Deprecate is_sim / is_rt and replace by lcnc_realtime.py

lcnc_realtime.verify() should be used instead of hal.is_rt

Author: hdiethelm

docs/po4a.cfg

@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 [type: AsciiDoc_def] src/config/moveoff.adoc $lang:build/adoc/$lang/config/moveoff.adoc
 [type: AsciiDoc_def] src/config/pncconf.adoc $lang:build/adoc/$lang/config/pncconf.adoc
 [type: AsciiDoc_def] src/config/python-hal-interface.adoc $lang:build/adoc/$lang/config/python-hal-interface.adoc
+[type: AsciiDoc_def] src/config/python-lcnc_realtime.adoc $lang:build/adoc/$lang/config/python-lcnc_realtime.adoc
 [type: AsciiDoc_def] src/config/python-interface.adoc $lang:build/adoc/$lang/config/python-interface.adoc
 [type: AsciiDoc_def] src/config/stepconf.adoc $lang:build/adoc/$lang/config/stepconf.adoc
 [type: AsciiDoc_def] src/config/stepper.adoc $lang:build/adoc/$lang/config/stepper.adoc

docs/src/Master_Documentation.adoc

@@ -300,6 +300,8 @@ include::config/python-interface.adoc[]
 
 include::config/python-hal-interface.adoc[]
 
+include::config/python-lcnc_realtime.adoc[]
+
 include::gui/gstat.adoc[]
 
 include::gui/vismach.adoc[]

docs/src/Submakefile

@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ DOC_SRCS_EN := \
 	config/moveoff.adoc \
 	config/pncconf.adoc \
 	config/python-hal-interface.adoc \
+	config/python-lcnc_realtime.adoc \
 	config/python-interface.adoc \
 	config/stepconf.adoc \
 	config/stepper-diagnostics.adoc \

docs/src/config/python-hal-interface.adoc

@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ System information:
 * `hal.is_userspace` - Inverted `hal.is_kernelspace`
 * `hal.kernel_version` - A string specifying the real-time kernel version if `hal.is_kernelspace` is one.
   Otherwise it specifies `"Not Available"`.
-* `hal.is_rt` - One (1) if the system runs in real-time, otherwise zero (0)
-* `hal.is_sim` - Inverted `hal.is_rt`
+* `hal.is_rt` - One (1) if the system runs in real-time, otherwise zero (0) *DEPRECATED*: Use `lcnc_realtime.verify()`
+* `hal.is_sim` - Inverted `hal.is_rt` *DEPRECATED*: Use `lcnc_realtime.verify()`
 
 === hal methods
 

docs/src/config/python-lcnc_realtime.adoc

@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+:lang: en
+:toc:
+
+[[cha:python-lcnc_realtime]]
+= Python module for managing the realtime backend
+
+This documentation describes the `lcnc_realtime` Python module, which provides
+a Python API for managing the realtime backend.
+
+This is a Python wrapper of the realtime script.
+
+== Basic usage
+
+.Verify realtime capability and check if the realtime backend is running
+[source,python]
+----
+import lcnc_realtime
+
+print("lcnc_realtime.verify " + str(lcnc_realtime.verify()))
+print("lcnc_realtime.status " + str(lcnc_realtime.status()))
+----
+
+== methods
+
+hal.verify()::
+Returns a boolean to indicate whether the system is realtime capable.
+
+hal.status()::
+Returns a boolean to indicate whether the realtime backend is running.

docs/src/hal/halmodule.adoc

@@ -199,9 +199,9 @@ Use these to specify details rather then the value they hold.
 
 Read these to acquire information about the realtime system.
 
+* `lcnc_realtime`: See <<cha:python-lcnc_realtime, Python module for managing the realtime backend>>.
 * `is_kernelspace`
-* `is_rt`
-* `is_sim`
 * `is_userspace`
+* `get_realtime_type()`
 
 // vim: set syntax=asciidoc:

lib/python/.gitignore

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 nf.py
+lcnc_realtime.py
 gscreen
 gmoccapy/
 stepconf/

lib/python/hal.py

@@ -29,6 +29,19 @@
 
 import _hal
 from _hal import *
+import warnings
+import lcnc_realtime
+
+def __getattr__(name):
+    if name == 'is_rt':
+        warnings.warn(f"{name} is deprecated, use lcnc_realtime.verify() instead", FutureWarning, stacklevel=2)
+        return lcnc_realtime.verify()
+
+    if name == 'is_sim':
+        warnings.warn(f"{name} is deprecated, use lcnc_realtime.verify() instead", FutureWarning, stacklevel=2)
+        return not lcnc_realtime.verify()
+
+    raise AttributeError(f"module {__name__!r} has no attribute {name!r}")
 
 class _ItemWrap(object):
     def __new__(cls, item):

lib/python/lcnc_realtime.py.in

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#    Python wrapper of realtime script
+#    Copyright 2026 Hannes Diethelm <hannes.diethelm@gmail.com>
+#
+#    This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+#    it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+#    the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+#    (at your option) any later version.
+#
+#    This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+#    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+#    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+#    GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+#    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+#    along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+#    Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+
+import subprocess
+
+REALTIME="@REALTIME@"
+
+def verify() -> bool:
+    #Checks if system is realtime compatible
+    cmd = [REALTIME, "verify"]
+    ret = subprocess.run(cmd, stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+    if ret.returncode != 0 and ret.returncode != 1:
+        raise RuntimeError("cmd \"" + " ".join(cmd) + "\" failed with status " + str(ret.returncode))
+    return ret.returncode==0;
+
+def status() -> bool:
+    #Status: realtime core running (rtapi_app running or kernel modules active)
+    #Note: rtapi_app running does not mean realtime compatibility!
+    cmd = [REALTIME, "status"]
+    ret = subprocess.run(cmd, stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+    if ret.returncode != 0 and ret.returncode != 1:
+        raise RuntimeError("cmd \"" + " ".join(cmd) + "\" failed with status " + str(ret.returncode))
+    return ret.returncode==0;

src/Makefile

@@ -357,6 +357,7 @@ INFILES = \
 	../tcl/linuxcnc.tcl ../scripts/halrun ../scripts/rip-environment \
 	../scripts/linuxcncmkdesktop \
 	../lib/python/nf.py \
+	../lib/python/lcnc_realtime.py \
 	../share/desktop-directories/linuxcnc-doc.directory \
 	../share/desktop-directories/linuxcnc-ref.directory \
 	../share/desktop-directories/linuxcnc-cnc.directory \