Core Functions
Function: comedi_close -- close a Comedi device
Retval: int
Param: comedi * device
Description:
Close a device previously opened by
comedi_open.
Returns:
If successful, comedi_close returns 0.
On failure, -1 is returned.
Function: comedi_data_read -- read single sample from channel
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Param: unsigned int channel
Param: unsigned int range
Param: unsigned int aref
Param: lsampl_t * data
Description:
Reads a single sample on the channel specified by the Comedi
device device, the subdevice
subdevice, and the channel
channel.
For the A/D conversion (if appropriate),
the device is configured to use range specification
range and (if appropriate) analog
reference type aref.
Analog reference types that are not supported
by the device are silently ignored.
The function comedi_data_read reads one data value from
the specified channel and stores the value in
*data.
WARNING: comedi_data_read does not do any pausing to
allow multiplexed analog inputs to settle before
starting an analog to digital conversion. If you are
switching between different channels and need to allow
your analog input to settle for an accurate reading,
use
comedi_data_read_delayed,
or set the
input channel at an earlier time with
comedi_data_read_hint.
Data values returned by this function are unsigned integers
less than or equal to the maximum sample value of the channel,
which can be determined using the function
comedi_get_maxdata.
Conversion of data values to physical units can be performed
by the functions comedi_to_phys (linear conversion) or comedi_to_physical (non-linear polynomial conversion).
Returns:
On success, comedi_data_read returns 1 (the number of samples
read). If there is an error, -1 is returned.
Function: comedi_data_read_n -- read multiple samples from channel
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Param: unsigned int channel
Param: unsigned int range
Param: unsigned int aref
Param: lsampl_t * data
Param: unsigned int n
Description:
Similar to
comedi_data_read
except it reads n samples into the
array data.
The precise timing of the samples is not hardware controlled.
Function: comedi_data_read_delayed -- read single sample from channel after delaying for specified settling time
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Param: unsigned int channel
Param: unsigned int range
Param: unsigned int aref
Param: lsampl_t * data
Param: unsigned int nanosec
Description:
Similar to
comedi_data_read
except it will wait for the
specified number of nanoseconds between setting the input
channel and taking a sample. For analog inputs, most
boards have a single
analog to digital converter which is multiplexed to be
able to read multiple channels. If the input is not allowed
to settle after the multiplexer switches channels, the
reading will be inaccurate. This function is useful
for allowing a multiplexed analog input to settle
when switching channels.
Although the settling time is specified in nanoseconds, the
actual settling time will be rounded up to the nearest
microsecond.
Function: comedi_data_read_hint -- tell driver which channel/range/aref you are going to read from next
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Param: unsigned int channel
Param: unsigned int range
Param: unsigned int aref
Description:
Used to prepare an analog input for a subsequent call to
comedi_data_read.
It is not necessary to use this
function, but it can be useful for eliminating inaccuracies
caused by insufficient settling times when switching the
channel
or gain on an analog input. This function sets an analog input
to the channel, range, and aref specified but does not
perform an actual analog to digital conversion.
Alternatively, one can simply use
comedi_data_read_delayed,
which sets up the
input, pauses to allow settling, then performs a conversion.
Function: comedi_data_write -- write single sample to channel
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Param: unsigned int channel
Param: unsigned int range
Param: unsigned int aref
Param: lsampl_t data
Description:
Writes a single sample on the channel that is specified by the
Comedi device device, the subdevice
subdevice, and the channel
channel. If appropriate, the device is
configured to use range
specification range and analog
reference type aref. Analog
reference types that are not supported by the device are
silently ignored.
The function comedi_data_write writes the data value specified
by the parameter data to the specified channel.
Returns:
On success, comedi_data_write returns 1 (the number of samples
written). If there is an error, -1 is returned.
Function: comedi_do_insn -- perform instruction
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: comedi_insn * instruction
Description:
The function comedi_do_insn performs a single instruction.
Returns:
If successful, returns a non-negative number. For the case
of INSN_READ or INSN_WRITE instructions,
comedi_do_insn returns the number of samples
read or written, which may be less than the number requested.
If there is an error, -1 is returned.
Function: comedi_do_insnlist -- perform multiple instructions
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: comedi_insnlist * list
Description:
The function comedi_do_insnlist performs multiple Comedi
instructions as part of one system call. This function
can be used to avoid the overhead of multiple
system calls.
Returns:
The function comedi_do_insnlist returns the number of
successfully completed instructions. Error information for
the unsuccessful instruction is not available. If there is
an error before the first instruction can be executed, -1
is returned.
Function: comedi_fileno -- get file descriptor for open Comedilib device
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Description:
The function comedi_fileno returns the file descriptor for
the device device. This descriptor can then be used as the
file descriptor parameter of read, write, etc.
This function is intended to mimic the standard C library
function fileno.
The returned file descriptor should not be closed, and will
become invalid when
comedi_close
is called on device.
Returns:
A file descriptor, or -1 on error.
Function: comedi_find_range -- search for range
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Param: unsigned int channel
Param: unsigned int unit
Param: double min
Param: double max
Description:
The function comedi_find_range tries to
locate the optimal (smallest) range for the channel
channel
belonging to subdevice subdevice
of the comedi device device,
that includes both min
and max in
units of unit.
Returns:
If a matching range is found, the index of the matching range is
returned. If no matching range is available, the function returns
-1.
Function: comedi_find_subdevice_by_type -- search for subdevice type
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: int type
Param: unsigned int start_subdevice
Description:
The function comedi_find_subdevice_by_type tries to
locate a subdevice belonging to comedi device
device,
having type type, starting with
the subdevice start_subdevice. The
comedi_subdevice_type enum
specifies the possible subdevice types.
Returns:
If it finds a subdevice with the requested
type, it returns its index. If there is an error, the function
returns -1 and sets the appropriate error.
Function: comedi_from_phys -- convert physical units to sample
Retval: lsampl_t
Param: double data
Param: comedi_range * range
Param: lsampl_t maxdata
Description:
Converts parameter data given in
physical units (double) into sample values
(lsampl_t, between 0 and maxdata).
The parameter range
represents the conversion information to use, and the parameter
maxdata represents the maximum possible data value for the
channel that the data will be written to. The mapping between
physical units and raw data is linear and
assumes that the converter has ideal characteristics.
Conversion is not affected by out-of-range behavior. Out-of-range
data parameters are silently truncated to the range 0
to maxdata.
Function: comedi_from_physical -- convert physical units to sample using calibration data
Retval: lsampl_t
Param: double data
Param: const comedi_polynomial_t * conversion_polynomial
Description:
Converts data given in physical units into Comedi's
integer sample values
(lsampl_t, between 0 and maxdata —
see comedi_get_maxdata).
The conversion_polynomial
parameter is obtained from either
comedi_get_hardcal_converter or
comedi_get_softcal_converter. The allows non linear and board specific
correction.
The result will be rounded
using the C library's current rounding direction.
No range checking of the input
data is performed. It is up to you to ensure
your data is within the limits of the output range you are using.
Returns:
Comedi sample value corresponding to input physical value.
Function: comedi_get_board_name -- Comedi device name
Retval: const char *
Param: comedi_t * device
Description:
The function comedi_get_board_name returns a pointer
to a string containing the name of the comedi device represented by
device. This pointer is
valid until the device is closed. This
function returns NULL if there is an error.
Function: comedi_get_driver_name -- Comedi driver name
Retval: char *
Param: comedi_t * device
Description:
The function comedi_get_driver_name returns a pointer
to a string containing the name of the driver being used by comedi
for the comedi device represented by device. This pointer is
valid until the device is closed. This function returns NULL
if there is an error.
Function: comedi_get_maxdata -- maximum sample of channel
Retval: lsampl_t
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Param: unsigned int channel
Description:
The function comedi_get_maxdata returns the maximum
valid data value for channel channel
of subdevice subdevice belonging to
the comedi device device.
Returns:
The maximum valid sample value, or 0 on error.
Function: comedi_get_n_channels -- number of subdevice channels
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Description:
The function comedi_get_n_channels returns the number
of channels of the subdevice subdevice
belonging to the comedi device device.
This function returns -1 on error and
the Comedilib error value is set.
Function: comedi_get_n_ranges -- number of ranges of channel
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Param: unsigned int channel
Description:
The function comedi_get_n_ranges returns the number
of ranges of the channel channel
belonging to the subdevice subdevice
of the comedi device device.
This function returns -1 on error.
Function: comedi_get_n_subdevices -- number of subdevices
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Description:
The function comedi_get_n_subdevices returns the number
of subdevices belonging to the Comedi
device referenced by the parameter device,
or -1 on error.
Function: comedi_get_range -- range information of channel
Retval: comedi_range *
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Param: unsigned int channel
Param: unsigned int range
Description:
The function comedi_get_range returns a pointer to a
comedi_range
structure that contains information on
the range specified by the subdevice,
channel,
and range parameters.
The pointer is valid until the Comedi device
device is closed.
If there is an error, NULL is returned.
Function: comedi_get_subdevice_flags -- properties of subdevice
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Description:
The function comedi_get_subdevice_flags
returns a bitfield describing the capabilities of
the specified subdevice subdevice
of the Comedi device device.
If there is an error, -1 is returned,
and the Comedilib error value is set.
Subdevice FlagValue (hex)DescriptionSDF_BUSY0x00000001The subdevice is busy performing an asynchronous command.
A subdevice being busy
is slightly different from the running state flagged by
SDF_RUNNING. A running subdevice
is always busy, but a busy subdevice is
not necessarily running. For example, suppose an
analog input command has been completed by the hardware, but there are still samples in
Comedi's buffer waiting to be read out. In this case, the subdevice is not
running, but is still busy until all the
samples are read out or comedi_cancel is called.SDF_BUSY_OWNER0x00000002The subdevice is busy, and the command it is running was started by the current process.SDF_LOCKED0x00000004The subdevice has been locked by comedi_lock.SDF_LOCK_OWNER0x00000008The subdevice is locked, and was locked by the current process.SDF_MAXDATA0x00000010The maximum data value for the subdevice depends on the channel.SDF_FLAGS0x00000020The subdevice flags depend on the channel (unfinished/broken support in library).SDF_RANGETYPE0x00000040The range type depends on the channel.SDF_CMD0x00001000The subdevice supports asynchronous commands.SDF_SOFT_CALIBRATED0x00002000The subdevice relies on the host to do calibration in software.
Software calibration coefficients are determined by the comedi_soft_calibrate
utility. See the description of the
comedi_get_softcal_converter function
for more information.
SDF_READABLE0x00010000The subdevice can be read (e.g. analog input).SDF_WRITABLE0x00020000The subdevice can be written to (e.g. analog output).SDF_INTERNAL0x00040000The subdevice does not have externally visible lines.SDF_GROUND0x00100000The subdevice supports analog reference AREF_GROUND.SDF_COMMON0x00200000The subdevice supports analog reference AREF_COMMON.SDF_DIFF0x00400000The subdevice supports analog reference AREF_DIFF.SDF_OTHER0x00800000The subdevice supports analog reference AREF_OTHERSDF_DITHER0x01000000The subdevice supports dithering (via the CR_ALT_FILTER chanspec flag).SDF_DEGLITCH0x02000000The subdevice supports deglitching (via the CR_ALT_FILTER chanspec flag).SDF_RUNNING0x08000000An asynchronous command is running. You can use this flag to poll for the completion of an
output command.SDF_LSAMPL0x10000000The subdevice uses the 32-bit lsampl_t type instead of
the 16-bit sampl_t for
asynchronous command data.SDF_PACKED0x20000000The subdevice uses bitfield samples for asynchronous command data,
one bit per channel (otherwise it uses
one sampl_t or lsampl_t per channel).
Commonly used for digital subdevices.
Function: comedi_get_subdevice_type -- type of subdevice
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Description:
The function comedi_get_subdevice_type returns an
integer describing the type of subdevice that belongs to the comedi
device device and has the subdevice index
subdevice. The
comedi_subdevice_type enum
specifies the possible values for the subdevice type.
Returns:
The function returns the subdevice type, or
-1 if there is an error.
Function: comedi_get_version_code -- Comedi version code
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Description:
Returns the Comedi kernel module version code. A valid Comedi
device referenced by the parameter device
is necessary to
communicate with the kernel module. On error, -1 is returned.
The version code is encoded as a bitfield of three 8-bit
numbers. For example, 0x00073d is the version code for
version 0.7.61.
This function is of limited usefulness. A typical
mis-application of this function is to use it to determine
if a certain feature is supported. If the application needs
to know of the existence of a particular feature, an existence
test function should be written and put in the Comedilib source.
Function: comedi_internal_trigger -- generate soft trigger
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Param: unsigned int trig_num
Description:
This function sends an INSN_INTTRIG instruction to a subdevice, which causes an internal triggering event.
This event can, for example, trigger a subdevice to start an asynchronous command.
The trig_num parameter is reserved for future use, and should be set to 0.
It is likely it will be used in the future to support multiple independent internal triggers.
For example, an asynchronous command might be specified for a subdevice
with a start_src of TRIG_INT,
and a start_arg of 5.
Then the start event would only be triggered if comedi_internal_trigger
were called on the subdevice with a trig_num
equal to the same value of 5.
Returns:
0 on success, -1 on error.
Function: comedi_lock -- subdevice reservation
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Description:
The function comedi_lock reserves a subdevice for use by the
current process. While the lock is held, no other process is
allowed to read, write, or configure that subdevice, although
other processes can read information about the subdevice. The
lock is released by
comedi_unlock,
or when
comedi_close
is called on device.
Returns:
If successful, 0 is returned. If there is an error,
-1 is returned.
Function: comedi_maxdata_is_chan_specific -- maximum sample depends on channel
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Description:
If each channel of the specified subdevice may have different maximum
sample values, this function returns 1. Otherwise, this function
returns 0. On error, this function returns -1.
Function: comedi_open -- open a Comedi device
Retval: comedi_t *
Param: const char * filename
Description:
Open a Comedi device specified by the file filename.
Returns:
If successful, comedi_open returns a pointer to
a valid comedi_t
structure. This structure is opaque; the pointer should not
be dereferenced by the application. NULL is returned on failure.
Function: comedi_range_is_chan_specific -- range information depends on channel
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Description:
If each channel of the specified subdevice may have different range
information, this function returns 1. Otherwise, this function
returns 0. On error, this function returns -1.
Function: comedi_set_global_oor_behavior -- out-of-range behavior
Retval: enum comedi_oor_behavior
Param: enum comedi_oor_behavior behavior
Description:
This function changes the Comedilib out-of-range behavior.
This currently affects the behavior of
comedi_to_phys
when converting endpoint sample values, that is, sample values
equal to 0 or maxdata. If the out-of-range behavior is set to
COMEDI_OOR_NAN, endpoint values are converted to
NAN. If the
out-of-range behavior is set to COMEDI_OOR_NUMBER, the endpoint
values are converted similarly to other values.
Returns:
The previous out-of-range behavior is returned.
Function: comedi_to_phys -- convert sample to physical units
Retval: double
Param: lsampl_t data
Param: comedi_range * range
Param: lsampl_t maxdata
Description:
Converts parameter data given in sample values
(lsampl_t, between 0 and
maxdata) into physical units
(double). The parameter range
represents the conversion information to use, and the parameter
maxdata represents the maximum possible data value for the
channel that the data was read. The mapping between physical units
is linear and assumes ideal converter characteristics.
Conversion of endpoint sample values, that is, sample values
equal to 0 or maxdata,
is affected by the Comedilib out-of-range
behavior (see function comedi_set_global_oor_behavior).
If the out-of-range behavior is set to
COMEDI_OOR_NAN,
endpoint values are converted to NAN. If the out-of-range
behavior is set to COMEDI_OOR_NUMBER, the endpoint values are
converted similarly to other values.
If there is an error, NAN is returned.
Function: comedi_to_physical -- convert sample to physical units using polynomials
Retval: double
Param: lsampl_t data
Param: const comedi_polynomial_t * conversion_polynomial
Description:
Converts data given in Comedi's integer
sample values (lsampl_t, between 0 and
maxdata) into physical units (double). The
conversion_polynomial
parameter is obtained from either
comedi_get_hardcal_converter or
comedi_get_softcal_converter.
No range checking of the
input data is performed. It is up to
you to check for data values of
0 or maxdata if you want to detect possibly out-of-range readings.
Returns:
Physical value corresponding to the input sample value.
Function: comedi_unlock -- subdevice reservation
Retval: int
Param: comedi_t * device
Param: unsigned int subdevice
Description:
The function comedi_unlock releases a subdevice locked
by
comedi_lock.
Returns:
0 on success, otherwise -1.