Merge pull request #575 from hhslepicka/plots_curve_docs

DOC & ENH: Plot Curve Editor

docs/source/widgets/curve_editor.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#######################
+Plot Curve Editor
+#######################
+
+PyDM plot widgets keep the inventory of curves in the ``curves`` property which
+is a list of JSON strings containing the definition of parameters for each of
+the curves in a plot.
+
+Since editing a list of JSON strings via Qt Designer is very unfriendly and
+error prone, PyDM offers the Plot Curve Editor extension which can be invoked
+via a Right-click and selecting the "Edit Curves..." item in the context menu
+that pops-up.
+
+.. figure:: /_static/widgets/curve_editor/curve_editor.gif
+   :scale: 100 %
+   :align: center
+   :alt: Curve Editor in Action
+
+   This animation demonstrates how to use the Curve Editor that is common to
+   all the PyDM plot widgets.
+
+
+.. Note::
+  This is not applicable for users interacting with widgets via Python code.
+  In this case you will need to serialize the list of JSON strings and use the
+  ``setCurves`` property to configure the plot properly.

docs/source/widgets/index.rst

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ Plot Widgets
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 1
 
+   curve_editor.rst
    scatterplot.rst
    timeplot.rst
    waveformplot.rst

pydm/widgets/baseplot.py

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import functools
 from qtpy.QtGui import QColor, QBrush
-from qtpy.QtCore import Signal, Slot, Property, QTimer, Qt
+from qtpy.QtCore import Signal, Slot, Property, QTimer, Qt, QEvent, QRect
+from qtpy.QtWidgets import QToolTip
 from .. import utilities
 from pyqtgraph import PlotWidget, PlotDataItem, mkPen, ViewBox, InfiniteLine, SignalProxy, CurvePoint, TextItem
 from collections import OrderedDict
@@ -295,6 +296,21 @@ def __init__(self, parent=None, background='default', axisItems=None):
         self.vertical_crosshair_line = None
         self.horizontal_crosshair_line = None
         self.crosshair_movement_proxy = None
+        if utilities.is_qt_designer():
+            self.installEventFilter(self)
+
+    def eventFilter(self, obj, event):
+        ret = super(BasePlot, self).eventFilter(obj, event)
+        if utilities.is_qt_designer():
+            if event.type() == QEvent.Enter:
+                QToolTip.showText(
+                    self.mapToGlobal(self.rect().center()),
+                    'Edit plot curves via Right-Click and select "Edit Curves..."',
+                    self,
+                    QRect(0, 0, 200, 100),
+                    4000)
+        return ret
+
 
     def addCurve(self, plot_item, curve_color=None):
         if curve_color is None:

pydm/widgets/scatterplot.py

@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ def setCurves(self, new_list):
                             redraw_mode=d.get('redraw_mode'),
                             buffer_size=d.get('buffer_size'))
 
-    curves = Property("QStringList", getCurves, setCurves)
+    curves = Property("QStringList", getCurves, setCurves, designable=False)
 
     def channels(self):
         """

pydm/widgets/timeplot.py

@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ def setCurves(self, new_list):
                              symbol=d.get('symbol'),
                              symbolSize=d.get('symbolSize'))
 
-    curves = Property("QStringList", getCurves, setCurves)
+    curves = Property("QStringList", getCurves, setCurves, designable=False)
 
     def findCurve(self, pv_name):
         """

pydm/widgets/waveformplot.py

@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ def setCurves(self, new_list):
                             symbolSize=d.get('symbolSize'),
                             redraw_mode=d.get('redraw_mode'))
 
-    curves = Property("QStringList", getCurves, setCurves)
+    curves = Property("QStringList", getCurves, setCurves, designable=False)
 
     def channels(self):
         """