The ioHub Computer Device

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux

class psychopy.iohub.devices.Computer[source]

Computer provides access to OS and Process level functionality:

  • Read the current time in sec.msec format. The time base used is shared by the ioHub and PsychoPy processes.

  • Access the iohub and psychopy psutil.Process objects

  • Get / set process priority and affinity.

  • Read system memory and CPU usage

Computer contains only static methods and class attributes. Therefore all supported functionality can be accessed directly from the Computer class itself; an instance of the class never needs to be created.

static autoAssignAffinities()[source]

Auto sets the PsychoPy Process and ioHub Process affinities based on some very simple logic.

It is not known at this time if the implementation of this method makes any sense in terms of actually improving performance. Field tests and feedback will need to occur, based on which the algorithm can be improved.

Currently:

  • If the system is detected to have 1 processing unit, or greater

than 8 processing units, nothing is done by the method. * For a system that has two processing units, the PsychoPy Process is assigned to index 0, ioHub Process assigned to 1. * For a system that has four processing units, the PsychoPy Process is assigned to index’s 0,1 and the ioHub Process assigned to 2,3. * For a system that has eight processing units, the PsychoPy Process is assigned to index 2,3, ioHub Process assigned to 4,5. All other processes running on the OS are attempted to be assigned to indexes 0,1,6,7.

Parameters:

None

Returns:

None

core_count = 2

The number of cpu cores available on the computer. Hyperthreads are NOT included.

current_process = psutil.Process(pid=2686930, name='PTB mainthread', status='running', started='16:25:42')

Access to the psutil.Process class for the current system Process.

static getCPUTimeInfo(percpu=False)[source]

Return a float representing the current CPU utilization as a percentage.

Parameters:

percpu (bool) – If True, a list of cputimes objects is returned, one for each processing unit for the computer. If False, only a single cputimes object is returned.

Returns:

(user=float, system=float, idle=float)

Return type:

object

static getCurrentProcess()[source]

Get the current / Local process.

On Windows and Linux, this is a psutil.Process class instance.

Parameters:

None

Returns:

Process object for the current system process.

Return type:

object

static getCurrentProcessAffinity()[source]

Returns a list of ‘processor’ ID’s (from 0 to Computer.processing_unit_count-1) that the current (calling) process is able to run on.

Parameters:

None

Returns:

None

static getIoHubProcess()[source]

Get the ioHub Process.

On Windows and Linux, this is a psutil.Process class instance.

Parameters:

None

Returns:

Process object for the ioHub Process.

Return type:

object

static getPhysicalSystemMemoryInfo()[source]

Return a class containing information about current memory usage.

Parameters:

None

Returns:

(total=long, available=long, percent=float, used=long, free=long)

Return type:

vmem

Where:

  • vmem.total: the total amount of memory in bytes.

  • vmem.available: the available amount of memory in bytes.

  • vmem.percent: the percent of memory in use by the system.

  • vmem.used: the used amount of memory in bytes.

  • vmem.free: the amount of memory that is free in bytes.On Windows,

this is the same as vmem.available.

static getPriority()[source]

Returns the current processes priority as a string.

This method is not supported on OS X.

Returns:

‘normal’, ‘high’, or ‘realtime’

static getProcessAffinities()[source]

Retrieve the current PsychoPy Process affinity list and ioHub Process affinity list.

For example, on a 2 core CPU with hyper-threading, the possible ‘processor’ list would be [0,1,2,3], and by default both the PsychoPy and ioHub Processes can run on any of these ‘processors’, so:

psychoCPUs,ioHubCPUS=Computer.getProcessAffinities()
print psychoCPUs,ioHubCPUS

>> [0,1,2,3], [0,1,2,3]

If Computer.setProcessAffinities was used to set the PsychoPy Process to core 1 (index 0 and 1) and the ioHub Process to core 2 (index 2 and 3), with each using both hyper threads of the given core, the set call would look like:

Computer.setProcessAffinities([0,1],[2,3])

psychoCPUs,ioHubCPUS=Computer.getProcessAffinities()
print psychoCPUs,ioHubCPUS

>> [0,1], [2,3]

If the ioHub is not being used (i.e self.hub is None), then only the PsychoPy Process affinity list will be returned and None will be returned for the ioHub Process affinity:

psychoCPUs,ioHubCPUS=Computer.getProcessAffinities()
print psychoCPUs,ioHubCPUS

>> [0,1,2,3], None

But in this case, why are you using the ioHub package at all? ;)

This method is not supported on OS X.

Parameters:

None

Returns:

PsychoPy Process affinity ID list and ioHub Process affinity ID list.

Return type:

(list,list) Tuple of two lists

static getProcessAffinityByID(process_id)[source]

Returns a list of ‘processor’ ID’s (from 0 to Computer.processing_unit_count-1) that the process with the provided processID is able to run on.

Parameters:
  • processID (int) – The system process ID that the affinity should

  • for. (be set) –

Returns:

list of int processor ID’s to set process with the given processID too. An empty list means all processors.

Return type:

processorList (list)

static getProcessingUnitCount()[source]

Return the number of processing units available on the current computer. Processing Units include: cpu’s, cpu cores, and hyper threads.

Notes:

  • processing_unit_count = num_cpus*num_cores_per_cpu*num_hyperthreads.

  • For single core CPU’s, num_cores_per_cpu = 1.

  • For CPU’s that do not support hyperthreading, num_hyperthreads =

1, otherwise num_hyperthreads = 2.

Parameters:

None

Returns:

the number of processing units on the computer.

Return type:

int

static getTime()[source]

Returns the current sec.msec-msec time of the system.

The underlying timer that is used is based on OS and Python version. Three requirements exist for the ioHub time base implementation:

  • The Python interpreter does not apply an offset to the times

returned based on when the timer module being used was loaded or when the timer function first called was first called. * The timer implementation used must be monotonic and report elapsed time between calls, ‘not’ CPU usage time. * The timer implementation must provide a resolution of 50 usec or better.

Given the above requirements, ioHub selects a timer implementation as follows:

  • On Windows, the Windows Query Performance Counter API is used

using ctypes access. * On other OS’s, if the Python version being used is 2.6 or lower, time.time is used. For Python 2.7 and above, the timeit.default_timer function is used.

Parameters:

None

Returns:

None

in_high_priority_mode = False

True if the current process is currently in high or real-time priority mode (enabled by calling Computer.setPriority()).

iohub_process = None

The psutil Process object for the ioHub Process.

iohub_process_id = None

The OS process ID of the ioHub Process.

is_iohub_process = False

True if the current process is the ioHub Server Process. False if the current process is the Experiment Runtime Process.

platform = 'linux'

The name of the current operating system Python is running on.

processing_unit_count = 2

Attribute representing the number of processing units available on the current computer. This includes cpu’s, cpu cores, and hyperthreads.

processing_unit_count = num_cpus * cores_per_cpu * num_hyperthreads

where:
  • num_cpus: Number of CPU chips on the motherboard (usually 1 now).

  • cores_per_cpu: Number of processing cores per CPU (2,4 is common)

  • num_hyperthreads: Hyper-threaded cores = 2, otherwise 1.

psychopy_process = None

If Computer class is on the iohub server process, psychopy_process is the psychopy process created from the pid passed to iohub on startup. The iohub server checks that this process exists (server.checkForPsychopyProcess()) and shuts down if it does not.

pybits = 64

32 or 64. Note that when a Python 32 bit runtime is used a 64 bit OS sysbits will equal 32.

Type:

Python Env. bits

static setAllOtherProcessesAffinity(processor_list, exclude_process_id_list=[])[source]

Sets the affinity for all OS Processes other than those specified in the exclude_process_id_list, to the processing unit indexes specified in processor_list. Valid values in the processor_list are between 0 to Computer.processing_unit_count-1.

exclude_process_id_list should be a list of OS Process ID integers, or an empty list (indicating to set the affiinty to all processing units).

Note that the OS may not allow the calling process to set the affinity of every other process running on the system. For example, some system level processing can not have their affinity set by a user level application.

However, in general, many processes can have their affinity set by another user process.

Parameters:
  • processor_list (list) – list of int processor ID’s to set all OS

  • processors. (Processes to. An empty list means all) –

  • exclude_process_id_list (list) – A list of process ID’s that

  • changed. (should not have their process affinity settings) –

Returns:

None

static setCurrentProcessAffinity(processorList)[source]

Sets the list of ‘processor’ ID’s (from 0 to Computer.processing_unit_count-1) that the current (calling) process should only be allowed to run on.

Parameters:
  • processorList (list) – list of int processor ID’s to set the

  • processors. (current Process affinity to. An empty list means all) –

Returns:

None

static setPriority(level='normal', disable_gc=False)[source]

Attempts to change the current processes priority based on level. Supported levels are:

  • ‘normal’: sets the current process priority to

NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS on Windows, or to the processes original nice value on Linux. * ‘high’: sets the current process priority to HIGH_PRIORITY_CLASS on Windows, or to a nice value of -10 value on Linux. * ‘realtime’: sets the current process priority to REALTIME_PRIORITY_CLASS on Windows, or to a nice value of -18 value on Linux.

If level is ‘normal’, Python GC is also enabled. If level is ‘high’ or ‘realtime’, and disable_gc is True, then the Python garbage collection (GC) thread is suspended.

This method is not supported on OS X.

Returns:

Priority level of process when method returns.

static setProcessAffinities(experimentProcessorList, ioHubProcessorList)[source]

Sets the processor affinity for the PsychoPy Process and the ioHub Process.

For example, on a 2 core CPU with hyper-threading, the possible ‘processor’ list would be [0,1,2,3], and by default both the experiment and ioHub server processes can run on any of these ‘processors’, so to have both processes have all processors available (which is the default), you would call:

Computer.setProcessAffinities([0,1,2,3], [0,1,2,3])

# check the process affinities
psychoCPUs,ioHubCPUS=Computer.getProcessAffinities()
print psychoCPUs,ioHubCPUS

>> [0,1,2,3], [0,1,2,3]

based on the above CPU example.

If setProcessAffinities was used to set the experiment process to core 1 (index 0,1) and the ioHub server process to core 2 (index 2,3), with each using both hyper threads of the given core, the set call would look like:

Computer.setProcessAffinities([0,1],[2,3])

# check the process affinities
psychoCPUs,ioHubCPUS=Computer.getProcessAffinities()
print psychoCPUs,ioHubCPUS

>> [0,1], [2,3]
Parameters:
  • experimentProcessorList (list) – list of int processor ID’s to set

  • all (the PsychoPy Process affinity to. An empty list means) –

  • processors. (ioHub Process affinity to. An empty list means all) –

  • ioHubProcessorList (list) – list of int processor ID’s to set the

  • processors.

Returns:

None

static setProcessAffinityByID(process_id, processor_list)[source]

Sets the list of ‘processor’ ID’s (from 0 to Computer.processing_unit_count-1) that the process with the provided OS Process ID is able to run on.

Parameters:
  • processID (int) – The system process ID that the affinity should

  • for. (be set) –

  • processorList (list) – list of int processor ID’s to set process

  • processors. (with the given processID too. An empty list means all) –

Returns:

None

static syncClock(params)[source]

Sync parameters between Computer.global_clock and a given dict.

Parameters:

params (dict) – Dict of attributes and values to apply to the computer’s global clock. See psychopy.clock.MonotonicClock for what attributes to include.

Computer Device Default Configuration Settings

The computer Device is enabled automatically and has no configuration settings in the iohub_config.yaml.

Computer Device Events

The Computer Device does not generate any ioHub Events.

Notes and Considerations

None at this time.


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