[Bug]: No ImportError when calling from neuroconv.utils import NWBMetaDataEncoder

[rly]

What happened?

In #1050, some classes such as NWBMetaDataEncoder were renamed _NWBMetaDataEncoder. This breaks code in NWB GUIDE that calls from neuroconv.utils import NWBMetaDataEncoder. Because of the override to __getitem__ in neuroconv/utils/__init__.py (#1033), the line from neuroconv.utils import NWBMetaDataEncoder now fails silently. It should return something like ImportError: cannot import name 'AA' from 'collections' (/Users/rly/mambaforge/envs/test/lib/python3.12/collections/__init__.py) but NWBMetaDataEncoder is set to None without an error. This was confusing to debug.

I suggest changing __getitem__ to end with something like:

if name in globals():
    return globals()[name]
raise ImportError(f"cannot import name '{name}' from 'neuroconv.utils'")

ref: https://peps.python.org/pep-0562/

I am also in favor of making NWBMetaDataEncoder public again since it is used by NWB GUIDE. But if not, I can just copy the code over to NeuroConv...

Steps to Reproduce

from neuroconv.utils import serjsklfjskl

Traceback

No response

Operating System

macOS

Python Executable

Python

Python Version

3.12

Package Versions

neuroconv==0.6.5

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct
• Have you ensured this bug was not already reported?

[h-mayorquin]

Let's make it public again. This was an oversight by both Cody and I when we were trying to clean the API docs. I asked him whether someone could be using this and both of us failed to be cautious enough I guess.

Concerning the silent error with import, damn, they always warn about you about hacking dunders and side effects...