---
name: DIALS core meeting 2022-01-20
tags: core meeting
---

# DIALS core meeting 2022-01-20

[](https://hackmd.io/Thok3XxbTrmrbhPfgION-A)

## Previous Actions

- [ ] dxtbx `src/` layout [[prev](https://dials.github.io/kb/core/20210715#src-layout-for-dxtbx)]
- [ ] Nick: Outstanding issues with dispatcher re-export on windows
- [ ] This is a higher priority now - David feeling pain of missing
- [ ] Also, seeing related errors "in the wild
- [ ] Nick: **Action before 3.9**
- [ ] Removal of DataBlock [[prev](https://dials.github.io/kb/core/20210909#datablock), [prev](https://dials.github.io/kb/core/20210826#removal-of-datablock)]
- [x] **Nick:** More visible deprecationwarning ([`cctbx/dxtbx#448`](https://github.com/cctbx/dxtbx/pull/448))
- Merged 23rd November. Do we want to set any plans for further?
- [ ] **Action: GW** Make a PR/branch to remove this so that we can run things against it
- DXTBX/pycbf [[prev](https://dials.github.io/kb/core/20210826#cbflib-conda-forge-packagepycbf)]
- ~[`dxtbx#368`](https://github.com/cctbx/dxtbx/pull/368) for optional cbflib/_adaptbx .~~ Merged.
* [ ] ND: conda-forge pycbf: Make new release to use dials-data directly for tests
* [ ] Nick: Add lots more attribution
* [ ] `dxtbx`: Now 3.8.0 our can move forwards [`conda-forge/staged-recipes#16846`](https://github.com/conda-forge/staged-recipes/pull/16846)
- [ ] Deterministic Experiment Identifiers [[prev](https://dials.github.io/kb/core/20210923#deterministic-experiment-identifiers)]
- [x] **Aaron:** Change `dials.stills_process` to default to composite mode and not write experiment files
- [x] **GW/Aaron**: Organise another meeting to go over ["load before heat death"](https://github.com/cctbx/dxtbx/pull/118) PR and reasons why, solutions etc
- [ ] Not going to treat now, will go back to in new year and re-evaluate if required
- Sounds plausibly possible to fix without this PR
- **Nick: Close for now**, alternative approach will be tried, if that doesn't work we will reopen
- [ ] Nick: Make sure that HKLviewer ([prev](https://dials.github.io/kb/core/20211209#new-item-hklviewer)) works at Diamond on `module load`
- [x] ImageSet/ImageSetData memory usage - ~~[`cctbx/dxtbx#438`](https://github.com/cctbx/dxtbx/pull/438)~~ merged

## Agenda

### Add option for dxtbx's libtbx_refresh to not modify conda_base
- [`cctbx/dxtbx#444`](https://github.com/cctbx/dxtbx/issues/444)
- ND: Add environment variable to do this
- Add this as default in the CCTBX
- do for DIALS, iota, dxtbx, xia2
- **Top Priority**

### Contiguous Nexus

- [ ] "Contiguous Nexus" [`cctbx/dxtbx#356`](https://github.com/cctbx/dxtbx/pull/356)
- [ ] Non-draft state is pending checks against issues @dwpaley raised, and checking for non-contiguous cases [[prev](https://dials.github.io/kb/core/20210715#contiguous-nexus-pr)]
- AB wants this to be applied against new nexus writing
- RG: Probably useful to mock up an example in the nxmxtests
- **Action: Aaron** Reduce down zenodo dataset used in the issue ([`cctbx/dxtbx#93`](https://github.com/cctbx/dxtbx/issues/93))
so that we can include it in dials-data.
- Afterward: Coordinate with RG to make sure the ideas in this are integrated into new nexus reading

## Typing

- Brief discussion about the purpose and usefulness of typing, and why it can make your life easier
- https://github.com/dials/dials/pull/1357#issuecomment-665983732
- https://dials.github.io/kb/core/20200917#typing-mypy
- https://github.com/dials/dials/pull/1411
- Don't turn on pre-commits. Add to CI for PR, as non-blocking check
- MG sent typing intro presentation around

## PRs to remove std::string from messagepack

- ~~[`dials/dials#1982`](https://github.com/dials/dials/pull/1982)~~ DO NOT MERGE
- Discussion about how this is used in XFEL module
- **Action:** Actually try to fix this (https://github.com/dials/dials/issues/1858)
- Make merging of tables and resolution of experiment identifiers easier **Action: JBE** - work out what we need to handle and how to do this
- **Aaron**: Write issue describing usage
- Remove existing usage of std::string in XFEL modules

### Next meeting
Thursday, February 3rd, 4pm UK (GMT), 8am PT.