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Before modifying the code it is best to understand how it works. Here is an overview of the general plan, details can be filled out by reading the code. | Before modifying the code it is best to understand how it works. Here is an overview of the general plan, details can be filled out by reading the code. | ||
− | + | Currently the "Application" is really two different applications, each with its own main program and gui, but sharing a lot of the other code. I may merge them latter into one application. | |
− | The two applications are: SmartPlugGraph ( in smart_plug_graph.py ) and SmartPlug ( in smart_plug.py ). The apps are very similar so I will explain them in a combined document: generally what is said about SmartPlug also applies to SmartPlugGraph | + | The two applications are: SmartPlugGraph ( in smart_plug_graph.py ) and SmartPlug ( in smart_plug.py ). The apps are very similar so I will explain them in a combined document: generally what is said about SmartPlug also applies to SmartPlugGraph. |
The overall architecture is called the model view controller or MVC. The class SmartPlug can be viewed as the main class. To run the program run its file smart_plug.py ( see code at end of file). SmartPlug is the controller in MVC it is responsible for all overall control, it directly or indirectly creates all other program objects. | The overall architecture is called the model view controller or MVC. The class SmartPlug can be viewed as the main class. To run the program run its file smart_plug.py ( see code at end of file). SmartPlug is the controller in MVC it is responsible for all overall control, it directly or indirectly creates all other program objects. | ||
− | The view component is called GUI ( in gui.py and for SmartPlugGraph is called also GUI but is in | + | The view component is called GUI ( in gui.py and for SmartPlugGraph is called also GUI but is in gui_for_graph.py ). It creates all the visible components, and relays user input to the controller. |
You can unplug the GUI object from the application and plug in new components. Don't like the GUI? You could modify mine, or you could make a modification and choose which one to use. This is sort of like a skin for an application. | You can unplug the GUI object from the application and plug in new components. Don't like the GUI? You could modify mine, or you could make a modification and choose which one to use. This is sort of like a skin for an application. | ||
Two other important components are called Logger ( in logger.py ) and Parameters ( in parameters.py ). The controller creates one of each, and make them available to the other components. The other components can interact with them, and uses them respectively for logging events, and getting access to parameters ( those aspects of the application that are particularly easy to change ). I describe more of this in [[My Python Coding Conventions]] | Two other important components are called Logger ( in logger.py ) and Parameters ( in parameters.py ). The controller creates one of each, and make them available to the other components. The other components can interact with them, and uses them respectively for logging events, and getting access to parameters ( those aspects of the application that are particularly easy to change ). I describe more of this in [[My Python Coding Conventions]] | ||
− | The application has a main thread running in a Tkinter mainloop. There is also a second thread called a "helper" running which makes some processing much easier. To make | + | The application has a main thread running in a Tkinter mainloop. There is also a second thread called a "helper" running which makes some processing much easier. To make gui mainloop responsive to both the GUI and its own processing it uses a pseudo event loop or a polling subroutine that is implemented in xxxxx. The frequency which polling occurs is set in parameters, the relatively low rate of 100 ms between calls ( .1 sec ) seems to give a perfectly responsive application in most cases. I have run it as fast as once every 10 ms. Have not tried to find a limit. |
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== Development Environment == | == Development Environment == |