Improve documentation

nd2reader/common.py

@@ -72,11 +72,12 @@ def read_array(fh, kind, chunk_location):
     """
 
     Args:
-        fh:
-        kind:
-        chunk_location:
+        fh: File handle of the nd2 file
+        kind: data type, can be one of 'double', 'int' or 'float'
+        chunk_location: the location of the array chunk in the binary nd2 file
 
     Returns:
+        array.array: an array of the data
 
     """
     kinds = {'double': 'd',
@@ -91,22 +92,67 @@ def read_array(fh, kind, chunk_location):
 
 
 def _parse_unsigned_char(data):
+    """
+
+    Args:
+        data: binary data
+
+    Returns:
+        char: the data converted to unsigned char
+
+    """
     return struct.unpack("B", data.read(1))[0]
 
 
 def _parse_unsigned_int(data):
+    """
+
+        Args:
+            data: binary data
+
+        Returns:
+            int: the data converted to unsigned int
+
+        """
     return struct.unpack("I", data.read(4))[0]
 
 
 def _parse_unsigned_long(data):
+    """
+
+        Args:
+            data: binary data
+
+        Returns:
+            long: the data converted to unsigned long
+
+        """
     return struct.unpack("Q", data.read(8))[0]
 
 
 def _parse_double(data):
+    """
+
+        Args:
+            data: binary data
+
+        Returns:
+            double: the data converted to double
+
+        """
     return struct.unpack("d", data.read(8))[0]
 
 
 def _parse_string(data):
+    """
+
+        Args:
+            data: binary data
+
+        Returns:
+            string: the data converted to string
+
+        """
     value = data.read(2)
     while not value.endswith(six.b("\x00\x00")):
         # the string ends at the first instance of \x00\x00
@@ -115,6 +161,15 @@ def _parse_string(data):
 
 
 def _parse_char_array(data):
+    """
+
+        Args:
+            data: binary data
+
+        Returns:
+            array.array: the data converted to an array
+
+        """
     array_length = struct.unpack("Q", data.read(8))[0]
     return array.array("B", data.read(array_length))
 
@@ -124,9 +179,10 @@ def parse_date(text_info):
     The date and time when acquisition began.
 
     Args:
-        text_info:
+        text_info: the text that contains the date and time information
 
     Returns:
+        datetime: the date and time of the acquisition
 
     """
     for line in text_info.values():
@@ -147,18 +203,21 @@ def _parse_metadata_item(data, cursor_position):
     """Reads hierarchical data, analogous to a Python dict.
 
     Args:
-        data:
-        cursor_position:
+        data: the binary data that needs to be parsed
+        cursor_position: the position in the binary nd2 file
 
     Returns:
+        dict: a dictionary containing the metadata item
 
     """
     new_count, length = struct.unpack("<IQ", data.read(12))
     length -= data.tell() - cursor_position
     next_data_length = data.read(length)
     value = read_metadata(next_data_length, new_count)
+
     # Skip some offsets
     data.read(new_count * 8)
+
     return value
 
 
@@ -166,11 +225,13 @@ def _get_value(data, data_type, cursor_position):
     """ND2s use various codes to indicate different data types, which we translate here.
 
     Args:
-        data:
-        data_type:
-        cursor_position:
+        data: the binary data
+        data_type: the data type (unsigned char = 1, unsigned int = 2 or 3, unsigned long = 5, double = 6, string = 8,
+         char array = 9, metadata item = 11)
+        cursor_position: the cursor position in the binary nd2 file
 
     Returns:
+        mixed: the parsed value
 
     """
     parser = {1: _parse_unsigned_char,
@@ -186,13 +247,14 @@ def _get_value(data, data_type, cursor_position):
 
 def read_metadata(data, count):
     """
-    Iterates over each element some section of the metadata and parses it.
+    Iterates over each element of some section of the metadata and parses it.
 
     Args:
-        data:
-        count:
+        data: the metadata in binary form
+        count: the number of metadata elements
 
     Returns:
+        dict: a dictionary containing the parsed metadata
 
     """
     if data is None:
@@ -226,11 +288,12 @@ def _add_to_metadata(metadata, name, value):
     Add the name value pair to the metadata dict
 
     Args:
-        metadata:
-        name:
-        value:
+        metadata (dict): a dictionary containing the metadata
+        name (string): the dictionary key
+        value: the value to add
 
     Returns:
+        dict: the new metadata dictionary
 
     """
     if name not in metadata.keys():

nd2reader/label_map.py

@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class LabelMap(object):
     @property
     def roi_metadata(self):
         """
-
+        Information about any regions of interest (ROIs) defined in the nd2 file
         Returns:
 
         """

nd2reader/parser.py

@@ -200,9 +200,9 @@ class Parser(object):
         Images are grouped together if they share the same time index, field of view, and z-level.
 
         Args:
-            frame_number:
-            fov:
-            z_level:
+            frame_number: the time index
+            fov: the field of view number
+            z_level: the z level number
 
         Returns:
             int: the image group number
@@ -216,9 +216,9 @@ class Parser(object):
         Images are in the same frame if they share the same group number and field of view and are taken sequentially.
 
         Args:
-            image_group_number:
-            field_of_view:
-            z_level:
+            image_group_number: the image group number (see _calculate_image_group_number)
+            field_of_view: the field of view number
+            z_level: the z level number
 
         Returns:
 
@@ -242,17 +242,17 @@ class Parser(object):
         """Reads the raw bytes and the timestamp of an image.
 
         Args:
-            image_group_number:
-            channel_offset:
-            height:
-            width:
+            image_group_number: the image group number (see _calculate_image_group_number)
+            channel_offset: the number of the color channel
+            height: the height of the image
+            width: the width of the image
 
         Returns:
 
         """
         chunk = self._label_map.get_image_data_location(image_group_number)
         data = read_chunk(self._fh, chunk)
-        # print("data", data, "that was data")
+
         # All images in the same image group share the same timestamp! So if you have complicated image data,
         # your timestamps may not be entirely accurate. Practically speaking though, they'll only be off by a few
         # seconds unless you're doing something super weird.
@@ -278,5 +278,8 @@ class Parser(object):
     def _get_frame_metadata(self):
         """Get the metadata for one frame
 
+        Returns:
+            dict: a dictionary containing the parsed metadata
+
         """
         return self.metadata

nd2reader/raw_metadata.py

@@ -8,17 +8,18 @@ import numpy as np
 
 def ignore_missing(func):
     """
-
+    Ignore missing properties
     Args:
-        func:
+        func: function to decorate
 
     Returns:
+        function: a wrapper function
 
     """
 
     def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
         """
-
+        Wrapper function to ignore missing class properties
         Args:
             *args:
             **kwargs:
@@ -48,12 +49,16 @@ class RawMetadata(object):
     def __dict__(self):
         """Returns the parsed metadata in dictionary form
 
+        Returns:
+            dict: the parsed metadata
         """
         return self.get_parsed_metadata()
 
     def get_parsed_metadata(self):
         """ Returns the parsed metadata in dictionary form
 
+        Returns:
+            dict: the parsed metadata
         """
 
         if self._metadata_parsed is not None:
@@ -82,7 +87,8 @@ class RawMetadata(object):
         """
         These are labels created by the NIS Elements user. Typically they may a short description of the filter cube
         used (e.g. "bright field", "GFP", etc.)
-
+        Returns:
+            list: the color channels
         """
         channels = []
         metadata = self.image_metadata_sequence[six.b('SLxPictureMetadata')][six.b('sPicturePlanes')]
@@ -114,14 +120,16 @@ class RawMetadata(object):
     def _parse_frames(self):
         """The number of cycles.
 
+        Returns:
+            list: list of all the frame numbers
         """
         return self._parse_dimension(r""".*?T'?\((\d+)\).*?""")
 
     def _parse_z_levels(self):
         """The different levels in the Z-plane.
 
-        Just a sequence from 0 to n.
-
+        Returns:
+            list: the z levels, just a sequence from 0 to n.
         """
         return self._parse_dimension(r""".*?Z\((\d+)\).*?""")
 
@@ -357,9 +365,9 @@ class RawMetadata(object):
     @ignore_missing
     def image_calibration(self):
         """
-
+        The amount of pixels per micron.
         Returns:
-
+            float: pixels per micron
         """
         return read_metadata(read_chunk(self._fh, self._label_map.image_calibration), 1)
 
@@ -407,9 +415,9 @@ class RawMetadata(object):
     @ignore_missing
     def roi_metadata(self):
         """
-
+        Contains information about the defined ROIs: shape, position and type (reference/background/stimulation).
         Returns:
-
+            dict: ROI metadata dictionary
         """
         return read_metadata(read_chunk(self._fh, self._label_map.roi_metadata), 1)
 

nd2reader/reader.py

@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@ class ND2Reader(FramesSequenceND):
     def pixel_type(self):
         """Return the pixel data type
 
-        Returns: the pixel data type
+        Returns:
+            dtype: the pixel data type
 
         """
         return self._dtype