Implement complete Thread Art Generator PySide6 GUI application

[Copilot]

This PR implements a complete PySide6 GUI application for generating thread art paths from anchor points and target images, fulfilling all requirements specified in the problem statement.

Overview

The Thread Art Generator is a sophisticated application that converts digital images into thread art by calculating optimal paths between anchor points. The application provides a user-friendly GUI for the complete workflow from input to manufacturing-ready output.

Key Features Implemented

Core Functionality

• DXF Import: Reads anchor point positions from DXF files supporting POINT, CIRCLE, LINE, and POLYLINE entities
• Image Processing: Advanced preprocessing with contrast enhancement, edge detection, and optimization for thread art generation
• Thread Art Algorithm: Greedy pathfinding algorithm that finds optimal threading sequences to recreate target images
• CSV Export: Generates manufacturing-ready CSV files with step-by-step threading instructions and metadata
• Simulation: Creates realistic previews showing the final thread art appearance

GUI Application

• Modern Interface: Built with PySide6 for cross-platform compatibility
• File Management: Intuitive file dialogs for loading DXF files and images
• Parameter Control: Configurable generation settings (max lines: 100-10,000, line weight: 1.0-100.0)
• Progress Tracking: Real-time progress bars and status updates during generation
• Error Handling: Comprehensive error messages and graceful failure recovery
• Export Options: Multiple export formats for both path data and simulation images

Technical Implementation

Architecture

src/
├── core/           # Core algorithms and processing
│   ├── dxf_processor.py      # DXF file parsing and anchor point extraction
│   ├── image_processor.py    # Image loading, preprocessing, and enhancement
│   └── thread_art.py         # Main thread art generation algorithm
├── gui/            # User interface components
│   ├── main_window.py        # Primary application window
│   ├── image_display.py      # Image viewing with zoom and scroll
│   └── generation_worker.py  # Background thread for generation
└── utils/          # Utility modules
    ├── csv_exporter.py       # CSV output formatting
    └── progress_tracker.py   # Progress reporting system

Algorithm Details

The thread art generation uses a greedy algorithm that:

1. Starts from an initial anchor point
2. Evaluates all possible connections to other anchor points
3. Selects the line that best matches the target image darkness
4. Updates the working image to simulate thread placement
5. Repeats until the maximum line count is reached

File Format Support

• Input Images: PNG, JPG, JPEG, BMP, TIFF with automatic preprocessing
• DXF Files: Standard DXF format with multiple entity type support
• Output CSV: Manufacturing-ready format with coordinates and metadata
• Simulation Export: High-quality PNG images for preview

Usage Example

# Run the application
python main.py

# Or test the core functionality
from src.core.dxf_processor import DXFProcessor
from src.core.image_processor import ImageProcessor
from src.core.thread_art import ThreadArtGenerator

# Load anchor points from DXF
anchors = DXFProcessor.load_anchor_points('anchors.dxf')

# Process target image
image = ImageProcessor.load_and_preprocess('photo.jpg')

# Generate thread art
generator = ThreadArtGenerator(anchors, image)
path = generator.generate_path(max_lines=3000, line_weight=25)
simulation = generator.generate_simulation(path)

Testing and Quality Assurance

The implementation includes comprehensive testing:

• Unit tests for all core modules
• Integration tests for the complete workflow
• GUI tests for interface components
• Sample files for demonstration and testing

All tests pass successfully, confirming the application is ready for production use.

Dependencies

• PySide6 (Qt6 GUI framework)
• NumPy (numerical computations)
• OpenCV (image processing)
• ezdxf (DXF file handling)
• Pillow (additional image format support)
• SciPy (scientific computing)
• Matplotlib (visualization for demos)

This implementation provides a complete, professional-grade solution for thread art generation with an intuitive GUI interface suitable for both hobbyists and commercial applications.

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