Enhance recording functionality to support optional filename descriptions in LiveView and RecordingController

Author: gokugiant

frontend/src/components/LiveView.js

@@ -313,11 +313,14 @@ export default function LiveView({ setFileManagerInitialPath }) {
       setFileManagerInitialPath(lastSnapPath);
     }
   }
-  const startRec = async (format) => {
+  const startRec = async (description, format) => {
     try {
-      const response = await fetch(
-        `${hostIP}:${hostPort}/imswitch/api/RecordingController/startRecording?mSaveFormat=${encodeURIComponent(format)}`,
-      );
+      let url = `${hostIP}:${hostPort}/imswitch/api/RecordingController/startRecording?mSaveFormat=${format}`;
+      // Add optional description if provided
+      if (description && description.trim()) {
+        url += `&fileName=${encodeURIComponent(description)}`;
+      }
+      const response = await fetch(url);
       if (!response.ok) {
         throw new Error(`Start recording failed: ${response.status}`);
       }

frontend/src/components/StreamControls.js

@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ export default function StreamControls({
           }}
           sx={{ minWidth: 200, flex: 1 }}
           disabled={!isLiveViewActive}
-          helperText="Optional description. Filename: ISO8601_DetectorName_Description"
+          helperText="For snapshots & recordings. Filename: ISO8601_DetectorName_Description"
           inputProps={{
             pattern: "[a-zA-Z0-9_.-]*",
             maxLength: 100,
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ export default function StreamControls({
             variant="contained"
             color="secondary"
             size="small"
-            onClick={() => onStartRecord(recordFormat)}
+            onClick={() => onStartRecord(snapFileName, recordFormat)}
             startIcon={<FiberManualRecord />}
             disabled={!isLiveViewActive}
           >

imswitch/imcontrol/controller/controllers/RecordingController.py

@@ -549,22 +549,43 @@ def snapNumpyToFastAPI(
         return Response(im_bytes, headers=headers, media_type="image/png")
 
     @APIExport(runOnUIThread=True)
-    def startRecording(self, mSaveFormat: int = SaveFormat.TIFF) -> None:
-        """Starts recording with the set settings to the set file path using RecordingService.""" 
-        mSaveFormat = SaveFormat(mSaveFormat)
+    @APIExport(runOnUIThread=True)
+    def startRecording(self, mSaveFormat: int = SaveFormat.TIFF, fileName: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
+        """Starts recording with the set settings to the set file path using RecordingService.
+        
+        Parameters:
+        - mSaveFormat: Desired `SaveFormat` enum value (default: `SaveFormat.TIFF`).
+        - fileName: Optional description to append to the generated filename.
+        """
+        try:
+            # Ensure mSaveFormat is an int
+            mSaveFormat = int(mSaveFormat)
+            mSaveFormat = SaveFormat(mSaveFormat)
+        except (ValueError, TypeError) as e:
+            self.__logger.error(f"Invalid save format: {mSaveFormat}, error: {e}")
+            mSaveFormat = SaveFormat.TIFF
+
+        # Ensure fileName is a string or None
+        if not isinstance(fileName, (str, type(None))):
+            fileName = None
 
         # we probably call from the FASTAPI server
         if self.recording:  # Already recording
             return
 
-        timeStamp = datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%Y_%m_%d-%I-%M-%S_%p")
-        folder = os.path.join(dirtools.UserFileDirs.getValidatedDataPath(), "recordings", timeStamp)
+        # Use ISO 8601 date format, consistent with snap() method
+        timeStampDay = datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+        folder = os.path.join(dirtools.UserFileDirs.getValidatedDataPath(), "recordings", timeStampDay)
         if not os.path.exists(folder):
             os.makedirs(folder)
         time.sleep(0.01)
-        self.savename = os.path.join(folder, self.getFileName()) + "_rec"
 
         detectorsBeingCaptured = self.getDetectorNamesToCapture()
+        # Generate filename with detector info and description, consistent with snap()
+        # Use "rec" as default description if none provided
+        description = fileName if fileName else "rec"
+        filename = self.getFileName(description=description, detector_names=detectorsBeingCaptured)
+        self.savename = os.path.join(folder, filename)
         self.recMode = RecMode.UntilStop
         self.recordingArgs = {
             "detectorNames": detectorsBeingCaptured,