How can I include Igor Pro docu in AI instructions?
Hello,
when writing instructions for AI how to treat Igor Pro code I ran into the issue that the AI treats some basic aspects of the Igor Pro programming language incorrectly.
Now typically the AI (like github copilot) would like to have the instructions in the local workspace of the repository and does not read from external source like https://docs.wavemetrics.com .
The Igor Pro language is already documented in the Igor Pro manual. The Igor Pro 9 PDF manual is available at https://www.wavemetrics.net/doc/IgorMan.pdf and can be converted to markdown. However, since it is from Wavemetrics I can not check it in locally in the repository for e.g. copilot. On the other hand it obviously makes no sense to rewrite the Igor Pro language documentation.
What is the way that Wavemetrics officially supports that allows me to add the documentation for Igor Pro to my AI instructions?
Best regards,
Michael Huth
Currently we don't have anything to offer you other than docs.wavemetrics.com. While it's not particularly efficient for AI to read documentation from a remote site, I'm not sure why you say it "does not read" that documentation--in my experience it will do so if requested.
See issue #8261 in our repo. for future plans.
June 25, 2026 at 08:05 am - Permalink
I've told the AI to read the IHF files in the Igor folders before. I just told it that even though they are binary files, they should be readable by the AI.
-Kris
June 25, 2026 at 10:51 am - Permalink
I've also told it that Igor code is different than other scripting languages, so it needs to be careful. "Don't assume and always use ground truth for Igor syntax. Reference the IHF help files and the procedures shipped in the Igor Pro Folder at C:\Program Files\WaveMetrics\Igor Pro 10 Folder."
June 25, 2026 at 10:54 am - Permalink
Hmm all I can say is that I asked copilot if it includes content referenced from external web sites in its instructions and it answered that it does not and reads it as plain text. Though, this might be different with other solution or depend on the plan?!?
@kris: Interesting that IHF files work. Though, I can not check these in for public repos to help copilot understand Igor Pro better and thus, give better results in automated code reviews. Where it stumbles always is f.e. multiple-return-syntax, case-insensitivity and redeclaration of waves/data folder with the same name. I have seen also that sometimes flags for operations are hallucinated that do not exist.
June 25, 2026 at 11:24 am - Permalink
I worked with Claude to create Igor skills:
https://github.com/jilavsky/igorpro-skills
It used Igor manual and on line documentation Wavemetrics has today, seemed to read the whole web site and then suggested these skills. I have been occasionally adding new notes when Claude clearly misses something.
If you create anything better, please, let us know.
June 25, 2026 at 12:32 pm - Permalink
@aclight: Copilot is quite picky about how it wants its information. Would it be okay to checkin the IP9 PDF manual, or a converted markdown, version into a public repo?
June 25, 2026 at 01:50 pm - Permalink