by_name.py.txt

    @classmethod
    def instances(cls):
        return [value for value in cls.__dict__.values() if isinstance(value, cls)]

    @classmethod
    def by_name(
        cls,
        name: str,
        match: str = "equals",
        all: bool = False,
    ):
        """
        Search for instances in the openMINDS instance library based on their name.

        This includes properties "name", "lookup_label", "family_name", "full_name", "short_name", "abbreviation", and "synonyms".

        Note that not all metadata classes have a name.

        Args:
            name (str): a string to search for.
            match (str, optional): either "equals" (exact match - default) or "contains".
            all (bool, optional): Whether to return all objects that match the name, or only the first. Defaults to False.
        """
        namelike_properties = ("name", "lookup_label", "family_name", "full_name", "short_name", "abbreviation")
        if cls._instance_lookup is None:
            cls._instance_lookup = {}
            for instance in cls.instances():
                keys = []
                for prop_name in namelike_properties:
                    if hasattr(instance, prop_name):
                        keys.append(getattr(instance, prop_name))
                if hasattr(instance, "synonyms"):
                    for synonym in instance.synonyms or []:
                        keys.append(synonym)
                for key in keys:
                    if key in cls._instance_lookup:
                        cls._instance_lookup[key].append(instance)
                    else:
                        cls._instance_lookup[key] = [instance]
        if match == "equals":
            matches = cls._instance_lookup.get(name, None)
        elif match == "contains":
            matches = []
            for key, instances in cls._instance_lookup.items():
                if name in key:
                    matches.extend(instances)
        else:
            raise ValueError("'match' must be either 'equals' or 'contains'")
        if all:
            return matches
        elif len(matches) > 0:
            return matches[0]
        else:
            return None