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Basic Install

instro is published on PyPI, and can be installed using either uv or pip. instro supports Python 3.10-3.14.

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Additional Packages

instro has additional packages for utilizing vendor instruments that require their own dependencies. These are grouped by individual vendors and by instrument type where useful.
These packages supply Python dependencies. See Driver Dependencies for external installers required for some instruments.
Here is a table of available packages:

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Using Nominal Connect

If you’re a Nominal Connect user, you don’t need to install instro yourself. Just add it to your packages list in your app.connect file, and Nominal Connect will install it into your Python environment automatically. Use any of the additional packages above to pull in more support.

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Driver Dependencies

instro depends on external software to be installed for various hardware interactions to be successful.
Understanding the distinction: These vendor-installable drivers are different from the driver classes that an Instrument is composed with:
  • Vendor-installable drivers: External libraries/drivers developed by instrument vendors that must be installed to your system operating system.
  • instro driver classes: The vendor/model-specific Python code that Instrument uses to interact with the external software drivers.
The table below shows which vendor drivers are required for which instro instrument types:

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VISA

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Used By

VISA (Virtual Instrument Software Architecture) is used by instro for all SCPI/VISA based instrument connections. Some support is provided when you install instro, but you may need additional drivers.

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Instro installs

Installing instro also installs pyvisa, pyvisa-py, and the full set of pyvisa-py backend libraries (pyusb, bundled libusb via libusb-package, pyserial, psutil, zeroconf, pyvicp, and gpib-ctypes). TCP/IP, USB-TMC, serial, HiSLIP, and VICP resources work with no extra setup.
  • pyvisa (Python VISA library)
  • pyvisa-py (default Python backend)
  • pyusb + libusb (USB-TMC backend; libusb ships bundled via libusb-package)
  • pyserial (ASRL/serial backend)
  • psutil, zeroconf, pyvicp (TCPIP discovery, HiSLIP discovery, and VICP support)

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You may need

  • Native GPIB driver: NI-488.2 for NI GPIB interfaces, or linux-gpib on Linux.
  • Vendor VISA runtimes (optional; required for PXI/VXI or vendor-specific transports)

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NI-DAQmx

NI-DAQmx is the National Instruments driver for their DAQ devices. It must be installed before using National Instruments DAQ devices with instro.

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Used By

  • InstroDAQ: National Instruments DAQ devices (via NIDAQDriver)

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Installation

  1. Download and install NI-DAQmx from the National Instruments website
  2. Verify installation by opening NI-MAX (Measurement & Automation Explorer) and confirming your device appears

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Alternative Installation (Python)

You can also install NI-DAQmx via the nidaqmx Python package’s driver installer:

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LJM (LabJack Module)

LJM is the LabJack Module library required to communicate with LabJack T-Series devices (T4, T7, T8).

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Used By

  • InstroDAQ: LabJack T-Series devices (via LabJackTSeriesDriver)

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Installation

  1. Download LJM from the LabJack website
  2. Install the LJM package for your operating system
  3. The Python bindings (labjack.ljm) are typically included with the LJM installation

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MCC Universal Library (mcculw)

The MCC Universal Library is the Measurement Computing driver stack for their USB and Ethernet DAQ devices. It must be installed before using MCC devices with instro.

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Used By

  • InstroDAQ: Measurement Computing DAQ devices (via MCCDriver)

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Installation

  1. Download and install the MCC DAQ Software (includes InstaCal and the Universal Library) from the Measurement Computing website.
  2. Open InstaCal and confirm your device appears in the board list. Note the device’s unique ID. You pass this as the device_id argument to MCCDriver() when constructing the driver handed to InstroDAQ.
  3. The Python bindings (mcculw) are installed automatically when you install the instro[mccdaq] or instro[daq] extras.
The MCC Universal Library is currently only available on Windows. MCC DAQ support in instro is therefore limited to Windows hosts.

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Total Phase USB Drivers

Total Phase USB Drivers are required to communicate with Total Phase Aardvark I2C/SPI Host Adapter devices.

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Used By

  • I2CInterface: Total Phase Aardvark I2C/SPI Host Adapter (via Aardvark)

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Installation

  1. Download the USB Drivers from the Total Phase website