taurusgui_for_dummies

Non official tutorial created by marcalvarez (ALBA Synchrotron operator)

1.- How to create a Simple Taurus GUI for DUMMIES

Step 1.1: Create an empty TaurusGUI using the Wizard

1. Launch the Taurus GUI Wizard:

   • Open a Linux terminal and type

   ~~~~
   $ taurusgui --new gui
   ~~~~

2. Follow the Wizard steps:

   • Select a subdirectory of a directory listed in the PYTHONPATH as your Project Directory (1)
   • Insert the GUI name and select the organization name
   • Skip the rest of the wizard steps by clicking the NEXT button (Windows style...)

Step 1.2: Put the executable file in a directory of the PATH

• To do so you can either copy or (better) sym-link the executable file to the PATH (2)

Step 1.3: Launch the empty GUI

• Open a Linux terminal and type the name of the GUI as defined in the wizard.
  It will look like this:

Step 1.4: Create all the Panels you want to use

• Panels --> New Panel (3)
  The following panel selector will appear:

• Once a panel is created you can place it in the GUI and change its position by drag and drop.

Step 1.5: Save different Perspectives combining the panels

• View --> Save Perspective (4)

Step 1.6: Prepare your GUI for other people to use it

• Once your GUI is ready to be distributed, follow the steps below:
  1. Create the XML configuration file
     Tools --> Export current panel configuration to XML (5)
  2. Create the Factory Settings file
     • File --> Export Settings
     • File name: < default.ini >
     • Path: inside the Project Directory

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2.- How to restore Factory Settings in a Taurus GUI

Every time the GUI is closed, it saves locally the current configuration in a settings file (.ini), and the Factory Settings cannot be restored without deleting all these local files from the machines where the GUI must be launched with the standard configuration.

Step 2.1: Delete the local settings file (6)

• The local settings file (.ini) is created/modified every time that the GUI is closed, and stores all the perspectives, including a special perspective which describes the configuration at the moment of closing the GUI (e.g., all the modifications done by the user).

Step 2.2: Launch the Taurus GUI again

• Every time the Taurus GUI is launched in a machine, it looks for the local settings file to open the GUI with the last appearance.
• If there is no local file, it loads the <default.ini> which is stored in the Project Directory of the Taurus GUI.

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3.- How to modify Factory Settings in a Taurus GUI

• Once your modification is ready to be distributed, follow Steps 1.5, 1.6, 2.1 and 2.2.

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Notes:

• (1) For ALBA Accelerators < /control/user-packages > is in the PYTHONPATH
• (2) For ALBA Accelerators < /control/user-scripts > is in the PATH
• (3) If you cannot create new panels, make sure that the Lock View mode is disabled: View --> Lock View
• (4) This will save the current settings file (.ini) in a local directory of the machine for the current user (not available from other machines nor for other users)
• (5) All the panels will become permanent
• (6) For ALBA Accelerators (operator user account) the local file is always
  < /homelocal/operator/.config/ALBA/nameoftheGUI.ini >