From cae52c1fa868c2a2be51af5ef38c4adc1d94e2ce Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Kai Chappell <git@kschappell.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2025 19:51:41 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] Improve dashboard UX: connect instruments before tests,
 clarify simulation controls, show error messages

---
 src/py_dvt_ate/app/dashboard/app.py | 34 ++++++++++++++++++++++-------
 1 file changed, 26 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/py_dvt_ate/app/dashboard/app.py b/src/py_dvt_ate/app/dashboard/app.py
index 372717c..811d879 100644
--- a/src/py_dvt_ate/app/dashboard/app.py
+++ b/src/py_dvt_ate/app/dashboard/app.py
@@ -203,21 +203,23 @@ def display_controls() -> None:
     """Display simulation control panel in sidebar."""
     st.sidebar.header("Simulation Controls")
 
+    st.sidebar.info("🔧 Physics engine is always running in the background. Use the button below to start/stop chart updates.")
+
     # Start/Stop button
     if st.session_state.running:
         if st.sidebar.button(
-            "Stop Simulation", type="primary", use_container_width=True
+            "⏸️ Pause Charts", type="primary", width="stretch"
         ):
             st.session_state.running = False
     else:
         if st.sidebar.button(
-            "Start Simulation", type="primary", use_container_width=True
+            "▶️ Start Charts", type="primary", width="stretch"
         ):
             st.session_state.running = True
             st.session_state.last_update = time.time()
 
     # Reset button
-    if st.sidebar.button("Reset", use_container_width=True):
+    if st.sidebar.button("Reset", width="stretch"):
         # Stop server and restart
         server: SimulationServer = st.session_state.server
         loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
@@ -580,7 +582,7 @@ def test_execution_page() -> None:
         if st.button(
             "Run Test",
             type="primary",
-            use_container_width=True,
+            width="stretch",
             disabled=st.session_state.test_running,
         ):
             st.session_state.test_running = True
@@ -602,6 +604,16 @@ def test_execution_page() -> None:
                 runner: TestRunner = st.session_state.test_runner
                 instruments: InstrumentSet = st.session_state.instruments
 
+                # Connect instruments before running test
+                try:
+                    instruments.chamber.transport.connect()  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+                    instruments.psu.transport.connect()  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+                    instruments.dmm.transport.connect()  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+                except Exception as e:
+                    st.error(f"Failed to connect to instruments: {e}")
+                    st.session_state.test_running = False
+                    st.stop()
+
                 # Run the test
                 run_id = runner.run_test(
                     test=selected_test,
@@ -629,9 +641,9 @@ def test_execution_page() -> None:
         col1, col2, col3 = st.columns(3)
         with col1:
             status_color = {"PASSED": "🟢", "FAILED": "🔴", "ERROR": "🟡"}.get(
-                run.status.value, "⚪"
+                run.status.value.upper(), "⚪"
             )
-            st.metric("Status", f"{status_color} {run.status.value}")
+            st.metric("Status", f"{status_color} {run.status.value.upper()}")
         with col2:
             if run.completed_at and run.started_at:
                 duration = (run.completed_at - run.started_at).total_seconds()
@@ -642,6 +654,12 @@ def test_execution_page() -> None:
             results = repository.get_results(st.session_state.test_run_id)
             st.metric("Results", len(results))
 
+        # Show error/warning message for non-PASSED tests
+        if run.status.value.upper() == "ERROR":
+            st.error("⚠️ Test encountered an error during execution. Check the detailed results below or the terminal output for error messages.")
+        elif run.status.value.upper() == "FAILED":
+            st.warning("⚠️ Test completed but one or more results failed to meet specifications.")
+
         # Show detailed results
         if results:
             st.markdown("#### Detailed Results")
@@ -757,7 +775,7 @@ def results_viewer_page() -> None:
     # Use data editor for row selection
     edited_df = st.data_editor(
         df,
-        use_container_width=True,
+        width="stretch",
         hide_index=True,
         column_config={
             "Select": st.column_config.CheckboxColumn(
@@ -850,7 +868,7 @@ def results_viewer_page() -> None:
                             ).properties(
                                 height=300
                             )
-                            st.altair_chart(chart, use_container_width=True)
+                            st.altair_chart(chart, width="stretch")
             except Exception as e:
                 st.caption(f"No time-series measurement data available ({e})")