What is your issue?
This violates the well-established Python convention that functions either have a return value or modify arguments in-place. They never do both.
Examples:
from xarray.core.datatree import DataTree
root = DataTree()
child = DataTree(name='child', parent=root)
print(root)
# <xarray.DataTree>
# Group: /
# └── Group: /child
from xarray.core.datatree import DataTree
child = DataTree()
root = DataTree(children={'child': child})
print(child)
# <xarray.DataTree 'child'>
# Group: /childThis particularly surprising if a DataTree argument is reused, e.g.,
from xarray.core.datatree import DataTree
child = DataTree()
root = DataTree(children={'child': child})
root2 = DataTree(children={'child2': child})
print(child) # attached to root2
# <xarray.DataTree 'child2'>
# Group: /child2
print(root) # now empty!
# <xarray.DataTree>
# Group: /Here's my suggestion:
- We should make the
DataTree constructor make shallow copies of its DataTree arguments.
- We should consider getting rid of the
parent constructor argument. It is redundant with children, and unlike children, parent nodes don't show up in the DataTree repr, so it's more surprising to see them copied.
CC @TomNicholas
What is your issue?
This violates the well-established Python convention that functions either have a return value or modify arguments in-place. They never do both.
Examples:
This particularly surprising if a DataTree argument is reused, e.g.,
Here's my suggestion:
DataTreeconstructor make shallow copies of itsDataTreearguments.parentconstructor argument. It is redundant withchildren, and unlike children, parent nodes don't show up in theDataTreerepr, so it's more surprising to see them copied.CC @TomNicholas