Task Helpers

Introduction

This document contains several lists of helper methods for writing CBRAIN tasks, with some notes. Full descriptions of the methods with examples can be obtained by generating the code documentation, as explained at the begining of the Programmer Guides.

Methods listed in the following tables use this convention:

• Class method names are preceded by ::
• Instance method names are preceded by #

Table Of Contents

1. CbrainTask Model Helpers
2. PortalTask Model Helpers
3. ClusterTask Model Helper
4. Task View Helpers

## 1. CbrainTask Model Helpers

These methods are usually defined in the file models/cbrain_task.rb and are thus available on both the Portal and Bourreau side of a CBRAIN installation.

Methods returning IDs, names, and combined identifiers

Method Name	Notes
::pretty_type
#name
#name_and_bourreau
#fullname
#pretty_name
::pretty_name
#bid_tid
#bname_tid
#bname_tid_dashed
#tname_tid
#run_number
#run_id

Methods returning properties of a task

Method Name	Notes
::tool	Not an attribute of a CbrainTask.
#tool
#full_cluster_workdir
#cluster_shared_dir
#short_description
#archived_status

Methods related to creating dependencies with other tasks

Method Name	Notes
#share_workdir_with
#add_prerequisites
#remove_prerequisites
#add_prerequisites_for_setup
#add_prerequisites_for_post_processing
#remove_prerequisites_for_setup
#remove_prerequisites_for_post_processing

Additional data provenance methods

Method Name	Notes
#addlog
#addlog_exception
#addlog_current_resource_revision

Callbacks and other custom controls

Method Name	Notes
::after_status_transition	Can be used as a directive in a class

## 2. PortalTask Model Helpers

These methods are only available when tasks are instanciated on a BrainPortal rails application. They are usually defined in the file models/portal_task.rb (which inherit from models/cbrain_task.rb). A task programmer will therefore only invoke them when writing the Ruby files located under the portal subdirectory of the task's codebase.

Main Portal API methods (not really helpers)

These methods are usually redefined in subclasses to implement the proper portal functionality of a CbrainTask.

Method Name	Notes
::properties
::default_launch_args
::pretty_params_names
#before_form
#refresh_form
#after_form
#final_task_list
#after_final_task_list_saved
#untouchable_params_attributes
#unpresetable_params_attributes

Other methods

Method Name	Notes
#capture_job_out_err	Actively contacts the Bourreau side
::public_path	For static assets
#public_path	For static assets

## 3. ClusterTask Model Helper

These methods are only available when tasks are instanciated on a Bourreau rails applciation. They are usually defined in the file models/portal_task.rb (which inherit from models/cbrain_task.rb). A task programmer will therefore only invoke them when writing the Ruby files located under the bourreau subdirectory of the task's codebase.

Main Bourreau API methods (not really helpers)

These methods are usually redefined in subclasses to implement the proper bourreau functionality of a CbrainTask.

Method Name	Notes
#setup
#cluster_commands
#save_results
#job_walltime_estimate
#recover_from_setup_failure
#recover_from_cluster_failure
#recover_from_post_processing_failure
#restart_at_setup
#restart_at_cluster
#restart_at_post_processing

Utility methods for working in the work directory

Method Name	Notes
#safe_mkdir
#safe_symlink
#safe_userfile_find_or_new
#path_is_in_workdir?
#tool_config_system

Additional data provenance methods

Method Name	Notes
#addlog_to_userfiles_processed
#addlog_to_userfiles_created
#addlog_to_userfiles_these_created_these

Utility methods for generating output names

Method Name	Notes
#output_renaming_standard_keywords
#output_renaming_add_numbered_keywords

Access to task's captured outputs

Method Name	Notes
#stdout_cluster_filename
#stderr_cluster_filename

Archiving methods

Method Name	Notes
#archive_work_directory
#unarchive_work_directory
#archive_work_directory_to_userfile
#unarchive_work_directory_from_userfile

## 4. Task View Helpers

These methods are helpers for writing the task's interface. They are usually invoked from within the Rails partials and template files located in the views subdirectory of the task's codebase.

Method Name	Notes
#task_partial	For tasks with complex interfaces stored in multiple files
#output_renaming_fieldset	Utility, to use in conjunction with #output_renaming_add_numbered_keywords on the Bourreau side