This commit introduces a complete, user-friendly Tkinter GUI for the …

[KillaVolt]

…M18 protocol tool,

designed to make battery interrogation and charger simulation accessible to users who are not comfortable with command-line workflows. The GUI is packaged as m18_gui.py and integrates fully with the existing m18.py protocol implementation.

IMPORTANT NOTE — NOT YET TESTED:

This GUI has NOT been tested with actual hardware at the time of submission. The author currently does not have the USB-to-TTL hardware available but will acquire it within ~24 hours. Full validation of:

• Connection to FTDI/CP2102 adapters
• Reset/calibration behavior
• Snapshot reads
• Charger simulation timing
• Keepalive behaviour
• Custom charger profile application

will be performed once hardware is available.

This commit should be reviewed as a functional draft pending real-world verification.

Major features:

1. Connection Management

   • Auto-detection and refresh of available serial ports.
   • Clean Connect/Disconnect workflow with status indicators.
   • Safe fallback to idle mode (TX low) when appropriate.

2. Main Controls UI

   • Buttons for "Idle", "Health report", and "Copy all registers to clipboard".
   • All output is displayed in a unified scrollable log panel.

3. Interactive Python Console

   • Executes arbitrary Python code with m exposed as the active M18 object.
   • Captures stdout/stderr for display in the log panel.
   • Safe, isolated execution environment.

4. Full Charger Simulation Mode (USB-only, protocol-level simulation)

   • Allows selecting a profile: Gentle, Normal, Aggressive, or Custom.
   • Completely rewritten simulation controller with: • Reset → configure(2) → keepalive → configure(1) negotiation sequence • Periodic keepalive packets on a configurable simulated baud interval • Clean teardown returning the pack to idle state • Threaded execution with cancellation via Stop button
   • Simulation-only disclaimer clearly shown (no actual current flows via USB).

5. Profile Parameter Display

   • Shows cutoff and max current in BOTH: • Raw protocol units • Human-friendly amps (raw / 1000)
   • Ensures users understand the simulated charging intensity.

6. Custom Profile Editor (advanced mode)

   • Grid layout:
     Raw units Amps
     Cutoff: [ ] [ ]
     Max: [ ] [ ]
   • Full two-way synchronization:
     • Editing raw updates amps (raw/1000)
     • Editing amps updates raw (amps*1000)
   • Validation prevents invalid or out-of-range values (< 20000).
   • Designed for maximum usability for non-technical users.

7. Simulation Baudrate Control (conceptual only)

   • Does not modify actual UART baudrate (fixed at 4800).
   • Adjusts simulation keepalive timing to mimic different charger behaviors.

8. Dependency Auto-Installer

   • Automatically installs pyserial and requests if missing.
   • Uses a Tkinter popup with progress bar for user visibility.
   • Ensures GUI runs even on clean systems.

9. Integration with Existing Codebase

   • No changes made to m18 protocol logic.
   • ALL overrides (cutoff/max current) are temporary and restored after simulation.
   • CLI workflow remains untouched.

10. Robust Error Handling

• Extensive try/except protection around serial operations.
• Graceful thread termination.
• Meaningful GUI feedback through dialogs and output logs.

Purpose of this submission:

This commit is intended for early review and feedback. The GUI is feature-complete but requires real hardware testing before merging into upstream or being released for end-user use.

Hardware arrival is expected within 24 hours; thorough verification will follow.

Future enhancement ideas:

• Live telemetry polling during simulation (voltage, temp, imbalance)
• GUI for brute-force register exploration
• Integrated wiring guide / hardware sanity checker
• Improved interactive console autocomplete

This commit substantially enhances the usability of the M18 protocol tooling while remaining fully backward-compatible with existing workflows.