QATS documentation

General description

QATS is a python library and GUI for efficient inspection and analysis of time series. It simplifies and improves post-processing, quality assurance and reporting of time-domain simulations.

Library

The python library provides tools for:

• Import and export from/to various pre-defined time series file formats

• Signal processing

• Inferring statistical distributions

• Cycle counting using the Rainflow algorithm

It was originally created to handle time series files exported from SIMO and RIFLEX. Now it also handles SIMA hdf5 (.h5) files, MATLAB .mat files (versions 4, 6, 7 and 7.3), OpenFAST .out and .outb files, Bladed output (.%NN and .$NN), CSV files and more. If you need handlers for other formats, create a feature request (issue) or make it yourself and create a pull request.

See Code examples for more examples on how to invoke QATS in your own scripts to do more advance operations. API Reference provide information on the content of the QATS library.

GUI

QATS also features a Graphical User Interface which offers low threshold processing and vizualisation of time series. It is perfect for inspecting, quality assurance and reporting. Use the library for more advanced operations.

Python version support

QATS supports the Python versions that are officially supported, that is, versions with status bugfix or security in the official Status of Python versions. QATS 5.4 supports Python 3.11, 3.12, 3.13 and 3.14.

The Python versions supported by the latest version of QATS are:

Note

On Python 3.8, 3.9 or 3.10, stay on QATS 5.3. pip selects it automatically, since QATS 5.4 and later require Python 3.11 or later. The Python versions supported by a specific version of QATS are listed on PyPI.

Source code, issue tracker and release notes

The source code, issue tracker and release notes are hosted on GitHub.

Downloads

QATS may be downloaded from PyPI/qats. See the Getting started section for installation instructions.

Table of contents

• Getting started
  • Prerequisites
  • Installation
  • Launching the GUI
  • Your first script
• Supported file formats
  • Choosing a reader
  • Notes on each format
  • Other formats
• Writing files QATS can read
  • Column-wise text file (.dat)
  • Comma-separated values (.csv)
  • Rules for both formats
  • Common errors
  • From Python
• Writing a reader plugin
  • The reader interface
  • An example plugin package
  • Installing and checking a plugin
  • Registering a reader in a script
• Code examples
  • Plot time series and power spectral density
  • Count cycles using the Rainflow algorithm
  • Calculate fatigue damage in mooring lines
  • Apply low-pass and high-pass filters to time series
  • Tail fitting with Weibull
  • Units from MATLAB files
  • Read OpenFAST results
  • Post-process OrcaFlex results
  • Read Bladed results
  • Choose a file reader and add your own
  • Merge files and export to different format
• Graphical User Interface
  • Create link to GUI in start menu and desktop
  • Import time series from file
• API Reference
  • Top-level classes
  • Submodules
  • Subpackages