Add explicit bool type

src/ophyd_async/epics/_backend/_aioca.py

@@ -47,7 +47,10 @@
 
 
 def _data_key_from_augmented_value(
-    value: AugmentedValue, *, choices: Optional[List[str]] = None
+    value: AugmentedValue,
+    *,
+    choices: Optional[List[str]] = None,
+    dtype: Optional[str] = None,
 ) -> DataKey:
     """Use the return value of get with FORMAT_CTRL to construct a DataKey
     describing the signal. See docstring of AugmentedValue for expected
@@ -65,7 +68,7 @@ def _data_key_from_augmented_value(
     assert value.ok, f"Error reading {source}: {value}"
 
     scalar = value.element_count == 1
-    dtype = dbr_to_dtype[value.datatype]
+    dtype = dtype or dbr_to_dtype[value.datatype]
 
     d = DataKey(
         source=source,
@@ -142,6 +145,16 @@ def descriptor(self, value: AugmentedValue) -> DataKey:
         return _data_key_from_augmented_value(value, choices=self.choices)
 
 
+@dataclass
+class CaBoolConverter(CaConverter):
+
+    def value(self, value: AugmentedValue) -> bool:
+        return bool(value)
+
+    def descriptor(self, value: AugmentedValue) -> DataKey:
+        return _data_key_from_augmented_value(value, dtype="bool")
+
+
 class DisconnectedCaConverter(CaConverter):
     def __getattribute__(self, __name: str) -> Any:
         raise NotImplementedError("No PV has been set as connect() has not been called")
@@ -179,7 +192,7 @@ def make_converter(
         )
         if pv_choices_len != 2:
             raise TypeError(f"{pv} has {pv_choices_len} choices, can't map to bool")
-        return CaConverter(dbr.DBR_SHORT, dbr.DBR_SHORT)
+        return CaBoolConverter(dbr.DBR_SHORT, dbr.DBR_SHORT)
     elif pv_dbr == dbr.DBR_ENUM:
         # This is an Enum
         pv_choices = get_unique(

src/ophyd_async/epics/_backend/_p4p.py

@@ -133,12 +133,12 @@ def descriptor(self, source: str, value) -> Descriptor:
         return dict(source=source, dtype="string", shape=[], choices=self.choices)
 
 
-class PvaEnumBoolConverter(PvaConverter):
+class PvaBoolConverter(PvaConverter):
     def value(self, value):
-        return value["value"]["index"]
+        return bool(value["value"]["index"])
 
     def descriptor(self, source: str, value) -> Descriptor:
-        return dict(source=source, dtype="integer", shape=[])
+        return dict(source=source, dtype="bool", shape=[])
 
 
 class PvaTableConverter(PvaConverter):
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ def make_converter(datatype: Optional[Type], values: Dict[str, Any]) -> PvaConve
         )
         if pv_choices_len != 2:
             raise TypeError(f"{pv} has {pv_choices_len} choices, can't map to bool")
-        return PvaEnumBoolConverter()
+        return PvaBoolConverter()
     elif "NTEnum" in typeid:
         # This is an Enum
         pv_choices = get_unique(

tests/epics/test_signals.py

@@ -147,9 +147,8 @@ class MyEnum(str, Enum):
 
 
 _metadata: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {
-    "enum": {},
-    "string": {},
     "integer": {"units": ANY},
+    "bool": {"units": ANY},
     "number": {"units": ANY, "precision": ANY},
 }
 
@@ -159,8 +158,10 @@ def get_internal_dtype(suffix: str) -> str:
         # uint32, [u]int64 backed by DBR_DOUBLE, have precision
         if "float" in suffix or "uint32" in suffix or "int64" in suffix:
             return "number"
-        if "int" in suffix or "bool" in suffix:
+        if "int" in suffix:
             return "integer"
+        if "bool" in suffix:
+            return "bool"
         if "enum" in suffix:
             return "enum"
         return "string"
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ def get_dtype(suffix: str) -> str:
         d["choices"] = [e.value for e in type(value)]
 
     if protocol == "ca":
-        d.update(_metadata[get_internal_dtype(suffix)])
+        d.update(_metadata.get(get_internal_dtype(suffix), {}))
 
     return d