fix: prevent segfault and CDockManager teardown crashes with PySide6 6.11.0

- bec_widget.py: set _destroyed=True BEFORE calling cleanup() so the flag
  is available throughout the entire teardown phase
- bec_console.py: in _parking_parent, skip console.window() as parking
  target when the window is marked as _destroyed, preventing setParent()
  into a widget mid-destruction (segfault in PySide6 6.11.0)
- basic_dock_area.py: add DockAreaWidget.cleanup() that calls delete_all()
  first to release CDockWidgets via the Qt ADS API before BECWidget.cleanup()
  runs, fixing teardown crashes with PySide6-QtAds 4.5.x

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,6 +1,41 @@
 # CHANGELOG
 
 
+## v3.13.3 (2026-05-22)
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+- **tests**: Rename description attribute to _description in FakeDevice
+  ([`668b1bd`](https://github.com/bec-project/bec_widgets/commit/668b1bd9cd158fc12cff2c340d7317f30a212121))
+
+
+## v3.13.2 (2026-05-22)
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+- **tests**: Rename description attribute to _description in FakePositioner
+  ([`c346bd0`](https://github.com/bec-project/bec_widgets/commit/c346bd0f18ce873ff5ca6c59150c9581c9edca8d))
+
+
+## v3.13.1 (2026-05-21)
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+- Use .show instead of .start
+  ([`b4beb27`](https://github.com/bec-project/bec_widgets/commit/b4beb274da745da618f9b37ec241cd0109c088f1))
+
+- **gui**: Replace window.show() with window.raise_window() and add hide() method
+  ([`f7a48b5`](https://github.com/bec-project/bec_widgets/commit/f7a48b5f6a51d391dca26ca42d03bad4f278ff22))
+
+
+## v3.13.0 (2026-05-21)
+
+### Features
+
+- **rpc-base**: Set default RPC timeout and allow customization
+  ([`f03a5d9`](https://github.com/bec-project/bec_widgets/commit/f03a5d9e853bd62b8ec1bad1c1e112fe01befe70))
+
+
 ## v3.12.2 (2026-05-21)
 
 ### Bug Fixes

bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py

@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ class BECGuiClient(RPCBase):
         self._ipython_registry: dict[str, RPCReference] = {}
         self.available_widgets = AvailableWidgetsNamespace()
         register_serializer_extension()
+        self._rpc_timeout = 5
 
     ####################
     #### Client API ####
@@ -232,6 +233,16 @@ class BECGuiClient(RPCBase):
         """The launcher object."""
         return RPCBase(gui_id=f"{self._gui_id}:launcher", parent=self, object_name="launcher")
 
+    def set_rpc_timeout(self, timeout: float):
+        """Set the timeout for RPC calls to the GUI server.
+
+        Args:
+            timeout(float): The timeout in seconds.
+        """
+        if not isinstance(timeout, (int, float)) or timeout < 0:
+            raise ValueError("Timeout must be a non-negative number.")
+        self._rpc_timeout = timeout
+
     def _safe_register_stream(self, endpoint: EndpointInfo, cb: Callable, **kwargs):
         """Check if already registered for registration in idempotent functions."""
         if not self._client.connector.any_stream_is_registered(endpoint, cb=cb):
@@ -358,7 +369,7 @@ class BECGuiClient(RPCBase):
             )
 
         if not self._check_if_server_is_alive():
-            self.start(wait=True)
+            self.show(wait=True)
         if wait:
             with wait_for_server(self):
                 return self._new_impl(
@@ -550,7 +561,7 @@ class BECGuiClient(RPCBase):
         if self.launcher and len(self._top_level) == 0:
             self.launcher._run_rpc("show")  # pylint: disable=protected-access
         for window in self._top_level.values():
-            window.show()
+            window.raise_window()
 
     def _show_all(self):
         with wait_for_server(self):
@@ -569,7 +580,7 @@ class BECGuiClient(RPCBase):
         if self.launcher and len(self._top_level) == 0:
             self.launcher._run_rpc("raise")  # pylint: disable=protected-access
         for window in self._top_level.values():
-            window._run_rpc("raise")  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+            window.raise_window()
 
     def _raise_all(self):
         with wait_for_server(self):

bec_widgets/cli/rpc/rpc_base.py

@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ else:
 
 # pylint: disable=protected-access
 
+_DEFAULT_RPC_TIMEOUT = object()
+
 
 def _name_arg(arg):
     if isinstance(arg, DeviceBaseWithConfig):
@@ -154,6 +156,7 @@ class RPCReference:
 
 
 class RPCBase:
+
     def __init__(
         self,
         gui_id: str | None = None,
@@ -207,12 +210,16 @@ class RPCBase:
         # Use explicit call to ensure action name is 'raise' (not 'raise_')
         return self._run_rpc("raise")
 
+    def hide(self):
+        """Hide this widget (or its container)."""
+        return self._run_rpc("hide")
+
     def _run_rpc(
         self,
         method,
         *args,
-        wait_for_rpc_response=True,
-        timeout=5,
+        wait_for_rpc_response: bool = True,
+        timeout: float | None | object = _DEFAULT_RPC_TIMEOUT,
         gui_id: str | None = None,
         **kwargs,
     ) -> Any:
@@ -223,13 +230,16 @@ class RPCBase:
             method: The method to call.
             args: The arguments to pass to the method.
             wait_for_rpc_response: Whether to wait for the RPC response.
-            timeout: The timeout for the RPC response.
+            timeout: The timeout for the RPC response. If omitted, the client's default RPC
+                timeout is used. If explicitly set to None, wait indefinitely.
             gui_id: The GUI ID to use for the RPC call. If None, the default GUI ID is used.
             kwargs: The keyword arguments to pass to the method.
 
         Returns:
             The result of the RPC call.
         """
+        if timeout is _DEFAULT_RPC_TIMEOUT:
+            timeout = self._root._rpc_timeout
         if method in ["show", "hide", "raise"] and gui_id is None:
             obj = self._root._server_registry.get(self._gui_id)
             if obj is None:

bec_widgets/tests/utils.py

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class FakeDevice(BECDevice):
         super().__init__(name=name)
         self._enabled = enabled
         self.signals = {self.name: {"value": 1.0}}
-        self.description = {self.name: {"source": self.name, "dtype": "number", "shape": []}}
+        self._description = {self.name: {"source": self.name, "dtype": "number", "shape": []}}
         self._readout_priority = readout_priority
         self._config = {
             "readoutPriority": "baseline",
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class FakeDevice(BECDevice):
         Returns:
             dict: Description of the device
         """
-        return self.description
+        return self._description
 
 
 class FakePositioner(BECPositioner):
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class FakePositioner(BECPositioner):
         self._limits = limits
         self._readout_priority = readout_priority
         self.signals = {self.name: {"value": 1.0}}
-        self.description = {self.name: {"source": self.name, "dtype": "number", "shape": []}}
+        self._description = {self.name: {"source": self.name, "dtype": "number", "shape": []}}
         self._config = {
             "readoutPriority": "baseline",
             "deviceClass": "ophyd_devices.SimPositioner",
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ class FakePositioner(BECPositioner):
         Returns:
             dict: Description of the device
         """
-        return self.description
+        return self._description
 
     @property
     def precision(self):

bec_widgets/utils/bec_widget.py

@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ class BECWidget(BECConnector):
         """Wrap the close even to ensure the rpc_register is cleaned up."""
         try:
             if not self._destroyed:
-                self.cleanup()
                 self._destroyed = True
+                self.cleanup()
         finally:
             super().closeEvent(event)  # pylint: disable=no-member

bec_widgets/widgets/containers/dock_area/basic_dock_area.py

@@ -1465,6 +1465,16 @@ class DockAreaWidget(BECWidget, QWidget):
         for dock in self.dock_list():
             self._delete_dock(dock)
 
+    def cleanup(self):
+        """Tear down all docks via the Qt ADS API before the base BECWidget cleanup runs.
+
+        Explicitly releasing dock widgets through the CDockManager API first prevents crashes
+        in PySide6 6.11.0 / PySide6-QtAds 4.5.x where the CDockManager destructor interacts
+        badly with dock widgets that are deleted outside of it.
+        """
+        self.delete_all()
+        super().cleanup()
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":  # pragma: no cover
     import sys

bec_widgets/widgets/editors/bec_console/bec_console.py

@@ -120,7 +120,12 @@ class BecConsoleRegistry:
             return None
 
         window = console.window()
-        if window is not None and window is not console and self._is_valid_qobject(window):
+        if (
+            window is not None
+            and window is not console
+            and self._is_valid_qobject(window)
+            and not getattr(window, "_destroyed", False)
+        ):
             return window
 
         if not avoid_console:

pyproject.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "bec_widgets"
-version = "3.12.2"
+version = "3.13.3"
 description = "BEC Widgets"
 requires-python = ">=3.11"
 classifiers = [
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ classifiers = [
 ]
 dependencies = [
   "PyJWT~=2.9",
-  "PySide6==6.9.0",
-  "PySide6-QtAds==4.4.0",
+  "PySide6==6.11.0",
+  "PySide6-QtAds==4.5.0.4",
   "bec_ipython_client~=3.107,>=3.107.2", # needed for jupyter console
   "bec_lib~=3.107,>=3.107.2",
   "bec_qthemes~=1.0, >=1.3.4",
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ qtermwidget = ["pyside6_qtermwidget"]
 
 
 
+
+
+
+
 [build-system]
 requires = ["hatchling"]
 build-backend = "hatchling.build"

tests/end-2-end/conftest.py

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def connected_client_gui_obj(qtbot, gui_id, bec_client_lib):
     """
     gui = BECGuiClient(gui_id=gui_id)
     try:
-        gui.start(wait=True)
+        gui.show(wait=True)
         qtbot.waitUntil(lambda: hasattr(gui, "bec"), timeout=5000)
         gui.bec.delete_all()  # ensure clean state
         qtbot.waitUntil(lambda: len(gui.bec.widget_list()) == 0, timeout=10000)

tests/end-2-end/test_bec_dock_rpc_e2e.py

@@ -143,11 +143,11 @@ def test_rpc_gui_obj(connected_client_gui_obj: BECGuiClient, qtbot):
     qtbot.wait(500)
     gui.kill_server()
     assert not gui._gui_is_alive()
-    gui.start(wait=True)
+    gui.show(wait=True)
     assert gui._gui_is_alive()
-    # calling start multiple times should not change anything
-    gui.start(wait=True)
-    gui.start(wait=True)
+    # calling show multiple times should not change anything
+    gui.show(wait=True)
+    gui.show(wait=True)
 
     def wait_for_gui_started():
         return "bec" in gui.windows

tests/end-2-end/user_interaction/conftest.py

@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ def connected_client_gui_obj(qtbot_scope_module, gui_id, bec_client_lib):
     """
     gui = BECGuiClient(gui_id=gui_id)
     try:
-        gui.start(wait=True)
+        gui.show(wait=True)
         qtbot_scope_module.waitUntil(lambda: hasattr(gui, "bec"), timeout=5000)
         gui.bec.delete_all()  # ensure clean state
         qtbot_scope_module.waitUntil(lambda: len(gui.bec.widget_list()) == 0, timeout=10000)

tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import pytest
 
 from bec_widgets.cli.client import BECDockArea
 from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import BECGuiClient, _start_plot_process
+from bec_widgets.cli.rpc.rpc_base import RPCBase, RPCResponseTimeoutError, rpc_timeout
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -220,7 +221,7 @@ def test_client_utils_new_starts_server_when_not_alive():
         with mock.patch("bec_widgets.cli.client_utils.wait_for_server", _no_wait_for_server):
             with (
                 mock.patch.object(gui, "_check_if_server_is_alive", return_value=False),
-                mock.patch.object(gui, "start") as mock_start,
+                mock.patch.object(gui, "show") as mock_start,
             ):
                 gui.new(wait=False, startup_profile=None)
 
@@ -257,3 +258,11 @@ def test_client_utils_delete_falls_back_to_direct_close():
         gui.delete("dock")
 
     widget._run_rpc.assert_called_once_with("close")
+
+
+def test_client_utils_gui_client_set_rpc_timeout():
+    gui = BECGuiClient()
+    assert gui._rpc_timeout == 5
+
+    gui.set_rpc_timeout(10)
+    assert gui._rpc_timeout == 10