# Brian2tools 0.3 ­­– highlight: importing/exporting model descriptions

**URL:** <https://brian.discourse.group/t/brian2tools-0-3-highlight-importing-exporting-model-descriptions/425>\
**Category:** Announcements\
**Tags:** release, brian2tools\
**Created:** [16 July 2021 10:12 UTC](https://brian.discourse.group/t/brian2tools-0-3-highlight-importing-exporting-model-descriptions/425 "2021-07-16T10:12:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mstimberg](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/brian.discourse.group/mstimberg/32/11_2.png) [@mstimberg](https://brian.discourse.group/u/mstimberg)\
**Post date:** [16 July 2021 10:12 UTC](https://brian.discourse.group/t/brian2tools-0-3-highlight-importing-exporting-model-descriptions/425/1 "2021-07-16T10:12:55Z")

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We are very happy to announce a new release of **brian2tools** , a selection of useful tools around the Brian simulator. This is a “big release” 🚀 that has several new features that have been developed over the last years but never officially released until now. In particular:

- the ability to [import neuronal morphologies from NeuroML descriptions](https://brian2tools.readthedocs.io/en/0.3/user/nmlimport.html), including information about channel types, channel densities, and general biophysical properties. This feature has been developed by Kapil Kumar ([@kapilkd13](https://github.com/kapilkd13)) as part of the [Google Summer of Code](https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/) 2018.
- a new general framework for exporting neuronal models (including to NeuroML). As a demonstration of this framework, it is now possible to export a Brian model description as [human-readable markdown](https://brian2tools.readthedocs.io/en/0.3/user/mdexporter.html). This feature has been developed by @Vigneswaran as part of 2020’s Google Summer of Code.
- improved support for [plotting morphologies](https://brian2tools.readthedocs.io/en/0.3/user/plotting.html). It is now possible to plot a morphology and color code a value that varies across the neuron (e.g. the membrane potential) on top of it. Thanks to [@mqcapelle](https://github.com/mqcapelle) for contributing this feature.

For more information, have a look at the [documentation](https://brian2tools.readthedocs.io/). The `brian2tools` package can be [installed](https://brian2tools.readthedocs.io/en/stable/user/installation.html) via `pip` or `conda`, i.e. use either of the two following commands:

```auto
$ pip install brian2tools # installation with pip
$ conda install -c brian-team brian2tools # installation with conda

```

To get an idea of what markdown export of model descriptions look like, see the reposity showcasing the Brian examples: [Brian2-examples-markdown-descriptions/brian\_examples at master · Vigneswaran-Chandrasekaran/Brian2-examples-markdown-descriptions · GitHub](https://github.com/Vigneswaran-Chandrasekaran/Brian2-examples-markdown-descriptions/tree/master/brian_examples) I’m also sure @Vigneswaran will be happy to answer questions about this feature 😊