Creating hierarchical processing modules in NWBfiles

[mudd54]

Hello,

I’m trying to create some nwbs. I would like this hierarchy of processing modules:

/ nwbfile
└── processing
    ├── probe_1234
    │   ├── karlsonevents
    │   │   └── timeintervals
    │   ├── gammaevents
    │   │   └── timeintervals
    │   └── other events modules etc.
    ├── probe_5678
    │   └── ...
    └── ...

Where probe_1234 is a high-level processing module containing the low-level processing modules karlssonevent and gammaevents (and other event modules). karlsonevent and gammaevents contain timeinterval objects.

However, whenever I try to set up the processing module hierarchy, I end up with the events processing modules at the same level as the probe processing modules, and also duplicated inside the probe processing modules. like so:

/ nwbfile
└── processing
    ├── probe_1234
    │   ├── karlsonevents
    │   │   └── timeintervals
    │   ├── gammaevents
    │   │   └── timeintervals
    │   └── other events modules etc.
    ├── karlsonevents
    │   └── timeintervals
    ├── gammaevents
    │   └── timeintervals
    └── probe_5678
        └── ...

I assume this is because processing modules must be created through nwbfile.create_processing_module() and can’t be instantiated directly.

My question is: is there a way to set up the nwbfile in my desired processing module hierarchy? Is this the correct way of using processing modules in the nwb? This is my first time working with them. Thank you.

[CodyCBakerPhD]

attn @rly

[kabilar]

Hi @bendichter @h-mayorquin, could you please look into @mudd54's questions? Thanks.

[h-mayorquin]

Can you provide the code that you are using to create the hierarchy @mudd54 ?

[bendichter]

Hi @mudd54. There is not currently a way to store a ProcessingModule within another ProcessingModule. I would recommend either creating multiple processing modules on the same level or using the names of the neurodata objects to communicate their associations.

[bendichter]

If you think NWB should allow this, I encourage you to raise an issue on the NWB schema repo here