Manage or document additional requirements for other simulation tools

[jonrkarr]

These optional dependencies could be managed with the extras_require argument to setuptools.setup or documented.

Neuron

Executing simulations with NEURON also requires the NEURON and the ability to compile NEURON mod files.

Requirement for Ubuntu:

• neuron Python package
• gcc
• g++
• make

Executing NEURON in a headless environment also requires xvfb

NetPyNe

Requires the netpyne Python package, the requirements for NEURON, and

• mpi
• libmpich-dev

Brian 2

Requires the brian2 Python package

[sanjayankur31]

We can add the extra requirements, but I'm not aware of a way of getting pip to install g++ and MPI. Folks have to set that up themselves using whatever package manager they wish---either system package managers (apt/dnf/brew) or whatever else they use: conda/mamba and so on.

[sanjayankur31]

Also added some information on this to the docs:

https://github.com/NeuroML/Documentation/commit/e53c5c357c817769f6eff8cc2ac5ec1c369b25f9

[jonrkarr]

Sorry the issue could have been clearer.

Brian could be an optional dependency for the python package.

Agreed, NEURON and NetPyNe require more dependencies. I suggest documenting these rather than trying to manage their instantallation.

[sanjayankur31]

I've added the python packages as extras, and briefly documented that NEURON etc. may require additional bits:

https://docs.neuroml.org/Userdocs/Software/pyNeuroML.html#install-pyneuroml-with-pip