make utils import independent of qcodes

To hopefully break circular imports

qcodes/utils/installation.py

@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 """This module contains helper scripts to make certain installation tasks
 easier."""
 
+import json
 import os
 import sys
-import json
-from qcodes.station import SCHEMA_PATH, STATION_YAML_EXT, update_config_schema
 
 
 def register_station_schema_with_vscode() -> None:
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@ def register_station_schema_with_vscode() -> None:
 
     For more information consult `qcodes/docs/examples/Station.ipynb`.
     """
+    from qcodes.station import SCHEMA_PATH, STATION_YAML_EXT, update_config_schema
     if sys.platform != 'win32':
         raise RuntimeError(
             'This script is only supported on Windows platforms.\n '

qcodes/utils/plotting.py

@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@
 """
 import copy
 import logging
-from typing import Tuple, Union, Optional, Any, cast, Set, Dict
 from collections import OrderedDict
-import numpy as np
+from typing import Any, Dict, Optional, Set, Tuple, Union, cast
+
 import matplotlib
-import matplotlib.colorbar
 import matplotlib.collections
-import qcodes
+import matplotlib.colorbar
+import numpy as np
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -253,6 +253,7 @@ def auto_color_scale_from_config(colorbar: matplotlib.colorbar.Colorbar,
             by the lower limit. Default value is read from
             ``config.plotting.auto_color_scale.color_under``.
     """
+    import qcodes
     if colorbar is None:
         log.warning('"auto_color_scale_from_config" did not receive a colorbar '
                     'for scaling. Are you trying to scale a plot without '

qcodes/utils/slack.py

@@ -56,11 +56,6 @@
 from requests.packages.urllib3.exceptions import ReadTimeoutError
 from slack_sdk import WebClient
 
-from qcodes import config as qc_config
-from qcodes.instrument.parameter import _BaseParameter
-from qcodes.loops import active_data_set, active_loop
-from qcodes.plots.base import BasePlot
-
 
 class SlackTimeoutWarning(UserWarning):
     pass
@@ -123,6 +118,7 @@ def __init__(self, interval=3, config=None, auto_start=True, **commands):
             auto_start (bool): Defaults to True.
 
         """
+        from qcodes import config as qc_config
         if config is not None:
             self.config = config
         else:
@@ -328,6 +324,7 @@ def handle_messages(self, messages):
         Performs commands depending on messages.
         This includes adding tasks to be performed during each update.
         """
+        from qcodes.instrument.parameter import _BaseParameter
         for user, user_messages in messages.items():
             for message in user_messages:
                 if message.get('user', None) != self.users[user]['id']:
@@ -409,6 +406,8 @@ def upload_latest_plot(self, channel, **kwargs):
         Returns:
             None.
         """
+        from qcodes.plots.base import BasePlot
+
         # Create temporary filename
         temp_filename = tempfile.mktemp(suffix='.jpg')
         # Retrieve latest plot
@@ -436,6 +435,7 @@ def print_measurement_information(self, channel, **kwargs):
         Returns:
             None.
         """
+        from qcodes.loops import active_data_set
         dataset = active_data_set()
         if dataset is not None:
             self.slack.chat_postMessage(
@@ -459,6 +459,7 @@ def check_msmt_finished(self, channel, **kwargs):
         Returns:
             bool: True if measurement is finished, False otherwise.
         """
+        from qcodes.loops import active_loop
         if active_loop() is None:
             self.slack.chat_postMessage(
                 text='Measurement complete',

qcodes/utils/threading.py

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 from functools import partial
 from types import TracebackType
 from typing import (
+    TYPE_CHECKING,
     Any,
     Callable,
     Dict,
@@ -25,13 +26,12 @@
 
 from typing_extensions import Protocol
 
-from qcodes import config
-from qcodes.dataset.measurements import res_type
-from qcodes.instrument.parameter import ParamDataType, _BaseParameter
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from qcodes.dataset.measurements import res_type
+    from qcodes.instrument.parameter import ParamDataType, _BaseParameter
 
-ParamMeasT = Union[_BaseParameter, Callable[[], None]]
-
-OutType = List[res_type]
+ParamMeasT = Union["_BaseParameter", Callable[[], None]]
+OutType = List["res_type"]
 
 T = TypeVar("T")
 
@@ -121,11 +121,11 @@ def thread_map(
 
 class _ParamCaller:
 
-    def __init__(self, *parameters: _BaseParameter):
+    def __init__(self, *parameters: "_BaseParameter"):
 
         self._parameters = parameters
 
-    def __call__(self) -> Tuple[Tuple[_BaseParameter, ParamDataType], ...]:
+    def __call__(self) -> Tuple[Tuple["_BaseParameter", ParamDataType], ...]:
         output = []
         for param in self._parameters:
             output.append((param, param.get()))
@@ -138,12 +138,12 @@ def __repr__(self) -> str:
 
 def _instrument_to_param(
         params: Sequence[ParamMeasT]
-) -> Dict[Optional[str], Tuple[_BaseParameter, ...]]:
-
+) -> Dict[Optional[str], Tuple["_BaseParameter", ...]]:
+    from qcodes.instrument.parameter import _BaseParameter
     real_parameters = [param for param in params
                        if isinstance(param, _BaseParameter)]
 
-    output: Dict[Optional[str], Tuple[_BaseParameter, ...]] = defaultdict(tuple)
+    output: Dict[Optional[str], Tuple["_BaseParameter", ...]] = defaultdict(tuple)
     for param in real_parameters:
         if param.underlying_instrument:
             output[param.underlying_instrument.full_name] += (param,)
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ def call_params_threaded(param_meas: Sequence[ParamMeasT]) -> OutType:
 
 
 def _call_params(param_meas: Sequence[ParamMeasT]) -> OutType:
-
+    from qcodes.instrument.parameter import _BaseParameter
     output: OutType = []
 
     for parameter in param_meas:
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ def process_params_meas(
     param_meas: Sequence[ParamMeasT],
     use_threads: Optional[bool] = None
 ) -> OutType:
-
+    from qcodes import config
     if use_threads is None:
         use_threads = config.dataset.use_threads