[Biopython-dev] EFetch returning ASN.1 not genbank format

[Michiel de Hoon]

I am also in favor of option (2).

--Michiel

> I think we have two options:
> 
> (1) Add a special case to Bio.Entrez.eftech to map
> rettype="genbank"
> to rettype="gb" (or "gp" for the
> protein database).  This is simple
> and causes least disruption to Biopython uses, but is a bad
> idea in
> the long run as it means we are effectively providing our
> own variant
> of the Entrez API.
> 
> (2) Update our documentation and unit tests to use
> rettype="gb" or
> "gp" instead of rettype="genbank", and
> add a special case to
> Bio.Entrez.eftech to map rettype="genbank" to
> rettype="gb" (or "gp"
> for the protein database) and issue a warning that the NCBI
> have
> changed their API.  At a later point we might change this
> warning to
> an error.  This would provide a clear transition for end
> user scripts,
> and keep us consistent with the official Entrez API.