Major control panel improvements.

    - Added dedicated firmware file for arduino
    - Added View button to consolidate windows
    - Control Panel changes:
        - Changed name fron "Controls" to "Control Panel"
        - Blue side bar when Panel is hidden.
        - Supports "popping" out contorl panel
    - Settings > Advanced tab added with developer settings

5 files changed, 221 insertions, 55 deletions

diff --git a/ui/control_panel.py b/ui/control_panel.py
index 6e78e89..61e1807 100644
--- a/ui/control_panel.py
+++ b/ui/control_panel.py
@@ -532,19 +532,6 @@ class ControlPanel(QWidget):
         layout.setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0)
         layout.setSpacing(0)
 
-        # Header with Add button
-        hdr_widget = QWidget(); hdr_widget.setObjectName("controlPanelHeader")
-        hdr_widget.setFixedHeight(30)
-        hdr_lay = QHBoxLayout(hdr_widget)
-        hdr_lay.setContentsMargins(8, 0, 6, 0)
-        hdr_lbl = QLabel("CONTROLS"); hdr_lbl.setObjectName("panelHeader")
-        hdr_lay.addWidget(hdr_lbl, 1)
-        add_btn = QPushButton("＋"); add_btn.setObjectName("devicesSmallBtn")
-        add_btn.setFixedSize(24, 22); add_btn.setToolTip("Add control widget")
-        add_btn.clicked.connect(self._on_add)
-        hdr_lay.addWidget(add_btn)
-        layout.addWidget(hdr_widget)
-
         scroll = QScrollArea()
         scroll.setWidgetResizable(True)
         scroll.setHorizontalScrollBarPolicy(Qt.ScrollBarPolicy.ScrollBarAlwaysOff)
diff --git a/ui/main_window.py b/ui/main_window.py
index d0e0ac4..76c203d 100644
--- a/ui/main_window.py
+++ b/ui/main_window.py
@@ -8,11 +8,13 @@ Toolbar (left→right):
 
 from PyQt6.QtWidgets import (
     QMainWindow, QWidget, QHBoxLayout, QVBoxLayout,
-    QSplitter, QStatusBar, QLabel, QPushButton,
+    QDockWidget, QStatusBar, QLabel, QPushButton,
     QToolBar, QSizePolicy, QApplication, QFrame,
-    QAbstractSpinBox, QComboBox,
+    QAbstractSpinBox, QComboBox, QMenu,
 )
-from PyQt6.QtCore import Qt, QTimer, QObject, QEvent, pyqtSlot
+from PyQt6.QtCore import Qt, QTimer, QObject, QEvent, QRect, pyqtSignal, pyqtSlot
+from PyQt6.QtGui import QPainter, QColor, QFont, QAction
+import logging
 import os
 
 
@@ -27,6 +29,71 @@ class _WheelBlocker(QObject):
                     return True
         return super().eventFilter(obj, event)
 
+class _CtrlTabStrip(QWidget):
+    """Thin vertical strip shown on the left edge when the Control Panel dock is hidden.
+    Clicking it restores the dock. Safety feature — operator can never lose the panel."""
+
+    clicked = pyqtSignal()
+
+    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+        super().__init__(parent)
+        self.setObjectName("ctrlTabStrip")
+        self.setFixedWidth(22)
+        self.setCursor(Qt.CursorShape.PointingHandCursor)
+        self.setToolTip("Show Control Panel")
+
+    def mousePressEvent(self, event):
+        if event.button() == Qt.MouseButton.LeftButton:
+            self.clicked.emit()
+        super().mousePressEvent(event)
+
+    def paintEvent(self, _event):
+        p = QPainter(self)
+        p.setRenderHint(QPainter.RenderHint.Antialiasing)
+        p.fillRect(self.rect(), QColor("#3b82f6"))
+        p.setPen(QColor("#ffffff"))
+        font = QFont()
+        font.setPointSize(8)
+        font.setBold(True)
+        p.setFont(font)
+        p.translate(self.width() / 2.0, self.height() / 2.0)
+        p.rotate(-90.0)
+        text_rect = QRect(-self.height() // 2, -self.width() // 2,
+                          self.height(), self.width())
+        p.drawText(text_rect, Qt.AlignmentFlag.AlignCenter, "CONTROL PANEL ▶")
+        p.end()
+
+
+class _DockTitleBar(QWidget):
+    """Custom title bar for the Control Panel QDockWidget.
+    Replaces native title bar; provides Add, Float, and Close buttons."""
+
+    def __init__(self, dock: QDockWidget, add_callback, parent=None):
+        super().__init__(parent)
+        self.setObjectName("controlPanelHeader")
+        self.setFixedHeight(30)
+        lay = QHBoxLayout(self)
+        lay.setContentsMargins(8, 0, 4, 0); lay.setSpacing(4)
+
+        lbl = QLabel("CONTROL PANEL"); lbl.setObjectName("panelHeader")
+        lay.addWidget(lbl, 1)
+
+        add_btn = QPushButton("＋"); add_btn.setObjectName("devicesSmallBtn")
+        add_btn.setFixedSize(24, 22); add_btn.setToolTip("Add control widget")
+        add_btn.clicked.connect(add_callback)
+        lay.addWidget(add_btn)
+
+        float_btn = QPushButton("⧉"); float_btn.setObjectName("devicesSmallBtn")
+        float_btn.setFixedSize(22, 22); float_btn.setToolTip("Float / dock")
+        float_btn.clicked.connect(lambda: dock.setFloating(not dock.isFloating()))
+        lay.addWidget(float_btn)
+
+        close_btn = QPushButton("✕"); close_btn.setObjectName("devicesSmallBtn")
+        close_btn.setFixedSize(22, 22); close_btn.setToolTip("Hide Control Panel")
+        close_btn.clicked.connect(dock.hide)
+        lay.addWidget(close_btn)
+
+
 from devices.arduino_device  import ArduinoDevice
 from devices.nidaqmx_device  import NidaqmxDevice
 from devices.serial_device   import SerialDevice
@@ -116,6 +183,38 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
             apply_profile=self._profile_apply,
         )
         tb.addWidget(self._file_btn)
+
+        # ── ⊞ View menu ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+        view_btn = QPushButton("⊞  View  ▾"); view_btn.setObjectName("toolbarSectionBtn")
+        self._view_menu = QMenu(self)
+
+        self._act_ctrl_panel = QAction("Control Panel", self)
+        self._act_ctrl_panel.setCheckable(True); self._act_ctrl_panel.setChecked(True)
+        self._act_ctrl_panel.triggered.connect(self._on_view_ctrl_panel)
+        self._view_menu.addAction(self._act_ctrl_panel)
+        self._view_menu.addSeparator()
+
+        for label, name, opener in [
+            ("Devices",      "devices",  self._open_devices),
+            ("Channels",     "channels", self._open_channels),
+            ("Plot Builder", "plot",     self._open_plot),
+        ]:
+            act = QAction(label, self); act.setCheckable(True)
+            act.triggered.connect(
+                lambda checked, nm=name, op=opener:
+                    op() if checked else
+                    (getattr(self, f"_win_{nm}") and getattr(self, f"_win_{nm}").hide())
+            )
+            self._view_menu.addAction(act)
+            setattr(self, f"_act_{name}", act)
+
+        self._view_plugin_sep = self._view_menu.addSeparator()
+        self._view_plugin_sep.setVisible(False)
+
+        view_btn.clicked.connect(
+            lambda: self._view_menu.exec(view_btn.mapToGlobal(view_btn.rect().bottomLeft()))
+        )
+        tb.addWidget(view_btn)
         tb.addWidget(_sep())
 
         self._run_btn = QPushButton("▶  RUN")
@@ -135,23 +234,6 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
 
         tb.addWidget(_sep())
 
-        dev_btn = QPushButton("⊞  Devices")
-        dev_btn.setObjectName("toolbarSectionBtn"); dev_btn.setCheckable(True)
-        dev_btn.clicked.connect(lambda c: self._toggle_win("devices", c, dev_btn))
-        tb.addWidget(dev_btn); self._btn_devices = dev_btn
-
-        sig_btn = QPushButton("⚗  Channels")
-        sig_btn.setObjectName("toolbarSectionBtn"); sig_btn.setCheckable(True)
-        sig_btn.clicked.connect(lambda c: self._toggle_win("channels", c, sig_btn))
-        tb.addWidget(sig_btn); self._btn_channels = sig_btn
-
-        plot_btn = QPushButton("📐  Plot")
-        plot_btn.setObjectName("toolbarSectionBtn"); plot_btn.setCheckable(True)
-        plot_btn.clicked.connect(lambda c: self._toggle_win("plot", c, plot_btn))
-        tb.addWidget(plot_btn); self._btn_plot = plot_btn
-
-        tb.addWidget(_sep())
-
         # Plugin buttons are inserted here at runtime (between this sep and spacer)
         self._plugin_sep_action = tb.addWidget(_sep())
         self._plugin_sep_action.setVisible(False)
@@ -176,18 +258,35 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         central = QWidget(); self.setCentralWidget(central)
         root = QHBoxLayout(central); root.setContentsMargins(0,0,0,0); root.setSpacing(0)
 
-        hsplit = QSplitter(Qt.Orientation.Horizontal); hsplit.setHandleWidth(3)
+        # Side tab strip — shown when Control Panel dock is hidden
+        self._ctrl_tab = _CtrlTabStrip()
+        self._ctrl_tab.setVisible(False)
+        self._ctrl_tab.clicked.connect(self._show_ctrl_panel)
+        root.addWidget(self._ctrl_tab)
 
+        self._chart = StripChartWidget(self.engine, self.registry, self.processor)
+        root.addWidget(self._chart, 1)
+
+        # ── Control Panel dock ────────────────────────────────────────────
         self._ctrl = ControlPanel(self.registry, processor=self.processor)
         self._ctrl.setMinimumWidth(200); self._ctrl.setMaximumWidth(340)
         self._ctrl._add_demo_widgets()
-        hsplit.addWidget(self._ctrl)
-
-        self._chart = StripChartWidget(self.engine, self.registry, self.processor)
-        hsplit.addWidget(self._chart)
-        hsplit.setSizes([260, 1000])
 
-        root.addWidget(hsplit)
+        self._ctrl_dock = QDockWidget("Control Panel", self)
+        self._ctrl_dock.setObjectName("controlPanelDock")
+        self._ctrl_dock.setWidget(self._ctrl)
+        self._ctrl_dock.setFeatures(
+            QDockWidget.DockWidgetFeature.DockWidgetMovable |
+            QDockWidget.DockWidgetFeature.DockWidgetFloatable |
+            QDockWidget.DockWidgetFeature.DockWidgetClosable
+        )
+        self._ctrl_dock.setAllowedAreas(
+            Qt.DockWidgetArea.LeftDockWidgetArea |
+            Qt.DockWidgetArea.RightDockWidgetArea
+        )
+        self.addDockWidget(Qt.DockWidgetArea.LeftDockWidgetArea, self._ctrl_dock)
+        self._ctrl_dock.setTitleBarWidget(_DockTitleBar(self._ctrl_dock, self._ctrl._on_add))
+        self._ctrl_dock.visibilityChanged.connect(self._on_ctrl_dock_visibility)
 
         sb = QStatusBar(); self.setStatusBar(sb)
         self._status = QLabel("Ready"); sb.addWidget(self._status)
@@ -196,6 +295,21 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         self._clock = QTimer(self); self._clock.setInterval(1000)
         self._clock.timeout.connect(self._tick)
 
+    def _on_ctrl_dock_visibility(self, visible: bool):
+        self._ctrl_tab.setVisible(not visible)
+        if hasattr(self, "_act_ctrl_panel"):
+            self._act_ctrl_panel.setChecked(visible)
+
+    def _on_view_ctrl_panel(self, checked: bool):
+        if checked:
+            self._ctrl_dock.show(); self._ctrl_dock.raise_()
+        else:
+            self._ctrl_dock.hide()
+
+    def _show_ctrl_panel(self):
+        self._ctrl_dock.show()
+        self._ctrl_dock.raise_()
+
     def _connect_signals(self):
         self.engine.new_data.connect(self.processor.on_raw_data)
         self.processor.processed_data.connect(self._chart.on_new_data)
@@ -336,14 +450,14 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
             self._win_devices.channel_visibility_changed.connect(self._on_channel_visibility_changed)
             self._win_devices.channel_name_changed.connect(self._on_channel_name_changed)
             self._win_devices.channel_unit_changed.connect(self._on_channel_unit_changed)
-            self._win_devices.closed.connect(lambda: self._btn_devices.setChecked(False))
+            self._win_devices.closed.connect(lambda: self._act_devices.setChecked(False))
         self._show_win(self._win_devices, "right")
 
     def _open_channels(self):
         if self._win_channels is None:
             self._win_channels = ChannelsWindow(self.registry, self.processor, self)
             self._win_channels.derived_changed.connect(self._on_derived_changed)
-            self._win_channels.closed.connect(lambda: self._btn_channels.setChecked(False))
+            self._win_channels.closed.connect(lambda: self._act_channels.setChecked(False))
         self._show_win(self._win_channels, "right")
 
     def _open_plot(self):
@@ -351,7 +465,7 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
             self._win_plot = PlotWindow(self.registry, self.processor,
                                         self._chart._cfg, self)
             self._win_plot.layout_applied.connect(self._chart.apply_layout)
-            self._win_plot.closed.connect(lambda: self._btn_plot.setChecked(False))
+            self._win_plot.closed.connect(lambda: self._act_plot.setChecked(False))
             self._win_plot.refresh_channels()   # sync any derived channels
         else:
             self._win_plot.cfg = self._chart._cfg
@@ -423,7 +537,8 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         if self._win_plot:
             self._win_plot.refresh_channels()
 
-        self._chart.refresh()
+        self._chart.apply_layout(build_default_layout(self.registry, self.processor))
+        self._clear_history()
         self._status.setText("New profile — blank slate.")
 
     def _profile_capture(self, name: str = "Profile") -> Profile:
@@ -554,10 +669,16 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
     def _apply_settings_on_startup(self):
         self._apply_theme(self._settings.get("theme", "dark"))
         self.engine._interval = self._settings.get("poll_ms", 100) / 1000.0
+        self._apply_developer_mode(self._settings.get("developer_mode", False))
+
+    def _apply_developer_mode(self, enabled: bool):
+        level = logging.DEBUG if enabled else logging.WARNING
+        logging.getLogger().setLevel(level)
 
     def _on_settings(self, cfg: dict):
         self._settings.update(cfg)
         self.engine._interval = cfg.get("poll_ms", 100) / 1000.0
+        self._apply_developer_mode(cfg.get("developer_mode", False))
         save_settings(self._settings)
 
     def _tick(self):
diff --git a/ui/style_dark.qss b/ui/style_dark.qss
index e562365..029d085 100644
--- a/ui/style_dark.qss
+++ b/ui/style_dark.qss
@@ -322,8 +322,8 @@ QComboBox#traceStyleCb, QDoubleSpinBox#traceWidthSpin {
     font-family: "IBM Plex Mono", monospace; font-size: 11px;
     background: #0b0e13; border: 1px solid #1c2540; border-radius: 3px; color: #8b9dc3; padding: 2px 4px;
 }
-QToolButton#traceRemoveBtn { background: transparent; color: #334155; border: none; font-size: 13px; border-radius: 3px; }
-QToolButton#traceRemoveBtn:hover { background-color: #450a0a; color: #ef4444; }
+QPushButton#traceRemoveBtn { background: transparent; color: #8b9dc3; border: none; font-size: 13px; border-radius: 3px; padding: 0; }
+QPushButton#traceRemoveBtn:hover { background-color: #450a0a; color: #ef4444; }
 
 QPushButton#addTraceBtn {
     background-color: #1c2540; color: #8b9dc3;
@@ -603,3 +603,30 @@ QLabel#layoutTileLabel {
     color: #8b9dc3;
     background: transparent;
 }
+
+/* ── Control Panel Dock ──────────────────────────────────────────── */
+QDockWidget#controlPanelDock {
+    border: none;
+}
+QDockWidget#controlPanelDock::title {
+    background-color: #0f1521;
+    color: #8b9dc3;
+    padding: 4px 8px;
+    text-align: left;
+    font-size: 11px;
+    font-weight: bold;
+    letter-spacing: 1px;
+    border-bottom: 1px solid #2a3558;
+}
+QDockWidget#controlPanelDock::close-button,
+QDockWidget#controlPanelDock::float-button {
+    background: transparent;
+    border: none;
+    padding: 2px;
+    subcontrol-position: top right;
+}
+QDockWidget#controlPanelDock::close-button:hover,
+QDockWidget#controlPanelDock::float-button:hover {
+    background: #2a3558;
+    border-radius: 2px;
+}
diff --git a/ui/style_light.qss b/ui/style_light.qss
index e0a1987..72619c6 100644
--- a/ui/style_light.qss
+++ b/ui/style_light.qss
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@ QPushButton#digitalOutBtn:checked { background:#dcfce7; border-color:#22c55e; co
 QWidget#controlPanelHeader { background:#f1f5f9; border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0; }
 QPushButton#devicesSmallBtn { background:transparent; color:#94a3b8; border:1px solid #e2e8f0; border-radius:3px; font-size:13px; padding:0; }
 QPushButton#devicesSmallBtn:hover { background:#f0f9ff; color:#3b82f6; border-color:#3b82f6; }
+QPushButton#traceRemoveBtn { background:transparent; color:#94a3b8; border:none; font-size:13px; border-radius:3px; padding:0; }
+QPushButton#traceRemoveBtn:hover { background:#fee2e2; color:#ef4444; }
 QPushButton#plotCfgButton { background:#f0f9ff; color:#1d4ed8; border:1px solid #93c5fd; border-radius:4px; padding:5px 14px; font-weight:600; }
 QPushButton#plotCfgButton:hover   { background:#dbeafe; border-color:#3b82f6; }
 QPushButton#plotCfgButton:checked { background:#dbeafe; border-color:#3b82f6; }
@@ -132,3 +134,9 @@ QFrame#layoutTile { background-color:#e2e8f0; border:1px solid #94a3b8; border-r
 QFrame#layoutTile:hover { border-color:#4338ca; background-color:#c7d2fe; }
 QFrame#layoutTileDragging { background-color:#bfdbfe; border:2px solid #3b82f6; border-radius:5px; }
 QLabel#layoutTileLabel { font-family:"IBM Plex Mono",monospace; font-size:11px; font-weight:700; color:#334155; background:transparent; }
+
+/* Control Panel Dock */
+QDockWidget#controlPanelDock { border: none; }
+QDockWidget#controlPanelDock::title { background-color:#f1f5f9; color:#475569; padding:4px 8px; text-align:left; font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; letter-spacing:1px; border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0; }
+QDockWidget#controlPanelDock::close-button, QDockWidget#controlPanelDock::float-button { background:transparent; border:none; padding:2px; }
+QDockWidget#controlPanelDock::close-button:hover, QDockWidget#controlPanelDock::float-button:hover { background:#e2e8f0; border-radius:2px; }
diff --git a/ui/windows/settings_window.py b/ui/windows/settings_window.py
index 1630efa..1afbca5 100644
--- a/ui/windows/settings_window.py
+++ b/ui/windows/settings_window.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ class SettingsWindow(QWidget):
         "show_grid":      True,
         "font_size":      12,
         "antialias":      True,
+        "developer_mode": False,
     }
 
     def __init__(self, registry: DeviceRegistry,
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ class SettingsWindow(QWidget):
         tabs.addTab(self._acquisition_tab(), "  Acquisition  ")
         tabs.addTab(self._display_tab(),     "  Display  ")
         tabs.addTab(self._plugins_tab(),     "  Plugins  ")
+        tabs.addTab(self._advanced_tab(),    "  Advanced  ")
 
         # Bottom bar
         btm = QWidget(); btm.setObjectName("cfgBottomBar")
@@ -126,6 +128,7 @@ class SettingsWindow(QWidget):
         self._tw_sp.setValue(self.cfg["time_window_s"])
         self._legend_chk.setChecked(self.cfg["show_legend"])
         self._grid_chk.setChecked(self.cfg["show_grid"])
+        self._dev_mode_chk.setChecked(self.cfg.get("developer_mode", False))
 
     def _acquisition_tab(self):
         w = QWidget()
@@ -256,6 +259,25 @@ class SettingsWindow(QWidget):
 
         return card
 
+    def _advanced_tab(self):
+        w = QWidget()
+        scroll = QScrollArea(); scroll.setWidgetResizable(True)
+        scroll.setObjectName("deviceScroll")
+        cont = QWidget(); lay = QFormLayout(cont)
+        lay.setContentsMargins(16, 14, 16, 14); lay.setSpacing(10)
+
+        self._dev_mode_chk = QCheckBox()
+        self._dev_mode_chk.setChecked(self.cfg.get("developer_mode", False))
+        lay.addRow("Developer mode:", self._dev_mode_chk)
+
+        note = QLabel("Enables verbose DEBUG output in the terminal.\nNo effect when running as a packaged app.")
+        note.setObjectName("traceSource"); note.setWordWrap(True)
+        lay.addRow("", note)
+
+        scroll.setWidget(cont)
+        root = QVBoxLayout(w); root.setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0); root.addWidget(scroll)
+        return w
+
     def _toggle_plugin(self, plugin_id: str, btn: QPushButton):
         if self._plugin_mgr.is_enabled(plugin_id):
             self.plugin_disable_requested.emit(plugin_id)
@@ -285,15 +307,16 @@ class SettingsWindow(QWidget):
     def _apply(self):
         theme = self._theme_cb.currentText().lower()
         self.cfg.update({
-            "theme":         theme,
-            "font_size":     self._font_sp.value(),
-            "antialias":     self._aa_chk.isChecked(),
-            "poll_ms":       self._poll_sp.value(),
-            "buffer_size":   self._buf_sp.value(),
-            "log_dir":       self._log_edit.text(),
-            "time_window_s": self._tw_sp.value(),
-            "show_legend":   self._legend_chk.isChecked(),
-            "show_grid":     self._grid_chk.isChecked(),
+            "theme":          theme,
+            "font_size":      self._font_sp.value(),
+            "antialias":      self._aa_chk.isChecked(),
+            "poll_ms":        self._poll_sp.value(),
+            "buffer_size":    self._buf_sp.value(),
+            "log_dir":        self._log_edit.text(),
+            "time_window_s":  self._tw_sp.value(),
+            "show_legend":    self._legend_chk.isChecked(),
+            "show_grid":      self._grid_chk.isChecked(),
+            "developer_mode": self._dev_mode_chk.isChecked(),
         })
         self.theme_changed.emit(theme)
         self.settings_changed.emit(dict(self.cfg))