Create a new repository from rig-template using Copier

This guide explains how to initialize and create a new open-ucl repository from the GitHub template ucl-open/rig-template using the Copier CLI. This tool allows you to recreate the base components of an open-ucl project, including the base Bonsai and Python environments required to get started.

All powershell commands can be run from the command line or from a terminal in VSCode.

Template source:
https://github.com/ucl-open/rig-template.git

Copier documentation:
https://copier.readthedocs.io/en/stable/

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Prerequisites

Ensure the following are installed:

• Windows 10 or newer
• Python >3.11 + <3.12
  • Download from https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/
  • Make sure “Add Python to PATH” is checked during installation
• Git 2.27+
  • Download from https://git-scm.com/download/win

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Install uv

uv is a very fast package and tool manager for Python. We recommend this for all your Python needs

Install it using a command line terminal:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"

Restart your terminal before continuing, so that we can pick up the new paths

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Install Copier using uv

In a command line terminal, install Copier as a global CLI tool:

uv tool install copier

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Create a new project from the template

1. Choose the template branch

Decide which branch (or tag) of the template you want to use, for example:

• main
• dev
• v1.0.0

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2. Generate the project

Run Copier from the directory where you want the new project folder created:

Example:

copier copy --vcs-ref main https://github.com/ucl-open/rig-template.git ./my-new-project

the --vcs-ref flag allows you to specify a given branch or tag. Strictly speaking you do not need to point to main, you can instead omit --vcs-ref main Copier will prompt you for some basic template variables and then generate the files and directory structure.

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Initialize your new Git repository

3. Create an empty repository for your new project

Using a browser, create a new, empty repository on GitHub (do not add a README or license, the template will sort that).

4. Initialize Git with your chosen default branch

1. Open an instance of VSCode and open your new project folder

2. Delete any hangover .git directory metadata (if it exists).

3. Initialize a local git repository:

git init -b main

4. Add the remote:

git remote add origin https://github.com/ucl-open/my-new-project.git

5. Commit

git add .
git commit -m "Deploy new ucl-open rig"

6. Push

git push -u origin main

5. Run the deploy script

./scripts/deploy.cmd

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Congrats!

You have created a new project with all open-ucl dependencies and base components to begin your new rig or experiment project!

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