From dca2d1fabba89cf07c1e233bfb06a66f39749c53 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Richard Bowman <richard.bowman@cantab.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 20:27:35 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] Improve scan naming logic and type hints

Removed an unnecessary `Optional` and removed the `scan_` prefix from scans that have a non-empty name.

I also added a closing ` to a logging statement.
---
 .../things/smart_scan.py                      | 20 +++++++++++++++----
 1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/openflexure_microscope_server/things/smart_scan.py b/src/openflexure_microscope_server/things/smart_scan.py
index 183c6a90..85240219 100644
--- a/src/openflexure_microscope_server/things/smart_scan.py
+++ b/src/openflexure_microscope_server/things/smart_scan.py
@@ -341,12 +341,24 @@ class SmartScanThing(Thing):
             scan_name = self.latest_scan_name
         return os.path.join(self.scans_folder_path, scan_name)
     
-    def new_scan_folder(self, scan_name: Optional[str]="") -> str:
-        """Create a new empty folder, into which we can save scan images"""
+    def new_scan_folder(self, scan_name: str="scan") -> str:
+        """Create a new empty folder, into which we can save scan images
+        
+        The folder will be named `{scan_name}_000001/` where the number is
+        zero-padded to be 6 digits long (to allow correct sorting if the
+        scans are ordered alphanumerically).
+        
+        Note that if you have discontinuous numbering (e.g. you've got scans
+        numbered 1 through 10, but you deleted scan 5), then the gaps will
+        get filled in - so there's no guarantee, for now, that the numbers
+        will correspond to order of creation. This may change in the future.
+        """
         if not os.path.exists(self.scans_folder_path):
             os.makedirs(self.scans_folder_path)
+        if not scan_name:
+            scan_name = "scan"
         for j in range(999999):
-            folder_path = os.path.join(self.scans_folder_path, f"scan_{scan_name}{j:06}")
+            folder_path = os.path.join(self.scans_folder_path, f"{scan_name}_{j:06}")
             if not os.path.exists(folder_path):
                 os.makedirs(folder_path)
                 self._latest_scan_name = os.path.basename(folder_path)
@@ -364,7 +376,7 @@ class SmartScanThing(Thing):
         csm: CSMDep,
         background_detect: BackgroundDep,
         recentre: RecentreStage,
-        scan_name: Optional[str]
+        scan_name: str="",
     ):
         """Move the stage to cover an area, taking images that can be tiled together.