Generating EPICS Screens Through Assembling Layout Templates

Gestalt is a Python tool that generates EPICS control system GUI screens from YAML layout files. Write your screen layout once, then generate output for caQtDM, CSS-Phoebus, or PyDM.

• Python >= 3.9
• lxml
• PyYAML

Optional:

• phoebusgen -- required for generating CSS-Phoebus .bob files
• PyQt5 -- required for the GUI mode
• tkinter -- used for font measurement (included with most Python installations)

Install dependencies:

pip install lxml pyyaml

Create a layout file (hello.yml):

#include colors.yml
#include widgets.yml

Form: !Form
    title: "$(P) Status"

Header: !Apply:ScreenHeader { title: "Device Status" }

Controls: !VFlow
    geometry: 0x35 x 0x0
    padding: 5
    children:
        - !Apply:PVReadWrite
            label: "Setpoint:"
            entry-pv: "$(P)$(R)Setpoint"
            read-pv:  "$(P)$(R)Setpoint:RBV"
            units: "mm"

        - !Apply:PVReadWrite
            label: "Speed:"
            menu-pv:  "$(P)$(R)Speed"
            read-pv:  "$(P)$(R)Speed:RBV"

Generate a screen:

# caQtDM
python gestalt.py --to ui --output hello.ui hello.yml

# CSS-Phoebus (requires phoebusgen)
python gestalt.py --to bob --output hello.bob hello.yml

# PyDM
python gestalt.py --to pydm --output hello_pydm.ui hello.yml

Running gestalt without arguments launches the GUI, which provides a set of predefined layouts with interactive data editing and file generation:

python gestalt.py

The GUI requires PyQt5 (pip install pyqt5).

Full Documentation