INSTALL_CONTRIBUTE

# refellips - Installation and Development Instructions

refellips is a python package for analysis of spectroscopic ellipsometry
data.


--------------
# Installation

*refellips* has been tested on Python 3.8, 3.9 and 3.10. It requires the *numpy,
scipy, refnx, pandas* packages to work. Additional features require the
*pytest* package.

## Installation into a *conda* environment
refellips is a pure Python package and can be installed via pip:

```
pip install refellips
```

-----------------------
## Development Workflow

These instructions outline the workflow for contributing to refellips development.
The refellips community welcomes all contributions that will improve the package.
The following instructions are based on use of a command line *git* client.
*Git* is a distributed version control program. An example of [how to contribute to the numpy project][numpy-contrib]
is a useful reference.

### Setting up a local git repository
  1) Create an account on [github](https://github.com/).
  2) On the [refellips github][github-refellips] page fork the *refellips* repository to your own github account. Forking means that now you have your own personal repository of the *refellips* code.
  3) Now we will make a local copy of your personal repository on your local machine:
  ```
  # <username> is your github username
  git clone https://github.com/<username>/refellips.git
  ```
  4) Add the *refellips* remote repository, we're going to refer to the remote with the *upstream* name:
  ```
  git remote add upstream https://github.com/refnx/refellips.git
  ```
  5) List the remote repositories that your local repository knows about:
  ```
  git remote -v
  ```

### Keeping your local and remote repositories up to date
The main *refellips* repository may be a lot more advanced than your fork, or your local copy, of the git repository.
  1) To update your repositories you need to fetch the changes from the main *refellips* repository:
  ```
  git fetch upstream
  ```
  2) Now update the local branch you're on by rebasing against the *refellips* master branch:
  ```
  git rebase upstream/master
  ```
  3) Push your updated local branch to the remote fork on github. You have to specify the remote branch you're pushing to. Here we push to the *master* branch:
  ```
  git push origin master
  ```

### Adding a feature
The git repository is automatically on the master branch to start with. However,
when developing features that you'd like to contribute to the *refellips* project
you'll need to do it on a feature branch.

  1) Create a feature branch and check it out:
  ```
  git branch my_feature_name
  git checkout my_feature_name
  ```
  2) Once you're happy with the changes you've made you should check that the tests still work:
  ```
  python setup.py test
  ```
  3) Now commit the changes. You'll have to supply a commit message that outlines the changes you made. The commit message should follow the [numpy guidelines][numpy-contib]
  ```
  git commit -a
  ```
  4) Now you need to push those changes on the *my_feature_branch* branch to *your* fork of the refellips repository on github:
  ```
  git push origin my_feature_branch
  ```
  5) On the main [refellips][github-refellips] repository you should be able to create a pull request (PR). The PR says that you'd like the *refellips* project to include the changes you made.
  6) Once the automated tests have passed, and the *refellips* maintainers are happy with the changes you've made then the PR is merged. You can then delete the feature branch on github, and delete your local feature branch:
  ```
  git branch -D my_feature_branch
  ```

   [PyPi]: <https://pypi.python.org/pypi/refellips>
   [github-refellips]: <https://github.com/refnx/refellips>