refactor: BECGuiClientMixin -> BECGuiClient

- Mixin class was only used with BECDockArea, now it is a class by itself
which represents the client object connected to the GUI server ; ".main"
is the dock area of the main window
- Enhanced "wait_for_server"
- ".selected_device" is stored in Redis, to allow server-side to know
about the auto update configuration instead of keeping it on client

bec_widgets/cli/client.py

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import enum
 from typing import Literal, Optional, overload
 
-from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import BECGuiClientMixin, RPCBase, rpc_call
+from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import RPCBase, rpc_call
 
 # pylint: skip-file
 
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ class BECDock(RPCBase):
         """
 
 
-class BECDockArea(RPCBase, BECGuiClientMixin):
+class BECDockArea(RPCBase):
     @property
     @rpc_call
     def _config_dict(self) -> "dict":
@@ -353,6 +353,13 @@ class BECDockArea(RPCBase, BECGuiClientMixin):
             dict: The configuration of the widget.
         """
 
+    @property
+    @rpc_call
+    def selected_device(self) -> "str":
+        """
+        None
+        """
+
     @property
     @rpc_call
     def panels(self) -> "dict[str, BECDock]":

bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import subprocess
 import threading
 import time
 import uuid
+from contextlib import contextmanager
 from functools import wraps
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
@@ -132,151 +133,6 @@ class RepeatTimer(threading.Timer):
             self.function(*self.args, **self.kwargs)
 
 
-class BECGuiClientMixin:
-    def __init__(self, **kwargs) -> None:
-        super().__init__(**kwargs)
-        self._auto_updates_enabled = True
-        self._auto_updates = None
-        self._gui_started_timer = None
-        self._gui_started_event = threading.Event()
-        self._process = None
-        self._process_output_processing_thread = None
-        self._target_endpoint = MessageEndpoints.scan_status()
-        self._selected_device = None
-
-    @property
-    def auto_updates(self):
-        if self._auto_updates_enabled:
-            self._gui_started_event.wait()
-        return self._auto_updates
-
-    def shutdown_auto_updates(self):
-        if self._auto_updates_enabled:
-            if self._auto_updates is not None:
-                self._auto_updates.shutdown()
-                self._auto_updates = None
-
-    def _get_update_script(self) -> AutoUpdates | None:
-        eps = imd.entry_points(group="bec.widgets.auto_updates")
-        for ep in eps:
-            if ep.name == "plugin_widgets_update":
-                try:
-                    spec = importlib.util.find_spec(ep.module)
-                    # if the module is not found, we skip it
-                    if spec is None:
-                        continue
-                    return ep.load()(gui=self)
-                except Exception as e:
-                    logger.error(f"Error loading auto update script from plugin: {str(e)}")
-        return None
-
-    @property
-    def selected_device(self):
-        """
-        Selected device for the plot.
-        """
-        return self._selected_device
-
-    @selected_device.setter
-    def selected_device(self, device: str | DeviceBase):
-        if isinstance_based_on_class_name(device, "bec_lib.device.DeviceBase"):
-            self._selected_device = device.name
-        elif isinstance(device, str):
-            self._selected_device = device
-        else:
-            raise ValueError("Device must be a string or a device object")
-
-    def _start_update_script(self) -> None:
-        self._client.connector.register(
-            self._target_endpoint, cb=self._handle_msg_update, parent=self
-        )
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def _handle_msg_update(msg: MessageObject, parent: BECGuiClientMixin) -> None:
-        if parent.auto_updates is not None:
-            # pylint: disable=protected-access
-            parent._update_script_msg_parser(msg.value)
-
-    def _update_script_msg_parser(self, msg: messages.BECMessage) -> None:
-        if isinstance(msg, messages.ScanStatusMessage):
-            if not self.gui_is_alive():
-                return
-            if self._auto_updates_enabled:
-                self.auto_updates.msg_queue.put(msg)
-
-    def _gui_post_startup(self):
-        if self._auto_updates_enabled:
-            if self._auto_updates is None:
-                auto_updates = self._get_update_script()
-                if auto_updates is None:
-                    AutoUpdates.create_default_dock = True
-                    AutoUpdates.enabled = True
-                    auto_updates = AutoUpdates(gui=self)
-                if auto_updates.create_default_dock:
-                    auto_updates.start_default_dock()
-                    # fig = auto_updates.get_default_figure()
-                self._auto_updates = auto_updates
-        self._gui_started_event.set()
-        self.show_all()
-
-    def start_server(self, wait=False) -> None:
-        """
-        Start the GUI server, and execute callback when it is launched
-        """
-        if self._process is None or self._process.poll() is not None:
-            logger.success("GUI starting...")
-            self._gui_started_event.clear()
-            self._start_update_script()
-            self._process, self._process_output_processing_thread = _start_plot_process(
-                self._gui_id, self.__class__, self._client._service_config.config, logger=logger
-            )
-
-            def gui_started_callback(callback):
-                try:
-                    if callable(callback):
-                        callback()
-                finally:
-                    threading.current_thread().cancel()
-
-            self._gui_started_timer = RepeatTimer(
-                1, lambda: self.gui_is_alive() and gui_started_callback(self._gui_post_startup)
-            )
-            self._gui_started_timer.start()
-
-        if wait:
-            self._gui_started_event.wait()
-
-    def show_all(self):
-        self._gui_started_event.wait()
-        rpc_client = RPCBase(gui_id=f"{self._gui_id}:window", parent=self)
-        rpc_client._run_rpc("show")
-
-    def hide_all(self):
-        self._gui_started_event.wait()
-        rpc_client = RPCBase(gui_id=f"{self._gui_id}:window", parent=self)
-        rpc_client._run_rpc("hide")
-
-    def close(self) -> None:
-        """
-        Close the gui window.
-        """
-        if self._gui_started_timer is not None:
-            self._gui_started_timer.cancel()
-            self._gui_started_timer.join()
-
-        if self._process is None:
-            return
-
-        if self._process:
-            logger.success("Stopping GUI...")
-            self._process.terminate()
-            if self._process_output_processing_thread:
-                self._process_output_processing_thread.join()
-            self._process.wait()
-            self._process = None
-        self.shutdown_auto_updates()
-
-
 class RPCResponseTimeoutError(Exception):
     """Exception raised when an RPC response is not received within the expected time."""
 
@@ -401,3 +257,209 @@ class RPCBase:
         if heart.status == messages.BECStatus.RUNNING:
             return True
         return False
+
+
+class RepeatTimer(threading.Timer):
+    def run(self):
+        while not self.finished.wait(self.interval):
+            self.function(*self.args, **self.kwargs)
+
+
+@contextmanager
+def wait_for_server(client):
+    timeout = client._startup_timeout
+    if not timeout:
+        if client.gui_is_alive():
+            # there is hope, let's wait a bit
+            timeout = 1
+        else:
+            raise RuntimeError("GUI is not alive")
+    try:
+        if client._gui_started_event.wait(timeout=timeout):
+            client._gui_started_timer.cancel()
+            client._gui_started_timer.join()
+        else:
+            raise TimeoutError("Could not connect to GUI server")
+    finally:
+        # after initial waiting period, do not wait so much any more
+        # (only relevant if GUI didn't start)
+        client._startup_timeout = 0
+    yield
+
+
+class BECGuiClient(RPCBase):
+    def __init__(self, **kwargs) -> None:
+        super().__init__(**kwargs)
+        self._auto_updates_enabled = True
+        self._auto_updates = None
+        self._startup_timeout = 0
+        self._gui_started_timer = None
+        self._gui_started_event = threading.Event()
+        self._process = None
+        self._process_output_processing_thread = None
+        self._target_endpoint = MessageEndpoints.scan_status()
+
+    @property
+    def auto_updates(self):
+        if self._auto_updates_enabled:
+            with wait_for_server(self):
+                return self._auto_updates
+
+    def _shutdown_auto_updates(self):
+        if self._auto_updates_enabled:
+            if self._auto_updates is not None:
+                self._auto_updates.shutdown()
+                self._auto_updates = None
+
+    def _get_update_script(self) -> AutoUpdates | None:
+        eps = imd.entry_points(group="bec.widgets.auto_updates")
+        for ep in eps:
+            if ep.name == "plugin_widgets_update":
+                try:
+                    spec = importlib.util.find_spec(ep.module)
+                    # if the module is not found, we skip it
+                    if spec is None:
+                        continue
+                    return ep.load()(gui=self)
+                except Exception as e:
+                    logger.error(f"Error loading auto update script from plugin: {str(e)}")
+        return None
+
+    @property
+    def selected_device(self):
+        """
+        Selected device for the plot.
+        """
+        auto_update_config_ep = MessageEndpoints.gui_auto_update_config(self._gui_id)
+        auto_update_config = self._client.connector.get(auto_update_config_ep)
+        if auto_update_config:
+            return auto_update_config.selected_device
+        return None
+
+    @selected_device.setter
+    def selected_device(self, device: str | DeviceBase):
+        if isinstance_based_on_class_name(device, "bec_lib.device.DeviceBase"):
+            self._client.connector.set_and_publish(
+                MessageEndpoints.gui_auto_update_config(self._gui_id),
+                messages.GUIAutoUpdateConfigMessage(selected_device=device.name),
+            )
+        elif isinstance(device, str):
+            self._client.connector.set_and_publish(
+                MessageEndpoints.gui_auto_update_config(self._gui_id),
+                messages.GUIAutoUpdateConfigMessage(selected_device=device),
+            )
+        else:
+            raise ValueError("Device must be a string or a device object")
+
+    def _start_update_script(self) -> None:
+        self._client.connector.register(
+            self._target_endpoint, cb=self._handle_msg_update, parent=self
+        )
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _handle_msg_update(msg: MessageObject, parent: BECGuiClient) -> None:
+        if parent.auto_updates is not None:
+            # pylint: disable=protected-access
+            parent._update_script_msg_parser(msg.value)
+
+    def _update_script_msg_parser(self, msg: messages.BECMessage) -> None:
+        if isinstance(msg, messages.ScanStatusMessage):
+            if not self.gui_is_alive():
+                return
+            if self._auto_updates_enabled:
+                self.auto_updates.msg_queue.put(msg)
+
+    def _gui_post_startup(self):
+        self._gui_started_event.set()
+        if self._auto_updates_enabled:
+            if self._auto_updates is None:
+                auto_updates = self._get_update_script()
+                if auto_updates is None:
+                    AutoUpdates.create_default_dock = True
+                    AutoUpdates.enabled = True
+                    auto_updates = AutoUpdates(gui=client.BECDockArea(gui_id=self._gui_id))
+                if auto_updates.create_default_dock:
+                    auto_updates.start_default_dock()
+                self._auto_updates = auto_updates
+        self._do_show_all()
+
+    def start_server(self, wait=False) -> None:
+        """
+        Start the GUI server, and execute callback when it is launched
+        """
+        if self._process is None or self._process.poll() is not None:
+            logger.success("GUI starting...")
+            self._startup_timeout = 5
+            self._gui_started_event.clear()
+            self._start_update_script()
+            self._process, self._process_output_processing_thread = _start_plot_process(
+                self._gui_id, self.__class__, self._client._service_config.config, logger=logger
+            )
+
+            def gui_started_callback(callback):
+                try:
+                    if callable(callback):
+                        callback()
+                finally:
+                    threading.current_thread().cancel()
+
+            self._gui_started_timer = RepeatTimer(
+                0.5, lambda: self.gui_is_alive() and gui_started_callback(self._gui_post_startup)
+            )
+            self._gui_started_timer.start()
+
+        if wait:
+            self._gui_started_event.wait()
+
+
+    def start(self):
+        return self.start_server()
+
+    def _do_show_all(self):
+        rpc_client = RPCBase(gui_id=f"{self._gui_id}:window", parent=self)
+        rpc_client._run_rpc("show")
+
+    def show_all(self):
+        with wait_for_server(self):
+            return self._do_show_all()
+
+    def hide_all(self):
+        with wait_for_server(self):
+            rpc_client = RPCBase(gui_id=f"{self._gui_id}:window", parent=self)
+            rpc_client._run_rpc("hide")
+
+    def show(self):
+        if self._process is not None:
+            return self.show_all()
+        else:
+            # backward compatibility: show() was also starting server
+            return self.start_server(wait=True)
+
+    def hide(self):
+        return self.hide_all()
+
+    @property
+    def main(self):
+        """Return client to main dock area (in main window)"""
+        with wait_for_server(self):
+            return client.BECDockArea(gui_id=self._gui_id)
+
+    def close(self) -> None:
+        """
+        Close the gui window.
+        """
+        if self._gui_started_timer is not None:
+            self._gui_started_timer.cancel()
+            self._gui_started_timer.join()
+
+        if self._process is None:
+            return
+
+        if self._process:
+            logger.success("Stopping GUI...")
+            self._process.terminate()
+            if self._process_output_processing_thread:
+                self._process_output_processing_thread.join()
+            self._process.wait()
+            self._process = None
+        self._shutdown_auto_updates()

bec_widgets/cli/generate_cli.py

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import enum
 from typing import Literal, Optional, overload
 
-from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import RPCBase, rpc_call, BECGuiClientMixin
+from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import RPCBase, rpc_call
 
 # pylint: skip-file"""
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class Widgets(str, enum.Enum):
         # Generate the content
         if cls.__name__ == "BECDockArea":
             self.content += f"""
-class {class_name}(RPCBase, BECGuiClientMixin):"""
+class {class_name}(RPCBase):"""
         else:
             self.content += f"""
 class {class_name}(RPCBase):"""

bec_widgets/cli/server.py

@@ -199,10 +199,20 @@ def main():
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
-    if args.gui_class == "BECFigure":
+    if args.hide:
-        gui_class = BECFigure
+        # if we start hidden, it means we are under control of the client
-    elif args.gui_class == "BECDockArea":
+        # -> set the log level to critical to not see all the messages
+        # pylint: disable=protected-access
+        # bec_logger._stderr_log_level = bec_logger.LOGLEVEL.CRITICAL
+        bec_logger.level = bec_logger.LOGLEVEL.CRITICAL
+    else:
+        # verbose log
+        bec_logger.level = bec_logger.LOGLEVEL.DEBUG
+
+    if args.gui_class == "BECDockArea":
         gui_class = BECDockArea
+    elif args.gui_class == "BECFigure":
+        gui_class = BECFigure
     else:
         print(
             "Please specify a valid gui_class to run. Use -h for help."
@@ -222,6 +232,8 @@ def main():
                 size=QSize(48, 48),
             )
             app.setWindowIcon(icon)
+            # store gui id within QApplication object, to make it available to all widgets
+            app.gui_id = args.id
 
             server = _start_server(args.id, gui_class, args.config)
 

bec_widgets/widgets/containers/dock/dock_area.py

@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 from typing import Literal, Optional
 from weakref import WeakValueDictionary
 
+from bec_lib.endpoints import MessageEndpoints
 from pydantic import Field
 from pyqtgraph.dockarea.DockArea import DockArea
 from qtpy.QtCore import Qt
 from qtpy.QtGui import QPainter, QPaintEvent
-from qtpy.QtWidgets import QSizePolicy, QVBoxLayout, QWidget
+from qtpy.QtWidgets import QApplication, QSizePolicy, QVBoxLayout, QWidget
 
 from bec_widgets.qt_utils.error_popups import SafeSlot
 from bec_widgets.qt_utils.toolbar import (
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ class BECDockArea(BECWidget, QWidget):
     PLUGIN = True
     USER_ACCESS = [
         "_config_dict",
+        "selected_device",
         "panels",
         "save_state",
         "remove_dock",
@@ -210,6 +212,13 @@ class BECDockArea(BECWidget, QWidget):
                 "Add docks using 'add_dock' method from CLI\n or \n Add widget docks using the toolbar",
             )
 
+    @property
+    def selected_device(self) -> str:
+        gui_id = QApplication.instance().gui_id
+        return self.client.connector.get(
+            MessageEndpoints.gui_auto_update_config(gui_id)
+        ).selected_device
+
     @property
     def panels(self) -> dict[str, BECDock]:
         """

tests/end-2-end/conftest.py

@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ from contextlib import contextmanager
 import pytest
 from bec_lib.endpoints import MessageEndpoints
 
-from bec_widgets.cli.client import BECDockArea
+from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import BECGuiClient, _start_plot_process
-from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import _start_plot_process
 from bec_widgets.utils import BECDispatcher
 from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.figure import BECFigure
 
@@ -48,20 +47,20 @@ def rpc_server_figure(gui_id, bec_client_lib):
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def rpc_server_dock(gui_id, bec_client_lib):
-    dock_area = BECDockArea(gui_id=gui_id)
+    gui = BECGuiClient(gui_id=gui_id)
-    dock_area._auto_updates_enabled = False
+    gui._auto_updates_enabled = False
     try:
-        dock_area.start_server(wait=True)
+        gui.start_server(wait=True)
-        yield dock_area
+        yield gui.main
     finally:
-        dock_area.close()
+        gui.close()
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def rpc_server_dock_w_auto_updates(gui_id, bec_client_lib):
-    dock_area = BECDockArea(gui_id=gui_id)
+    gui = BECGuiClient(gui_id=gui_id)
     try:
-        dock_area.start_server(wait=True)
+        gui.start_server(wait=True)
-        yield dock_area
+        yield gui, gui.main
     finally:
-        dock_area.close()
+        gui.close()

tests/end-2-end/test_bec_dock_rpc_e2e.py

@@ -239,14 +239,15 @@ def test_auto_update(bec_client_lib, rpc_server_dock_w_auto_updates, qtbot):
     dev = client.device_manager.devices
     scans = client.scans
     queue = client.queue
-    dock = rpc_server_dock_w_auto_updates
+    gui, dock = rpc_server_dock_w_auto_updates
+    auto_updates = gui.auto_updates
 
     def get_default_figure():
-        return dock.auto_updates.get_default_figure()
+        return auto_updates.get_default_figure()
 
     plt = get_default_figure()
 
-    dock.selected_device = "bpm4i"
+    gui.selected_device = "bpm4i"
 
     status = scans.line_scan(dev.samx, -5, 5, steps=10, exp_time=0.05, relative=False)
     status.wait()
@@ -274,7 +275,7 @@ def test_auto_update(bec_client_lib, rpc_server_dock_w_auto_updates, qtbot):
     )
     status.wait()
 
-    plt = dock.auto_updates.get_default_figure()
+    plt = auto_updates.get_default_figure()
     widgets = plt.widget_list
     qtbot.waitUntil(lambda: len(plt.widget_list) > 0, timeout=5000)
     plt_data = widgets[0].get_all_data()

tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from unittest import mock
 import pytest
 
 from bec_widgets.cli.client import BECFigure
-from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import BECGuiClientMixin, _start_plot_process
+from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import BECGuiClient, _start_plot_process
 from bec_widgets.tests.utils import FakeDevice
 
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def test_client_utils_passes_client_config_to_server(bec_dispatcher):
 
     @contextmanager
     def bec_client_mixin():
-        mixin = BECGuiClientMixin()
+        mixin = BECGuiClient()
         mixin._client = bec_dispatcher.client
         mixin._gui_id = "gui_id"
         mixin.gui_is_alive = mock.MagicMock()
@@ -82,6 +82,6 @@ def test_client_utils_passes_client_config_to_server(bec_dispatcher):
                 wait=False
             )  # the started event will not be set, wait=True would block forever
             mock_start_plot.assert_called_once_with(
-                "gui_id", BECGuiClientMixin, mixin._client._service_config.config, logger=mock.ANY
+                "gui_id", BECGuiClient, mixin._client._service_config.config, logger=mock.ANY
             )
             mixin._start_update_script.assert_called_once()

tests/unit_tests/test_generate_cli_client.py

@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ def test_client_generator_with_black_formatting():
         import enum
         from typing import Literal, Optional, overload
 
-        from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import BECGuiClientMixin, RPCBase, rpc_call
+        from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import RPCBase, rpc_call
 
         # pylint: skip-file