add static methods to find out available electrical series

src/spikeinterface/extractors/nwbextractors.py

@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ def read_file_from_backend(
     else:
         import h5py
 
-        assert file is not None, "Unexpected, file is None"
+        assert file is not None, "Both file_path and file are None"
         open_file = h5py.File(file, "r")
 
     return open_file
@@ -125,11 +125,6 @@ def read_nwbfile(
     nwbfile : NWBFile
         The NWBFile object.
 
-    Raises
-    ------
-    AssertionError
-        If ROS3 support is not enabled.
-
     Notes
     -----
     This function can stream data from the "fsspec", and "rem" protocols.
@@ -277,14 +272,17 @@ def _retrieve_unit_table_pynwb(nwbfile: "NWBFile", unit_table_path: Optional[str
 
 
 def _is_hdf5_file(filename_or_file):
-    # Source for magic numbers https://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000229.shtml
-    # We should find a better one though
     if isinstance(filename_or_file, (str, Path)):
-        with open(filename_or_file, "rb") as f:
-            file_signature = f.read(8)
+        import h5py
+
+        filename = str(filename_or_file)
+        is_hdf5 = h5py.h5f.is_hdf5(filename.encode("utf-8"))
     else:
         file_signature = filename_or_file.read(8)
-    return file_signature == b"\x89HDF\r\n\x1a\n"
+        # Source of the magic number https://docs.hdfgroup.org/hdf5/develop/_f_m_t3.html
+        is_hdf5 = file_signature == b"\x89HDF\r\n\x1a\n"
+
+    return is_hdf5
 
 
 def _get_backend_from_local_file(file_path: str | Path) -> str:
@@ -863,6 +861,57 @@ def _fetch_main_properties_backend(self):
 
         return gains, offsets, locations, groups
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def fetch_available_electrical_series(
+        file_path: str | Path, stream_mode: Optional[Literal["fsspec", "remfile", "zarr"]] = None
+    ) -> List[str]:
+        """
+        Retrieves the paths to all ElectricalSeries objects within a neurodata file.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        file_path : str | Path
+            The path to the neurodata file to be analyzed.
+        stream_mode : "fsspec" | "remfile" | "zarr" | None, optional
+            Determines the streaming mode for reading the file. Use this for optimized reading from
+            different sources, such as local disk or remote servers.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        list of str
+            A list of paths to all ElectricalSeries objects found in the file.
+
+
+        Notes
+        -----
+        The paths are returned as strings, and can be used to load the desired ElectricalSeries object.
+        Examples of paths are:
+            - "acquisition/ElectricalSeries1"
+            - "acquisition/ElectricalSeries2"
+            - "processing/ecephys/LFP/ElectricalSeries1"
+            - "processing/my_custom_module/MyContainer/ElectricalSeries2"
+        """
+
+        if stream_mode is None:
+            backend = _get_backend_from_local_file(file_path)
+        else:
+            if stream_mode == "zarr":
+                backend = "zarr"
+            else:
+                backend = "hdf5"
+
+        file_handle = read_file_from_backend(
+            file_path=file_path,
+            stream_mode=stream_mode,
+        )
+
+        electrical_series_paths = _find_neurodata_type_from_backend(
+            file_handle,
+            neurodata_type="ElectricalSeries",
+            backend=backend,
+        )
+        return electrical_series_paths
+
 
 class NwbRecordingSegment(BaseRecordingSegment):
     def __init__(self, electrical_series_data, times_kwargs):

src/spikeinterface/extractors/tests/test_nwbextractors.py

@@ -319,6 +319,20 @@ def test_retrieving_from_processing(generate_nwbfile, use_pynwb):
     assert np.array_equal(electrical_series_custom.data[:], recording_extractor_custom.get_traces())
 
 
+def test_fetch_available_electrical_series(generate_nwbfile):
+    path_to_nwbfile, _ = generate_nwbfile
+    available_electrical_series = NwbRecordingExtractor.fetch_available_electrical_series(file_path=path_to_nwbfile)
+
+    expected_paths = [
+        "acquisition/ElectricalSeries1",
+        "acquisition/ElectricalSeries2",
+        "processing/ecephys/LFP/ElectricalSeries1",
+        "processing/my_custom_module/MyContainer/ElectricalSeries2",
+    ]
+
+    assert available_electrical_series == expected_paths
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("electrical_series_path", ["acquisition/ElectricalSeries1", "acquisition/ElectricalSeries2"])
 def test_recording_equality_with_pynwb_and_backend(generate_nwbfile, electrical_series_path):
     path_to_nwbfile, _ = generate_nwbfile
@@ -338,7 +352,7 @@ def test_recording_equality_with_pynwb_and_backend(generate_nwbfile, electrical_
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("use_pynwb", [True, False])
-def test_failure_with_wrong_electrical_series_name(generate_nwbfile, use_pynwb):
+def test_failure_with_wrong_electrical_series_path(generate_nwbfile, use_pynwb):
     """Test that the extractor raises an error if the electrical series name is not found."""
     path_to_nwbfile, _ = generate_nwbfile
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):