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# needimport

Added in version 0.1.33.

`needimport` allows the import of needs from a JSON file.

You can generate a valid file using the builder needs, for example:

    .. needimport:: needs.json
       :id_prefix: imp_
       :version: 1.0
       :tags: imported;external
       :hide:
       :collapse:
       :filter: "test" in tags
       :template: template.rst
       :pre_template: pre_template.rst
       :post_template: post_template.rst

The directive argument can be one of the following formats:

- A remote URL from which to download the `needs.json`:

      .. needimport:: https://my_company.com/docs/remote-needs.json

- A local path relative to the containing document:

      .. needimport:: needs.json

- A local path starting with `/` is relative to the Sphinx source directory:

      .. needimport:: /path/to/needs.json

- For an absolute path, make sure to start with two `//` (on Linux/OSX):

      .. needimport:: //absoulte/path/to/needs.json

## Options

### id_prefix

You can set `:id_prefix` to add a prefix in front of all imported need ids. This may be useful to avoid duplicated ids.

Note

When using `:id_prefix:`, we replace all ids used for links and inside descriptions, if the id belongs to an imported need.

### version

You can specify a specific version for the import using the `:version:` option. This version must exist inside the imported file.

If no version is given, we use the `current_version` attribute from the JSON file. In most cases this should be the latest available version.

### tags

You can attach tags to existing tags of imported needs using the `:tags:` option (as a comma-separated list). This may be useful to mark easily imported needs and to create specialised filters for them.

### ids

Added in version 3.1.0.

You can use the `:ids:` option to import only the needs with the given ids (as a comma-separated list). This is useful if you want to import only a subset of the needs from the JSON file.

### filter

You can use the `:filter:` option to imports only the needs which pass the filter criteria. This is a string that is evaluated as a Python expression, it is less performant than the `:ids:` option, but more flexible.

Please read Filtering needs for more information.

### hide

You can use the `:hide:` option to set the hide tag for all imported needs. So they are not rendered on the page.

### collapse

The `:collapse:` will hide the meta-data information by default, if set to `True`. See also collapse description of need items.

Warning

- Imported needs may use different need types as the current project.

- The sphinx project owner is responsible for a correct configuration for internal and external needs.

- There is no automatic type transformation during an import.

## Customization

The following options can be set, which overwrite the related options in the imported need itself. So you can decide what kind of layout or style to use during import.

- layout

- style

- template

- pre_template

- post_template

## Global keys

Added in version 4.2.0.

The needs_import_keys configuration can be used to set global keys for use as the directive arguments.

For example:

    needs_import_keys = {"my_key": "path/to/needs.json"}

Allows for the use of:

    .. needimport:: my_key