Missing labels in ByteMonitor

[claudio-rosati]

My colleagues are complaining about the impossibility to add labels to the ByteMonitor, thing possible in BOY.

From what I've seen, in all the cases they are using a PV providing a (static) array of strings. So I'm thinking to 2 possible alternative implementations:

• Adding a new PV to the ByteMonitor providing the array of strings to be used for the label, or
• Create a ByteStringMonitor widget that displays only array of string, left-/centred-/right-aligned with the possibility to rotate the whole array in steps of 90 degrees.

I personally like the second option, that leaves the ByteMonitor untouched, and allows for placing the labels on both sides of a ByteMonitor.

@kasemir What do you think about?

[claudio-rosati]

Hello @kasemir I've merged your changes on this issue, and I think many of my users will appreciate it. Thank you. I'm just waiting to have a valid PV to test it and I'll close the issue.

[claudio-rosati]

Hello @kasemir Importing is ByteMonitor with labels doesn't work as expected. Here the BOY example:

and here the imported one:

The main problems are the following:

• Imported labels are reversed: Label #1 is top/left instead than bottom/right;
• Imported labels are aligned with the wrong led/bit.
• Foreground colour is not applied to the labels.

I'll patch it: #464

[kasemir]

Worked for me, the case that had to be handled was using the "square" option and "reversed bits":

Can you check if that still works with your changes?

[claudio-rosati]

Now yes:

[claudio-rosati]

@kasemir In my original JIRA issue I've found the following:

BOY ByteMonitor allows for labels to be specified. It is a property of the widget and its type is String[], allowing to be set via rule directly from PV. This feature is missing in Display Builder's ByteMonitor widget.

Clearly the bold sentence cannot be done in Display Builder. I'll add the bit index to the label name. Do you think it can help?

[claudio-rosati]

Probably it is not worth: the name should contain also the name of the ByteMonitor itself, thus becoming too long and not really good for script/rule manipulation.

[kasemir]

I've reconsidered: Instead of converting .opi files into .bob where label widgets are added to the bye monitor, I'll add a "labels" property to the byte monitor as in BOY.

[claudio-rosati]

OK, that will solve also the possibility of updating the labels as a whole from PV. Thank you

[claudio-rosati]

I'm sorry @kasemir but I don't like the new implementation:

• First (as you can see in the attached picture) labels are horizontally centred with their LEDs but not vertically in both vertical and horizontal ByteMonitors;
• It is impossible now to obtain the original BOY configuration with labels outside the LEDs (this could be dome adding a Labels Position property with 3 values: BEFORE_LEDS, INSIDE_LEDS, AFTER_LEDS. So the horizontal ByteMonitors in BOY will use BEFORE_LEDS, and the vertical one AFTER_LEDS).
• Font cannot be set.

So the new implementation has the advantages of having back the Labels property, but has lost the flexibility of the separated labels (font and position).

I add my test files here:

CSSTUDIO-817.zip

[kasemir]

Font can be set: 3323cbadb3e7db6bf3f461453ab57d3fb25db74c

[kasemir]

As for the vertical alignment, your right, isn't it curious that the alignment is off? I cannot see why, though. Maybe the Text bounds are not valid at the time they're used? But then why is the horizontal alignment correct?

As for the position, I'll look at adding an option.

[kasemir]

BOY didn't have a 'position' option. Instead, square LEDs used the widget size, centering the labels in the LED. Round LEDs were always circular, placing the label on the side, requiring you to pick the correct widget size, otherwise the labels are truncated.

[claudio-rosati]

Yes, it's true... but we can do better or just be compatible.

[claudio-rosati]

@kasemir My PR #465 should solve the vertical alignment of the labels.

[kasemir]

Now it's as in BOY, except for a minor detail how vertical labels get truncated when they're too long.

[claudio-rosati]

Perfect. I've tested it and now the conversion it's fine. Thank you