Introduction

pyflow is a high-level language used to describe ecFlow suites. The aim is to build object-oriented suites that are designed and maintained as software.

pyflow acts both as a compiler and a library for ecFlow definition files that generate suites. Internally it wraps the ecFlow Python library, but does not require knowledge of its API.

See also

For more details about ecFlow, please check ecFlow Documentation.

Benefits

• Provides a higher level API

• Introduces common idioms, and provides helper functionality

• Encourages the use of certain work practices

• pyflow classes wrap ecFlow classes (e.g. pyflow.Family wraps ecflow.Family)

Idiomatic Suites

The aim of pyflow is to build object-oriented suites, which compile to ecFlow output.

ecFlow suites involve the construction of three tree-structures:

A graphical tree, visible to the user of the suite

• Various properties are inherited through this tree

A Directed Graph for execution

• Not necessarily a DAG, as it may contain cycles

• Partly coupled to the graphical tree

An on-disk layout of scripts

• Driven by ecFlow search rules

Note

The on-disk layout for scripts is constrained by ecFlow and is discussed in the section on Script Handling.

pyflow provides tools and practices to help manage the complexity of building these three trees simultaneously.