Tests with PSU in clean room

Problems:
- GUI layout not good on smaller screen
- PSU communication very slow

Added some quick fix attempts and comments where some of the trouble is.

.gitignore

@@ -103,3 +103,6 @@ ENV/
 config.ini
 *.ini
 log.csv
+.idea/misc.xml
+.idea/misc.xml
+.idea/Python-PS2000B.iml

.idea/Python-PS2000B.iml

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 <module type="PYTHON_MODULE" version="4">
   <component name="NewModuleRootManager">
     <content url="file://$MODULE_DIR$" />
-    <orderEntry type="jdk" jdkName="Python 3.7 (venv)" jdkType="Python SDK" />
+    <orderEntry type="jdk" jdkName="Python 3.7 (HelmholtzEnv)" jdkType="Python SDK" />
     <orderEntry type="sourceFolder" forTests="false" />
   </component>
   <component name="PyDocumentationSettings">

.idea/misc.xml

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <project version="4">
-  <component name="ProjectRootManager" version="2" project-jdk-name="Python 3.7 (venv)" project-jdk-type="Python SDK" />
+  <component name="ProjectRootManager" version="2" project-jdk-name="Python 3.7 (HelmholtzEnv)" project-jdk-type="Python SDK" />
 </project>

User_Interface.py

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # This file contains classes to build all elements of the graphical user interface.
 # These classes also contain the methods that are executed when UI elements are activated.
 
+# ToDo: optimize layout for smaller screen (like on IRS clean room PC)
 # import packages for user interface:
 from tkinter import *
 from tkinter import ttk
@@ -561,7 +562,7 @@ class Configuration(Frame):
 
         row_counter += 1
 
-        Label(self, text="", pady=0).grid(row=row_counter, column=0)  # add spacer
+        # Label(self, text="", pady=0).grid(row=row_counter, column=0)  # add spacer
         row_counter += 1
 
         # setup main entry field for operational constants
@@ -614,7 +615,7 @@ class Configuration(Frame):
 
         self.update_fields()  # set current values from config file
 
-        Label(self, text="", pady=10).grid(row=row_counter, column=0)  # add spacer
+        # Label(self, text="", pady=3).grid(row=row_counter, column=0)  # add spacer
         row_counter += 1
 
         # Setup buttons to implement and restore defaults
@@ -635,7 +636,7 @@ class Configuration(Frame):
         restore_button.grid(row=0, column=1, padx=5)
 
         row_counter += 1
-        Label(self, text="", pady=10).grid(row=row_counter, column=0)  # add spacer
+        # Label(self, text="", pady=3).grid(row=row_counter, column=0)  # add spacer
 
     def page_switch(self):  # function that is called when switching to this window
         self.update_fields()  # update values in the entry fields from config
@@ -1082,7 +1083,7 @@ class StatusDisplay(Frame):
         i = 0
         for axis in g.AXES:  # go through all three axes
             if axis.device is not None:  # there is a PSU for this axis connected
-                axis.update_status_info()  # get latest status info from PSU
+                axis.update_status_info()  # get latest status info from PSU (Takes very long...)
             # update all label variables with current values:
             # ToDo (optional): Use the central dictionary currently defined in csv_logging.py for this
             self.label_dict["PSU Serial Port:"][i].set(g.PORTS[i])

cage_func.py

@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class Axis:
 
     def update_status_info(self):  # Read out the values of the dynamic parameters stored in this object and update them
         try:  # try to read out the data, this will fail on connection error to PSU
+            # ToDo: this takes a long time, try to improve performance
             self.device.update_device_information(self.channel)  # update the information in the device object
             device_status = self.device.get_device_status_information(self.channel)  # get object with new status info
 
@@ -138,7 +139,9 @@ class Axis:
         if self.connected == "Connected":  # only try to command the PSU if its actually connected
             self.device.set_current(abs(value), self.channel)  # set desired current
             self.device.set_voltage(maxVoltage, self.channel)  # set voltage limit
-            self.device.enable_output(self.channel)  # activate the power output
+            if self.output_active == "Inactive":  # don't send unnecessary commands to PSU
+                # ToDo: without calling update_status_info() output_active may be wrong
+                self.device.enable_output(self.channel)  # activate the power output
         else:  # the PSU is not connected
             ui_print(self.name, "not connected, can't set current.")
 
@@ -312,6 +315,9 @@ def shut_down_all():  # safe shutdown at program end or on error
         try:  # try to safe the PSU
             set_to_zero(g.XY_DEVICE)  # set currents and voltages to 0 for both channels
             g.XY_DEVICE.disable_all()  # disable power output on both channels
+            ui_print("Closing serial connection on XY PSU")
+            g.XY_DEVICE.serial.close()
+            g.XY_DEVICE = None
         except BaseException as e:  # some error occurred, usually device has been disconnected
             ui_print("Error while deactivating XY PSU:", e)  # print the problem in the console
             message += "\nError while deactivating XY PSU: %s" % e  # append status to the message to show later
@@ -328,6 +334,9 @@ def shut_down_all():  # safe shutdown at program end or on error
         try:
             set_to_zero(g.Z_DEVICE)
             g.Z_DEVICE.disable_all()
+            ui_print("Closing serial connection on Z PSU")
+            g.Z_DEVICE.serial.close()
+            g.Z_DEVICE = None
         except BaseException as e:
             ui_print("Error while deactivating Z PSU:", e)
             message += "\nError while deactivating Z PSU: %s" % e

csv_threading.py

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # tThis file contains code for executing a sequence of magnetic fields from a csv file.
 # To do this without crashing the UI it has to run in a separate thread using the threading module.
+# ToDo!: apparently max. 1 thread can access PSU --> continuous update + csv thread crashes program. Find solution
 
 # import packages:
 import time
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ class ExecCSVThread(Thread):
                                 % (time.time() - t_zero, array[i, 0]), field_vec * 1e6, "\u03BCT")
                     func.set_field(field_vec)  # send field vector to test bench
                     controller.StatusDisplay.update_labels()  # update status display after change
+                    # ToDo: display update takes a long time, remove for performance?
 
                     # log change to the log file if user has selected event logging in the Configure Logging window
                     logger = controller.pages[ui.ConfigureLogging]  # get object of logging configurator

main.py

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # Main file of the program. Run this file to start the application.
-
+# ToDo: improve performance, communication to PSUs is way too slow for dynamic field changes
 # import packages:
 from os.path import exists
 import traceback
@@ -56,7 +56,9 @@ try:  # start normal operations
     g.app = HelmholtzGUI()  # initialize user interface
     g.exitFlag = False  # tell all functions that the user interface is now running
     g.app.state('zoomed')  # open UI in maximized window
-    g.app.StatusDisplay.continuous_label_update(g.app, 500)  # initiate regular Status Display updates (ms)
+    # g.app.StatusDisplay.continuous_label_update(g.app, 1000)  # initiate regular Status Display updates (ms)
+    # ToDo: label update is very slow, commented out to save performance but should be implemented
+    # ToDo!: csv thread + continuous label update seems to exceed capacity of PSU communication
     ui_print("Program Initialized")
     config.check_config(config.CONFIG_OBJECT)  # check config for values exceeding limits