---
seo_title: "Control a Function Generator (AWG) with Python - instro"
myst:
  html_meta:
    description: "Control arbitrary waveform and function generators from Python with one API for Keysight and Rigol: set waveforms, amplitude, offset, modulation, and bursts."
---

# Arbitrary Waveform Generator (AWG)

{.lead}
Using InstroAWG for SCPI-based arbitrary waveform generators

`InstroAWG` provides a unified interface for arbitrary waveform generators. This class is initialized with a vendor-specific driver (`RigolDG1022Z`, `Keysight33521B`, …), and provides the vendor-agnostic API (`set_waveform`, `set_amplitude`, `set_offset`, `set_modulation`, `set_sweep`, …).

## Creating an InstroAWG

```python
from instro.awg.drivers import RigolDG1022Z
from instro.awg import InstroAWG

awg = InstroAWG(
    name="myAWG",
    driver=RigolDG1022Z(visa_resource="USB0::0x1AB1::0x0642::DG1ZA000000000::INSTR"),
    num_channels=2,
)
```

## Supported Vendors

:::{driver-cards} awg
:::

If your vendor or model is not listed, see [Custom Driver Development](/library/custom-instruments.md#arbitrary-waveform-generator-awg), or open a [Driver Request](https://github.com/nominal-io/instro/issues) issue on GitHub.

## Example

More examples found in [Examples](/examples/awg/index.md)

## Details

The following presents details about the `InstroAWG`. Specific driver details can be found on [their pages](#supported-vendors).

### Driver Composition

An `InstroAWG` is built from a concrete driver:

```python
InstroAWG("name", driver=RigolDG1022Z(visa_resource="USB0::..."), num_channels=2)
```

- The **`RigolDG1022Z`** owns the connection setup and vendor-specific command mapping.
- **`InstroAWG`** owns the category-level workflow: waveform programming, publishers, the background daemon.

### Lifecycle

The typical InstroAWG workflow:

1. **Construct**: instantiate the vendor driver and pass it to `InstroAWG`, along with the channel count.
2. **`open()`**: establishes the connection to the instrument.
3. **Configure and generate**: define a waveform on a channel, set its amplitude and offset, and enable the output, etc.
4. **`start()`**: begins a periodic background daemon that polls output state. (Optional)
5. **`stop()`**: ends the background daemon (if started).
6. **`close()`**: disconnects from hardware.

### Waveform Definitions

InstroAWG supports programming a channel with the following waveforms: `Sine`, `Square`, `Sawtooth`, `Triangle`, `Pulse`, `Arbitrary`, or `StaticValue`. These are all frozen dataclasses in `instro.awg`.

`Arbitrary` requires a sample rate field (`sample_rate_sas`, in samples per second) to specify the number of samples that the internal DAC outputs per second.

:::{note}
**Driver support varies**

Certain features are only available on particular waveforms. Drivers own their implementation of features in InstroAWG. Consult your specific driver for exact support.
:::

`RigolDG1022Z` uses a bulk transfer for arbitrary waveforms over TCPIP when the complete command is smaller than 32 KiB. USB connections and larger TCPIP payloads use per-point transfers because bulk writes can hang the instrument firmware in those cases.

### Init from a Config File

`InstroAWG` can also be constructed directly from a JSON config file. See below for an example Rigol DG1022Z JSON configuration.

```json
{
  "version": 1,
  "instrument": "InstroAWG",
  "device": {
    "name": "bench_awg",
    "description": "Bench waveform generator",
    "manufacturer": "Rigol",
    "model": "DG1022Z"
  },
  "driver": {
    "connection_type": "visa",
    "name": "RigolDG1022Z",
    "num_channels": 2,
    "visa": {
      "visa_resource": "USB0::0x1AB1::0x0642::DG1ZA000000000::INSTR"
    }
  },
  "channels": {
    "1": {
      "waveform": { "shape": "sine", "frequency_hz": 1000.0, "phase_deg": 0.0 },
      "amplitude": { "value": 2.0, "unit": "VPP" },
      "offset": 0.0
    }
  },
  "timing": {
    "poll_interval": 1.0
  },
  "publishers": [
    { "type": "NominalCorePublisher", "dataset_rid": "<dataset_rid>" }
  ]
}
```

```python
from instro.awg import InstroAWG

awg = InstroAWG(config="bench_awg.json")
```

See [Config Files](/library/config-files.md) for the full field reference.

## Custom Driver Development

For more information on writing a custom driver, see [Custom Driver Development](/library/custom-instruments.md#arbitrary-waveform-generator-awg).