txt files with var min max dimensions

[cmgas]

Description

Happy to not merge this, but I was thinking that maybe it would be useful to be able to see what the nc files contain? Then when people issue a PR they can modify the txt too and it's a little easier to understand for reviewers.

[svahl991]

@fmahebert I was curious if you had thoughts on this idea. I do like the additional visibility this adds. But it does create a little additional work.

[fmahebert]

I also like the visibility, but I'm reluctant to put in data redundancy like this because I think we'll rapidly find these files falling out of sync.

But I'd be ok with merging a python script that produces this output, because that could be useful for exploring the repo, and also for asking contributors to include its output into their PRs.

What do you think of that variation on your idea @cmgas @svahl991 ?

[svahl991]

for asking contributors to include its output into their PRs.

So, for my understanding, are you suggesting that in a PR that updates a data file, the creator would use the new script to provide a diff of the script's output before and after the change from the PR, but the output file itself would not go into the repo?

[fmahebert]

are you suggesting that in a PR that updates a data file, the creator would use the new script to provide a diff of the script's output before and after the change from the PR, but the output file itself would not go into the repo?

I hadn't thought through to completion. What you propose (run script on develop branch + feature branch, diff output, paste output) is more useful than where I had stopped (run script on feature branch, paste output), but feels like a lot of work to be asking of contributors. Can we discuss next time we're all in office?