From 750f7164c718d3cafabc324e87143d1a5f9504cf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: 2ManyProjects <shaivkamat@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:31:27 -0600
Subject: [PATCH] horizontal and veritcal drift

---
 src/stitching_scanner.py | 91 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
 1 file changed, 89 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/stitching_scanner.py b/src/stitching_scanner.py
index 56845c1..e7fff7b 100644
--- a/src/stitching_scanner.py
+++ b/src/stitching_scanner.py
@@ -590,7 +590,84 @@ class StitchingScanner:
             result[sh - blend_h:sh] = blended
             result[sh:] = base[blend_h:]
             return result
-    
+
+    def _detect_row_start_alignment(self, frame: np.ndarray, direction: ScanDirection) -> AlignmentOffset:
+        """
+        Detect alignment at the start of a new row by comparing the current frame
+        with the corner region of the mosaic.
+        
+        For LEFT direction (starting at right edge): compare against bottom-right corner
+        For RIGHT direction (starting at left edge): compare against bottom-left corner
+        
+        This handles the combined X+Y offset from gear backlash during row transitions.
+        """
+        offset = AlignmentOffset()
+        
+        if self.mosaic is None:
+            return offset
+        
+        mh, mw = self.mosaic.shape[:2]
+        fh, fw = frame.shape[:2]
+        
+        # Use a corner region for alignment - this captures both X and Y offset
+        overlap_size = min(fw // 2, fh // 2, 200)  # Square-ish overlap region
+        
+        if overlap_size < 50:
+            self.log(f"Row start alignment: overlap too small ({overlap_size})")
+            return offset
+        
+        if direction == ScanDirection.LEFT:
+            # Starting at right edge, going left
+            # Compare frame's top-right corner with mosaic's bottom-right corner
+            
+            # Frame region: top-right corner
+            frame_region = frame[:overlap_size, fw - overlap_size:]
+            
+            # Mosaic region: bottom-right corner
+            mosaic_region = self.mosaic[mh - overlap_size:mh, mw - overlap_size:mw]
+            
+        else:  # RIGHT direction
+            # Starting at left edge, going right
+            # Compare frame's top-left corner with mosaic's bottom-left corner
+            
+            # Frame region: top-left corner
+            frame_region = frame[:overlap_size, :overlap_size]
+            
+            # Mosaic region: bottom-left corner
+            mosaic_region = self.mosaic[mh - overlap_size:mh, :overlap_size]
+        
+        # Ensure regions have the same size
+        min_h = min(mosaic_region.shape[0], frame_region.shape[0])
+        min_w = min(mosaic_region.shape[1], frame_region.shape[1])
+        
+        if min_h < 50 or min_w < 50:
+            self.log(f"Row start alignment: region too small ({min_w}x{min_h})")
+            return offset
+        
+        mosaic_region = mosaic_region[:min_h, :min_w]
+        frame_region = frame_region[:min_h, :min_w]
+        
+        # Detect displacement with confidence
+        dx, dy, confidence = self._detect_displacement_with_confidence(mosaic_region, frame_region)
+        
+        # Sanity check - reject very large displacements
+        max_adjust = 100  # Allow larger adjustment at row start
+        if abs(dx) > max_adjust or abs(dy) > max_adjust:
+            self.log(f"Row start alignment: displacement too large ({dx:.1f}, {dy:.1f}), ignoring")
+            return offset
+        
+        offset.x_offset = dx
+        offset.y_offset = dy
+        offset.confidence = confidence
+        offset.valid = confidence > 0.05  # Lower threshold for row start
+        
+        self.log(f"=== Row Start Alignment ({direction.value}) ===")
+        self.log(f"  Mosaic: {mw}x{mh}, Frame: {fw}x{fh}")
+        self.log(f"  Overlap region: {min_w}x{min_h}")
+        self.log(f"  Detected offset: X={dx:.1f}, Y={dy:.1f}, conf={confidence:.3f}")
+        
+        return offset
+
     def _append_strip(self, frame: np.ndarray, direction: ScanDirection):
         """Append strip to mosaic based on accumulated displacement with continuous alignment."""
         BLEND_WIDTH = 10
@@ -774,6 +851,17 @@ class StitchingScanner:
                 # Serpentine: even rows right, odd rows left
                 h_direction = ScanDirection.RIGHT if row % 2 == 0 else ScanDirection.LEFT
                 
+                # For rows after the first, detect row-start alignment
+                if row > 0:
+                    frame = self._capture_frame()
+                    row_alignment = self._detect_row_start_alignment(frame, h_direction)
+                    if row_alignment.valid:
+                        # Apply row-start alignment to cumulative
+                        self._cumulative_align_x += row_alignment.x_offset
+                        self._cumulative_align_y += row_alignment.y_offset
+                        self.log(f"Applied row-start alignment: X={row_alignment.x_offset:.1f}, Y={row_alignment.y_offset:.1f}")
+                        self.log(f"New cumulative: X={self._cumulative_align_x:.1f}, Y={self._cumulative_align_y:.1f}")
+                
                 stop_reason = self._scan_direction(h_direction)
                 
                 if not self.running:
@@ -803,7 +891,6 @@ class StitchingScanner:
             self.motion.stop_all()
             with self._state_lock:
                 self.state.is_scanning = False
-    
     def _scan_direction(self, direction: ScanDirection) -> str:
         """Scan in a direction until edge or max dimension reached."""
         self.log(f"Scanning {direction.value}...")