Development Setup - Dkmariolink/ez-streaming GitHub Wiki

Development Setup

This guide will help you set up a development environment for contributing to EZ Streaming.

Prerequisites

Required Software

  • Python 3.8+ (Python 3.10+ recommended)
  • Git for version control
  • Code editor (VS Code, PyCharm, or your preferred editor)

System Requirements

  • Windows 10/11 (primary development platform)
  • 8GB RAM minimum (16GB recommended for PyInstaller builds)
  • 2GB free disk space for dependencies and builds

Environment Setup

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/Dkmariolink/ez-streaming.git
cd ez-streaming

2. Create Virtual Environment

Using venv (recommended):

python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate

Using conda:

conda create -n ezstreaming python=3.10
conda activate ezstreaming

3. Install Dependencies

Install from requirements file:

pip install -r fresh_env.txt

Or install manually:

pip install PySide6 psutil pynvml GPUtil pyinstaller

Key Dependencies Explained

  • PySide6: Qt6 Python bindings for the GUI framework
  • psutil: Cross-platform process and system monitoring
  • pynvml: NVIDIA GPU monitoring (optional)
  • GPUtil: General GPU monitoring (optional)
  • PyInstaller: For building standalone executables

Project Structure

ez-streaming/
├── src/                    # Main source code
│   ├── main.py            # Application entry point
│   ├── streamer_app.py    # Main application window
│   ├── config_manager.py  # Configuration handling
│   ├── style_manager.py   # UI styling and themes
│   ├── process_manager.py # Process launching and monitoring
│   └── ui/                # UI components
├── assets/                # Images, fonts, and resources
├── docs/                  # GitHub Pages documentation
├── memory-bank/           # Project documentation
├── build.py              # Build script
├── EZStreaming.spec      # PyInstaller configuration
└── fresh_env.txt         # Dependencies list

Development Workflow

Running from Source

To run EZ Streaming in development mode:

# Make sure virtual environment is activated
cd src
python main.py

Code Style Guidelines

EZ Streaming follows Python best practices:

  • PEP 8 style guide
  • 4 spaces for indentation
  • Type hints where appropriate
  • Docstrings for classes and functions
  • Clear variable names and comments

Architecture Overview

EZ Streaming uses a modular architecture:

  • ConfigManager: Handles loading/saving profiles and settings
  • StyleManager: Manages UI themes and styling
  • ProcessManager: Launches and monitors applications
  • UIEventBus: Communication between UI components
  • ResourceMonitor: System resource monitoring

Key Classes

  • StreamerApp: Main application window
  • ProgramWidget: Individual application row in the UI
  • ProfileManager: Profile creation and management
  • LaunchSequence: Application launch coordination

Building and Packaging

Development Build

For testing builds during development:

python build.py

This will create a dist/ folder with the executable and dependencies.

PyInstaller Configuration

The build process is configured via EZStreaming.spec:

  • Includes all Python files and assets
  • Bundles PySide6 and dependencies
  • Creates single-directory distribution
  • Includes fonts and images

Build Troubleshooting

Missing modules error:

# Add hidden imports to EZStreaming.spec
hiddenimports=['module_name']

Asset not found:

# Verify assets are listed in EZStreaming.spec datas section
datas=[('assets', 'assets')]

Testing

Manual Testing Checklist

Before submitting changes:

  1. Core Functionality

    • Profile creation/deletion works
    • Application adding/removing works
    • Launch delays function properly
    • "Launch All" works without errors

  2. UI/UX Testing

    • All buttons respond correctly
    • Drag-and-drop reordering works
    • Tooltips display properly
    • Window resizing works correctly

  3. Configuration

    • Settings save/load correctly
    • Profile switching works
    • Configuration file handles errors gracefully

Automated Testing

Currently EZ Streaming uses manual testing. Automated test contributions are welcome!

Contributing Code

Before You Start

  1. Check existing issues for similar work
  2. Open an issue to discuss major changes
  3. Follow the coding style established in the project

Submission Process

  1. Fork the repository on GitHub
  2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature-name
  3. Make your changes with clear commit messages
  4. Test thoroughly using the checklist above
  5. Submit a pull request with description of changes

Pull Request Guidelines

  • Clear title describing the change
  • Detailed description of what was modified and why
  • Reference issues if applicable (Fixes #123)
  • Include screenshots for UI changes
  • Ensure builds work on clean systems

Development Tools

Recommended VS Code Extensions

  • Python - Python language support
  • Pylance - Python language server
  • Qt for Python - PySide6 snippets and tools
  • GitLens - Git integration enhancements

Debugging Tips

GUI Debugging:

  • Use print() statements for quick debugging
  • Qt Creator's debugger for complex UI issues
  • Resource monitoring tools for performance issues

Process Debugging:

  • Windows Task Manager for launched processes
  • Process Explorer for deeper process analysis
  • Event Viewer for system-level errors

Common Development Tasks

Adding New Applications

To add built-in support for new streaming applications:

  1. Update the application list in locate_app_dialog.py
  2. Add search paths for the application
  3. Include common installation directories
  4. Test detection across different systems

UI Modifications

When modifying the interface:

  1. Follow existing styling patterns in style_manager.py
  2. Test with different window sizes
  3. Ensure tooltips are helpful and accurate
  4. Maintain consistent spacing and alignment

Adding Features

For new features:

  1. Design the feature architecture first
  2. Update configuration schema if needed
  3. Add UI components following existing patterns
  4. Update documentation and help text
  5. Test edge cases thoroughly

Getting Help

Development Support

  • GitHub Issues: Report bugs and request features
  • GitHub Discussions: Ask questions and share ideas
  • Email: [email protected]

Documentation

  • Memory Bank: Detailed project documentation in /memory-bank/
  • Code Comments: Inline documentation in source files
  • Wiki: This wiki for user and developer guides

Ready to contribute? Check out our Contributing Guide for more details on the contribution process!