New tools documentation

docs/source/development/index.rst

@@ -40,4 +40,5 @@ A typical development workflow might look like the following:
     doc-overview
     release-workflow
     style-guide/style-guide
+    tools/index
     poetry

docs/source/development/tools/index.rst

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+Tools
+=====
+
+.. toctree::
+    :maxdepth: 1
+
+    xtce_generator

docs/source/development/tools/xtce_generator.rst

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+.. _xtce_generator:
+
+Generating Telemetry XML with Python Script
+===========================================
+
+Here  is some  info on `XTCE <https://public.ccsds.org/Pubs/660x2g2.pdf/>`_. This Green
+Book introduces the main concepts of XML Telemetric and Command Exchange (XTCE), a
+telemetry and telecommand database format for spacecraft monitoring
+and control.
+
+General
+-------
+
+This document provides steps and information on how to use
+`xtce_generator_template.py` script as a base for users to generate
+telemetry XML files. The script is designed to simplify the process of creating
+telemetry definitions for various packet types.
+
+The script is located in the `tools/xtce_generation` directory. The script is called
+`xtce_generator_template.py`. The script is a ``template`` that can be modified to
+generate telemetry XML files for different packet types. Your new file should be
+called `xtce_generator_yourinstrument.py`.
+An example of how to use the script is `xtce_generator_codice.py` which is also
+located in the `tools/xtce_generation` directory.
+
+Before you Start
+----------------
+
+Generating XTCEs is only done whenever packet definitions get updated, and thus it
+is not a part of the main processing package. To use it there are a few extra
+dependencies like ``pandas`` that you can install with
+
+.. code::
+
+    poetry install --extras tools
+
+How to Use
+----------
+
+Define the instrument name in the `main()` function by setting the `instrument_name`
+variable to the name of your instrument.
+
+.. code::
+
+        instrument_name = "your_instrument_name"
+
+In the code, file paths are being configured. Make sure to change the file paths to
+match your instrument's file structure.
+
+.. code::
+
+    current_directory = Path(__file__).parent
+    module_path = f"{current_directory}/../../imap_processing"
+    # This is the path of the output directory
+    packet_definition_path = f"{module_path}/{instrument_name}/packet_definitions"
+    # This is the path to the excel file that contains the telemetry definitions
+    path_to_excel_file = f"{current_directory}/your_packet.xlsx"
+
+Define packet names and `Application Process Identifiers (APIDs)
+<https://sanaregistry.org/r/space_packet_protocol_application_process_id/>`_.
+The packet names are **case sensitive** meaning the the packet names need to be exactly
+what the tabs of the spreadsheet are. APID's must match the names and apIds in the
+packet definition file. You can use as many packet names and apIds as you want.
+The APID should be an integer (not hexadecimal).
+Follow the format below.
+
+.. code::
+
+    packets = {
+        # Define packet names and associated Application IDs (apId)
+        "your_packet_A": ####,
+        "your_packet_B": ####,
+        # ... (other packet definitions)
+    }
+
+Generating Telemetry XML Files
+-------------------------------
+
+Once you have your xtce processing file defined, you can run it with the
+following command:
+
+.. code::
+
+    python xtce_generator_instrument_name.py