moved freq search to separate thread -> dont block flowgraph

apps/fft-multi-decoder_auto_freqs_slider-update.grc

@@ -3080,7 +3080,7 @@ class blk(gr.sync_block):  # other base classes are basic_block, decim_block, in
     </param>
     <param>
       <key>debug</key>
-      <value>False</value>
+      <value>True</value>
     </param>
     <param>
       <key>_enabled</key>

python/max_freq.py

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 import numpy as np
 from gnuradio import gr
-import code,math,pmt,time
+import code,math,pmt,time,threading
 
 class max_freq(gr.sync_block):
     """
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class max_freq(gr.sync_block):
         self.set_msg_handler(pmt.intern('ctrl'), self.handle_ctrl_msg)
         self.searchMode=True
         self.index_fixed=[False]*self.num_decoders
+        self.search_thread=None
     def freq_to_index(self,freq):
       startfreq=self.center_freq-self.samp_rate/2
       #freq=self.samp_rate*index/self.fft_len+startfreq
@@ -93,15 +94,10 @@ class max_freq(gr.sync_block):
                       self.center_freq=freq
               else:
                       self.center_freq = int(freq)
-    def work(self, input_items, output_items):
-      if time.time()-self.timer<2:#every 2 seconds
-	return len(input_items[0])
-      elif self.searchMode:
-      #in0 = input_items[0]
-      #ii=input_items
+    def search(self,inputvector):
         carrier_width=2
         carrier=self.fft_len/2
-        numbers=np.delete(input_items[0][0],range(carrier-carrier_width,carrier+carrier_width+1))#read input and disregard center (hackrf LO)
+        numbers=np.delete(inputvector[0],range(carrier-carrier_width,carrier+carrier_width+1))#read input and disregard center (hackrf LO)
         #threshold=40# uni
         #threshold=60#home
         #threshold=np.mean(numbers)#2017-03-21 fft-multi-decoder
@@ -229,6 +225,22 @@ class max_freq(gr.sync_block):
           #print(station_indices_tune)
           #print(station_strength)
           print(station_freqs)      
+    def work(self, input_items, output_items):
+      if time.time()-self.timer<2:#every 2 seconds
+	return len(input_items[0])
+      elif self.searchMode:
+        inputvector=input_items[0]
+        if self.search_thread == None or self.search_thread.is_alive()==False:
+          if self.debug:
+            print("starting thread")
+          self.search_thread = threading.Thread(target=self.search, args=[inputvector], kwargs={})
+          self.search_thread.start()
+        elif self.debug:
+            print("thread exists")
+          
+      #in0 = input_items[0]
+      #ii=input_items
+
 
         return len(input_items[0])
       else:

python/tmc_classes.py

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ from collections import namedtuple
 #Street(name='test', lcn=12)
 #Street(lcn=12,name="test").name
 import threading
-#thr = threading.Thread(target=foo, args=(), kwargs={})
+#thr = threading.Thread(target=foo, args=(), kwargs={})#kwargs = keyword-arguments
 #thr.start() # will run "foo"
 #....
 #thr.is_alive() # will return whether foo is running currently