Use empty default for sessionStartTime and timestampReferenceTime

NeurodataWithoutBorders · Jan 27, 2025 · c7767f4 · c7767f4
1 parent 350dc1e
commit c7767f4
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Showing 2 changed files with 21 additions and 34 deletions.
diff --git a/src/nwb/NWBFile.cpp b/src/nwb/NWBFile.cpp
@@ -47,15 +47,6 @@ NWBFile::NWBFile(const std::string& path, std::shared_ptr<IO::BaseIO> io)
 
 NWBFile::~NWBFile() {}
 
-Status NWBFile::initialize(const std::string& identifierText,
-                           const std::string& description,
-                           const std::string& dataCollection)
-{
-  std::string time = getCurrentTime();
-  return this->initialize(
-      identifierText, description, dataCollection, time, time);
-}
-
 Status NWBFile::initialize(const std::string& identifierText,
                            const std::string& description,
                            const std::string& dataCollection,
@@ -65,15 +56,24 @@ Status NWBFile::initialize(const std::string& identifierText,
   if (!m_io->isOpen()) {
     return Status::Failure;
   }
-  if (!isISO8601Date(sessionStartTime)) {
+  std::string currentTime = getCurrentTime();
+  // use the current time if sessionStartTime is empty
+  std::string useSessionStartTime =
+      (!sessionStartTime.empty()) ? sessionStartTime : currentTime;
+  // use the current time if timestampsReferenceTime is empty
+  std::string useTimestampsReferenceTime = (!timestampsReferenceTime.empty())
+      ? timestampsReferenceTime
+      : currentTime;
+  // check that sessionStartTime and timestampsReferenceTime are ISO8601
+  if (!isISO8601Date(useSessionStartTime)) {
     std::cerr << "NWBFile::initialize sessionStartTime not in ISO8601 format: "
-              << sessionStartTime << std::endl;
+              << useSessionStartTime << std::endl;
     return Status::Failure;
   }
-  if (!isISO8601Date(timestampsReferenceTime)) {
+  if (!isISO8601Date(useTimestampsReferenceTime)) {
     std::cerr
         << "NWBFile::initialize timestampsReferenceTime not in ISO8601 format: "
-        << timestampsReferenceTime << std::endl;
+        << useTimestampsReferenceTime << std::endl;
     return Status::Failure;
   }
 
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ Status NWBFile::initialize(const std::string& identifierText,
     return createFileStructure(identifierText,
                                description,
                                dataCollection,
-                               sessionStartTime,
-                               timestampsReferenceTime);
+                               useSessionStartTime,
+                               useTimestampsReferenceTime);
   } else {
     return Status::Success;  // File is already initialized
   }

diff --git a/src/nwb/NWBFile.hpp b/src/nwb/NWBFile.hpp
@@ -59,19 +59,6 @@ class NWBFile : public Container
    */
   ~NWBFile();
 
-  /**
-   * @brief Initializes the NWB file by setting up the file structure.
-   *
-   * If the file is already initialized then no action will be performed.
-   *
-   * @param identifierText The identifier text for the NWBFile.
-   * @param description A description of the NWBFile session.
-   * @param dataCollection Information about the data collection methods.
-   */
-  Status initialize(const std::string& identifierText,
-                    const std::string& description = "a recording session",
-                    const std::string& dataCollection = "");
-
   /**
    * @brief Initializes the NWB file by setting up the file structure.
    *
@@ -81,15 +68,15 @@ class NWBFile : public Container
    * @param description A description of the NWBFile session.
    * @param dataCollection Information about the data collection methods.
    * @param sessionStartTime ISO formatted time string with the session start
-   * time
+   * time. If empty (default), then the getCurrentTime() will be used.
    * @param timestampsReferenceTime ISO formatted time string with the timestamp
-   * reference time
+   * reference time. If empty (default), then the getCurrentTime() will be used.
    */
   Status initialize(const std::string& identifierText,
-                    const std::string& description,
-                    const std::string& dataCollection,
-                    const std::string& sessionStartTime,
-                    const std::string& timestampsReferenceTime);
+                    const std::string& description = "a recording session",
+                    const std::string& dataCollection = "",
+                    const std::string& sessionStartTime = "",
+                    const std::string& timestampsReferenceTime = "");
 
   /**
    * @brief Check if the NWB file is initialized.