16 Modeling with Python

This section describes modeling devices with Python. There are currently three ways of modelling with Python:

1. Use the pyobj module (ConfObject class), which is documented in the Modeling with Python (pyobj) section.
2. Use the confclass class, which is documented in the Modeling with Python (confclass) section.
3. Using the Simics API directly from Python. This method is not recommended, but just mentioned as a possibility. An example is available in the empty-device-python module.

In the choice between pyobj and confclass:

• pyobj is slightly more feature complete, but relies on inheritance to add attributes and interfaces, which means that subclasses for these needs to be added.
• confclass is the newest of the two, and has a slightly more condensed syntax, where attributes and interfaces are added using hierarchical decorators. The missing functionality (see below) will be addressed in future releases.

This is a short high-level functionality comparison between pyobj and confclass:

Information on how to port a pyobj class to confclass, see section 16.3.

• 16.1 Modeling with Python (pyobj)
• 16.2 Modeling with Python (confclass)
• 16.3 Migrating to confclass