Ensure merge tables declared in new database

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 # Change Log
 
-## [0.5.5] (TBD)
+
+## [0.5.5] (Unreleased)
 
 ### Infrastructure
 
+- Ensure merge tables are declared during file insertion #1205
 - Update URL for DANDI Docs #1210
 
 ## [0.5.4] (December 20, 2024)

src/spyglass/common/populate_all_common.py

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 from spyglass.common.common_task import TaskEpoch
 from spyglass.common.common_usage import InsertError
 from spyglass.utils import logger
+from spyglass.utils.dj_helper_fn import declare_all_merge_tables
 
 
 def log_insert_error(
@@ -117,6 +118,8 @@ def populate_all_common(
     """
     from spyglass.spikesorting.imported import ImportedSpikeSorting
 
+    declare_all_merge_tables()
+
     error_constants = dict(
         dj_user=dj.config["database.user"],
         connection_id=dj.conn().connection_id,

src/spyglass/utils/dj_helper_fn.py

@@ -68,6 +68,20 @@ def ensure_names(
     return getattr(table, "full_table_name", None)
 
 
+def declare_all_merge_tables():
+    """Ensures all merge tables in the spyglass core package are declared.
+    - Prevents circular imports
+    - Prevents errors from table declaration within a transaction
+    - Run during nwb insertion
+    """
+    from spyglass.decoding.decoding_merge import DecodingOutput  # noqa: F401
+    from spyglass.lfp.lfp_merge import LFPOutput  # noqa: F401
+    from spyglass.position.position_merge import PositionOutput  # noqa: F401
+    from spyglass.spikesorting.spikesorting_merge import (  # noqa: F401
+        SpikeSortingOutput,
+    )
+
+
 def fuzzy_get(index: Union[int, str], names: List[str], sources: List[str]):
     """Given lists of items/names, return item at index or by substring."""
     if isinstance(index, int):