fix manual config

datamate/directory.py

@@ -487,7 +487,8 @@ def config(self):
 
     @config.setter
     def config(self, value):
-        self._override_config(value)
+        # unreachable code executred in setattr
+        self.__manual_config(value)
 
     @property
     def status(self):
@@ -838,6 +839,10 @@ def __setattr__(self, key: str, value: object) -> None:
         if key.startswith("__") and key.endswith("__"):
             object.__setattr__(self, key, value)
             return
+        # allow manual config writing
+        if key == "config":
+            self.__manual_config(value)
+            return
         self.__setitem__(key.replace("__", "."), value)
 
     def __delattr__(self, key: str) -> None:
@@ -867,7 +872,7 @@ def __dir__(self) -> List[str]:
 
     # -- Convenience methods
 
-    def _override_config(self, config, status=None):
+    def __manual_config(self, config, status=None):
         """Overriding config stored in _meta.yaml.
 
         config (Dict): update for meta.config
@@ -877,6 +882,7 @@ def _override_config(self, config, status=None):
         meta_path = self.path / "_meta.yaml"
 
         current_config = self.config
+        config = namespacify(config)
         if current_config is not None:
             with warnings.catch_warnings():
                 warnings.simplefilter("always")
@@ -888,7 +894,7 @@ def _override_config(self, config, status=None):
                     ConfigWarning,
                     stacklevel=2,
                 )
-            write_meta(path=meta_path, config=config, status="overridden")
+            write_meta(path=meta_path, config=config, status="manually written")
         else:
             write_meta(path=meta_path, config=config, status=status or self.status)
 

tests/test_directory.py

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
     _auto_doc,
     H5Reader,
     DirectoryDiff,
+    read_meta,
 )
 from datamate import directory
 from datamate.namespaces import namespacify
@@ -1310,3 +1311,20 @@ def test_read_meta(tmp_path):
 
     with pytest.raises(AssertionError, match=f"meta has non-string status"):
         assert directory.status
+
+
+def test_write_config(tmp_path):
+
+    set_root_dir(tmp_path)
+
+    directory = Directory("test")
+    directory.path.mkdir()
+    assert directory.meta == {"config": None, "status": "done"}
+    assert not (directory.path / "_meta.yaml").exists()
+
+    with pytest.warns(ConfigWarning):
+        directory.config = {"x": 2}
+
+    assert read_meta(directory.path).config.to_dict() == {"x": 2}
+    assert read_meta(directory.path).status == "manually written"
+    assert directory.config == {"x": 2}