---

name: datasets-and-loaders description: "Routes pyts dataset loading, cached toy datasets, synthetic generators, and UCR/UEA fetch workflows." disable-model-invocation: true metadata: disco-role: operating license: BSD 3-Clause

datasets-and-loaders

Use this sub-skill when a user asks how to load, inspect, fetch, or generate pyts time-series datasets.

What this covers

• Packaged toy loaders: load_basic_motions, load_coffee, load_gunpoint, load_pig_central_venous_pressure.
• Synthetic generation: make_cylinder_bell_funnel.
• Metadata and catalog helpers: ucr_dataset_list, ucr_dataset_info, uea_dataset_list, uea_dataset_info.
• Network-backed fetch helpers: fetch_ucr_dataset, fetch_uea_dataset.
• Shape, split, and cached-data expectations for downstream preprocessing, metrics, and classifier workflows.

What this excludes

• Preprocessing and symbolic transforms: use ../preprocessing-and-symbols/SKILL.md.
• Feature extraction, images, and decomposition: use ../feature-extraction-and-images/SKILL.md.
• Metrics and classifiers: use ../metrics-and-classifiers/SKILL.md.
• Multivariate wrappers: use ../multivariate-workflows/SKILL.md.

Start here

1. Read references/workflows.md for the supported dataset-loading patterns.
2. Read references/data-formats.md when you need shapes, split structure, or dataset catalog facts.
3. Read references/troubleshooting.md for network, cache, and naming errors.
4. Run scripts/smoke.py from this sub-skill directory to confirm the installed package can load the bundled datasets.

Useful triggers

• "load GunPoint"
• "fetch UCR dataset metadata"
• "make a synthetic cylinder-bell-funnel dataset"
• "what shape does BasicMotions return?"
• "does pyts need network access for dataset helpers?"

Routing hints

• If the user needs a dataset before scaling, discretizing, or modeling, stay here only long enough to identify the dataset shape and then route to the downstream workflow.
• If the user only needs network-free toy data for a smoke test, prefer the packaged loaders and make_cylinder_bell_funnel.
• If the user needs remote downloads, explain the cache and network dependency before promising a reproducible result.

Links

• Read references/workflows.md for example loader calls and return shapes.
• Read references/data-formats.md for bundled dataset layouts and return conventions.
• Read references/troubleshooting.md when a loader name, cache path, or network fetch fails.
• Run scripts/smoke.py when you want a quick installed-package check.