Ensure Error, when recipe var/func is missing

[samuelschuettler]

Dear deid Team,
thank you for the great work you have put into this package.

We are looking to use this package to deidentify large amounts of clinical data for a research PACS.

We mostly use replace_identifiers()
Is there any way to make sure that all var:s and func:s are present when running this. At the moment we see that it just runs and does not replace values if the respective var: is not present.
Is there a way to make sure an error is thrown if this is the case.

Additional info:

• using the current version of deid with Python 3.12
• can provide MWE if that helps
• would be willing to provide pull request if the feature does not exist and you are open to outside input.

[vsoch]

Yes! Generally speaking you'd want to have a regular expression that matches that case here:

deid/deid/utils/actions.py

Line 32 in 14d1e4e

if re.search("(^var:)|(^func:)|(^deid_func:)", value):

and then throw an error when the particular name for the function is missing, or if the name is not found in "item." I'd be happy to review a PR for that, and a test could go here.

[samuelschuettler]

Do i understand you correctly, that strict enforcement of these values is currently not implemented yet?

Then I'll start working on a PR with the hints you gave.