Contributing to the Project
=============================


Documentation
--------------------------------------------

The documentation is created using `sphinx <https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/>`_ and `read-the-docs <https://readthedocs.org/>`_, which uses the reStructuredText format to create documents. To add documentation, go to the ``docs`` folder, where you will find a list of ``.rst`` files, the home page is written in ``index.rst``, and links to the other subpages which are in the other ``.rst`` files.

These documents can be opened in any text editor of your choice, to learn more about how to write in reStructuredText, you can read:

* https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/restructuredtext/basics.html
* https://sublime-and-sphinx-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html

A brief guide to building the documentation website on your computer before pushing changes to github: 

 - (Optional by recommended) Set up a virtual python environment (eg. using anaconda)
 - Install the required python packages: change your directory to ``pip install MEA-NAP/docs/requirements.txt``
 - To build the website fromthe ``.rst`` files, change your directory to ``MEA-NAP/docs``, then do ``make html``
 - If there are no error messages, the website is built, you can open ``docs/_build/html/index.html``, which should open a website on your default internet browser, and navigate as normal. Note, this does not mean you have updated the online documentation, to do that, you need to push the changes of your rst files to github.


Code
-------------------------------------

To contribute code to the project, create a new branch of the analysis pipeline from the `github site <https://github.com/SAND-Lab/AnalysisPipeline/>`_, make your changes, and create a `pull request <https://docs.github.com/en/pull-requests/collaborating-with-pull-requests/proposing-changes-to-your-work-with-pull-requests/about-pull-requests/>`_.



Suggestions / Troubleshooting
---------------------------------------------------

For general code suggestions, such as adding new features, or troubleshooting, open up a new issue in the `issues page <https://github.com/SAND-Lab/AnalysisPipeline/issues/>`_ of the github site. You can see an example issue `here <https://github.com/SAND-Lab/AnalysisPipeline/issues/1/>`_.