Code Integration
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R Convenience Functions
saveCode(localFolder, codeRepo)
parameters
localFolder: folder or file on the local file system
codeRepo short, easily remembered 'nickname' of code repository system. If omitted, user's default is used.
TODO: Do we need additional repository parameters (e.g. a folder within the repository) or can those be made part of the codeRepo object?
side effects
Register folder with code repository, if not already registered.
Commit code.
Create metadata in Synapse, if not already created.
TODO: What if not all steps are successful?
returns
ID of the object created in Synapse
Note: Code version is not recorded in the code metadata.
saveAndRun(localFolder, codeRepo)
parameters
localFolder: folder or file on the local file system
codeRepo short, easily remembered 'nickname' of code repository system. If omitted, user's default is used.
side effects
Register folder with code repository, if not already registered.
Commit code, retaining the version information.
Set a global "code.version" variable to the current version.
Create metadata in Synapse, if not already created.
"Source" code into R session.
Call "run()".
TODO: Check if code has changed before committing, to avoid making new version each time code is run.
returns
ID of the object created in Synapse
Note: Code version is not recorded in the code metadata.
loadCode(id, localFolder)
parameters
id: ID of the object in Synapse
localFolder: location for local copy of code. If omitted, then a default location is used.
side effects
Check out code from code repository, if not already checked out. Otherwise, updates local copy from code repository.
"Source" code into R session.
returns
location of local copy of code
TODO: What if not all steps are successful?
deleteCode(id)
parameters
ID of the object in Synapse
side effects
Delete from the code repository.
Delete metadata from Synapse.
returns
Nothing.
TODO: What if not all steps are successful?
TODO: Should we delete from the local disk? From the R session?
TODO: Can we defer the convenience function for loading a specific code version?
Scenarios
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Scenarios
The development cycle for preexisting code: The code is Downloaded from Synapse, and Loaded into the R session. The user repeatedly Runs, Edits and reLoads the code. When satisfied, she may Store the code back to Synapse. To help capture provenance, the Load and Store functions put the Code's ID and version into the current Step. For the provenance record to be accurate, the user must Store prior to running.
Discover, retrieve, load and run code
A user, browsing Synapse, sees a piece of code of interest (mentioned in a discussion or used in an analysis), and clicks on it. She sees:
# Load in Synapse R Client:
entity.3733 <- loadCodedownloadEntity(3733)
and begins by executing this in R.
(Note: "Repo" is the code repository client. The interaction between the repository client and server is not shown.)
Retrieve existing code, modify and save.
Develop new code, then
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(Per Matt F., this is an important use case for data curators.)
Run code and capture provenance info.
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Store