scanengine-3/README.md

# scanengine-3

SRAS Scanning and Instrumentation Control Platform

## Overview

scanengine-3 is a unified platform for scanning acoustic microscopy and precision instrumentation control. It integrates multiple hardware control modules into a single cohesive PyQt6-based application.

### Key Features

- **Stage Control**: ThorLabs BBD202/BBD203 motor controller with 3-axis positioning
- **Laser Systems**: Helios pulsed laser and Genesis CW laser control
- **Data Acquisition**: Tektronix oscilloscope integration with fast-frame support
- **Scan Planning**: Automated raster scan generation and execution
- **Real-time Monitoring**: Live status updates and progress tracking

## Hardware Components

### Motion Control
- **ThorLabs BBD202/BBD203 Motor Controller**
  - 3-channel APT protocol driver
  - Precision positioning with encoder feedback
  - Programmable velocity and acceleration
  - Trigger output support for synchronized data acquisition

### Laser Systems
- **Helios Laser System**
  - Frequency control (16.7-125 kHz)
  - Current control (0-7000 mA)
  - Multiple pulse modes
  - Temperature and power monitoring

### Data Acquisition
- **Tektronix MSO/DPO Series Oscilloscopes**
  - Direct socket communication (no VISA overhead)
  - Fast-frame acquisition for high-speed scanning
  - Multi-channel waveform capture
  - Configurable triggering

### Rotation / Focus
- **T3R four-channel stepper controller**
  - Focus axis plus the GR rotation stage (12.5:1 gear train)
  - Custom binary framing protocol over USB serial

## Project Structure

The codebase is split so that everything needed to run a scan is importable
without PyQt6 or any vendor SDK — `core/` is the headless engine, `gui/` is
the shared Qt layer, and the root scripts are entry points.

```
scanengine-3/
├── core/                          # Headless: no PyQt6, no vendor SDKs
│   ├── scan_engine.py             # ScanEngine — full acquisition sequence
│   ├── scan_geometry.py           # ScanPlan, rotated-bbox planning, limits
│   ├── scan_resume.py             # Resume planning (frontier rule)
│   ├── scope_sras.py              # Oscilloscope SCPI policy for SRAS
│   ├── rotation.py                # GR rotation axis settings + moves
│   ├── sras_format.py             # v6 .sras writer/reader (memory-mapped)
│   ├── sras_analysis.py           # Image reducers + SAW matched filter
│   └── config.py                  # ScanDefaults ⇄ aui_defaults.json
│
├── hardware/                      # Device drivers (Qt-free)
│   ├── serial_util.py             # Shared 8N1 open + port enumeration
│   ├── t3r_driver.py              # T3R stepper controller
│   ├── t3r_protocol.py            # T3R frame encode/decode
│   ├── helios_laser.py            # Helios pulsed laser
│   ├── tektronix_base.py          # Tektronix oscilloscope (raw SCPI)
│   ├── uc480_camera.py            # IDS/ThorLabs uEye camera (returns QImage)
│   ├── genesis_core.py            # Genesis laser — QUARANTINED, see below
│   └── pybbd202/                  # ThorLabs BBD202 stage (APT protocol)
│
├── gui/                           # Shared PyQt6 layer
│   ├── scan_bridge.py             # QtScanController over core.scan_engine
│   ├── qt_t3r.py                  # Qt adapter over the T3R driver
│   ├── qt_workers.py              # QueueWorker / PollingQueueWorker bases
│   └── widgets.py                 # ConnectionBar, LogConsole, PortSelector…
│
├── sc3_aui_app.py                 # Main acquisition application
├── sras_viewer.py                 # Scan data viewer
├── sras_scan_manager.py           # CLI: inspect/export/delete angles
├── t3r_control_panel.py           # T3R panel (used by the main app)
├── helios_test_app.py             # Per-device test benches
├── bbd202_test_app.py
├── camera_test_app.py
├── sc3-aui-*.ui                   # Qt Designer files loaded at runtime
│
├── tests/                         # pytest suite
│   ├── golden/                    # v6 .sras + geometry fixtures
│   ├── fakes.py                   # Recording fake stage/scope/rotator
│   └── test_*.py
│
├── docs/
│   ├── hardware/                  # Driver notes
│   ├── protocols/                 # Vendor protocol PDFs
│   └── genesis_verification.md    # Bench checklist (see KNOWN_ISSUES.md)
│
├── lib/                           # Vendored IDS uEye SDK (not in git)
├── aui_defaults.json              # Persisted ports / scope IP / save dir
├── scan_format.md                 # .sras binary format specification
├── KNOWN_ISSUES.md                # Open questions needing the hardware
└── requirements.txt
```

## Quick Start

### Installation

```bash
# Clone or navigate to project directory
cd scanengine-3

# Create virtual environment (recommended)
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt
```

### Running the Application

```bash
# Main acquisition application
python sc3_aui_app.py

# Scan data viewer
python sras_viewer.py

# Inspect / export / delete angles in a .sras file
python sras_scan_manager.py path/to/scan.sras

# Per-device test benches
python helios_test_app.py
python bbd202_test_app.py
python camera_test_app.py

# Genesis laser control tool
python tools/genesis_laser_control.py
```

### Running the tests

The suite is hardware-free: fake drivers and committed fixtures stand in
for the rig.

```bash
pip install pytest ruff
python -m pytest tests/ -q
```

## Dependencies

- **PyQt6** (>=6.4.0) - GUI framework
- **pyserial** (>=3.5) - Serial communication
- **pyvisa** (>=1.13.0) - VISA instrument control
- **pyvisa-py** (>=0.7.0) - Pure Python VISA backend
- **pyftdi** (>=0.54.0) - FTDI USB device support
- **numpy** (>=1.20.0) - Array processing
- **scipy** (>=1.10) - Signal processing (viewer SAW pipeline)
- **matplotlib** (>=3.7) - Plotting (viewer, live scan preview)
- **pyueye** (>=4.95.0) - IDS uEye camera SDK bindings (camera only)

## Known hardware caveats

`hardware/genesis_core.py` is quarantined: it diverges from the reference
implementation in `tools/genesis_laser_gui.py` in ways that need the laser
on the bench to settle. See [KNOWN_ISSUES.md](KNOWN_ISSUES.md) and
[docs/genesis_verification.md](docs/genesis_verification.md) before
changing either file.

## Usage Examples

### Running a scan without any GUI

The acquisition sequence lives in `core.scan_engine` and takes plain
drivers plus callbacks, so a script (or a future simpler GUI) can drive the
identical scan the main app runs:

```python
from pathlib import Path
from core.scan_engine import ScanCallbacks, ScanEngine
from core.scan_geometry import build_plan
from core.rotation import RotationAxis
from hardware.pybbd202 import ThorlabsServoDriver
from hardware.tektronix_base import TektronixOscilloscopeBase
from hardware.t3r_driver import T3RDriver

plan = build_plan(x_start=10.0, y_start=10.0, x_delta=20.0, y_delta=10.0,
                  num_angles=3, row_spacing=0.25,
                  laser_freq_hz=20000.0, velocity_mm_s=100.0)

stage = ThorlabsServoDriver(); stage.connect("/dev/ttyUSB0")
scope = TektronixOscilloscopeBase("192.168.100.105"); scope.connect()
t3r = T3RDriver(); t3r.open("/dev/ttyACM0")

engine = ScanEngine(stage, scope, RotationAxis(t3r), plan,
                    Path("/data/SRAS/demo.sras"),
                    callbacks=ScanCallbacks(on_status=print,
                                            prompt=lambda t, m: input(f"{t}: {m} ")))
result = engine.run()          # blocking; engine.abort() is thread-safe
print(f"wrote {result.rows_written} rows to {result.path}")
```

### Reading a scan file

`SrasFile` memory-maps the data block, so opening a multi-gigabyte scan
costs only the pages actually touched:

```python
from core.sras_format import SrasFile
from core.sras_analysis import CH4_IDX, ChannelCalibration, compute_dc_image

with SrasFile("/data/SRAS/demo.sras") as sras:
    print(sras.header.n_angles, "angles")
    for st in sras.angle_status():          # handles aborted/partial files
        print(f"  angle {st.index}: {st.n_rows_available}/{st.n_rows} rows ({st.status})")

    view = sras.load_angle(0)               # (rows, channels, frames, samples)
    calib = ChannelCalibration.from_preambles(sras.preambles)
    dc_mv = calib.adc_to_mv(compute_dc_image(view, CH4_IDX), CH4_IDX)
```

### Stage control

```python
from hardware.pybbd202 import AXIS_X, AXIS_Y, ThorlabsServoDriver

stage = ThorlabsServoDriver()
stage.connect("/dev/ttyUSB0")               # raises if no bay responds
stage.enable_axis(AXIS_X)
stage.home_axis(AXIS_X, timeout=120.0)
stage.move_axis_absolute(AXIS_X, 25.0, timeout=30.0)
```

### Oscilloscope acquisition

```python
from core.scope_sras import configure_acquisition, configure_channels
from hardware.tektronix_base import TektronixOscilloscopeBase

scope = TektronixOscilloscopeBase("192.168.100.105", port=4000)
scope.connect()
configure_channels(scope)                   # standard SRAS front-end setup
samples_per_frame = configure_acquisition(scope)
```

### Laser control

```python
from hardware.helios_laser import HeliosLaser

laser = HeliosLaser()
laser.connect("/dev/ttyUSB1")
laser.set_current_ma(1200)
laser.set_laser_enable(True)
print(laser.get_diode_temp_c(), "°C")
laser.disconnect()                          # always explicit — no __del__
```

### Camera control

```python
from hardware.uc480_camera import UC480Camera, find_camera_bus_conflicts

find_camera_bus_conflicts()                 # warns about USB bus contention
camera = UC480Camera(camera_id=1)
camera.initialize()
camera.start_capture()
```

## Configuration

### Persisted settings
`aui_defaults.json` holds the ports, scope IP, and save directory the main
app last used. It is read and written through `core.config.ScanDefaults`,
which always writes every field — see KNOWN_ISSUES.md history for why
partial writes were a problem.

### Fixed acquisition settings
Scan velocity, laser frequency, sample rate, and the ramp geometry are
constants in `core/scan_engine.py` and `core/scope_sras.py`, not user
settings; a `.sras` file records them so resume can refuse a mismatch.

### Serial port configuration
- **BBD202**: USB serial, APT protocol (`/dev/ttyUSB*`)
- **T3R**: USB serial, custom binary framing (`/dev/ttyACM*`)
- **Helios**: RS-232 (9600 baud, 8N1)
- **Genesis**: USB serial, I2C-over-serial
- **Oscilloscope**: Ethernet/LXI (TCP socket on port 4000)

## Development

### Adding New Hardware

1. Create driver module in `hardware/` directory
2. Implement connection, control, and status methods
3. Add UI elements to main window or create new dialog
4. Connect signals in `main_window.py`

### Testing Without Hardware

All hardware modules include stub implementations or simulation modes. The GUI can be developed and tested without physical devices connected.

## Documentation

Detailed documentation available in project subdirectories:

- [BBD202/203 Driver Guide](docs/hardware/BBD203_DRIVER_README.md)
- [BBD202/203 Connection Guide](docs/hardware/BBD203_CONNECTION_GUIDE.md)
- [BBD202/203 Communications Protocol](docs/hardware/BBD203_Communications_Protocol.md)
- [Helios Laser Guide](docs/hardware/HELIOS_DRIVER_README.md)
- [Genesis Laser Guide](docs/hardware/GENESIS_LASER_README.md)
- [Laser Control Implementation Guide](docs/hardware/laser_control_implementation_guide.md)
- [Setup Instructions](SETUP.md)

## License

Copyright (C) 2025 Thomas Ales
Licensed under GNU General Public License v2.0

See LICENSE file for full license text.

## Support

For issues, questions, or contributions, please refer to the project documentation or contact the development team.

## Version

scanengine-3 v0.1.0 - Initial unified release