[Biopython-dev] Deprecating Bio.EUtils?

Peter biopython at maubp.freeserve.co.uk
Fri Aug 8 15:56:16 UTC 2008


The NCBI Entrez database has some "Entrez Programming Utilities"
called EUtils, http://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query/static/eutils_help.html

Biopython now has two modules for accessing this, Bio.Entrez (new) and
Bio.EUtils (old).

We have a couple of open bugs in Bio.EUtils,
http://bugzilla.open-bio.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2447
http://bugzilla.open-bio.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2448

This module is currently unmaintained, and the original author Andrew
Dalke has indicated that he doesn't have the time to look after it.
The Bio.EUtils code is also (in my opinion) fairly complicated for any
newcomer to try and understand.  On the bright side, it does have a
working unit test.

Given most (all?) of the NBCI's "Entrez Programming Utilities" aka
EUtils functionality is now supported by the newer (and much simpler)
Bio.Entrez module (which Michiel is maintaining), perhaps we should
deprecate Bio.EUtils for the next release.

Peter



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