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When OMneT++ Goes Python

OMNeT++ is adding Python integration to enable several useful capabilities. Python can be used for setting up models, extending NED expressions, implementing custom components, and analyzing simulation results. Upcoming tools will allow Python code in NED files using new functions, implementing modules in Python, and accessing the simulation library from Python. This will offer benefits like automated workflows, leveraging computing resources, and storing results rather than recomputing. A demo showed Python integration in sample simulations.

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65 views17 pages

When OMneT++ Goes Python

OMNeT++ is adding Python integration to enable several useful capabilities. Python can be used for setting up models, extending NED expressions, implementing custom components, and analyzing simulation results. Upcoming tools will allow Python code in NED files using new functions, implementing modules in Python, and accessing the simulation library from Python. This will offer benefits like automated workflows, leveraging computing resources, and storing results rather than recomputing. A demo showed Python integration in sample simulations.

Uploaded by

gentlemanchengyitao100
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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OMNeT++ Goes Python

András Varga
[email protected]
OMNeT++ Core Team

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


Introduction
• After finishing OMNeT++ 6.0...

• We started playing around with Python because we saw huge


potentials there

– enthused by the Python-powered Analysis Tool


– during INET development and maintenance, a Python REPL with a home-grown lib has
grown to be an indispensable tool
– discovered the cppyy C++ FFI Python package

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


(Snapshot from the office)

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


Areas where Python can be useful
• Setting up models (e.g. topology building)
• Extending the capabilities of NED expressions
• Implementing simulation-specific ad-hoc components (e.g. scenario managers,
custom traffic generators, etc.)
• Simulation control (e.g. custom stop conditions)
• Managing and running simulations and simulation campaigns (workflow automation)
• Result analysis (inside and outside of the IDE)

• Disadvantages of Python in OMNeT++


– speed (or lack thereof)
• you want to keep Python code out of the “hot” parts of the model
– the word “module” has become ambiguous
• do you mean “importable Python file”, or “OMNeT++ simulation component”? ;-)

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


Upcoming Python-related tools
• Python in NED expressions
– pyeval() and pycode() NED functions
• Modules implemented in Python
– @pythonClass NED property
– modules can be written from scratch, or subclassed
from existing (e.g. INET) modules
• Simulation library as a Python package
– from omnetpp.runtime import *
– based on cppyy
• Python package for processing simulation results
– from omnetpp.scave import results, ...
• Python package for managing and running simulations
– from omnetpp.simulation import *

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


The pyeval(), pycode() NED functions
• pyeval(<expr>,...) - evaluates a Python expression string
– pyeval("2*3")
– pyeval("x: 2*x", 3) --> 6

• pycode(<block>,...) - evaluates a Python statement block


– block must end in a "return" statement (like a function body)
– pycode("import math; return math.factorial(15)")
– pycode("a,b: import math\nif a<0 or b<0: return math.nan\nreturn math.gcd(a,b)",
70, 62)

More details about pyeval()/pycode(), @pythonClass and cppyy in


Attila Török’s Summit presentation: Using Python within Simulations

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


The @pythonClass NED property
• Denotes that module is implemented by a Python class
// sink.ned
simple Sink {
parameters:
@pythonClass;
...
}

# sink.py
from omnetpp.runtime import *

class Sink(omnetpp.cSimpleModule):
def handleMessage(self, msg):
...

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


The cppyy package
• Dynamic runtime Python bindings for C++
– allows cross-inheritance and callbacks, template instantiation and more
– simple example:

import cppyy
cppyy.include("iostream")
cppyy.cppdef("""class A { public: void sayHello() { std::cout << "Hello" << std::endl; } };""")
A = cppyy.gbl.A
a = A()
a.sayHello() # prints “Hello”

• Foundations:
– Cling, the interactive C++ interpreter from CERN
– Cling itself builds on Clang and LLVM
– (at least this is what they want you to believe, but actually it relies on magic)

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


The omnetpp.runtime package
• Based on cppyy, it exposes the simulation library as a Python package
– both simulation kernel and the “envir” infrastructure
– its essence:
import cppyy
cppyy.include("omnetpp.h")

• OMNeT++ is undergoing extensive refactoring:


– Reusability of “envir” part improved
– Python readiness
– Multi-thread support
• Allow multiple threads to be used for simulation (but simulations are still single-threaded!)
./aloha -u Cmdenv --cmdenv-num-threads=8 ...
• Global variables became thread_local or simulation-scope (cSimulation::getSharedVariable<T>(name) - new)

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


The omnetpp.scave package
• Part of OMNeT++ 6.0

Slide from last year’s Summit

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


The omnetpp.simulation package
• Library and toolset for managing and running simulations and campaigns in
various ways
– in-process / local / distributed (e.g. ssh cluster using Dask)
– for results, for regression testing (e.g. fingerprints), etc.
• Grown from the needs of INET development and maintenance
– “run all simulations, utilizing all computing resources I have access to”
– “refresh list of simulations to be fingerprint-tested”
– “re-run failing fingerprint tests”
– “re-run simulations that contain WiFi” (after WiFi model change)
– “compare results to those with INET version X”
• Human time is expensive:
– automate/assist as much as possible (high-level tools, REPL, etc)
– store instead of recompute (fingerprints, simulation results, etc)
– utilize available computing resources (multi-core, ssh cluster, etc)

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


DEMO

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


Recap of the Demo
Python added to several OMNeT++ sample simulations:
• pyfifo: pure Python simple modules
• routing: various examples for making use of Python
• aloha: examples for running simulations from Python

To try, use the OMNeT++ version at the following URL:


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jDD-vtzi9YVzShrw2fP6q1SUU5VMVsDM/view?usp=share_link

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


samples/pyfifo
• A fairly verbatim re-implementation of the fifo example
• With all modules written in Python

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


samples/routing
Configurations in omnetpp.ini:
• [FromCsv]: Setting up a network specified in CSV, using Python
• [RandomTree]: Setting up a network generated with NetworkX Python package
• [DumbbellFaultyLink]: Shows a scenario manager written in Python
• [AppExt]: Extending a C++ simple module from Python
• [App2]: Parameter values produced using pyeval()/pycode()

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


samples/aloha
Python scripts:
• example1.py: instantiating a simulation
simulation = omnetpp.cSimulation(...)
• example2.py: all simulations in an omnetpp.ini parameter study
ini.getNumRunsInConfig("PureAlohaExperiment")
• example3.py: manually organizing a parameter study
for numHosts in [10,15,20]:
for iaMean in [1,2,3,4,5,7,9]:
...
• example4.py: utilizing multiple CPU cores
with multiprocessing.Pool() as p:
p.map(alohaJob, taskList)
• example5.py: simulation-based optimization
scipy.optimize.minimize(...)
• example5a.py: preserve and also plot all simulations

OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022


Questions?

17
OMNeT++ Community Virtual Summit – November 2-3, 2022

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