PSCAD Automation API: How to check for available licenses at license host using Python and the automation library?

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hk

PSCAD Automation API: How to check for available licenses at license host using Python and the automation library?

Hello everybody,

At my university, we are using a PSCAD license host to activate a PSCAD session at startup. The screenshot below shows how it looks like, when no license is available at program start. As I am using the Automation Library for running most of my simulations, I noticed that simulations are not executed when there is no license available at the automated start of PSCAD - however, and that is my issue, the Automation does not stop when there is temporarily no license available, leading to incomplete results.

In the docuementation, I have found the License Certificate (https://hvdc.ca/webhelp/al-help/automation/licensing.html) method of the mhrc.automation.certificate.Certificate class, and was wondering, whether it is possible to use this to check the number of available licenses, and then to only continue the simulation when the result is > 0.

Unfortunately, I haven't been successful yet in making this feature work for my case:

I have tried the following commands:
# Import the library
sys.path.append(r"C:\Program Files (x86)\PSCAD\Automation\Lib\mhrc")
import automation.certificate
cert = automation.certificate.Certificate
cert.available()

...and get the following error message:
Traceback (most recent call last):

File "<ipython-input-18-607f189286c4>", line 1, in <module>
cert.available()

TypeError: available() missing 1 required positional argument: 'self'

I am grateful for any help regarding the correct application of this class.
The official documentation does currently provide too less information and examples for me (or I am simply not experienced enough with Python).
(Please note: Alternative solutions to check for available license are also welcome, if they can be implemented in Python.)

Thanks in advance to everybody reading this & best regards

Hendrik

Status: Open Dec 11, 2019 - 09:20 PM

Automation Library, Licensing, certificate, PSCAD 4.6.2, Python

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hk

Dec 18, 2019 - 10:10 AM

Thanks to a helpful hint from your colleague George (PSCAD support) I could finally implement the license check functionality into our automation tool: The solution is the licensed()-method from the automation.pscad.PSCAD() class. You find the exemplary definition of my function called allocate_pscad_license() below:

sys.path.append(r"C:\Program Files (x86)\PSCAD\Automation\Lib\mhrc")
import automation.controller

(...)

# PSCAD LICENSE FUNCTION
def allocate_pscad_license(pscad_version, opts):
print('Allocating a PSCAD license...')
print('')
# Initialization
controller = automation.controller.Controller()
pscad = controller.launch(pscad_version, options=opts)
time.sleep(10) #wait until PSCAD is fully launched and has obtained the eventually available license
pscad_license = pscad.licensed()
# Repeat PSCAD launch until a license is successfully assigned
i=0
while not pscad_license==True:
#Close the currently hold unlicensed PSCAD object
pscad.quit()
#Create an animated status output for the console window
if i==0:
print("There is currently no PSCAD license available. Waiting for a license...", end="")
else:
print('.', end="")
i = i+1
#Next try of obtaining a PSCAD license
pscad = controller.launch(pscad_version, options=opts)
time.sleep(10) #wait until PSCAD is fully launched and has obtained the eventually available license
pscad_license = pscad.licensed()
#Successfully assigned a license
print('')
print('Successfully allocated a PSCAD license!')
return pscad

The following code can be used to call the function:

## Launch PSCAD; variable 'licensed_pscad_object' is an object of Class automation.pscad.PSCAD()
# Check if there is a PSCAD license available and allocate it (if no license is available, the function will wait for the next available license)
opts = dict(silence=True, minimize=True)
licensed_pscad_object = allocate_pscad_license(pscad_version, opts)

However, with this solution it is quite annoying that the PSCAD GUI opens and closes the entire time of excuting the python script. Is there maybe a way to launch PSCAD in a "hidden" state, i.e. to not show the PSCAD window at all when launching PSCAD?

Best regards

Hendrik

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hk

Dec 19, 2019 - 02:34 AM

With proper indents:

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Hi Hendrik,

This is a great question and it is clearly outlined. In order for this question to get in front of a developer, or at least an advanced/experienced user of the PSCAD Automation Library, I suggest that you send an email directly to the PSCAD support team (support@mhi.ca).

Regards,
Mathias
Hi Mathias,

Thanks for this hint. I have sent an email to the PSCAD support team in which I refer to this thread.

It would be very nice, if they could assist here with an answer.

However, in case there is no working method available in the PSCAD Python Automation Library yet for checking the availibility of a license, it would still be a great feature for the next update of the Automation Library.

I'll keep this thread updated.

Regards,
Hendrik

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PSCAD Automation API: How to check for available licenses at license host using Python and the automation library?

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