Re: Question for areaDetector overlay and file plugin

[Jörn Dreyer via Tech-talk <tech-talk at aps.anl.gov>]

Hi Edmund,

here is a short answer and some points to consider:

Am Mittwoch, 18. Juni 2025, 11:35:37 Mitteleuropäische Sommerzeit schrieb Blomley, Edmund (IBPT) via Tech-talk:
> Dear all,
> 
> I have some quick questions regarding areaDetector plugins:
> 
> 1. Overlay plugin: If I use a text label I can change the font based on 4
> different options. Is there a way to scale the size in addition to that? For
> our images, the label is very small.
>      1a. If not, I would need to modify the font selection part in the
> overlay module to provide larger font sizes? Is that something which is
> reasonable to do? Helpful for any hints of how to approach this
> 
> 2. File plugin: For the filename (:FileName) or file name format
> (*:FileTemplate), can I somehow use time-format variables ("%Y-%m-%d") to
> add the current date to the file name?
>     2a. If not, I would probably create a new "save" button, which would
> re-write the filename based on the current date? Or are there other options?

Taking a quick look at the NDPluginFile.ccp gives a hint that the filename is constructed using asynNDArraDriver::createFileName.
Looking at the implementation reveals that you have to give the filename pattern exactly as shown on the GUI. Otherwise the code will crash.

If you want to have the date and time included in your filename, the simplest way would be to create your own plugin that overwrites 
NDPluginFile::openFileBase. This function will be called for each file to be opened. It will call the openFile function of the file plugin (e.g. HDF5File).

Just adding another button is not fail save! What if you forget to press the button before starting to write? What if you write files in auto increment mode?

Regards

Jörn