Workspace variables
Workspace variables allow named data to be passed into workspace methods.
They are attributes of the Workspace object.
Most workspace variables are defined in the workspace_variables.cpp file.
Workspace agendas are automatically defined as workspace variables from the workspace_agendas.cpp.
Defining a workspace variable
In workspace_variables.cpp
The workspace variable definitions are located in the workspace_variables.cpp
as part of the wsv_data map object. The name of the variable is the key
of the map and the object are a struct with the following fields:
desc- a description of the variable as a string.type- the workspace group of the variable as a string.default_value- an optional default value of the workspace variable that is defined when aWorkspaceobject is default-initialized.
In workspace_agendas.cpp
See the page on Workspace agendas for more information. The workspace variable defined from the workspace agenda will
have no default value. It will be of the type Agenda.
What qualifies as a workspace variable?
The intent of a workspace variable is to pass information between workspace methods. Workspace variables must therefore be both input and output of different workspace methods.
If a method has output that is never used by a different method, it should not be a workspace variable. Instead, it should be a local variable of the method. As defined by workspace method, it should be a gout.
If a method has input that is not produced by a different method, it should not be a workspace variable. Instead, it should be a local variable of the method. As defined by workspace method, it should be a gin.
There are only a few exceptions to this rule:
Workspace agendas are not required to be output of a workspace method. They are expected to be consumed by a workspace method. The reason for this exception is that they define a special logic that may not be easily expressed as a workspace method or a workspace option.
Workspace agendas’ inputs and outputs are also not required to follow the above rule. The reason is the same as for why workspace agendas are themselves an exception.
Workspace options are not required to be output of a workspace method. The reason is that workspace methods must fully define their logic, and workspace options are the explicitly named options that a workspace method is expected to understand.
Generated files
The workspace variable interface generates auto_wsv.cpp and auto_wsv.h
for the C++ interface to the workspace variables. The Python binding is generated
as the py_auto_wsv_N.cpp files, where N is an integer.
Workspace variable naming convention
Names carry meaning. Please follow the naming convention below, and please do not hesitate to fix any naming inconsistencies you find.
Workspace variables should be named in snake_case. The name should be
explicit.
To allow searching and connecting different workspace variables to their intended context,
we have reserved a set of terms that should be used in the names of related workspace variables.
This list will connect workspace variables under a rubric Related workspace variables in the documentation.
Please note that combining more than one of these terms is possible and highly encouraged.
The workspace variable spectral_propmat along the ray_path
is called spectral_propmat_path to connect it to both concepts.
The full list is available in the workspace_variables_shortnames.cpp file.