Setting Up Your Instruments

Before you can use instruments with the Lager Client (CLI or Python Library), you may need to perform a minimal setup to identify and organize connected devices.

View Connected Instruments

To view all instruments currently connected to a specific Lager Box, run:

lager instruments --box my-lager-box

This command detects and lists all physical instruments connected to the Lager Box via USB or network. Example output:

┌─────────────────────────┬──────────┬────────────────────────────────┐
│ Instrument              │ Channels │ Address                        │
├─────────────────────────┼──────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│ Rigol_DP832             │ CH1,CH2  │ USB0::0x1AB1::0x0E11::DP8...   │
│ LabJack_T7              │ AIN0-13  │ T7-12345678                    │
│ Aardvark                │ I2C,SPI  │ USB0::0x0403::0xE0D0::...      │
│ Segger_JLink            │ SWD      │ USB::001::002                  │
└─────────────────────────┴──────────┴────────────────────────────────┘

To view configured nets (logical mappings to instruments), use:

lager nets --box my-lager-box

This shows the nets you’ve created, their types, and which instruments they’re mapped to.

Example Output:

Name      Net Type      Instrument        Channel       Address
===============================================================================================
ADC_0     adc           LabJack_T7        AIN0          USB0::0x0CD5::0x0007::::INSTR
ARM       arm           Rotrix_Dexarm     /dev/ttyACM0  USB0::0x0483::0x5740::206E399E4753::INSTR
GPIO_0    gpio          LabJack_T7        FIO3          USB0::0x0CD5::0x0007::::INSTR
GPIO_1    gpio          LabJack_T7        FIO2          USB0::0x0CD5::0x0007::::INSTR
GPIO_2    gpio          LabJack_T7        FIO1          USB0::0x0CD5::0x0007::::INSTR
GPIO_3    gpio          LabJack_T7        FIO0          USB0::0x0CD5::0x0007::::INSTR
I2C_0     i2c           Aardvark          --            USB0::0x0403::0xE0D0::2420032::INSTR
SPI_0     spi           Aardvark          --            USB0::0x0403::0xE0D0::2420032::INSTR
TEMP_0    thermocouple  Phidget           0             USB0::0x06C2::0x0046::751053::INSTR
TEMP_1    thermocouple  Phidget           1             USB0::0x06C2::0x0046::751053::INSTR
UART      uart          SiLabs_CP210x     0001          USB0::0x10C4::0xEA60::0001::INSTR
USB_0     usb           Acroname_8Port    0             USB0::0x24FF::0x0013::807D0C12::INSTR
USB_1     usb           Acroname_8Port    1             USB0::0x24FF::0x0013::807D0C12::INSTR
USB_2     usb           Acroname_8Port    2             USB0::0x24FF::0x0013::807D0C12::INSTR
USB_3     usb           Acroname_8Port    3             USB0::0x24FF::0x0013::807D0C12::INSTR
USB_4     usb           Acroname_8Port    4             USB0::0x24FF::0x0013::807D0C12::INSTR
USB_5     usb           Acroname_8Port    5             USB0::0x24FF::0x0013::807D0C12::INSTR
USB_6     usb           Acroname_8Port    6             USB0::0x24FF::0x0013::807D0C12::INSTR
USB_7     usb           Acroname_8Port    7             USB0::0x24FF::0x0013::807D0C12::INSTR
WEBCAM    webcam        Logitech_BRIO_HD  /dev/video0   USB0::0x046D::0x085E::20786B34::INSTR

Automatic Net Creation

When an instrument is plugged into a Lager Box, Lager automatically creates a default Net for each function the instrument supports.

A simple, single-function device like a power supply will create one Supply Net.
A multi-function device like a LabJack T7 DAQ will create several Nets: one for GPIO, one for ADC, one for DAC, and (if configured) one each for I2C and SPI.
An I2C/SPI adapter like a Total Phase Aardvark will create both an I2C Net and an SPI Net, since the adapter supports both protocols.

For instruments that support multiple channels of the same type (e.g., a 4-channel oscilloscope), you can assign and configure Nets for each channel individually.

Modify or Assign Nets Using the TUI

For instruments that support multiple channels (e.g. LabJack, PicoScope), you can assign new Nets using the interactive TUI (text user interface). You can also re-name existing Nets. To launch the Net TUI, run:

lager nets tui --box my-lager-box

Within the TUI, you can:

Add new Nets
Rename existing Nets
Delete unused Nets

RS-232 Instruments (Manual Assignment)

Some instruments have no USB control port and connect through a USB-serial adapter — for example, a Rigol DP711 power supply on its RS-232 port. The Lager Box sees only the adapter cable, so it can’t tell what instrument is behind it, and nothing appears automatically.

Rigol DP711 — crossover cable required. The DP711’s RS-232 port is wired as DTE, the same as the RS232-to-USB adapter Rigol ships with it. Connecting the two directly will not work — TX talks to TX and nothing gets through. You must insert a null-modem (crossover) cable or adapter between the DP711 and the USB-serial adapter so the TX/RX lines are swapped. Without it the cable shows up in lager nets assign --list but the supply never responds to commands.

Tell the box what the cable is connected to, once per cable:

# See the unassigned USB-serial cables on the box
lager nets assign --list --box my-lager-box

# Assign the cable to the instrument — and create a supply net in one step
lager nets assign Rigol_DP711 --serial 00000006 --as-net main_supply --box my-lager-box

The same flow is available in the Net TUI (lager nets tui) via the Assign Device button: pick the cable, pick the instrument, and name the net in the same flow — done. After assignment, the instrument shows up in lager instruments and in the TUI like any auto-detected device, and nets can be added for it normally. The assignment is stored on the box and survives reboots and replugs. See the nets assign reference for port-pinned assignments, baud-rate overrides, and removal.

Debug Nets

For debug instruments (e.g., Segger J-Link, ST-Link), you must specify the target MCU when creating the net. This is easily done through the TUI, as it will prompt you to input the MCU type.

Important: The MCU type must match a valid target device supported by your debug probe. If the MCU type is not recognized, the debugger will not function correctly.

Next Steps

With your instruments configured, start controlling them:

Interacting With Nets — Send commands to your instruments via CLI or Python

​View Connected Instruments

​Example Output:

​Automatic Net Creation

​Modify or Assign Nets Using the TUI

​Within the TUI, you can:

​RS-232 Instruments (Manual Assignment)

​Debug Nets

​Next Steps