Make ImagingPlane.description optional

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # PyNWB Changelog
 
+## [Upcoming]
+
+### Bug fixes
+- Made `ImagingPlane.description` optional to conform with the NWB Schema. Note that if you use positional arguments to create
+  an `ImagingPlane`, the order of arguments has changed. @rly [#2051](https://github.com/NeurodataWithoutBorders/pynwb/pull/2051)
+
 ## PyNWB 3.0.0 (February 26, 2025)
 
 ### Breaking changes

src/pynwb/ophys.py

@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class ImagingPlane(NWBContainer):
     @docval(*get_docval(NWBContainer.__init__, 'name'),  # required
             {'name': 'optical_channel', 'type': (list, OpticalChannel),  # required
              'doc': 'One of possibly many groups storing channel-specific data.'},
-            {'name': 'description', 'type': str, 'doc': 'Description of this ImagingPlane.'},  # required
+            {'name': 'description', 'type': str, 'doc': 'Description of this ImagingPlane.', 'default': None},
             {'name': 'device', 'type': Device, 'doc': 'the device that was used to record'},  # required
             {'name': 'excitation_lambda', 'type': float, 'doc': 'Excitation wavelength in nm.'},  # required
             {'name': 'indicator', 'type': str, 'doc': 'Calcium indicator'},  # required

tests/unit/test_ophys.py

@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ def test_init(self):
             grid_spacing_unit='gs_unit'
         )
         self.assertEqual(ip.optical_channel[0], oc)
+        self.assertEqual(ip.description, 'description')
         self.assertEqual(ip.device, device)
         self.assertEqual(ip.excitation_lambda, 600.)
         self.assertEqual(ip.imaging_rate, 300.)
@@ -196,6 +197,25 @@ def test_unit_deprecated(self):
         obj = ImagingPlane.__new__(ImagingPlane, in_construct_mode=True)
         obj.__init__(**kwargs)
 
+    def test_init_pos_args(self):
+        """Check creation of ImagingPlane with only required dependencies and positional kwargs.
+
+        This is to check how creation of an ImagingPlane changes when the "description" argument moves from a
+        required arg in the middle of the required args section to an optional arg, in alignment with the schema.
+        """
+        oc, device = self.set_up_dependencies()
+
+        ip = ImagingPlane(
+            'test_imaging_plane',
+            oc,
+            device,
+            600.,
+            'indicator',
+            'location',
+        )
+        self.assertIsNone(ip.description)
+        self.assertIs(ip.device, device)
+
 
 class OnePhotonSeriesConstructor(TestCase):