LeCroy TRC Waveform Examples
Scott Prahl
Mar 2026
[1]:
%config InlineBackend.figure_format = 'retina'
import io
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import requests
from RigolWFM import Wfm
repo = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/"
def sample_url(relative_path: str) -> str:
return repo + relative_path
def _time_scale(times):
span = float(abs(times[-1] - times[0])) if len(times) > 1 else 1.0
if span >= 1e-3:
return 1e3, "ms"
if span >= 1e-6:
return 1e6, "us"
if span >= 1e-9:
return 1e9, "ns"
return 1e12, "ps"
def _volt_scale(values):
peak = max(float(np.max(np.abs(v))) for v in values) if values else 1.0
if peak >= 1.0:
return 1.0, "V"
if peak >= 1e-3:
return 1e3, "mV"
if peak >= 1e-6:
return 1e6, "uV"
return 1e9, "nV"
def plot_analog_channels(w, title=None, max_points=5000):
active = [ch for ch in w.channels if ch.times is not None and ch.volts is not None]
if not active:
print("No analog channels are enabled in this capture.")
return
colors = ["green", "red", "blue", "orange"]
t_scale, t_unit = _time_scale(active[0].times)
v_scale, v_unit = _volt_scale([ch.volts for ch in active])
fig, axes = plt.subplots(len(active), 1, sharex=True, figsize=(10, 2.5 * len(active)))
if len(active) == 1:
axes = [axes]
for ax, ch, color in zip(axes, active, colors):
stride = max(len(ch.times) // max_points, 1)
ax.plot(ch.times[::stride] * t_scale, ch.volts[::stride] * v_scale, color=color)
ax.set_ylabel(v_unit)
ax.set_title(f"CH{ch.channel_number} {ch.points} points")
ax.grid(True)
axes[-1].set_xlabel(f"Time ({t_unit})")
if title:
fig.suptitle(title)
plt.tight_layout()
plt.show()
def plot_logic_window(w, names=None, start=0, stop=4000, title=None):
if not w.logic_channels:
print("No logic channels are enabled in this capture.")
return
if names is None:
names = list(w.logic_channels)
if w.logic_times is None:
times = np.arange(len(next(iter(w.logic_channels.values()))), dtype=np.float64)
else:
times = w.logic_times
stop = min(stop, len(times))
t_scale, t_unit = _time_scale(times[start:stop])
fig, axes = plt.subplots(len(names), 1, sharex=True, figsize=(10, 1.6 * len(names)))
if len(names) == 1:
axes = [axes]
colors = ["green", "red", "blue", "orange", "purple", "brown"]
for ax, name, color in zip(axes, names, colors):
trace = w.logic_channels[name]
ax.step(times[start:stop] * t_scale, trace[start:stop], where="post", color=color)
ax.set_ylim(-0.2, 1.2)
ax.set_yticks([0, 1])
ax.set_ylabel(name)
ax.grid(True)
axes[-1].set_xlabel(f"Time ({t_unit})")
if title:
fig.suptitle(title)
plt.tight_layout()
plt.show()
trace1.000 - Legacy LECROY_1_0 capture
[2]:
filename = "trc/trace1.000"
w = Wfm.from_url(sample_url(filename), "LeCroy")
print(w.describe())
General:
File Model = LeCroy 7200 DSO
User Model = LeCroy
Parser Model = lecroy_trc
Firmware = unknown
Filename = trace1.000
Channels = [1]
Trigger:
Derived Level (CH1) = -2.34 V
Channel 1:
Coupling = unknown
Scale = 49.80 mV/div
Offset = 2.50 V
Probe = 1X
Inverted = False
Time Base = 500.200 ns/div
Offset = 0.000 s
Delta = 1000.000 ps/point
Points = 5002
Count = [ 1, 2, 3 ... 5001, 5002]
Raw = [ 102, 103, 104 ... 51, 52]
Times = [-1.570 µs,-1.569 µs,-1.568 µs ... 3.430 µs, 3.431 µs]
Volts = [ -2.34 V, -2.34 V, -2.34 V ... -2.42 V, -2.42 V]
downloading 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/trc/trace1.000'
Plot the decoded waveform
[3]:
plot_analog_channels(w, title=filename)
lecroy_2.trc - SCPI-prefixed LECROY_2_3 capture
[4]:
filename = "trc/lecroy_2.trc"
w = Wfm.from_url(sample_url(filename), "LeCroy")
print(w.describe())
General:
File Model = LECROYWP254HD-MS
User Model = LeCroy
Parser Model = lecroy_trc
Firmware = unknown
Filename = lecroy_2.trc
Channels = [2]
Trigger:
Derived Level (CH2) = 328.41 mV
Channel 2:
Coupling = unknown
Scale = 4.97 mV/div
Offset = -330.00 mV
Probe = 1X
Inverted = False
Time Base = 1.000 ms/div
Offset = 0.000 s
Delta = 100.000 ns/point
Points = 100002
Count = [ 1, 2, 3 ... 100001, 100002]
Raw = [ 255, 255, 254 ... 254, 255]
Times = [-1.000 ms,-999.968 µs,-999.868 µs ... 9.000 ms, 9.000 ms]
Volts = [329.98 mV,329.87 mV,329.75 mV ... 329.74 mV,329.94 mV]
downloading 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/trc/lecroy_2.trc'
Plot the active channel
[5]:
plot_analog_channels(w, title=filename, max_points=8000)
Compare the two time bases
[6]:
legacy = Wfm.from_url(sample_url("trc/trace1.000"), "LeCroy")
modern = Wfm.from_url(sample_url("trc/lecroy_2.trc"), "LeCroy")
print("Legacy delta: ", legacy.channels[0].seconds_per_point, "s/point")
print("Modern delta: ", modern.channels[0].seconds_per_point, "s/point")
print("Legacy points:", legacy.channels[0].points)
print("Modern points:", modern.channels[0].points)
downloading 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/trc/trace1.000'
downloading 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/trc/lecroy_2.trc'
Legacy delta: 9.999999717180685e-10 s/point
Modern delta: 1.0000000116860974e-07 s/point
Legacy points: 5002
Modern points: 100002