tutorial_compilation.qmd

# Tutorial: Example compilation

This tutorial walks you through an example of creating a `traits.build` database from scratch using the `traits.build` template. We then look at examples of how to add datasets to the database using the `traits.build` workflow.

## Clone traits.build-template

[traits.build-template](https://github.com/traitecoevo/traits.build-template) is a GitHub repository that contains:

1.  Core files required to build your own database:
    -   a sample [trait dictionary](https://github.com/traitecoevo/traits.build-template/blob/master/config/traits.yml)

    -   a [unit conversions file](https://github.com/traitecoevo/traits.build-template/blob/master/config/unit_conversions.csv)

    -   a generic [database metadata file](https://github.com/traitecoevo/traits.build-template/blob/master/config/metadata.yml)

    -   a placeholder [taxon list](https://github.com/traitecoevo/traits.build-template/blob/master/config/taxon_list.csv)

    -   a script of useful [R functions](https://github.com/traitecoevo/traits.build-template/blob/master/R/custom_R_code.R)
2.  Two pre-added datasets.
    -   See how metadata is documented in fully propagated metadata files.

    -   Build a skeletal database before adding your own datasets.
3.  Datasets with explicit tutorials for filling in the dataset metadata files.
    -   The tutorials for these datasets introduce you to the `traits.build` functions.

    -   By working through the dataset tutorials, you are progressively introduced to how the complexities of ecological datasets can be documented within the `traits.build` structure

    -   The datasets offer explicit examples of the types of complexities summarised in the [Adding Data](https://github…) vignette.

    -   As of September 2023 there are 3 tutorials, but this will expand to 6 tutorials by October 2023.

To clone the repository, either visit the GitHub repository and click on the green `<> Code` tab toward the upper right corner of the [landing page](https://github.com/traitecoevo/traits.build-template), or clone the repository through GitHub desktop, R Studio, or your choice of Git client. 

## Build the example

Once you have cloned the repository and installed the package, the next step is to build the simplistic sample database:
```{r, eval=FALSE}
build_setup_pipeline(method = "base", database_name = "traits.build_database")
source("build.R")
```

As described in the chapter on [data structure](database_structure.html) the database is comprised of a series of relational tables and additional lists with metadata.

Once you've explored and feel familiar with the basic structure of a `traits.build` database, continue onto the tutorials to learn how to add datasets using the traits.build workflow.