TxPyUtils is a collection of Python classes providing middleware functionality. The most relevant to users of VSim is the TxOptParse class, for handling the input to analysis scripts and the interaction with the VSimComposer analysis tab.
TxPyUtils has been developed and is tested using Python 2.7. It is known to work with Python 2.6. It works in the embedded Python environment provided by the analysis tab. It depends on the (now deprecated) optparse standard Python module and the readPre module. TxPyUtils in its current form is not compatible with Python 3, due to the deprecation of optparse.
TxPyUtils is included in VSimComposer’s embedded Python environment. Outside this environment, to use TxPyUtils, ensure TxPyUtils.py, optparse.py and readPre.py are in your PYTHONPATH. Then simply use:
import TxPyUtils
in your Python script.
Typical usage would involve the setting up of a list of options and passing them to the TxOptParse class:
options = []
options.append(('-s','--simulationName','Base simulation name, i.e., the input \
file name without extension.', 'string', None, True))
options.append(('-S','--speciesName', 'Name of the species to analyze', \
'string', None, True))
options.append(('-T','--threshold','Particle densities below this will be \
ignored','float',None,False))
ops = TxPyUtils.TxOptParse(desc=description, ops=options, hasOverwriteOption=True)
If you are using a script written for VSim 7.2 or before, please note that TxOptParse now expects to be told if you do not wish to include an option in your analysis script to overwrite any previous data that it finds with the same filename. You may then read the variables into your script as follows:
baseName = ops['simulationName']
speciesName = ops['speciesName']
threshold = float(ops['threshold'])
overwrite = ops['overwrite']
For each argument we want to read from the command line or from input boxes in the analysis pane into its script, we set up six options set up for TxOptParse as follows.
| parameter number | parameter purpose | example | allowed values |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | short argument name | ‘-s’ | string with a single alphanumeric character following a hyphen |
| 2 | long argument name | ‘–simulationName | string starting with two hyphens, no spaces and only alphanumeric characters |
| 3 | description | ‘Base simulation name’ | any string delimited by single or double quotes, without escape characters |
| 4 | argument type, alows for limited parsing by our analysis pane | ‘string’ ‘float’ ‘int’ | only one of those values mentioned to the left here |
| 5 | default value | 2, ‘_history’, None | See examples. Should be of the correct type |
| 6 | is value required? | True or False (ie Boolean) | Only True or False |
Users are encouraged to check the scripts provided by Tech-X for further examples of usage.
This interface is likely to be replaced in future releases of VSim, so please use with care.