much simpler two-step logic

mainwin.py

@@ -35,31 +35,26 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
 
         rst = RPCServerThread("localhost", 8000)
         rst.start()
-        rst.server.register_function(self.append)
+        rst.server.register_function(self.new_plot)
+        rst.server.register_function(self.append_data)
 
         self.sig_make_new_plot.connect(self.make_new_plot)
 
 
-    def append(self, name, xy):
+    def new_plot(self, name, cfg):
-        pd = PlotDescription(title=name)
+        pd = PlotDescription(**cfg)
-        x, y, pd.xlabel, pd.ylabel = xy
+        self.lst.add(name, pd)
+        self.sig_make_new_plot.emit(name, pd)
 
+
+    def append_data(self, name, xy):
         lst = self.lst
-        show_it = (name not in lst.data)
+        lst.append(name, xy)
-
-        if show_it:
-            lst.add(name, pd)
-
-        lst.append(name, (x, y))
         for sub in self.mdi.subWindowList():
             if sub.windowTitle() == name:
                 pd = lst.data[name]
                 sub.plot.setData(pd.xs, pd.ys)
 
-        if show_it:
-            pd = lst.data[name]
-            self.sig_make_new_plot.emit(name, pd)
-
 
     def on_select_list_item(self, index):
         key, value = self.lst.get(index)