Add NEST Desktop target

doc/running.rst

@@ -1,6 +1,28 @@
 Running NESTML
 ##############
 
+Running NESTML causes several processing steps to occur:
+
+1. The model is parsed from file and checked (syntax, consistent physical units, and so on).
+2. Code is generated from the model by one of the "code generators" selected when NESTML is invoked.
+3. If necessary, the code is compiled and built by the "builder" that belongs to the selected code generator.
+
+Currently, the following code generators are supported:
+
+.. list-table::
+   :header-rows: 1
+   :widths: 10 30 30
+
+   * - Name
+     - NESTML features supported
+     - Notes
+   * - NEST
+     - neurons, synapses, vectors, guards
+     - NEST 2 and NEST 3 are supported
+   * - NEST Desktop
+     - neurons
+     - Model ``json`` files are generated
+
 Running NESTML from Python
 --------------------------
 
@@ -30,7 +52,7 @@ The following default values are used, corresponding to the command line default
      - *no default*
    * - target_platform
      - str
-     - "NEST"
+     - "NEST", "NEST_DESKTOP"
    * - target_path
      - str
      - None
@@ -113,7 +135,7 @@ This will generate, compile, build, and install the code for a set of specified
    * - ``--target_path``
      - (Optional) Path to target directory where generated code will be written into. Default is ``target``, which will be created in the current working directory if it does not yet exist.
    * - ``--target_platform``
-     - (Optional) The name of the target platform to generate code for. Default is ``NEST``.
+     - (Optional) The name of the target platform to generate code for. The available targets are ``NEST`` and ``NEST_DESKTOP``. Default is ``NEST``.
    * - ``--logging_level``
      - (Optional) Sets the logging level, i.e., which level of messages should be printed. Default is ERROR, available are [DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR, NO]
    * - ``--module_name``
@@ -163,3 +185,18 @@ To generate code that is compatible with particular release versions of NEST Sim
 - The default is the empty string, which causes the NEST version to be automatically identified from the ``nest`` Python module.
 - ``"v2.20.2"``: Latest NEST 2 release.
 - ``"master"``: Latest NEST GitHub master branch version (https://github.com/nest/nest-simulator/).
+
+NEST Desktop target
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The aim of the NEST Desktop as target is to generate ``json`` files for the neuron models. The resulting file contains details about the state variables, parameters and their initial values defined in their respective ``.nestml`` files. The ``json`` files are used to load them in the NEST Desktop user interface.
+
+For example, for the neuron model ``iaf_psc_exp``, the ``json`` file will be generated by running the ``generate_target`` function with ``target_platform`` option set to ``NEST_DESKTOP``.
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+   from pynestml.frontend.pynestml_frontend import generate_target
+
+   generate_target(input_path="/home/nest/work/pynestml/models/neurons/iaf_psc_exp.nestml",
+                   target_platform="NEST_DESKTOP",
+                   target_path="/tmp/nestml_target")

pynestml/codegeneration/code_generator.py

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 
 import os
 
-from jinja2 import Template, Environment, FileSystemLoader
+from jinja2 import Template, Environment, FileSystemLoader, TemplateRuntimeError
 
 from pynestml.exceptions.invalid_path_exception import InvalidPathException
 from pynestml.exceptions.invalid_target_exception import InvalidTargetException
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ def setup_template_env(self):
                 raise Exception("A list of module template files/directories is missing.")
             self._module_templates.extend(self.__setup_template_env(module_templates, templates_root_dir))
 
+    def raise_helper(self, msg):
+        raise TemplateRuntimeError(msg)
+
     def __setup_template_env(self, template_files: List[str], templates_root_dir: str) -> List[Template]:
         """
         A helper function to set up the jinja2 template environment

pynestml/codegeneration/nest_code_generator.py

@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@
 
 import datetime
 
-from jinja2 import TemplateRuntimeError
-
 import odetoolbox
 
 import pynestml
@@ -157,9 +155,6 @@ def __init__(self, options: Optional[Mapping[str, Any]] = None):
 
         self._ode_toolbox_printer = UnitlessExpressionPrinter(ODEToolboxReferenceConverter())
 
-    def raise_helper(self, msg):
-        raise TemplateRuntimeError(msg)
-
     def set_options(self, options: Mapping[str, Any]) -> Mapping[str, Any]:
         # insist on using the old Archiving_Node class for NEST 2
         if self.get_option("nest_version").startswith("v2"):
@@ -477,9 +472,7 @@ def _get_neuron_model_namespace(self, neuron: ASTNeuron) -> Dict:
         """
         Returns a standard namespace with often required functionality.
         :param neuron: a single neuron instance
-        :type neuron: ASTNeuron
         :return: a map from name to functionality.
-        :rtype: dict
         """
         namespace = dict()
 

pynestml/codegeneration/nest_desktop_code_generator.py

@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# nest_desktop_code_generator.py
+#
+# This file is part of NEST.
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2004 The NEST Initiative
+#
+# NEST is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# NEST is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with NEST.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+import os
+from typing import Sequence, Union, Optional, Mapping, Any, Dict
+
+from pynestml.codegeneration.code_generator import CodeGenerator
+from pynestml.frontend.frontend_configuration import FrontendConfiguration
+from pynestml.meta_model.ast_neuron import ASTNeuron
+from pynestml.meta_model.ast_synapse import ASTSynapse
+
+
+class NESTDesktopCodeGenerator(CodeGenerator):
+    """
+    Code generator for NEST Desktop
+    """
+    _default_options = {
+        "templates": {
+            "path": "",
+            "model_templates": {
+                "neuron": ["@NEURON_NAME@.json.jinja2"],
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    def __init__(self, options: Optional[Mapping[str, Any]] = None):
+        self._target = "NEST_DESKTOP"
+        super().__init__(self._target, options)
+        self.setup_template_env()
+
+    def generate_code(self, models: Sequence[Union[ASTNeuron, ASTSynapse]]) -> None:
+        """
+        Generate the .json files for the given neuron and synapse models
+        :param models: list of neuron models
+        """
+        if not os.path.isdir(FrontendConfiguration.get_target_path()):
+            os.makedirs(FrontendConfiguration.get_target_path())
+        neurons = [model for model in models if isinstance(model, ASTNeuron)]
+        synapses = [model for model in models if isinstance(model, ASTSynapse)]
+        self.generate_neurons(neurons)
+        self.generate_synapses(synapses)
+
+    def _get_neuron_model_namespace(self, neuron: ASTNeuron) -> Dict:
+        """
+        Returns a standard namespace with often required functionality.
+        :param neuron: a single neuron instance
+        :return: a map from name to functionality.
+        """
+        from pynestml.codegeneration.nest_tools import NESTTools
+        namespace = dict()
+        namespace["neuronName"] = neuron.get_name()
+        namespace["neuron"] = neuron
+        namespace["parameters"] = NESTTools.get_neuron_parameters(neuron.get_name())
+        return namespace

pynestml/codegeneration/nest_tools.py

@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@
 # along with NEST.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 import multiprocessing as mp
+import os
 import sys
 
+from pynestml.frontend.pynestml_frontend import generate_nest_target
 from pynestml.utils.logger import Logger
 from pynestml.utils.logger import LoggingLevel
 
@@ -43,9 +45,9 @@ def _detect_nest_version(user_args):
             nest_version = "v3.0"
         elif "prepared" in nest.GetKernelStatus().keys():  # "prepared" key was added after v3.3 release
             nest_version = "master"
-        elif "tau_u_bar_minus" in neuron.get().keys():   # added in v3.3
+        elif "tau_u_bar_minus" in neuron.get().keys():  # added in v3.3
             nest_version = "v3.3"
-        elif "tau_Ca" in vt.get().keys():   # removed in v3.2
+        elif "tau_Ca" in vt.get().keys():  # removed in v3.2
             nest_version = "v3.1"
         else:
             nest_version = "v3.2"
@@ -56,6 +58,30 @@ def _detect_nest_version(user_args):
     return nest_version
 
 
+def _get_model_parameters(model_name: str, queue: mp.Queue):
+    try:
+        import nest
+        input_path = os.path.join(os.path.realpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), os.path.join(
+            os.pardir, os.pardir, "models", "neurons", model_name + ".nestml"))))
+        target_path = "target"
+        suffix = "_nestml"
+        module_name = "nest_desktop_module"
+        generate_nest_target(input_path=input_path,
+                             target_path=target_path,
+                             suffix=suffix,
+                             module_name=module_name,
+                             logging_level="INFO")
+        # Install the nest module and query all the parameters
+        nest.Install(module_name)
+        n = nest.Create(model_name + suffix)
+        parameters = n.get()
+
+    except ModuleNotFoundError:
+        parameters = {}
+
+    queue.put(parameters)
+
+
 class NESTTools:
     r"""Helper functions for NEST Simulator"""
 
@@ -81,3 +107,35 @@ def detect_nest_version(cls) -> str:
         Logger.log_message(None, -1, "The NEST Simulator version was automatically detected as: " + nest_version, None, LoggingLevel.INFO)
 
         return nest_version
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get_neuron_parameters(cls, neuron_model_name: str) -> dict:
+        r"""
+        Get the parameters for the given neuron model. The code is generated for the model and installed into NEST.
+        The parameters are then queried by creating the neuron in NEST.
+        :param neuron_model_name: Name of the neuron model
+        :return: A dictionary of parameters
+        """
+        # This function internally calls the nest_code_generator which calls the detect_nest_version() function that
+        # uses mp.Pool. If a Pool is used here instead of a Process, it gives the error "daemonic processes are not
+        # allowed to have children". Since creating a Pool inside a Pool is not allowed, we create a Process
+        # object here instead.
+        _queue = mp.Queue()
+        p = mp.Process(target=_get_model_parameters, args=(neuron_model_name, _queue))
+        p.start()
+        p.join()
+        parameters = _queue.get()
+        p.close()
+
+        if not parameters:
+            Logger.log_message(None, -1,
+                               "An error occurred while importing the `nest` module in Python. Please check your NEST "
+                               "installation-related environment variables and paths, or specify ``nest_version`` "
+                               "manually in the code generator options.",
+                               None, LoggingLevel.ERROR)
+            sys.exit(1)
+        else:
+            Logger.log_message(None, -1, "The model parameters were successfully queried from NEST simulator",
+                               None, LoggingLevel.INFO)
+
+        return parameters

pynestml/codegeneration/resources_nest_desktop/@NEURON_NAME@.json.jinja2

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{
+    "id": "{{neuronName}}",
+    "elementType": "neuron",
+    "label": "{{neuronName}}}}",
+    "recordables": [
+    {%- for variable in neuron.get_state_symbols() %}
+    "{{variable.get_symbol_name()}}"
+    {%- if not loop.last %},{%- endif %}
+    {%- endfor %}
+    ],
+    "params": [
+    {%- for variable in neuron.get_parameter_symbols() %}
+    {%- set last = loop.last %}
+    {%- include "ParameterDeclaration.jinja2" %}
+    {%- endfor %}
+    ]
+}

pynestml/codegeneration/resources_nest_desktop/ParameterDeclaration.jinja2

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+    {%- set name = variable.get_symbol_name() %}
+    {%- set type_symbol = variable.get_type_symbol().print_symbol() %}
+    {%- set default_value = parameters[variable.get_symbol_name()] %}
+      {
+        "id": "{{name}}",
+        "label": "{{name}}",
+        "unit": "{{type_symbol}}",
+        "value": "{{default_value}}",
+        "input": "arrayInput"
+      }{%- if not last %},{%- endif %}

pynestml/frontend/frontend_configuration.py

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 help_input_path = 'One or more input path(s). Each path is a NESTML file, or a directory containing NESTML files. Directories will be searched recursively for files matching \'*.nestml\'.'
 help_target_path = 'Path to a directory where generated code should be written to. Standard is "target".'
 help_install_path = 'Path to the directory where the generated code will be installed.'
-help_target = 'Name of the target platform to build code for. Default is NEST.'
+help_target_platform = 'Name of the target platform to build code for. The available targets are NEST and NEST_DESKTOP. Default is NEST.'
 help_logging = 'Indicates which messages shall be logged and printed to the screen. Standard is ERROR.'
 help_module = 'Indicates the name of the module. Optional. If not indicated, the name of the directory containing the models is used'
 help_log = 'Indicates whether a log file containing all messages shall be stored. Standard is NO.'
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ def parse_config(cls, args):
                                          type=str, help=help_input_path, required=True)
         cls.argument_parser.add_argument(qualifier_target_path_arg, metavar='PATH', type=str, help=help_target_path)
         cls.argument_parser.add_argument(qualifier_install_path_arg, metavar='PATH', type=str, help=help_install_path)
-        cls.argument_parser.add_argument(qualifier_target_platform_arg, choices=get_known_targets(), type=str.upper, help=help_target, default='NEST')
+        cls.argument_parser.add_argument(qualifier_target_platform_arg, choices=get_known_targets(), type=str.upper, help=help_target_platform, default='NEST')
         cls.argument_parser.add_argument(qualifier_logging_level_arg, metavar='{DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR, NONE}', choices=[
                                          'DEBUG', 'INFO', 'WARNING', 'WARNINGS', 'ERROR', 'ERRORS', 'NONE', 'NO'], type=str, help=help_logging, default='ERROR')
         cls.argument_parser.add_argument(qualifier_module_name_arg, metavar='NAME', type=str, help=help_module)

pynestml/frontend/pynestml_frontend.py

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 
 
 def get_known_targets():
-    targets = ["NEST", "autodoc", "none"]
+    targets = ["NEST", "autodoc", "NEST_DESKTOP", "none"]
     targets = [s.upper() for s in targets]
     return targets
 
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ def code_generator_from_target_name(target_name: str, options: Optional[Mapping[
         assert options is None or options == {}, "\"autodoc\" code generator does not support options"
         return AutoDocCodeGenerator()
 
+    if target_name.upper() == "NEST_DESKTOP":
+        from pynestml.codegeneration.nest_desktop_code_generator import NESTDesktopCodeGenerator
+        return NESTDesktopCodeGenerator(options)
+
     if target_name.upper() == "NONE":
         # dummy/null target: user requested to not generate any code
         code, message = Messages.get_no_code_generated()

setup.py

@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@
                                "codegeneration/resources_nest/point_neuron/*.jinja2",
                                "codegeneration/resources_nest/point_neuron/common/*.jinja2",
                                "codegeneration/resources_nest/point_neuron/directives/*.jinja2",
-                               "codegeneration/resources_nest/point_neuron/setup/*.jinja2"]},
+                               "codegeneration/resources_nest/point_neuron/setup/*.jinja2",
+                               "codegeneration/resources_nest_desktop/*.jinja2"]},
     data_files=data_files,
     entry_points={
         "console_scripts": [