enable run_for to take a string (#679)

Author: rmudambi

CHANGELOG.rst

@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+**3.6.1 - 11/13/25**
+
+  - Enable setting simulation duration as a string in InteractiveContext.run_for()
+  
 **3.6.0 - 10/27/25**
 
   - Move simulate profile command to vivarium_profiling package

src/vivarium/interface/interactive.py

@@ -82,15 +82,16 @@ def run(self, with_logging: bool = True) -> None:  # type: ignore [override]
         """
         self.run_until(self._clock.stop_time, with_logging=with_logging)
 
-    def run_for(self, duration: ClockStepSize, with_logging: bool = True) -> None:
+    def run_for(self, duration: ClockStepSize | str, with_logging: bool = True) -> None:
         """Run the simulation for the given time duration.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
         duration
             The length of time to run the simulation for. Should be compatible
             with the simulation clock's step size (usually a pandas
-            Timedelta).
+            Timedelta). If a string is provided, it will be passed to
+            `pandas.Timedelta` to be converted.
         with_logging
             Whether or not to log the simulation steps. Only works in an ipython
             environment.
@@ -99,6 +100,8 @@ def run_for(self, duration: ClockStepSize, with_logging: bool = True) -> None:
         -------
             The number of steps the simulation took.
         """
+        if isinstance(duration, str):
+            duration = pd.Timedelta(duration)
         self.run_until(self._clock.time + duration, with_logging=with_logging)  # type: ignore [operator]
 
     def run_until(self, end_time: ClockTime, with_logging: bool = True) -> None:

tests/interface/test_interactive.py

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import pandas as pd
 import pytest
 
 from vivarium import InteractiveContext
@@ -13,3 +14,14 @@ def test_list_values() -> None:
         sim.get_value("foo")
     # ensure that 'foo' did not get added to the list of values
     assert sim.list_values() == ["simulant_step_size"]
+
+
+def test_run_for_duration() -> None:
+    sim = InteractiveContext()
+    initial_time = sim._clock.time
+
+    sim.run_for(pd.Timedelta("10 days"))
+    assert sim._clock.time == initial_time + pd.Timedelta("10 days")  # type: ignore[operator]
+
+    sim.run_for("5 days")
+    assert sim._clock.time == initial_time + pd.Timedelta("15 days")  # type: ignore[operator]