ASPython

Python toolkit for programmatic interaction with B&R Automation Studio projects.

Provided by Loupe · info@loupe.team · 1-800-240-7042

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Overview

ASPython (aspython) is a Python package that provides both a command-line interface and a Python API for automating common Automation Studio workflows: building configurations, managing libraries, creating simulators, packaging HMIs, running unit tests, and more.

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Requirements

• Python 3.8+
• B&R Automation Studio installed (required for build/sim operations)
• Windows (Automation Studio is Windows-only)

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Installation

Install from source in editable mode (recommended for development):

pip install -e .

Install with optional CNC support (requires lxml):

pip install -e .[cnc]

Install with all development dependencies (testing, linting, packaging):

pip install -e .[dev]

After installation the aspython command is available on your PATH.

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CLI Reference

aspython <command> [options]
aspython --help
aspython <command> --help

Global flags available on every subcommand:

Flag	Description
-l, --logLevel	Log verbosity: DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR (default: WARNING)
-v, --version	Print the installed version and exit

aspython build

Build one or more configurations of an AS project.

aspython build <project> -c <config> [<config> ...] [options]

Argument	Description
project	Path to the AS project
-c, --configuration	One or more AS configuration names to build (required)
-bm, --buildMode	Build mode: Build (default), Rebuild, BuildAndTransfer, BuildAndCreateCompactFlash, None
-rp, --buildRUCPackage	Disable building the RUC package
-sim, --simulation	Build for simulation
-pip	Generate a PIP (.tar.gz) after build completes

aspython arsim

Build (optionally) and create an ARsim package for an AS project.

aspython arsim <project> -c <config> [<config> ...] [options]

Argument	Description
project	Path to the AS project
-c, --configuration	One or more AS configuration names (required)
-bm, --buildMode	Build before packaging: None (default, skip build), Build, Rebuild, etc.
-ss, --startSim	Start ARsim after creating the package
-uf, --userFiles	Path to a folder of user partition files to include
-hf, --hmiFiles	Path to a folder of HMI files to include

Output is written to <project>/Temp/SIM/<config>/Simulator.tar.gz.

aspython export-libs

Export libraries from an AS project in binary or source format.

aspython export-libs <project> -c <config> [<config> ...] [options]

Argument	Description
project	Path to the AS project
-c, --configuration	One or more AS configuration names (required)
-dest, --destination	Export destination path (default: ../Exports relative to project)
-wl, --whitelist	Export only these libraries (overrides blacklist)
-bl, --blacklist	Skip libraries matching these glob patterns
-o, --overwrite	Overwrite previously-exported libraries
-source, --sourceFile	Export as source instead of binary
-bm, --buildMode	Build before exporting (default: None)
-iv, --includeVersion	Include version number in the folder structure

aspython deploy-libs

Deploy libraries into a cpu.sw deployment table.

aspython deploy-libs -d <cpu.sw> -lf <library-folder> [options]

Argument	Description
-d, --deploymentFile	Path to the cpu.sw file (required)
-lf, --libraryFolder	Folder containing the libraries to deploy (required)
-lib, --libraries	Specific library names to deploy (default: all libraries in the folder)

aspython safety-crc

Retrieve the CRC of a B&R Safe Application from a built project.

aspython safety-crc <project> -c <config> -sa <safe-app>

Argument	Description
project	Path to the AS project
-c, --configuration	AS configuration name (required)
-sa, --safeApp	Safe application name (e.g. MySafeApp.SafAPP) (required)

Prints the CRC value to stdout.

aspython version

Read a project's build version from a .var file.

aspython version <project> -bi <buildInfo.var> [options]

Argument	Description
project	Path to the AS project
-bi, --buildInfo	Path to the buildInfo .var file (required)
--semver	Return the version in Semantic Version format

Prints the version string to stdout.

aspython installer

Generate a Windows installer (.exe) from an Inno Setup .iss script.

aspython installer <script.iss> -o <output> -an <appName> [options]

Argument	Description
script	Path to the .iss script (required)
-o, --output	Destination folder for the compiled installer (required)
-an, --appName	Application name (required)
-av, --appVersion	Application version (default: 1.0.0)
-ap, --appPublisher	Publisher name (default: Loupe)
-au, --appUrl	Publisher URL (default: https://loupe.team)
-sd, --simDir	Directory containing simulation assets
-ud, --userDir	Directory containing user partition assets
-jb, --junctionBatch	Junction batch filename (default: ConnectFileDevice.bat)
-hd, --hmiDir	Directory containing HMI assets
-he, --hmiExe	HMI executable filename

aspython package-hmi

Package a Loupe UX-based HMI using electron-packager.

aspython package-hmi -s <source> -o <output> -an <appName> [options]

Argument	Description
-s, --source	Source folder containing the HMI package.json (required)
-o, --output	Destination folder for packaged files (required)
-an, --appName	Application name (required)
-av, --appVersion	Application version (default: 1.0.0)
-ap, --appPublisher	Publisher name (default: Loupe)
--installElectronPackager	Install electron-packager before packaging

aspython run-tests

Run unit tests against a PLC test server and write JUnit-style XML results.

aspython run-tests <host> -d <destination> [options]

Argument	Description
host	IP address of the PLC running the test server (required)
-d, --destination	Directory to write test result XML files (required)
-a, --all	Run all available tests

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Python API

The package exposes a public API that can be imported directly:

from aspython import Project, Library, Package, BuildConfig

Project

The main entry point for working with an AS project.

project = Project('/path/to/MyProject')

# Build a configuration
result = project.build('MyConfig', buildMode='Build')

# Export libraries
results = project.exportLibraries('/path/to/exports', buildConfigs=[...])

# Create an ARsim package
project.createSim('MyConfig', destination='/path/to/sim')

# Create a PIP
project.createPIP('MyConfig', '/path/to/pip')

# Read a constant from a .var file
version = project.getConstantValue('path/to/buildInfo.var', 'versionId')

# Read a value from an .ini file
crc = project.getIniValue('relative/path/to/CPU.ini', 'CRC', 'PROJECT')

Key properties:

Property	Description
project.dirPath	Absolute path to the project directory
project.tempPath	Absolute path to the project's Temp directory
project.buildConfigs	List of BuildConfig objects for each AS configuration

Library

Represents an Automation Studio library.

from aspython import Library
lib = Library('/path/to/MyLibrary')

Package

Represents an AS logical package (.pkg file).

BuildConfig

Represents a build configuration within a project.

for config in project.buildConfigs:
    print(config.name)

SwDeploymentTable

Read and modify a cpu.sw software deployment table.

from aspython import SwDeploymentTable
table = SwDeploymentTable('/path/to/cpu.sw')
table.deployLibrary('/path/to/libs', 'MyLibrary')

Path utilities

from aspython import (
    getASPath,
    getASBuildPath,
    convertAsPathToWinPath,
    convertWinPathToAsPath,
)

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Legacy compatibility

The legacy CmdLine*.py scripts and the import ASTools pattern continue to work as deprecation shims. Prefer the aspython CLI and package API for new code.

Legacy	Current
python CmdLineBuild.py	aspython build
python CmdLineARSim.py	aspython arsim
python CmdLineExportLib.py	aspython export-libs
python CmdLineDeployLibraries.py	aspython deploy-libs
python CmdLineGetSafetyCrc.py	aspython safety-crc
python CmdLineGetVersion.py	aspython version
python CmdLineCreateInstaller.py	aspython installer
python CmdLinePackageHmi.py	aspython package-hmi
python CmdLineRunUnitTests.py	aspython run-tests

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Development

Run the test suite:

pytest

Lint:

ruff check .

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Licensing

This project is licensed under the MIT License.