3.8.0

New Features

• Adds ncfile.py module with helper functions to export a subset or all of the data_vars in netCDF files generated with PySD to pandas.DataFrame, csv or tab files. (@rogersamso)
• Adds possibility to initialize and export a subset or all external objects to netCDF, and then initialize the external objects from the file. (@rogersamso)

Deprecations

• Deprecate pysd.py_backend.model.Model._get_dependencies() replacing it with pysd.py_backend.model.Model.get_dependencies(). (@enekomartinmartinez)

Bug fixes

• Include new class pysd.py_backend.utils.Dependencies to return by pysd.py_backend.model.Model.get_dependencies() (issue #379). (@lionel42)

Documentation

• Updates the Getting Started page with instructions on how to use the new helper functions for netCDF files. (@rogersamso)
• Updates the Advanced Usage page with instructions on how to export externals to netCDF and initialize a model from it. (@rogersamso)
• Update citation information to include the new paper published in JOSS. (@enekomartinmartinez)

Performance

• Initializing external objects from netCDF file is much faster than reading from spreadsheet files.(@rogersamso)

Internal Changes

• Adds the pysd.py_backend.model.Macro.serialize_externals() and pysd.py_backend.model.Macro.initialize_external_data() methods, and a few other private methods.(@rogersamso)
• Adds the pysd.py_backend.utils.UniqueDims class for renaming model dimensions with unique names.(@rogersamso)
• Force pysd.py_backend.external.External objects to always have the full element dimensions, missing dimensions are filled with numpy.nan. (@enekomartinmartinez)
• Add dependabot configuration for GitHub Actions updates. (@EwoutH)
• Include new error messages for initialization of pysd.py_backend.lookups.HardcodedLookups (issue #376). (@enekomartinmartinez)
• Include new warning message when a translated variable has several types or subtypes. (@enekomartinmartinez)
• Set CI test to run in parallel in 2 cores. (@enekomartinmartinez)