ControllerCommand

class lsst.ts.salobj.topics.ControllerCommand(salinfo, name, queue_len=100)

Bases: lsst.ts.salobj.topics.ReadTopic

Read a specified command topic.

Parameters:
salinfo : SalInfo

SAL component information

name : str

Command name

queue_len : int, optional

Number of elements that can be queued for get_oldest.

Notes

Each command must be acknowledged by writing an appropriate ackcmd message. If you use a callback function to process the command then this happens automatically. Otherwise you must call the ack method to acknowledge the command yourself, though an initial acknowledgement with ack=SalRetCode.CMD_ACK is always automatically sent when the command is read.

After the initial acknowledgement with ack=SalRetCode.CMD_ACK, automatic ackowledgement for callback functions works as follows:

  • If the callback function returns None then send a final acknowledgement with ack=SalRetCode.CMD_COMPLETE.
  • If the callback function returns an acknowledgement (instance of SalInfo.AckType) instead of None, then send that as the final acknowledgement. This is very unusual, but might be useful if the callback wants to exit early and leave some background task or thread processing the rest of the command.
  • If the callback function raises asyncio.TimeoutError then send a final acknowledgement with ack=SalRetCode.CMD_TIMEOUT.
  • If the callback function raises asyncio.CancelledError then send a final acknowledgement with ack=SalRetCode.CMD_ABORTED.
  • If the callback function raises ExpectedError then send a final acknowledgement with ack=SalRetCode.CMD_FAILED and result=f"Failed: {exception}".
  • If the callback function raises any other Exception then do the same as ExpectedError and also log a traceback.

Attributes Summary

DataType The type (class) for a message of this topic.
allow_multiple_callbacks Can callbacks can run simultaneously?
callback Callback function, or None if there is not one.
has_callback Return True if there is a callback function.
has_data Has any data been seen for this topic?
max_history
metadata Get topic metadata as a TopicMetadata, if available, else None.

Methods Summary

ack(data, ackcmd) Acknowledge a command by writing a new state.
ackInProgress(data[, result]) Deprecated version of ack_in_progress.
ack_in_progress(data, *, timeout[, result]) Ackowledge this command as “in progress”.
aget([timeout]) Get the current message, if any, else wait for the next message.
close() Shut down and release resources.
flush() Flush the queue of unread data.
get([flush]) Get the most recently seen message, or None if no data ever seen.
get_oldest() Pop and return the oldest message from the queue, or None if the queue is empty.
next(*[, timeout]) Wait for data, returning old data if found.

Attributes Documentation

DataType

The type (class) for a message of this topic.

When you read or write a message for this topic you are reading or writing an instance of DataType.

Notes

The preferred way to write a message for a topic is:

  • RemoteCommand.set_start to start a command.
  • CommandEvent.set_put to write an event.
  • CommandTelemetry.set_put to write a telemetry message.

However, it is also possible to use DataType to create a message, then write, it as separate operations. For example, assuming we have a Remote for SAL component “Test”:

# The preferred way to issue a command:
await = remote.cmd_wait.set_put(duration=2, timeout=5)

# But an alternative is to first create the command,
# then send it, as two separate operations:
message = remote.cmd_wait.DataType(duration=2)
await remote.cmd_wait.start(message, timeout=5)

# Or, even more verbosely:
message = remote.cmd_wait.DataType()
message.duration = 2
await remote.cmd_wait.start(message, timeout=5)
allow_multiple_callbacks

Can callbacks can run simultaneously?

Notes

Ignored for synchronous callbacks because those block while running. In particular, if the callback is synchronous but launches one or more background jobs then the number of those jobs cannot be limited by this class.

callback

Callback function, or None if there is not one.

The callback function is called when a new message is received; it receives one argument: the message (an object of type topics.BaseTopic.DataType).

Raises:
TypeError

When setting a new callback if the callback is not None and is not callable.

Notes

The callback function can be synchronous or asynchronous (e.g. defined with async def).

Setting a callback flushes the queue, and it will remain empty as long as there is a callback.

get_oldest and next are prohibited if there is a callback function. Technically they could both work, but get_oldest would always return None and next would miss messages if they arrived while waiting for something else. It seemed safer to just raise an exception.

has_callback

Return True if there is a callback function.

has_data

Has any data been seen for this topic?

Raises:
RuntimeError

If the salinfo has not started reading.

max_history
metadata

Get topic metadata as a TopicMetadata, if available, else None.

Methods Documentation

ack(data, ackcmd)

Acknowledge a command by writing a new state.

Parameters:
data : DataType

Data for the command being acknowledged.

ackcmd : salobj.AckCmdType

Command acknowledgement data.

ackInProgress(data, result='')

Deprecated version of ack_in_progress.

ack_in_progress(data, *, timeout, result='')

Ackowledge this command as “in progress”.

Parameters:
data : DataType

Data for the command being acknowledged.

timeout : float

Estimated command duration (sec).

result : str, optional

Reason for acknowledgement. Typically left “”.

aget(timeout=None)

Get the current message, if any, else wait for the next message.

Parameters:
timeout : float, optional

Time limit, in seconds. If None then no time limit.

Returns:
data : DataType

The current or next message.

Raises:
RuntimeError

If a callback function is present, or if the salinfo has not started reading.

Notes

Do not modify the returned data. To make a copy that you can safely modify, use copy.copy(data).

close()

Shut down and release resources.

Intended to be called by SalInfo.close(), since that tracks all topics.

flush()

Flush the queue of unread data.

Raises:
RuntimeError

If a callback function is present.

get(flush=True)

Get the most recently seen message, or None if no data ever seen.

Parameters:
flush : bool, optional

Flush the queue? Defaults to True for backwards compatibility. This only affects the next message returned by next and is ignored if there is a callback function.

Returns:
data : self.DataType or None

Return self.data if data has been read, else None.

Raises:
RuntimeError

If the salinfo has not started reading.

get_oldest()

Pop and return the oldest message from the queue, or None if the queue is empty.

Returns:
data : self.DataType or None

The oldest message found on the queue, if any, else None.

Raises:
RuntimeError

If a callback function is present, or if the salinfo has not started reading.

Notes

Use with caution when mixing with next, since that also consumes data from the queue.

next(*, timeout=None)

Wait for data, returning old data if found.

Unlike RemoteEvent.next and RemoteTelemetry.next, the flush argument is not allowed; the only way to flush old commands is to call flush.

Parameters:
timeout : float, optional

Time limit, in seconds. If None then no time limit.

Returns:
data : DataType

Command data.

Raises:
RuntimeError

If a callback function is present.

Notes

Do not modify the data or assume that it will be static. If you need a private copy, then copy it yourself.