What’s removed from NEST 3.0?

Subnets

Subnets are gone. Instead NodeCollections should be used to group and organize neurons.

NEST 2.x

NEST 3.0

net = nest.LayoutNetwork(model, dim)
nrns = nest.GetLeaves(net)[0]
nrns = nest.Create(model, dim)

Printing the network as a tree of subnets is no longer possible. The PrintNetwork() function has been replaced with PrintNodes(), which prints ID ranges and model names of the nodes in the network.

NEST 2.x

NEST 3.0

>>>  nest.PrintNetwork(depth=2, subnet=None)
     [0] root dim=[15]
     [1]...[10] iaf_psc_alpha
     [11]...[15] iaf_psc_exp
>>>  nest.PrintNodes()
     1 .. 10 iaf_psc_alpha
     11 .. 15 iaf_psc_exp

Models

With NEST 3.0, some models have been removed. They all have alternative models that can be used instead.

Removed model

Replacement model

iaf_neuron

iaf_psc_alpha

aeif_cond_alpha_RK5

aeif_cond_alpha

iaf_psc_alpha_presc

iaf_psc_alpha_ps

iaf_psc_delta_canon

iaf_psc_delta_ps

subnet

no longer needed, use NodeCollection instead

spike_detector

spike_recorder

Furthermore, the model iaf_tum_2000 has been renamed to iaf_psc_exp_htum. iaf_psc_exp_htum is the exact same model as iaf_tum_2000, it has just been renamed to match NEST’s naming conventions.

Functions

Some functions have also been removed. The removed functions where either related to subnets, or they can be replaced by using other functions with indexing into a NodeCollection.

The following functions have been removed:

  • BeginSubnet

  • ChangeSubnet

  • CurrentSubnet

  • EndSubnet

  • GetChildren

  • GetLayer

  • GetLeaves

  • GetLID

  • GetNetwork

  • LayoutNetwork

See Functions related to subnets

  • ResetNetwork

See Functions related to simulation

  • DataConnect

  • DisconnectOneToOne

  • CGConnect

See Functions related to connection

  • GetElement

See Functions related to spatially distributed nodes

  • RestoreNodes

(have never existed on PyNEST level, it was only a SLI function)