Update get_key to support multiple keys (#999)

* update get_key

* Update CHANGELOG.md

* Update test_resources.py

* doc string

* doc

---------

Co-authored-by: Ryan Ly <[email protected]>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 ### Minor Improvements
 - Updated `__gather_columns` to ignore the order of bases when generating columns from the super class. @mavaylon1 [#991](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/991)
+- Update `get_key` to return all the keys if there are multiple within a `HERD` instance. @mavaylon1 [#999](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/999)
 - Improve HTML rendering of tables. @bendichter [#998](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/998)
 - Improved issue and PR templates. @rly [#1004](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/1004)
 

src/hdmf/common/resources.py

@@ -484,6 +484,8 @@ def get_key(self, **kwargs):
 
         If container, relative_path, and field are provided, the Key that corresponds to the given name of the key
         for the given container, relative_path, and field is returned.
+
+        If there are multiple matches, a list of all matching keys will be returned.
         """
         key_name, container, relative_path, field = popargs('key_name', 'container', 'relative_path', 'field', kwargs)
         key_idx_matches = self.keys.which(key=key_name)
@@ -510,8 +512,7 @@ def get_key(self, **kwargs):
                 # the key has never been used before
                 raise ValueError("key '%s' does not exist" % key_name)
             elif len(key_idx_matches) > 1:
-                msg = "There are more than one key with that name. Please search with additional information."
-                raise ValueError(msg)
+                return [self.keys.row[x] for x in key_idx_matches]
             else:
                 return self.keys.row[key_idx_matches[0]]
 

tests/unit/common/test_resources.py

@@ -1133,7 +1133,7 @@ class TestHERDGetKey(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.er = HERD()
 
-    def test_get_key_error_more_info(self):
+    def test_get_key_multiple(self):
         self.er.add_ref(file=HERDManagerContainer(name='file'),
                         container=Container(name='Container'),
                         key='key1',
@@ -1145,9 +1145,11 @@ def test_get_key_error_more_info(self):
                         entity_id="id12",
                         entity_uri='url21')
 
-        msg = "There are more than one key with that name. Please search with additional information."
-        with self.assertRaisesWith(ValueError, msg):
-            _ = self.er.get_key(key_name='key1')
+        keys = self.er.get_key(key_name='key1')
+        self.assertIsInstance(keys[0], Key)
+        self.assertIsInstance(keys[1], Key)
+        self.assertEqual(keys[0].idx, 0)
+        self.assertEqual(keys[1].idx, 1)
 
     def test_get_key(self):
         self.er.add_ref(file=HERDManagerContainer(name='file'),