K-Spice Python API

Summary: A short document on how to get up and running with the Python API

NOTE: The API is under active development. The guide provided here might not be compatible with the K-Spice version you are running. Built-in Python help function will give up to date info about functions and types in the K-Spice module.

Installation

1. Install K-Spice in the usual way from an official installer
2. Copy the API file (.pyd) into your K-Spice install bin64 «C:\Program Files (x86)\Kongsberg\K-Spice\bin64»
3. Make sure that «C:\Program Files (x86)\Kongsberg\K-Spice\bin64» is included in your PYTHONPATH (system variable or venv setup)
4. Enjoy!

Importing the K-Spice Module into Python

import sys
sys.path.append(r"C:/Program Files (x86)/Kongsberg/K-Spice/bin64")
import kspice
from kspice import Simulator

# useful package for handling time data
from datetime import timedelta

Note: Appending the path from python might not always work, depending on your Workspace / Python IDE. Instead, try starting Python out of the directory "C:/Program Files (x86)/Kongsberg/K-Spice/bin64" and if calling the API from there works, add the path to your EnvironmentVariables (Windows: PYTHONPATH)

Starting and Running K-Spice

In order to get commands from the Python API to K-Spice, K-Spice needs to be launched from the Python script. Models (and sim managers) already running cannot be controlled from Python. Make sure to shut down existing simulations and sim managers first.

sim = kspice.Simulator(r"C:\K-Spice-Projects\DemoProject")

timeline = sim.activate_timeline("Engineering")

All other API calls are made on the timeline object, the hierachy is as follows: Example scripts can be found in the repository.

Architecture

The python API acts as a wrapper for the K-Spice SimulationManager process. This means you can not interact with the SimExplorer (front-end application) from Python. However, the SimExplorer can be started subsequent to starting a python process that is invoking simulation manager through the api, and then connect in the usual way through tcp/ip on port 16000.

For the full spectrum of available commands and functions refer to version specific html documentation following the K-Spice Python API. docs -> index.html