Skip to content
Merged
Changes from 12 commits
Commits
Show all changes
29 commits
Select commit Hold shift + click to select a range
7dfa9c4
first draft of data model tutorial
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
1ca26dd
fix typos
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
01e7091
fix typos
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
8c6328b
clean up into
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
baeef99
clean up into
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
31d7745
clean up into
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
8b87655
clean up column descriptions
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
2531a8d
clean up column descriptions
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
d745d3a
Add conditonal dependencies section
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
052e3f3
fix conditonal dependencies section
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
f571580
fix conditonal dependencies section
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
81010ae
add conditonal dependencies example
andrewelamb Dec 10, 2025
c24f203
move file and link in mkdcos
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
ffd8061
various fixes to the tutorial
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
aff17fc
various fixes to the tutorial
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
47c669d
various fixes to the tutorial
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
d9092b2
various fixes to the tutorial
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
615c609
various fixes to the tutorial
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
e86a481
Update docs/explanations/curator_data_model.md
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
ce0bc19
Update docs/explanations/curator_data_model.md
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
ac2f00e
Update docs/explanations/curator_data_model.md
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
9c38077
Update docs/explanations/curator_data_model.md
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
1bc7334
Update docs/explanations/curator_data_model.md
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
f377504
Update docs/explanations/curator_data_model.md
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
69711f1
Update docs/explanations/curator_data_model.md
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
8748db4
Update docs/explanations/curator_data_model.md
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
63758d7
copilot fixes
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
9746259
more fixes to tutorial
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
c1514c6
more fixes to tutorial
andrewelamb Dec 11, 2025
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension

Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
347 changes: 347 additions & 0 deletions docs/tutorials/python/data_model.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,347 @@
# CSV data model description

The Curator-Extension (formerly Schematic) data model is used to create JSON Schemas for Curator. See [JSON Schema documentation](https://json-schema.org/). This is used for the DCCs that prefer working in a tabular format (CSV) over JSON or LinkML. A data model is created in the format specified below. Then the Curator-Extension in the Synapse Python Client can be used to convert to JSON Schema.

A link will be provided here to documentation for converting CSV data models to JSON Schema in the near future.

## Data model columns

A JSON Schema is made up of one data type(for example a person) and the attributes that describe the data type (for example age and gender). The CSV data model will describe one or more data types. Each row describes either a data type, or an attribute.

Data types:

- must have a unique name in the `Attribute` column
- must have at least one attribute in the `DependsOn` column
- may have a value in the `Description` column

Attributes:

- must have a unique name in the `Attribute` column
- may have all values for all other columns besides `DependsOn`

The following data model has one data type, `Person`, and that data type has one attribute, `Gender`.

| Attribute | DependsOn |
|---|---|
| Person | "Gender" |
| Gender | |

Converting the above data model to JSON Schema results in:

```json
{
"description": "TBD",
"properties": {
"Gender": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Gender"
}
}
}
```

### Attribute

The name of the data type or attribute being described on this line. This should be a unique identifier in the file. For attributes this will be translated as the title in the JSON Schema.

### DependsOn

The set of of attributes this data type has. These must be attributes that exists in this data model. Each attribute will appear in the properties of the JSON Schema. This should be a comma-separated list in quotes. Example: "Patient ID, Sex, Year of Birth, Diagnosis"

### Description

A description of the datatype or attribute. This will be appear as a description in the JSON Schema. If left blank, this will be filled with ‘TBD’.

### Valid Values

Set of possible values for the current attribute. This attribute be an enum in the JSON Schema, with the values here as the enum values. See [enum](https://json-schema.org/understanding-json-schema/reference/enum#enumerated-values). This should be a comma-separated list in quotes. Example: "Female, Male, Other"

Data Model:

| Attribute | DependsOn | Valid Values |
|---|---|---|
| Person | "Gender" | |
| Gender | | "Female, Male, Other" |

JSON Schema output:

```json
{
"description": "TBD",
"properties": {
"Gender": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Gender",
"enum": ["Female", "Male", "Other"]
}
}
}
```

### Required

Whether a value must be set for this attribute. This field is boolean, i.e. valid values are ‘TRUE’ and ‘FALSE’. All attributes that are required will appear in the required list in the JSON Schema. See [required](https://json-schema.org/understanding-json-schema/reference/object#required).

Data Model:

| Attribute | DependsOn | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Person | "Gender, Age" | |
| Gender | | True |
| Age | | False |

JSON Schema output:

```json
{
"description": "TBD",
"properties": {
"Gender": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Gender",
},
"Gender": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Age"
}
},
"required": ["Gender"]
}
```

### columnType

The data type this of this attribute. See [type](https://json-schema.org/understanding-json-schema/reference/type).

Must be one of:

- "string"
- "number"
- "integer"
- "boolean"
- "string_list"
- "integer_list"
- "boolean_list"

Data Model:

| Attribute | DependsOn | columnType |
|---|---|---|
| Person | "Gender, Assays" | |
| Gender | | string |
| Assays | | string_list |

JSON Schema output:

```json
{
"description": "TBD",
"properties": {
"Gender": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Gender",
"type": "string"
},
"Assays": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Assays",
"type": "array",
"items": {
"type": "string"
}
}
}
}
```

### Format

The format of this attribute. See [format](https://json-schema.org/understanding-json-schema/reference/type#format) The type of this attribute must be "string" or "string_list". The value of this column will be appear as the `format` of this attribute in the JSON Schema. Must be one of:

- `date-time`
- `email`
- `hostname`
- `ipv4`
- `ipv6`
- `uri`
- `uri-reference`
- `uri-template`
- `json-pointer`
- `date`
- `time`
- `regex`
- `relative-json-pointer`

Data Model:

| Attribute | DependsOn | columnType | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Person | "Gender, Date" | | |
| Gender | | string | |
| Date | | string | date |

JSON Schema output:

```json
{
"description": "TBD",
"properties": {
"Gender": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Gender",
"type": "string"
},
"Date": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Date",
"type": "string",
"format": "date"
}
}
}
```

### Pattern

The regex pattern this attribute match. The type of this attribute must be `string` or `string_list`. See [pattern](https://json-schema.org/understanding-json-schema/reference/https://json-schema.org/understanding-json-schema/reference/regular_expressions#regular-expressions) The value of this column will be appear as the `pattern` of this attribute in the JSON Schema. Must be a legal regex pattern as determined by the python `re` library.

Data Model:

| Attribute | DependsOn | columnType | Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Person | "Gender, ID" | | |
| Gender | | string | |
| ID | | string | [a-f] |

JSON Schema output:

```json
{
"description": "TBD",
"properties": {
"Gender": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Gender",
"type": "string"
},
"ID": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "ID",
"type": "string",
"pattern": "[a-f]"
}
}
}
```

### Minimum/Maximum

The range of numeric values this attribute must be in. The type of this attribute must be "integer", "number", or "integer_list". See [range](https://json-schema.org/understanding-json-schema/reference/numeric#range) The value of these columns will be appear as the `minimum` and `maximum` of this attribute in the JSON Schema. Both must be numeric values.

Data Model:

| Attribute | DependsOn | columnType | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Person | "Age, Weight, Expression" | | | |
| Age | | integer | 0 | 120 |
| Weight | | number | 0.0 | |
| Expression | | number | 0.0 | 1.0 |

JSON Schema output:

```json
{
"description": "TBD",
"properties": {
"Age": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Age",
"type": "integer",
"minimum": 0,
"maximum": 120
},
"Weight": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Weight",
"type": "number",
"minimum": 0.0
},
"Expression": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Expression",
"type": "number",
"minimum": 0.0,
"maximum": 1.0
},
}
}
```

### Validation Rules (deprecated)

This a remnant from Schematic. t is still used(for now) to translate certain validation rules to other JSONSchema key words. If you are starting a new data model do not use it. If you have an existing data model using any of the following validation rules, follow these instructions to update it:

- `list`: Make sure you are using one of the list-types in the `columnType` column.
- `regex`: `regex <module> <pattern>`, move the `<pattern>` to the `Pattern` column.
- `inRange`: `inRange <minimum> <maximum>`, move the `<minimum>` and/or the `<maximum>` to the `Minimum` and `Maximum` columns respectively.
- `date`: Use the `Format` column with value `date`
- `url`: Use the `Format` column with value `uri`

## Conditional dependencies

The ‘DependsOn’ and ‘Valid Values’ columns can be used together to flexibly define conditional logic for determining the relevant attributes for a data type.

Data Model:

| Attribute | DependsOn | Valid Values | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient | "Diagnosis, Cancer" | | |
| Diagnosis | | "Healthy, Cancer" | True |
| Cancer | "Cancer Type, Family History" | "Cancer Type, Family History"| |
| Cancer Type | | "Brain, Lung, Skin" | True |
| Family History | | | True |

To demonstrate this, see the above example with the `Patient` and `Cancer` data types. Because we want to also know the `Cancer Type` and `Family History` for cancer patients (but not for healthy patients), `Healthy, Cancer` are valid values for `Diagnosis`. (Note `Cancer` is both a valid value and a data type.) `Cancer` has two required attributes, `Cancer Type`, and `Family History`.

As a result `Patient` data should include the columns `Diagnosis`, `Cancer Type`, and `Family History`, but the last two columns would only be required if `Diagnosis` is set to `Cancer` for a given patient. (and if the ‘Required’ column is set to true for these two attributes). The conditional logic may define an arbitrary number of branching paths. For instance, in the above example, we could require a `Brain Biopsy Site` attribute if `Cancer Type` is set to `Brain`.

The resulting JSON Schema:

```JSON
{
"description": "TBD",
"properties": {
"Diagnosis": {
"description": "TBD",
"enum": ["Cancer", "Healthy"],
"title": "Diagnosis"
},
"Cancer Type": {
"description": "TBD",
"enum": ["Breast","Lung","Skin"],
"title": "Cancer Type"
},
"Family History": {
"description": "TBD",
"title": "Family History"
}
},
"required": ["Diagnosis"],
"allOf": [
{
"if": {
"properties": {
"Diagnosis": {
"enum": [
"Cancer"
]
}
}
},
"then": {
"required": ["Cancer Type", "FamilyHistory"]
}
},
]
}
```
Loading