zabertech · SoleilAtZaber · May 20, 2025 · May 15, 2025 · May 15, 2025 · May 15, 2025
diff --git a/docs/CONTRIBUTING.md b/docs/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -53,6 +53,13 @@ doesn't have to be used in the readme, but ideally should be similar to a readme
 10. Run through the appropriate [Language Checklist](#language-checklist)
 11. Do a Pull Request
 
+## Updating an Existing Example
+
+If you change the code or documentation of an example in a way that would matter to readers, remember
+to update the `updated_date` field in the `article.yml` file.
+
+This is used by the Zaber website to display a last modified date in addition to the creation date.
+
 ## Language Checklist
 
 Here are the checklists for the various languages:

diff --git a/examples/_template/article.yml.template b/examples/_template/article.yml.template
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 # then edit the content of the metatdata in this YAML file for rendering on https://software.zaber.com/examples
 authors:
   - Andrew Lau
-date: 2024-05-01
+date: 2024-05-01          # This should stay at the original publication date of the article.
+updated_date: 2025-06-02  # Update this if you change the content (code or documentation) but not infrastructure.
 category: Microscopy
 tags:
   - Python

diff --git a/examples/calibration_2d/article.yml b/examples/calibration_2d/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Andrew Lau
 date: 2023-09-07
+updated_date: 2023-09-27
 category: Calibration
 tags:
   - Python

diff --git a/examples/gui_pyqt6/article.yml b/examples/gui_pyqt6/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Nathan Paolini
 date: 2023-06-01
+updated_date: 2023-06-01
 category: Graphical User Interface
 tags:
   - Qt

diff --git a/examples/gui_raspberrypi_touch/article.yml b/examples/gui_raspberrypi_touch/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Martin Zak
 date: 2023-06-02
+updated_date: 2023-06-02
 category: Graphical User Interface
 tags:
   - Raspberry PI

diff --git a/examples/gui_swift_ui/article.yml b/examples/gui_swift_ui/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Silviu Toderita
 date: 2025-04-21
+updated_date: 2025-04-21
 category: Graphical User Interface
 tags:
   - Swift

diff --git a/examples/gui_textual/article.yml b/examples/gui_textual/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Andrew Lau
 date: 2023-06-03
+updated_date: 2023-06-03
 category: Graphical User Interface
 tags:
   - Python

diff --git a/examples/hid_joystick/article.yml b/examples/hid_joystick/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Soleil Lapierre
 date: 2023-06-04
+updated_date: 2023-06-04
 category: User Interaction
 tags:
   - Joystick

diff --git a/examples/microplate_scanning_basic/article.yml b/examples/microplate_scanning_basic/article.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ authors:
   - Andrew Lau
   - Mike Fussell
 date: 2023-06-12
+updated_date: 2023-06-12
 category: Microscopy
 tags:
   - Microplate

diff --git a/examples/microscope_autofocus/article.yml b/examples/microscope_autofocus/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Skyler Olson
 date: 2023-06-15
+updated_date: 2023-06-15
 category: Microscopy
 tags:
   - Computer Vision

diff --git a/examples/microscope_filter_cube/article.yml b/examples/microscope_filter_cube/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Stefan Martin
 date: 2023-06-10
+updated_date: 2023-06-10
 category: Microscopy
 tags:
   - Filter Cube

diff --git a/examples/microscope_focus_map/article.yml b/examples/microscope_focus_map/article.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ authors:
   - Andrew Lau
   - Mike Fussell
 date: 2023-07-31
+updated_date: 2023-07-31
 category: Microscopy
 tags:
   - Python

diff --git a/examples/microscope_high_throughput_scanning/article.yml b/examples/microscope_high_throughput_scanning/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Stefan Martin
 date: 2023-06-15
+updated_date: 2024-07-24
 category: Microscopy
 tags:
   - Python

diff --git a/examples/microscope_illuminator/article.yml b/examples/microscope_illuminator/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Stefan Martin
 date: 2023-06-07
+updated_date: 2023-06-07
 category: Microscopy
 tags:
   - Illuminator

diff --git a/examples/microscope_tiling_basler_camera/article.yml b/examples/microscope_tiling_basler_camera/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Colby Sparks
 date: 2024-04-29
+updated_date: 2024-07-02
 category: Microscopy
 tags:
   - Tiling Automation

diff --git a/examples/microscope_well_plate_loader/article.yml b/examples/microscope_well_plate_loader/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Alex Canan and Albert David
 date: 2025-02-20
+updated_date: 2025-02-25
 category: Microscopy
 tags:
   - Well Plate

diff --git a/examples/motion_input_shaping/article.yml b/examples/motion_input_shaping/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Graham Kerr
 date: 2023-06-08
+updated_date: 2023-06-08
 category: Motion
 tags:
   - Python

diff --git a/examples/motion_pvt_sequence_generation/article.yml b/examples/motion_pvt_sequence_generation/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Jeff Homer
 date: 2023-12-12
+updated_date: 2023-12-12
 category: Motion
 tags:
   - Python

diff --git a/examples/motion_tracking/article.yml b/examples/motion_tracking/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Martin Zak
 date: 2024-12-05
+updated_date: 2024-12-05
 category: Motion
 tags:
   - PID

diff --git a/examples/self_test_direct_encoder_stage/article.yml b/examples/self_test_direct_encoder_stage/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Nathan Paolini
 date: 2023-06-10
+updated_date: 2023-06-10
 category: Diagnostics
 tags:
   - Python

diff --git a/examples/util_com_port_scan/article.yml b/examples/util_com_port_scan/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Nathan Paolini
 date: 2023-06-04
+updated_date: 2023-06-04
 category: Utility
 tags:
   - COM Port

diff --git a/examples/util_pyinstaller/article.yml b/examples/util_pyinstaller/article.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 authors:
   - Software Team
 date: 2024-03-18
+updated_date: 2024-12-09
 category: Utility
 tags:
   - PyInstaller

diff --git a/tools/check_examples/pdm.lock b/tools/check_examples/pdm.lock
diff --git a/tools/check_examples/pyproject.toml b/tools/check_examples/pyproject.toml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ authors = [
 ]
 dependencies = [
     "docopt-ng>=0.9.0",
+    "pyyaml>=6.0.2",
 ]
 requires-python = "==3.12.*"
 readme = "README.md"
@@ -18,10 +19,12 @@ distribution = false
 
 [tool.pdm.scripts]
 check = {call="src.check_examples.check:main"}
-[tool.pdm.dev-dependencies]
+
+[dependency-groups]
 dev = [
     "black>=24.4.2",
     "pylint>=3.2.5",
     "pydocstyle>=6.3.0",
     "mypy>=1.10.0",
+    "types-PyYAML>=6.0.12.20250402",
 ]
diff --git a/tools/check_examples/src/check_examples/check.py b/tools/check_examples/src/check_examples/check.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 from .common import filter_not_ignored, load_ignore, get_git_root_directory
 from .terminal_utils import iprint, iprint_pass, iprint_fail, iprint_info, match_string
 from .check_python import check_python
-from .check_basic import check_basic, check_markdown
+from .check_basic import check_basic, check_markdown, validate_article_metadata
 
 EXAMPLE_DIR = "examples"
 TOOLS_DIR = "tools"
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ def check_example(directory: Path, fix: bool) -> int:
     return_code = 0
     return_code |= check_basic(directory)
     return_code |= check_markdown(directory)
+    return_code |= validate_article_metadata(directory)
     return_code |= check_python(directory, fix)
     # Can add other languages here such as check_csharp(), check_html(), etc.
     return return_code

diff --git a/tools/check_examples/src/check_examples/check_basic.py b/tools/check_examples/src/check_examples/check_basic.py
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 """Check for basic requirements of example repositories."""
 
+from datetime import date
 from pathlib import Path
+
+import yaml
+
 from .common import file_exists, list_files_of_suffix, execute, get_git_root_directory
 from .terminal_utils import iprint_fail, iprint_pass
 from .markdown_links import check_links_in_markdown
@@ -32,3 +36,26 @@ def check_markdown(directory: Path, recurse: bool = True) -> int:
         )
         return_code |= check_links_in_markdown(file)
     return return_code
+
+
+def validate_article_metadata(directory: Path) -> int:
+    """Check that the required yaml fields exist."""
+    with open(directory.joinpath("article.yml"), "r", encoding="utf-8") as stream:
+        meta = yaml.safe_load(stream)
+
+    required_fields = {
+        "date": date,
+        "updated_date": date,
+        "category": str,
+        "picture": str,
+    }
+
+    for field, field_type in required_fields.items():
+        if field not in meta:
+            iprint_fail(f"article.yml does not contain the {field} field.", 1)
+            return 1
+        if not isinstance(meta[field], field_type):
+            iprint_fail(f"article.yml {field} field is not of type {field_type.__name__}.", 1)
+            return 1
+
+    return 0