[Feature]: Support `get_class` with arbitrary recursion depth

[bendichter]

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What would you like to see added to PyNWB?

I am running into a problem automatically generating an extension I am creating of the form:

groups: 
  - neurodata_type: BioSample
    groups:
     - name: isDerivedFrom
       links:
        - type: BioSample

To make get_class work on this, we'd need to support arbitrary depth recursion, which is not currently supported.

Is your feature request related to a problem?

No response

What solution would you like?

modifications to get_class.

Do you have any interest in helping implement the feature?

Yes, but I would need guidance.

Code of Conduct

• [X] I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct
• [X] Have you checked the Contributing document?
• [X] Have you ensured this change was not already requested?

[oruebel]

Which of the groups in the example have a neurodata_type set, i.e., for which object would get_class be called?

[bendichter]

@oruebel good question. I want to call get_class("BioSample", "ndx-biosample"). I fixed the yaml to make that more clear.

[oruebel]

Just for further clarification, if you would set a neurodata_type for isDerivedFrom in your example, then get_class("BioSample", "ndx-biosample") would work, but without that it fails due to the nesting of groups, correct?

[rly]

Related: https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/796

I don't think that PR covers cases where an object links to itself. I will have to add a test for that.

[t-b]

Related: https://github.com/NeurodataWithoutBorders/pynwb/issues/1299