Add a method to SchemaView that returns the induced disjunctive range of a slot

[sierra-moxon]

Discussed in https://github.com/orgs/linkml/discussions/2101

^{Originally posted by eecavanna May 7, 2024}
Hi, this is my first time posting a question here.

Background

I develop an application that interacts with a database that complies with a LinkML schema. That LinkML schema is: nmdc-schema.

I am currently writing a Python script that uses an instance of LinkML's SchemaView Python class to traverse that LinkML schema. I am particularly interested in identifying (and learning about) slots that can contain references to other slots. This is all in pursuit of implementing some referential integrity checks.

That nmdc-schema schema contains the definition of a class named Extraction. Based on a conversation with a teammate and my limited understanding of LinkML, I am under the impression that the has_input slot (in the context of the Extraction class, specifically) must consist of [a reference to] either a Biosample or a ProcessedSample, despite the default range of the has_input slot being NamedThing.

Question

1. How can I use a SchemaView instance to get that list: Biosample and ProcessedSample?

Here's a screenshot of a Python notebook where I've invoked a few SchemaView methods:

• A) slot_definition.range (where slot_definition is returned by .induced_slot()) gives me the default range of the slot
• B) slot_definition.any_of[0].range and [1].range give me the two class names in the any_of list
• C) schema_view.slot_range_as_union( . . . ) gives me all three class names

Assuming my impression (stated in the "Background" section above) is correct, method (B) is the only one that gives me what I'm looking for. However, I only knew to look at the any_of list after a teammate pointed it out to me. Is there a more general way a SchemaView instance can be used to get a "fully resolved" list of the classes whose instances a slot can contain [references to] (instead of "manually" checking for the presence of a boolean expression; e.g. any_of, none_of)?

Footnote for future readers: I work with some of the LinkML developers and have made some assumptions about their familiarity with my situation.

[cmungall]

I changed the title, this is a feature request for SV to return the induced slot range as union

[sneakers-the-rat]

linking my comment from the discussion, i don't think we should just add a method here! https://github.com/orgs/linkml/discussions/2101#discussioncomment-9424071