Minor updates to PR

documentation/model_io.rst

@@ -206,10 +206,11 @@ GeoJSON files
 GeoJSON files are commonly used to store geographic data structures. 
 More information on GeoJSON files can be found at https://geojson.org.
 
-To use GeoJSON files in WNTR, a set of valid base column names are required.
-Valid base GeoJSON column names can be obtained using the 
-:class:`~wntr.network.io.valid_gis_names` function.
-The following example returns valid base GeoJSON column names for junctions.
+When reading GeoJSON files into WNTR, only a set of valid column names can be used.
+Valid GeoJSON column names can be obtained using the 
+:class:`~wntr.network.io.valid_gis_names` function. By default, the function
+returns all column names, both required and optional.
+The following example returns valid GeoJSON column names for junctions.
 
 .. doctest::
     :skipif: gpd is None
@@ -218,8 +219,9 @@ The following example returns valid base GeoJSON column names for junctions.
     >>> print(geojson_column_names['junctions'])
     ['name', 'elevation', 'geometry', 'emitter_coefficient', 'initial_quality', 'minimum_pressure', 'required_pressure', 'pressure_exponent', 'tag']
 
-A minimal list of valid column names can also be obtained by setting ``complete_list`` to False.
-Column names that are optional (i.e., ``initial_quality``) and not included in the GeoJSON file are defined using default values.
+A minimal list of required column names can also be obtained by setting ``complete_list`` to False.
+Column names that are optional (i.e., ``initial_quality``) and not included in the GeoJSON file are 
+defined using default values.
 
 .. doctest::
     :skipif: gpd is None
@@ -253,7 +255,7 @@ Note that patterns, curves, sources, controls, and options are not stored in the
 
 The :class:`~wntr.network.io.read_geojson` function creates a WaterNetworkModel from a 
 dictionary of GeoJSON files.  
-Valid base column names and additional custom attributes are added to the model.
+Valid column names and additional custom attributes are added to the model.
 The function can also be used to append information from GeoJSON files into an existing WaterNetworkModel.
 
 .. doctest::
@@ -300,11 +302,12 @@ To use Esri Shapefiles in WNTR, several formatting requirements are enforced:
   assumed that the first 10 characters of each attribute are unique.  
 
 * To create WaterNetworkModel from Shapefiles, a set of valid field names are required.
-  Valid base Shapefiles field names can be obtained using the 
-  :class:`~wntr.network.io.valid_gis_names` function.
-  For Shapefiles, the `truncate` input parameter should be set to 10 (characters).
-  The following example returns valid base Shapefile field names for junctions.
-  Note that attributes like ``base_demand`` are truncated to ``base_deman``. 
+  Valid Shapefiles field names can be obtained using the 
+  :class:`~wntr.network.io.valid_gis_names` function. By default, the function
+  returns all column names, both required and optional.
+  For Shapefiles, the `truncate_names` input parameter should be set to 10 (characters).
+  The following example returns valid Shapefile field names for junctions.
+  Note that attributes like ``minimum_pressure`` are truncated to ``minimum_pr``. 
 
   .. doctest::
       :skipif: gpd is None
@@ -313,7 +316,7 @@ To use Esri Shapefiles in WNTR, several formatting requirements are enforced:
       >>> print(shapefile_field_names['junctions'])
       ['name', 'elevation', 'geometry', 'emitter_co', 'initial_qu', 'minimum_pr', 'required_p', 'pressure_e', 'tag']
 
-  A minimal list of valid field names can also be obtained by setting ``complete_list`` to False.
+  A minimal list of required field names can also be obtained by setting ``complete_list`` to False.
   Field names that are optional (i.e., ``initial_quality``) and not included in the Shapefile are defined using default values.
 
   .. doctest::
@@ -349,7 +352,7 @@ Note that patterns, curves, sources, controls, and options are not stored in the
 
 The :class:`~wntr.network.io.read_shapefile` function creates a WaterNetworkModel from a dictionary of
 Shapefile directories.
-Valid base field names and additional custom field names are added to the model.
+Valid field names and additional custom field names are added to the model.
 The function can also be used to append information from Shapefiles into an existing WaterNetworkModel.
 
 .. doctest::

wntr/gis/network.py

@@ -99,8 +99,11 @@ def _create_gis(self, wn, crs: str = None, pumps_as_points: bool = False,
             Represent valves as points (True) or lines (False), by default False
         """
 
-        def _extract_geodataframe(df, crs=None, valid_base_names=[], 
+        def _extract_geodataframe(df, crs=None, valid_base_names=None, 
                                   links_as_points=False):
+            if valid_base_names is None:
+                valid_base_names = []
+
             # Drop any column with all NaN, this removes excess attributes
             # Valid base attributes that have all None values are added back 
             # at the end of this routine

wntr/network/io.py

@@ -644,12 +644,13 @@ def valid_gis_names(complete_list=True, truncate_names=None):
     Valid column/field names for GeoJSON or Shapefiles
 
     Note that Shapefile field names are truncated to 10 characters 
-    (set truncate=10)
+    (set truncate_names=10)
 
     Parameters
     ----------
     complete_list : bool
-        Include a complete list of column/field names (beyond basic attributes)
+        When true, returns both optional and required column/field names.
+        When false, only returns required column/field names.
     truncate_names : None or int
         Truncate column/field names to specified number of characters, 
         set truncate=10 for Shapefiles.  None indicates no truncation.