API first design

[shervin86]

A first discussion about design of the API is available here:
PaNOSC-ViNYL/ViNYL-project#65 (comment)

• SimEx lite source + beamline + sample + detector working example
• McStasScript source + beamline + sample + detector working example
• Splitting example files in subfiles to test re-usage of same code parts in multiple instruments

Single class API with:

• .init(url=the default repository, local_repo=some default local directory)
  • url: url of the github central repository
  • local_repo: local checkout directory. The user need the possibility to set it, but for the average user a default is ok
• .ls_instrument()
  prints the names of the available instruments
• .ls_versions(instrument)
  prints the available versions for the required instrument
• .load_instrument (instrument_sample, version=HEAD)
  • instrument: can be a short name or the full path of the file the instrument file as include of source, beamline, effective instrument with detector
  • version:
    • HEAD: for the most recent
    • YYY_MM_DD: for a given old version
      if HEAD does not exist, it automagically pick up the most recent
      version? or return error to make sure the user knows?
  • returns the instrument object
• .get_last_instrument_info()
  • returns a json with the following info:
    • instrument repository url
    • instrument file path in repository
    • git commit hash
• .dump_instrument(outputfile)
  saves in .py format the instrument description
• .diff_instrument(instrument_obj, instrument_name, version)