Testing if the functions in `app.py` output what we want

[mattketk]

Overview

Making sure that the functions in the flask app return information in a consistent and predictable format (such as a python dictionary -> JSON object)

Use Cases

• button presses on react.js request output from the Flask server (i.e. camera status, temperature, exposure data file)

Requirements

• ensure return statements for camera status, temp, acquisition are python dictionary objects
• dictionary keys are the same for each function
• value object types are consistent and predictable
• set up dummy server + testing modules?

[mattketk]

Functions of interest along with what they return:

• initialize -> int status
• setReadMode -> int status
• setAcquisitionMode -> int status
• setExposureTime -> int status
• getAcquisitionTimings -> int status, float exposure, float accumulate, float kinetic
• getStatus -> int status, int camera status
• getDetector -> int status, int xpixels, int ypixels
• setShutter -> int status
• setImage -> int status
• startAcquisition -> int status
• waitForAcquisition -> int status
• abortAcquisition -> int status
• getAcquiredData -> int status, array data
• coolerOn -> int status
• coolerOff -> int status
• setTargetTEC -> int status
• getStatusTEC -> int status
• getRangeTEC -> int status, int min, int max
• setFanMode -> int status

Getting Started

1. The software development kit (SDK) details inputs and outputs of each function
2. We will be re-writing server/evora/andor.py to manually implement the outputs of each function, preferably in dictionary form. Currently, the module automates implementation, which gives less control over the function output we want.

Convention for Andor function returns

• Most functions output only a status int. In that case, leave the return format as is (returns only int)
• Some functions, however, return multiple pieces of information. This conveniently allows Flask to send information in JSON format. Package them in a dictionary like so:

return {
    'temperature' : temp_value,
    'status' : status
}

• key values are lower case only
• if needed, key values use underscore