Nested tables insertion

[AlmogMeir]

As part of my schema definitions, I have nested tables defined as such:

@schema
class Unit(dj.Imported):
    # ElectrodeGroup is computed location + id (shank number)
    """Single unit table.
    Attributes:
        ElectrodeGroup (foreign key): Electrode group primary key.
        unit (smallint): Unit number.
        unit_uid (int): Unique unit identifier across sessions/animals. ###
        UnitQualityType (foreign key): Unit quality type.
        unit_channel (float): Channel on the electrode for which the unit has the largest amplitude.
    """

    definition = """
        -> ElectrodeGroup
        unit: smallint
        ---
        unit_uid: int               # unique across sessions/animals
        -> UnitQualityType
        unit_channel = null: float  # channel on the electrode for which the unit has the largest amplitude
        """

    class UnitPosition(dj.Imported):
        """Estimated unit position in the brain.
        Attributes:
            Unit (foreign key): Unit primary key.
            lab.Hemisphere (foreign key): Hemisphere primary key.
            lab.BrainArea (foreign key): Brain area primary key.
            lab.SkullReference (foreign key): Skull reference primary key.
            unit_ml_location (float): Unit medio-lateral location in micrometers.
            unit_ap_location (float): Unit anterior-posterior location in micrometers.
            unit_dv_location (float): Unit dorsal-ventral location in micrometers.
            
        """

        definition = """
            # Estimated unit position in the brain
            -> master
            ---
            -> lab.Hemisphere
            -> lab.BrainArea
            -> lab.SkullReference
            unit_ml_location= null: decimal(8,3)    # um from ref; right is positive; based on manipulator coordinates (or histology) & probe config
            unit_ap_location= null: decimal(8,3)    # um from ref; anterior is positive; based on manipulator coordinates (or histology) & probe config
            unit_dv_location= null: decimal(8,3)    # um from dura; ventral is positive; based on manipulator coordinates (or histology) & probe config
            """

and then I want to insert to this Unit table info, e.g:
schema_module.Unit.insert(df_unit, skip_duplicates=True, allow_direct_insert=True)
where schema_module is the schema virtualModule, df_unit includes the Unit parameters.
How can I insert to the nested table Unit position? assuming I have another df for it, as far as I see I don't have access to this table (list_tables doesn't include it, I cant use Unit.UnitPosition nor schema_module.UnitPosition)
Thanks!

Update: I understand now that nested table can't be dj.Imported, so follow up question is assuming UnitPosition is defined as dj.Part, what is the proper way to insert to Unit the data?

[dimitri-yatsenko]

Sounds like you want to create a master-part relationship. Where the master, Unit has a part, UnitPosition.
Then UnitPosition should be of type dj.Part

@schema
class Unit(dj.Imported):
    # ElectrodeGroup is computed location + id (shank number)
    definition = """
        -> ElectrodeGroup
        unit: smallint
        ---
        unit_uid: int               # unique across sessions/animals
        -> UnitQualityType
        unit_channel = null: float  # channel on the electrode for which the unit has the largest amplitude
        """

    class Position(dj.Part):
        definition = """
            # Estimated unit position in the brain
            -> master
            ---
            -> lab.Hemisphere
            -> lab.BrainArea
            -> lab.SkullReference
            unit_ml_location= null: decimal(8,3)    # um from ref; right is positive; based on manipulator coordinates (or histology) & probe config
            unit_ap_location= null: decimal(8,3)    # um from ref; anterior is positive; based on manipulator coordinates (or histology) & probe config
            unit_dv_location= null: decimal(8,3)    # um from dura; ventral is positive; based on manipulator coordinates (or histology) & probe config
            """

[dimitri-yatsenko]

If Unit is of type dj.Imported, this means that the table is autopopulated and all the inserts should be done from the make method.

It sounds like you are using this as a manual table, manually inserting data. This implies that Unit should be of type dj.Manual.

Then you will be able to insert simply as

Unit.insert1(....)
Unit.Position.insert1(...)