Getting Started
Installing
Installing PyRWI and the tools required by PyRWI is covered on the installation page.
External Resources
PyRWI ties together many existing tools. A working knowledge of these tools will go a long way towards helping you use PyRWI effectively the following are some links to the key documentation for these tools.
- Python — You will of course need to know the language.
You don't need to be a Python Master, but a working knowledge of
syntax, classes and Python data types is important.
- The Official Python Documentation is really very good. You can answer most of your questions right here.
- The Dive Into Python book is also very helpful. You can read it online, or purchase the book.
- NumPy — This Python library adds support for building and
manipulating with arrays and matrices. This module makes handling
your data very easy.
- The Official Numpy Reference.
- The Numpy Functions by Category list is my favorite place to go when I need to figure out how to do something new.
- SciPy — The SciPy module builds on NumPy to provide most
functions commonly needed for scientific computation.
- The SciPy "Additional Documentation page has lots of good resources including tutorials.
- The Cookbook is also a great place to go. It is primarily a list of code examples for many common tasks.
- PyLab / Matplotlib — This Python module provides powerful
plotting functionality. The Fl_Plot widget using for making real-time
plots in PyRWI is built on this module.
- The Official Documentation is very thorough, but can be a little intimidating.
- There are lots of really great examples that I have found to be very helpful.
- The PyPlot Tutorial may also be a good place to start.
- PyFLTK — This is the graphical toolkit that PyRWI uses to
draw the user interface. It is quite straightforward, and very light
weight. You don't need to be a master with PyFLTK, just be able to draw
a basic window with buttons.
- The PyFLTK documentation is not complete, but there is enough there to teach you what you need to know.
- PyFLTK is build directly from FLTK, so the FLTK documentation is very helpful.
- ANSI C NI-DAQmx — PyRWI controls National Instruments
data acquisition cardDescriptions using the nidaqmx Python module. The interface
however is nearly identical to the ANSI C NI-DAQmx library (because it
is build on that library).
- The ANSI C NI-DAQmx Reference is installed as a help file when you install DAQmx. You can find it under Start -> All Programs -> National Instruments -> NI-DAQ -> NI-DAQmx C Reference Help
- ANSI C NI-DAQmx Examples are the best place to go when you are
trying to figure out how to do something. They are also installed
with DAQmx. You can usually find them at
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\National Instruments\NI-DAQ\Examples\DAQmx ANSI C. If they are not there, check this page for more details. - NI Forums also have lots of good answers in them.
- NI DAQmx Supported Devices
A Brief Example
API Docs
nidaqmx
Difference from ANSI C NI-DAQmx
Developer Docs
- Installing a MingW based development system. TODO
- Getting SWIG and MingW/MSYS working together. TODO
- Compiling ANSI C DAQmx code with MingW. TODO
