From 3066d86d75b3249b6a7d1ea52b5668e68f43762d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Pieter <pieter.eendebak@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2016 11:20:35 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 1/3] add validate_status function and basic test

---
 qcodes/instrument/base.py       |  9 +++++++++
 qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py | 13 ++++++++++++-
 2 files changed, 21 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/qcodes/instrument/base.py b/qcodes/instrument/base.py
index cb3ca105dfab..e049d384097a 100644
--- a/qcodes/instrument/base.py
+++ b/qcodes/instrument/base.py
@@ -628,3 +628,12 @@ def __getstate__(self):
             'were trying to use a local instrument (defined with '
             'server_name=None) in a background Loop. Local instruments can '
             'only be used in Loops with background=False.')
+
+    def validate_status(self, verbose=0):
+        """ Validate the values of all gettable parameters """
+        for k, p in self.parameters.items():
+            if p.has_get and p.has_set:
+                value = p.get()
+                if verbose:
+                    print('validate_status: param %s: %s' % (k, value))
+                p.validate(value)
diff --git a/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py b/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py
index 500330743209..fb9e38035cc7 100644
--- a/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py
+++ b/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py
@@ -963,6 +963,17 @@ def tearDown(self):
         # TODO (giulioungaretti) remove ( does nothing ?)
         pass
 
+    def validate_function(self):
+        instrument = self.instrument
+        instrument.validate_status()
+        instrument.dac1._save_val(1000) # overrule the validator
+        try:
+            instrument.validate_status()
+        except:
+            pass
+        else:
+            raise Exception('validate_status did not function')
+        
     def test_attr_access(self):
         instrument = self.instrument
 
@@ -975,7 +986,7 @@ def test_attr_access(self):
         instrument.close()
 
         # make sure we can still print the instrument
-        s = instrument.__repr__()
+        _ = instrument.__repr__()
 
         # make sure the gate is removed
         self.assertEqual(hasattr(instrument, 'dac1'), False)

From d9fe662068adaebd171c885686f1b48f9509ffcc Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Pieter <pieter.eendebak@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2016 11:21:32 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 2/3] autopep

---
 qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py b/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py
index fb9e38035cc7..d258308576a5 100644
--- a/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py
+++ b/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py
@@ -966,14 +966,14 @@ def tearDown(self):
     def validate_function(self):
         instrument = self.instrument
         instrument.validate_status()
-        instrument.dac1._save_val(1000) # overrule the validator
+        instrument.dac1._save_val(1000)  # overrule the validator
         try:
             instrument.validate_status()
         except:
             pass
         else:
             raise Exception('validate_status did not function')
-        
+
     def test_attr_access(self):
         instrument = self.instrument
 

From 3b0a34f5d19ea015ea02e9eca28ccb8938cacdcd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Pieter <pieter.eendebak@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2016 13:31:44 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 3/3] rename test function; use self.assetRaises in test

---
 qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py | 14 ++++++--------
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py b/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py
index d258308576a5..60b0fa3a9c62 100644
--- a/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py
+++ b/qcodes/tests/test_instrument.py
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ def setUpClass(cls):
 
         cls.gates = MockGates(model=cls.model, server_name='')
         cls.source = MockSource(model=cls.model, server_name='')
-        cls.meter = MockMeter(model=cls.model, keep_history=False, server_name='')
+        cls.meter = MockMeter(
+            model=cls.model, keep_history=False, server_name='')
 
     def setUp(self):
         # reset the model state via the gates function
@@ -963,16 +964,13 @@ def tearDown(self):
         # TODO (giulioungaretti) remove ( does nothing ?)
         pass
 
-    def validate_function(self):
+    def test_validate_function(self):
         instrument = self.instrument
-        instrument.validate_status()
+        instrument.validate_status()  # test the instrument has valid values
+
         instrument.dac1._save_val(1000)  # overrule the validator
-        try:
+        with self.assertRaises(Exception):
             instrument.validate_status()
-        except:
-            pass
-        else:
-            raise Exception('validate_status did not function')
 
     def test_attr_access(self):
         instrument = self.instrument