pymmcore-plus · tlambert03 · Jun 24, 2025 · Jun 24, 2025 · Jun 24, 2025 · Jun 24, 2025
diff --git a/examples/config_groups_editor.py b/examples/config_groups_editor.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+from pymmcore_plus import CMMCorePlus
+from qtpy.QtWidgets import QApplication
+
+from pymmcore_widgets.config_presets._views._config_groups_editor import (
+    ConfigGroupsEditor,
+)
+
+app = QApplication([])
+core = CMMCorePlus()
+core.loadSystemConfiguration()
+
+cfg = ConfigGroupsEditor.create_from_core(core)
+cfg.setCurrentPreset("Channel", "FITC")
+cfg.show()
+
+app.exec()
diff --git a/src/pymmcore_widgets/__init__.py b/src/pymmcore_widgets/__init__.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
     "ChannelGroupWidget",
     "ChannelTable",
     "ChannelWidget",
+    "ConfigGroupsEditor",
     "ConfigGroupsTree",
     "ConfigWizard",
     "ConfigurationWidget",
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@
 from ._install_widget import InstallWidget
 from ._log import CoreLogWidget
 from .config_presets import (
+    ConfigGroupsEditor,
     ConfigGroupsTree,
     GroupPresetTableWidget,
     ObjectivesPixelConfigurationWidget,

diff --git a/src/pymmcore_widgets/_help/__init__.py b/src/pymmcore_widgets/_help/__init__.py
diff --git a/src/pymmcore_widgets/_help/_config_groups_help.py b/src/pymmcore_widgets/_help/_config_groups_help.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from qtpy.QtWidgets import (
+    QDialog,
+    QDialogButtonBox,
+    QFrame,
+    QTextBrowser,
+    QVBoxLayout,
+    QWidget,
+)
+
+HELP_DOC = Path(__file__).parent / "config_groups_help.html"
+
+
+class ConfigGroupsHelpDialog(QDialog):
+    """Help dialog for the Config Groups Editor."""
+
+    def __init__(self, parent: QWidget | None = None):
+        super().__init__(parent)
+        self.setWindowTitle("Config Groups and Presets")
+        self.setModal(True)
+
+        # Add help content here
+        help_text = QTextBrowser(self)
+        help_text.setReadOnly(True)
+        help_text.setAcceptRichText(True)
+        help_text.setHtml(HELP_DOC.read_text())
+        help_text.setFrameShape(QFrame.Shape.NoFrame)
+        # enable links
+        help_text.setOpenExternalLinks(True)
+
+        # make the background match the dialog
+        pal = self.palette()
+        pal.setColor(pal.ColorRole.Base, pal.color(pal.ColorRole.Window))
+        help_text.setPalette(pal)
+
+        btn_box = QDialogButtonBox(QDialogButtonBox.StandardButton.Ok)
+        btn_box.accepted.connect(self.accept)
+
+        layout = QVBoxLayout(self)
+        layout.addWidget(help_text)
+        layout.addWidget(btn_box)
diff --git a/src/pymmcore_widgets/_help/config_groups_help.html b/src/pymmcore_widgets/_help/config_groups_help.html
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+  <head>
+    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
+    <title>Micro-Manager Configuration Groups and Presets - Quick Guide</title>
+  </head>
+  <body>
+    <h1>Configuration Groups and Presets</h1>
+
+    <p>
+      Micro-Manager lets you bundle hardware settings into
+      <a
+        href="https://micro-manager.org/Micro-Manager_User%27s_Guide#controlling-devices"
+        ><strong>Groups of Configuration Presets</strong></a
+      >.
+    </p>
+
+    <p>
+      Each <strong>Group</strong> contains named <strong>Presets</strong> that
+      define a set of <strong>Device Property values</strong> to be applied to
+      the hardware.
+    </p>
+
+    <h2>Typical Workflow</h2>
+
+    <ol>
+      <li>
+        <strong>Add a configuration group</strong> (e.g. "Channel") using the
+        <em>Add Group</em> button at the top.
+      </li>
+      <li>
+        <strong>Add a preset to the group</strong> (e.g. "DAPI"), by selecting
+        the group and clicking the <em>Add Preset</em> button.
+      </li>
+      <li>
+        <strong>Select device properties to include in the preset</strong> (e.g.
+        "Filter Wheel Position", "Light Source Power") using the device property
+        selector at the right.
+      </li>
+      <li>
+        <strong>Set the device properties to desired values</strong> for the
+        currently selected preset in the Presets Table at the bottom.
+      </li>
+      <li>
+        <strong>Repeat steps 2-4 to add more presets to the group</strong> (e.g.
+        "FITC", "Cy3", "Cy5"). You may <em>Duplicate</em> an existing preset to
+        copy its device property values if another preset is similar.
+      </li>
+    </ol>
+
+    <h2>Key Building Blocks</h2>
+
+    <h3>1. Devices</h3>
+    <p>
+      Physical hardware (camera, filter wheel, stage, light source). Each device
+      exposes one or more <strong>properties</strong> that can be changed or
+      read.
+    </p>
+
+    <h3>2. Device Properties</h3>
+    <p>
+      A single adjustable parameter on a device (e.g.
+      <code>Exposure</code>, <code>Position</code>).
+    </p>
+
+    <h3>3. Configuration Presets</h3>
+    <p>
+      A preset is a snapshot of <em>specific</em> values for a set of device
+      <strong>properties</strong>. Activating a preset sets each device property
+      to its stored value.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      For example, you might have a <em>FITC</em> preset that sets the
+      appropriate filter wheel positions and light sources for imaging the FITC
+      channel.
+    </p>
+
+    <h3>4. Configuration Groups</h3>
+    <p>
+      A configuration group is a <strong>collection of presets</strong>. It is
+      customary (<em>but not mandatory</em>) for each preset in a group to share
+      the same set of device properties.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      For example, you might have a <em>Channel</em> group that includes presets
+      for each optical configuration preset (<em>DAPI</em>, <em>FITC</em>,
+      <em>Cy3</em>, <em>Cy5</em>).
+    </p>
+  </body>
+</html>
diff --git a/src/pymmcore_widgets/_models/__init__.py b/src/pymmcore_widgets/_models/__init__.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     PixelSizePreset,
 )
 from ._q_config_model import QConfigGroupsModel
+from ._q_device_prop_model import QDevicePropertyModel
 
 __all__ = [
     "ConfigGroup",
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@
     "PixelSizeConfigs",
     "PixelSizePreset",
     "QConfigGroupsModel",
+    "QDevicePropertyModel",
     "get_available_devices",
     "get_config_groups",
     "get_config_presets",

diff --git a/src/pymmcore_widgets/_models/_q_config_model.py b/src/pymmcore_widgets/_models/_q_config_model.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 from qtpy.QtCore import QModelIndex, Qt
 from qtpy.QtGui import QFont, QIcon
+from qtpy.QtWidgets import QMessageBox, QWidget
 from superqt import QIconifyIcon
 
 from pymmcore_widgets._icons import StandardIcon
@@ -41,13 +42,22 @@ def create_from_core(cls, core: CMMCorePlus) -> Self:
 
     def __init__(self, groups: Iterable[ConfigGroup] | None = None) -> None:
         super().__init__()
+        self._in_undo_redo = False  # Track when we're in undo/redo operation
         if groups:
             self.set_groups(groups)
 
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
     # Required Qt model overrides
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+    def set_undo_redo_mode(self, enabled: bool) -> None:
+        """Set whether we're currently in an undo/redo operation.
+
+        When in undo/redo mode, name uniqueness checks are relaxed to allow
+        restoration of original names that may temporarily conflict.
+        """
+        self._in_undo_redo = enabled
+
     def columnCount(self, _parent: QModelIndex | None = None) -> int:
         # In most subclasses, the number of columns is independent of the parent.
         return len(Col)
@@ -142,12 +152,14 @@ def setData(
             if new_name == node.name or not new_name:
                 return False
 
-            if self._name_exists(node.parent, new_name):
+            # During undo/redo, allow restoration of original names even if they
+            # temporarily conflict, as the conflict will be resolved by the operation
+            if not self._in_undo_redo and self._name_exists(node.parent, new_name):
                 warnings.warn(
                     f"Not adding duplicate name '{new_name}'. It already exists.",
                     stacklevel=2,
                 )
-                return False
+                return False  # pragma: no cover
 
             node.name = new_name
             if isinstance(node.payload, (ConfigGroup, ConfigPreset)):
@@ -352,8 +364,28 @@ def removeRows(
         self.endRemoveRows()
         return True
 
-    def remove(self, idx: QModelIndex) -> None:
+    # TODO: probably remove the QWidget logic from here
+    def remove(
+        self,
+        idx: QModelIndex,
+        *,
+        ask_confirmation: bool = False,
+        parent: QWidget | None = None,
+    ) -> None:
         if idx.isValid():
+            if ask_confirmation:
+                item_name = idx.data(Qt.ItemDataRole.DisplayRole)
+                item_type = type(idx.data(Qt.ItemDataRole.UserRole))
+                type_name = item_type.__name__.replace(("Config"), "Config ")
+                msg = QMessageBox.question(
+                    parent,
+                    "Confirm Deletion",
+                    f"Are you sure you want to delete {type_name} {item_name!r}?",
+                    QMessageBox.StandardButton.Yes | QMessageBox.StandardButton.No,
+                    QMessageBox.StandardButton.Yes,
+                )
+                if msg != QMessageBox.StandardButton.Yes:
+                    return
             self.removeRows(idx.row(), 1, idx.parent())
 
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -539,9 +571,13 @@ def insertRows(
 
         # ---------- modify the tree ----------
         for i, payload in enumerate(_payloads):
+            # Only ensure uniqueness if there would be a conflict AND we're not
+            # in undo/redo mode
             if isinstance(payload, (ConfigGroup, ConfigPreset)):
                 original_name = payload.name
-                if self._name_exists(parent_node, original_name):
+                if not self._in_undo_redo and self._name_exists(
+                    parent_node, original_name
+                ):
                     # Only modify the name if there's actually a conflict
                     unique_name = self._unique_child_name(
                         parent_node, original_name, suffix=""