather()']}
+
+      self.cfg=dotdict(cfg)
+      self.args=args
+
+    def run(self):
+      print('args='+str(self.args))
+      print('cfg='+str(self.cfg))
+      try:
+        self.points=np.array(self.cfg.points)
+      except AttributeError:
+        pass
+      try:
+        sequencer= self.cfg.pop('sequencer')
+      except KeyError:
+        print('no command sequence to execute')
+      else:
+        dryrun=self.args.dryrun
+        for cmd in sequencer:
+          print '>'*5+' '+cmd+' '+'<'*5
+          if not dryrun:
+            eval('self.' + cmd)
+
+    def gen_rand_points(self,n=107,scale=1000):
+        np.random.seed(0)
+        #data=np.random.randint(0,1000,(30,2))
+        pts=np.random.rand(n,2)*scale
+        self.points=pts
+
+    def gen_grid_points(self,w=10,h=10,pitch=100,rnd=.2):
+        np.random.seed(0)
+        xx,yy=np.meshgrid(range(w), range(h))
+        pts=np.array([xx.reshape(-1),yy.reshape(-1)],dtype=np.float).transpose()*pitch
+        if rnd != 0:
+          pts+=(np.random.rand(pts.shape[0],2)*(rnd*pitch))
+        self.points=pts
+
+    def gen_prog(self,prgId=2,file=None,host=None,mode=0):
+      prg=[]
+      gather={"MaxSamples":100000, "Period":10 }
+      #channels=["Motor[1].ActPos","Motor[2].ActPos","Motor[3].ActPos"]
+      channels=["Motor[1].ActPos","Motor[2].ActPos","Motor[3].ActPos","Motor[1].DesPos","Motor[2].DesPos","Motor[3].DesPos"]
+      prg.append('Gather.Enable=0')
+      prg.append('Gather.Items=%d'%len(channels))
+      for k,v in gather.iteritems():
+        prg.append('Gather.%s=%d'%(k,v))
+      for i,c in enumerate(channels):
+        prg.append('Gather.Addr[%d]=%s.a'%(i,c))
+
+
+      prg.append('open prog %d'%(prgId))
+      # this uses Coord[1].Tm and limits with MaxSpeed
+      prg.append('Gather.Enable=2')
+      if mode==0:
+        prg.append('  linear abs')
+        data=self.points
+        for idx in range(data.shape[0]):
+          prg.append('X(%f) Y(%f)'%tuple(data[idx,:]))
+        prg.append('dwell 100')
+      if mode==1:
+        pass
+      prg.append('Gather.Enable=0')
+      prg.append('close')
+      prg.append('&1\nb%dr\n'%prgId)
+      if self.args.verbose & 4:
+        for ln in prg:
+          print(ln)
+
+      if file is not None:
+        fh=open(file,'w')
+        fh.write('\n'.join(prg))
+        fh.close()
+        if host is not None:
+          cmd ='gpasciiCommander --host '+host+' '+ file
+          print cmd
+          p = sprc.Popen(cmd, shell=True)#, stdout=sprc.PIPE, stderr=sprc.STDOUT)
+          #res=p.stdout.readlines();  print res
+          retval = p.wait()
+          #gather -u /var/ftp/gather/out.txt
+          cmd ='PBGatherPlot -m24 -v7 --host '+host
+          print cmd
+          p = sprc.Popen(cmd, shell=True)#, stdout=sprc.PIPE, stderr=sprc.STDOUT)
+          retval = p.wait()
+      self.prg=prg
+
+
+    def sort_points(self):
+      pts=self.points
+      verb=self.args.verbose
+      #if verb&2:
+      #  self.plot_points(pts)
+
+      #sort points along y
+      pts=pts[pts[:, 1].argsort()]
+      #if verb&2:
+      #  self.plot_points(pts)
+
+      #group sorting
+      cnt=pts.shape[0]
+      idx=np.ndarray(cnt,dtype=np.int32)
+      grp_cnt=int(np.sqrt(cnt))
+      grp_sz=int(np.ceil(float(cnt)/grp_cnt))
+      for i in range(grp_cnt):
+        a=i*grp_sz
+        #print a,a+grp_sz
+        if i%2:
+          idx[a:a+grp_sz]=a+pts[a:a+grp_sz,0].argsort()[::-1]
+        else:
+          idx[a:a+grp_sz]=a+pts[a:a+grp_sz,0].argsort()
+        #print(idx)
+      pts=pts[idx]
+
+      if verb&2:
+        self.plot_points(pts)
+      plt.show()
+      self.points=pts
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def onclick(event):
+        print 'button=%s, x=%d, y=%d, xdata=%f, ydata=%f'%(
+            event.button, event.x, event.y, event.xdata, event.ydata)
+        obj=event.canvas.figure.obj
+
+    def plot_points(self,pts):
+      fig=plt.figure()
+      ax = fig.add_subplot(1,1,1)
+      #hl=ax[0].plot(x, y, color=col)
+      hl=ax.plot(pts[:,0],pts[:,1],'r.')
+      hl=ax.plot(pts[:,0],pts[:,1],'y--')
+      cid = fig.canvas.mpl_connect('button_press_event', self.onclick)
+      fig.obj=self
+      self.ax=ax
+      self.hl=hl
+
+    def plot_gather(self,fnLoc='/tmp/gather.txt',fnOut='/tmp/shapepath.npz'):
+      pts=self.points
+      rec = np.genfromtxt(fnLoc, delimiter=' ')
+      if fnOut:
+        np.savez_compressed(fnOut, rec=rec, pts=pts)
+      fig=plt.figure()
+      ax = fig.add_subplot(1,1,1)
+      #hl=ax[0].plot(x, y, color=col)
+      hl=ax.plot(pts[:,0],pts[:,1],'r.')
+      hl=ax.plot(pts[:,0],pts[:,1],'y--')
+      hl = ax.plot(rec[:, 4], rec[:, 5], 'b-')
+      hl=ax.plot(rec[:,1],rec[:,2],'g-')
+      ax.xaxis.set_label_text('x-pos um')
+      ax.yaxis.set_label_text('y-pos um')
+      cid = fig.canvas.mpl_connect('button_press_event', self.onclick)
+      fig.obj=self
+      self.ax=ax
+      self.hl=hl
+
+      fig = plt.figure()
+      ax = fig.add_subplot(1, 1, 1)
+      err=np.sqrt((rec[:,1]-rec[:,4])**2+(rec[:,1]-rec[:,4])**2)
+      hl = ax.plot(err, 'r-')
+      ax.xaxis.set_label_text('time (10x servo cycle)')
+      ax.yaxis.set_label_text('pos-error um')
+      plt.show()
+
+if __name__=='__main__':
+  from optparse import OptionParser, IndentedHelpFormatter
+  class MyFormatter(IndentedHelpFormatter):
+    'helper class for formating the OptionParser'
+
+    def __init__(self):
+      IndentedHelpFormatter.__init__(self)
+
+    def format_epilog(self, epilog):
+      if epilog:
+        return epilog
+      else:
+        return ""
+
+  def parse_args():
+    'main command line interpreter function'
+    #usage: gpasciiCommunicator.py --host=PPMACZT84 myPowerBRICK.cfg
+    (h, t)=os.path.split(sys.argv[0]);cmd='\n  '+(t if len(h)>3 else sys.argv[0])+' '
+    exampleCmd=('--host=PPMAC1391 -m 63 --cfg gather.cfg',
+                'samplePowerBrick.cfg',
+                '-n stackCheck1.cfg',
+                '--host=PPMACZT84 stackCheck1.cfg',
+                '--host=PPMACZT84 stackCheck1.cfg -v15',
+               )
+    epilog=__doc__+'''
+Examples:'''+''.join(map(lambda s:cmd+s, exampleCmd))+'\n '
+
+    fmt=MyFormatter()
+    parser=OptionParser(epilog=epilog, formatter=fmt)
+
+    parser.add_option('-v', '--verbose', type="int", dest='verbose', help='verbosity bits (see below)', default=0)
+    parser.add_option('-n', '--dryrun', action='store_true', help='dryrun to stdout')
+    parser.add_option('--cfg', help='config file containing json configuration structure')
+
+    (args, other)=parser.parse_args()
+    args.other=other
+
+    sp=ShapePath(args)
+    sp.run()
+#------------------ Main Code ----------------------------------
+  #ssh_test()
+  ret=parse_args()
+  exit(ret)

python/utilities.py

@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+#*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
+#|                                                                       |
+#|  Copyright (c) 2016 by Paul Scherrer Institute (http://www.psi.ch)    |
+#|                                                                       |
+#|              Author Thierry Zamofing (thierry.zamofing@psi.ch)        |
+#*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
+'''
+utilities classes
+'''
+import logging, h5py, re, zlib, zmq, json
+import numpy as np
+from libDetXR import *
+import time
+
+
+class dotdict(dict):
+  """dot.notation access to dictionary attributes"""
+  def __init__(self,arg=None,**kwargs):
+    if arg!=None:
+      self.__fill__(arg)
+    self.__fill__(kwargs)
+
+  def __fill__(self,kw):
+      for k,v in kw.iteritems():
+        if type(v)==dict:
+          self[k]=dotdict(v)
+        else:
+          self[k]=v
+          if type(v)==list:
+            for i,w in enumerate(v):
+              if type(w)==dict:
+                v[i]=dotdict(w)
+            pass
+
+  def __dir__(self):
+    l=dir(object)
+    #l.extend(self.keys())
+    l.extend(map(str,self.keys()))
+    return l
+
+  def __getattr__(self, attr):
+      #return self.get(attr)
+      try:
+        return self[attr]
+      except KeyError as e:
+        raise AttributeError("%r instance has no attribute %r" % (self.__class__, attr))
+
+  def __repr__(self):
+    return '<' + dict.__repr__(self)[1:-1] + '>'
+
+  def PrettyPrint(self,indent=0):
+    for k,v in self.iteritems():
+      if type(v)==dotdict:
+        print ' '*indent,str(k)+':'
+        v.PrettyPrint(indent+2)
+      else:
+        print ' '*indent+str(k)+'\t'+str(v)
+
+  __setattr__= dict.__setitem__
+  __delattr__= dict.__delitem__
+  #__getattr__= dict.__getattr__
+
+
+def ConvUtf8(s):
+  'convert unicoded json object to ASCII encoded'
+  #http://stackoverflow.com/questions/956867/how-to-get-string-objects-instead-of-unicode-ones-from-json-in-python
+  if isinstance(s, dict):
+    return {ConvUtf8(key): ConvUtf8(value) for key, value in s.iteritems()}
+  elif isinstance(s, list):
+    return [ConvUtf8(element) for element in s]
+  elif isinstance(s, unicode):
+    return s.encode('utf-8')
+  else:
+    return s
+
+class GpasciiCommunicator():
+  '''Communicates with the Delta Tau gpascii programm
+  '''
+  gpascii_ack="\x06\r\n"
+  gpascii_inp='Input\r\n'
+
+  def connect(self, host, username='root', password='deltatau',prompt='ppmac# '):
+    p=telnetlib.Telnet(host)
+    print p.read_until('login: ')
+    p.write(username+'\n')
+    print p.read_until('Password: ')
+    p.write(password+'\n')
+    print p.read_until(prompt)  # command prompt
+    p.write('gpascii -2\n')  # execute gpascii command
+    print p.read_until(self.gpascii_inp)
+    return p
+