name: hdmf-common.table id: hdmf-common.table imports: - hdmf-common.base - nwb.language default_prefix: hdmf-common.table/ classes: VectorData: name: VectorData description: An n-dimensional dataset representing a column of a DynamicTable. If used without an accompanying VectorIndex, first dimension is along the rows of the DynamicTable and each step along the first dimension is a cell of the larger table. VectorData can also be used to represent a ragged array if paired with a VectorIndex. This allows for storing arrays of varying length in a single cell of the DynamicTable by indexing into this VectorData. The first vector is at VectorData[0:VectorIndex[0]]. The second vector is at VectorData[VectorIndex[0]:VectorIndex[1]], and so on. is_a: Data attributes: name: name: name range: string required: true description: name: description description: Description of what these vectors represent. range: text array: name: array range: VectorData__Array tree_root: true VectorData__Array: name: VectorData__Array is_a: Arraylike attributes: dim0: name: dim0 range: AnyType required: true dim1: name: dim1 range: AnyType required: false dim2: name: dim2 range: AnyType required: false dim3: name: dim3 range: AnyType required: false VectorIndex: name: VectorIndex description: Used with VectorData to encode a ragged array. An array of indices into the first dimension of the target VectorData, and forming a map between the rows of a DynamicTable and the indices of the VectorData. The name of the VectorIndex is expected to be the name of the target VectorData object followed by "_index". is_a: VectorData attributes: name: name: name range: string required: true target: name: target description: Reference to the target dataset that this index applies to. range: VectorData tree_root: true ElementIdentifiers: name: ElementIdentifiers description: A list of unique identifiers for values within a dataset, e.g. rows of a DynamicTable. is_a: Data attributes: name: name: name range: string required: true array: name: array range: ElementIdentifiers__Array tree_root: true ElementIdentifiers__Array: name: ElementIdentifiers__Array is_a: Arraylike attributes: num_elements: name: num_elements range: int required: true DynamicTableRegion: name: DynamicTableRegion description: DynamicTableRegion provides a link from one table to an index or region of another. The `table` attribute is a link to another `DynamicTable`, indicating which table is referenced, and the data is int(s) indicating the row(s) (0-indexed) of the target array. `DynamicTableRegion`s can be used to associate rows with repeated meta-data without data duplication. They can also be used to create hierarchical relationships between multiple `DynamicTable`s. `DynamicTableRegion` objects may be paired with a `VectorIndex` object to create ragged references, so a single cell of a `DynamicTable` can reference many rows of another `DynamicTable`. is_a: VectorData attributes: name: name: name range: string required: true table: name: table description: Reference to the DynamicTable object that this region applies to. range: DynamicTable description: name: description description: Description of what this table region points to. range: text tree_root: true DynamicTable: name: DynamicTable description: A group containing multiple datasets that are aligned on the first dimension (Currently, this requirement if left up to APIs to check and enforce). These datasets represent different columns in the table. Apart from a column that contains unique identifiers for each row, there are no other required datasets. Users are free to add any number of custom VectorData objects (columns) here. DynamicTable also supports ragged array columns, where each element can be of a different size. To add a ragged array column, use a VectorIndex type to index the corresponding VectorData type. See documentation for VectorData and VectorIndex for more details. Unlike a compound data type, which is analogous to storing an array-of-structs, a DynamicTable can be thought of as a struct-of-arrays. This provides an alternative structure to choose from when optimizing storage for anticipated access patterns. Additionally, this type provides a way of creating a table without having to define a compound type up front. Although this convenience may be attractive, users should think carefully about how data will be accessed. DynamicTable is more appropriate for column-centric access, whereas a dataset with a compound type would be more appropriate for row-centric access. Finally, data size should also be taken into account. For small tables, performance loss may be an acceptable trade-off for the flexibility of a DynamicTable. is_a: Container attributes: name: name: name range: string required: true colnames: name: colnames description: The names of the columns in this table. This should be used to specify an order to the columns. range: text description: name: description description: Description of what is in this dynamic table. range: text id: name: id description: Array of unique identifiers for the rows of this dynamic table. multivalued: true range: int required: true VectorData: name: VectorData description: Vector columns, including index columns, of this dynamic table. multivalued: true range: VectorData required: false tree_root: true AlignedDynamicTable: name: AlignedDynamicTable description: DynamicTable container that supports storing a collection of sub-tables. Each sub-table is a DynamicTable itself that is aligned with the main table by row index. I.e., all DynamicTables stored in this group MUST have the same number of rows. This type effectively defines a 2-level table in which the main data is stored in the main table implemented by this type and additional columns of the table are grouped into categories, with each category being represented by a separate DynamicTable stored within the group. is_a: DynamicTable attributes: name: name: name range: string required: true categories: name: categories description: The names of the categories in this AlignedDynamicTable. Each category is represented by one DynamicTable stored in the parent group. This attribute should be used to specify an order of categories and the category names must match the names of the corresponding DynamicTable in the group. range: text dynamic_table: name: dynamic_table description: A DynamicTable representing a particular category for columns in the AlignedDynamicTable parent container. The table MUST be aligned with (i.e., have the same number of rows) as all other DynamicTables stored in the AlignedDynamicTable parent container. The name of the category is given by the name of the DynamicTable and its description by the description attribute of the DynamicTable. multivalued: true range: DynamicTable required: false tree_root: true