Install instructions: link to datasets not present in install instructions

[Elisa-on-GitHub]

At the install instructions for the software packages, the datasets necessary for the lesson do not automatically appear. Is it possible to add this to the standard install instructions - as it is included in the lesson materials - so that learners see the requirement to download the dataset as part of their setup instructions? Right now, workshop organisers often have to add the download instructions for the dataset separately and when they forget, this causes confusion and delays during the workshop.

I'm happy to explain further if the description above isn't clear.

[zkamvar]

Hi @Elisa-on-GitHub,

You've stumbled on a historical point of contention within our lessons and workshops: how to synchronise setup materials for learners: (see carpentries/maintainer-RFCs#9 for context).

For DataCarpentry lessons, the setup instructions and data instructions are contained within an overview episode, but for SoftwareCarpentry lessons, it gets more complicated as shown in _includes/swc/setup.html:

workshop-template/_includes/swc/setup.html

Lines 1 to 28 in d017523

	{% assign curricula = "swc-gapminder|swc-inflammation" | split: "|" %}
	{% unless curricula contains site.curriculum %}
	{% include warning-curriculum.html %}
	{% endunless %}
	{% include install_instructions/shell.html %}
	{% include install_instructions/git.html %}
	{% include install_instructions/editor.html %}
	{% if site.flavor == "r" %}
	{% include install_instructions/r.html %}
	{% elsif site.flavor == "python" %}
	{% include install_instructions/python.html %}
	{% elsif site.flavor == "FIXME" %}
	{% include install_instructions/r.html %}
	{% include install_instructions/python.html %}
	{% else %}
	{% include warning-flavor.html %}
	{% endif %}
	{% comment %}
	The following setup instructions are commented out because Carpentries workshops
	cover the these topics less frequently. Please uncomment the lines that
	correspond to the topics covered in your workshop.
	{% include install_instructions/sql.html %}
	{% include install_instructions/openrefine.html %}
	{% endcomment %}

Unfortunately, @carpentries/core-team-curriculum has not had the capacity to work on this issue yet. The reality is that the workshop template was initially built at a time where The Carpentries had a handful of official lessons where complexity was low; extra additions make it more difficult to maintain. We are planning on revisiting the workshop template so that it becomes a bit easier to set up in the future, but not before May.

[Elisa-on-GitHub]

Hi @zkamvar thank you for your explanation. There is no rush from our end; we just stumbled upon this issue and thought we could flag it with you. I will now close this issue, since you're already (planning on) trying to resolve it.

Thanks again for taking the time to be in touch, we appreciate it very much!