From e3eb2466d7a69c56ce18a59478eb1aef5df9b80b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: wyzula-jan <jan.wyzula@psi.ch>
Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:04:48 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] WIP first try

---
 bec_widgets/utils/rpc_server.py     | 23 ++++++++++++++++++++++-
 tests/unit_tests/test_rpc_server.py | 25 +++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 47 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/bec_widgets/utils/rpc_server.py b/bec_widgets/utils/rpc_server.py
index 18b533c4..a4b2afbf 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/utils/rpc_server.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/utils/rpc_server.py
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ class RPCServer:
         self._registry_update_callbacks = []
         self._broadcasted_data = {}
         self._rpc_singleshot_repeats: dict[str, SingleshotRPCRepeat] = {}
+        self._top_level_rpc_windows: dict[str, QWidget] = {}
+        self._top_level_rpc_widgets: dict[str, QWidget] = {}
 
         self.status = messages.BECStatus.RUNNING
         logger.success(f"Server started with gui_id: {self.gui_id}")
@@ -240,8 +242,25 @@ class RPCServer:
             return {"system.launch_dock_area": True}
         raise ValueError(f"Unknown system RPC method: {method}")
 
-    @staticmethod
+    def _track_top_level_rpc_widget(self, widget: QWidget, window: QWidget | None = None) -> None:
+        gui_id = getattr(widget, "gui_id", None)
+        if not gui_id:
+            return
+
+        self._top_level_rpc_widgets[gui_id] = widget
+        if window is not None:
+            self._top_level_rpc_windows[gui_id] = window
+
+        def _cleanup_refs(*_args, tracked_gui_id=gui_id):
+            self._top_level_rpc_widgets.pop(tracked_gui_id, None)
+            self._top_level_rpc_windows.pop(tracked_gui_id, None)
+
+        widget.destroyed.connect(_cleanup_refs)
+        if window is not None and window is not widget:
+            window.destroyed.connect(_cleanup_refs)
+
     def _launch_dock_area(
+        self,
         name: str | None = None,
         geometry: tuple[int, int, int, int] | None = None,
         startup_profile: str | Literal["restore", "skip"] | None = None,
@@ -263,12 +282,14 @@ class RPCServer:
             if isinstance(result_widget, BECMainWindow):
                 apply_window_geometry(result_widget, geometry)
                 result_widget.show()
+                self._track_top_level_rpc_widget(result_widget, result_widget)
             else:
                 window = BECMainWindowNoRPC()
                 window.setCentralWidget(result_widget)
                 window.setWindowTitle(f"BEC - {result_widget.objectName()}")
                 apply_window_geometry(window, geometry)
                 window.show()
+                self._track_top_level_rpc_widget(result_widget, window)
             return result_widget
 
     def serialize_result_and_send(self, request_id: str, res: object):
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_rpc_server.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_rpc_server.py
index f955ef52..8b64cec1 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_rpc_server.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_rpc_server.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from qtpy.QtWidgets import QWidget
 
 from bec_widgets.cli.server import GUIServer
 from bec_widgets.utils.bec_connector import BECConnector
+from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.main_window.main_window import BECMainWindowNoRPC
 from bec_widgets.utils.rpc_server import RegistryNotReadyError, RPCServer, SingleshotRPCRepeat
 
 from .client_mocks import mocked_client
@@ -171,3 +172,27 @@ def test_run_rpc_delegates_to_rpc_content_class(rpc_server):
     assert rpc_server.run_rpc(view, "mode", [], {}) == "initial"
     assert rpc_server.run_rpc(view, "mode", ["creator"], {}) is None
     assert view.content.mode == "creator"
+
+
+def test_launch_dock_area_keeps_strong_references(rpc_server, qtbot):
+    class DummyDockArea(BECConnector, QWidget):
+        def __init__(self, parent=None, client=None, **kwargs):
+            super().__init__(parent=parent, client=client, root_widget=True, **kwargs)
+
+    with patch("bec_widgets.applications.bw_launch.dock_area") as mock_launch_dock_area:
+        mock_launch_dock_area.return_value = DummyDockArea(
+            client=rpc_server.client, object_name="dock_area"
+        )
+
+        result = rpc_server._launch_dock_area(name="dock_area")
+        assert result is mock_launch_dock_area.return_value
+
+        gui_id = result.gui_id
+        assert rpc_server._top_level_rpc_widgets[gui_id] is result
+        assert isinstance(rpc_server._top_level_rpc_windows[gui_id], BECMainWindowNoRPC)
+
+        window = rpc_server._top_level_rpc_windows[gui_id]
+        window.close()
+        window.deleteLater()
+        qtbot.waitUntil(lambda: gui_id not in rpc_server._top_level_rpc_windows, timeout=3000)
+        assert gui_id not in rpc_server._top_level_rpc_widgets