Artiq_run command clarification.

Marwanh7

Hi,

From the M-Labs Artiq documentation, I understand that artiq_run is a front end tool that allows the user to run experiments bypassing the management system and is executed in the command line (In the activated artiq environment). Is there a way to execute artiq_run within the python script itself ? I am currently using an os sub process but I find that to be inconvenient and inefficient since it opens a command line window every time a code is run. (I am using windows and conda)

Thank you.

sb10q

You can copy parts of the run function from artiq_run into your script, importing the relevant APIs llike artiq_run does.
However, this will block, e.g. you cannot run things in the background while the experiment's functions are executing. You could use threads, but Python threads are not very good to say the least.
You can still run a subprocess and not open a command line window by using the relevant Python APIs. Then the subprocess can run in parallel without the quirks of Python threads. And instead of using artiq_run as a subprocess, you may want artiq.master.worker_impl, which gives you more control over the experiment (this is what the ARTIQ management system uses).

Marwanh7

Very helpful, thank you I will try this. and just to clarify, by artiq.master.worker_impl that is in the master files and is a file called worker_impl.py, also when you say the relevant APIs llike artiq_run does, how can I be sure which part if the API's the artiq_run uses.

Marwanh7

also you said "You can still run a subprocess and not open a command line window by using the relevant Python APIs"
my subprocess runs the artiq_run.exe file which from my understanding has to be executed in the command window.
I am getting this error whenever I try and run the whole artiq_run.py in a python script

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Users\ElHelalym\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\envs\artiq\Lib\site-packages\artiq\frontend\llvmlite_artiq\binding\ffi.py", line 119, in <module>
lib = ctypes.CDLL(os.path.join(_lib_dir, lib_name))
File "C:\Users\ElHelalym\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37-32\lib\ctypes__init__.py", line 364, in init
self.handle = dlopen(self.name, mode)
OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Users\ElHelalym\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\envs\artiq\Lib\site-packages\artiq\frontend\artiq1.py", line 13, in <module>
from llvmlite_artiq import binding as llvm
File "C:\Users\ElHelalym\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\envs\artiq\Lib\site-packages\artiq\frontend\llvmlite_artiq\binding__init.py", line 6, in <module>
from .dylib import *
File "C:\Users\ElHelalym\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\envs\artiq\Lib\site-packages\artiq\frontend\llvmlite_artiq\binding\dylib.py", line 4, in <module>
from . import ffi
File "C:\Users\ElHelalym\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\envs\artiq\Lib\site-packages\artiq\frontend\llvmlite_artiq\binding\ffi.py", line 124, in <module>
lib = ctypes.CDLL(lib_name)
File "C:\Users\ElHelalym\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37-32\lib\ctypes__init.py", line 364, in init
self.handle = dlopen(self.name, mode)
OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application