Builder calls from module class

[jdmax]

I'm trying to create an IOC dynamically chosen from set of device scripts. This means I'm trying to do builder calls in a module called by my main function using importlib. I can call the module to create the PVs and read the created PVs from the main function. But only before I call builder.LoadDatabase(), after which all the created PV instances are replaced with 'None.'

I assume I need to pass the builder into the called module somehow, but I could use some advice as to how. I include a barebones example below. Thanks so much for any advice you might have.

from softioc import softioc, builder, asyncio_dispatcher
import importlib
import asyncio

async def main():

    dispatcher = asyncio_dispatcher.AsyncioDispatcher()
    builder.SetDeviceName('device_name')

    d = DeviceIOC()
    print(d.device.pvs['Test'])  # Prints the name of the PV

    builder.LoadDatabase()
    print(d.device.pvs['Test']) # Prints "None"

    softioc.iocInit(dispatcher)
    async def loop():
        while True:
            await d.loop()
    dispatcher(loop)
    softioc.interactive_ioc(globals())

class DeviceIOC():
    def __init__(self):
        self.module = importlib.import_module('test_module')
        self.device = self.module.Device()
    async def loop(self):
        await asyncio.sleep(1)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    asyncio.run(main())

This is an example module file it will call, 'test_module':

from softioc import builder

class Device():
    def __init__(self):
        self.pvs = {}
        self.pvs['Test'] = builder.aIn('Test')

[AlexanderWells-diamond]

I think you're just running into an oddity with how the __str__() method on the builder.aIn (and other record types) is stringifying the object. If you do print(repr(d.device.pvs['Test'])) you'll see that you do still have the created instance.

When you call builder.LoadDatabase(), under the covers we set some attributes to None to indicate that no more records can be created. This is what appears to be being printed at the moment.

[AlexanderWells-diamond]

After discussion with @Araneidae there is a usability improvement we can make - it's tracked in issue #129

[jdmax]

I see! Thanks very much your help!