# Creating run metadata

Mark a period of interest, such as a test or a flight, as a [run](https://dev.nominal.io/platform/data-model.md#data-model-runs), so you can find it and compare it with others later.

## In code

**Python**

```python
from datetime import datetime, timezone
from nominal.core import NominalClient

client = NominalClient.from_profile("default")
asset = client.get_asset("<ri.scout.instance.asset.identifier>")
run = asset.create_run(
    "Test 1",
    start=datetime(2026, 1, 1, 14, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
    end=datetime(2026, 1, 1, 14, 30, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
)
```

**MATLAB**

```matlab
client = nominal.Client.fromProfile();
t0 = datetime("2026-01-01 14:00:00", TimeZone="UTC");
t1 = datetime("2026-01-01 14:30:00", TimeZone="UTC");

r = client.getOrCreateAsset("UUT1").run("Test 1", t0).finish(t1);  % a run starts on an asset
```

**LabVIEW**

![LabVIEW example that creates a run, sets its description, labels, and properties, then ends it 5 seconds after it starts](https://dev.nominal.io/quickstart/_images/labview-quick-run.jpg)

**Rust**

```rust
use nominal::core::RunCreate;

let client = nominal::NominalClient::from_profile("default")?;
let start: chrono::DateTime<chrono::Utc> = "2026-01-01T14:00:00Z".parse()?;
let end: chrono::DateTime<chrono::Utc> = "2026-01-01T14:30:00Z".parse()?;
let run = client.runs()
    .create(RunCreate::new("Test 1", start).end(end).assets(["<ri.scout.instance.asset.identifier>"]))
    .await?;
```

**Go**

```go
import (
	"github.com/nominal-io/nominal-api-go/io/nominal/scout"
	scoutrids "github.com/nominal-io/nominal-api-go/scout/rids/api"
	runapi "github.com/nominal-io/nominal-api-go/scout/run/api"
	"github.com/palantir/pkg/rid"
)

// httpClient is a conjure-go-runtime httpclient.Client for your Nominal REST API URL,
// and token is your API key as a bearertoken.Token
assetRid, _ := rid.ParseRID("<ri.scout.instance.asset.identifier>")
run, _ := scout.NewRunServiceClient(httpClient).CreateRun(ctx, token, runapi.CreateRunRequest{
	Title:     "Test 1",
	StartTime: runapi.UtcTimestamp{SecondsSinceEpoch: 1767276000},  // 2026-01-01T14:00:00Z
	EndTime:   &runapi.UtcTimestamp{SecondsSinceEpoch: 1767277800}, // 2026-01-01T14:30:00Z
	Assets:    []scoutrids.AssetRid{scoutrids.AssetRid(assetRid)},  // optional
})
```

## In the Nominal app

1. On the asset’s page, click the arrow beside **NEW WORKBOOK** in the top right and choose **New run**. You can also create a run by selecting the Runs tab and pressing **NEW RUN**.
2. Give the run a title, and set its **Start** to when the test began. Leave **End** empty while the test is running. If the test is already over, set **End** too, or, if the asset’s files cover the test, click **Add files** under **Determine bounds with files** and pick the files to set both from them.
3. Add [labels](https://dev.nominal.io/platform/reference/glossary.md#label "A short piece of text for grouping, searching, and filtering assets, runs, data sources, and events, such as prototype or night-flight.") and properties for the test, such as the procedure or its revision, and click **CREATE RUN**.
   ![The new run sheet, with Start set, End empty, a label, and a capture_id property](https://dev.nominal.io/quickstart/_images/new-run-sheet.png)
4. If you left **End** empty, set it under **Details** on the run’s page once the test is over and its data is in.
   ![A run's Details, with Start and End set, the Duration between them, a label, and a capture_id property](https://dev.nominal.io/quickstart/_images/run-details-end.png)

## Straight from a dataset

A run can also point straight at a dataset, with no asset of your own. Nominal creates a hidden asset to hold the link.

### In code

**Python**

```python
from datetime import datetime, timezone
from nominal.core import NominalClient

client = NominalClient.from_profile("default")
dataset = client.get_dataset("<ri.catalog.instance.dataset.identifier>")

run = client.create_run(
    "Test 1",
    start=datetime(2026, 1, 1, 14, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
    end=datetime(2026, 1, 1, 14, 30, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
)
run.add_dataset("default", dataset)
```

**Rust**

```rust
use nominal::core::RunCreate;

let client = nominal::NominalClient::from_profile("default")?;
let start: chrono::DateTime<chrono::Utc> = "2026-01-01T14:00:00Z".parse()?;
let end: chrono::DateTime<chrono::Utc> = "2026-01-01T14:30:00Z".parse()?;
let run = client.runs().create(RunCreate::new("Test 1", start).end(end)).await?;
client.runs().add_dataset(run.rid(), "default", "<ri.catalog.instance.dataset.identifier>").await?;
```

### In the Nominal app

1. On the dataset’s page, click the arrow beside **CREATE ASSET** and choose **New run**.

   ![The dataset page's CREATE ASSET menu, with New run](https://dev.nominal.io/quickstart/_images/dataset-new-run.png)
2. Enter a **Title** and set the **Time range** to cover your data.
3. Under **Data sources**, click **Edit** beside the dataset, enter a **Ref name**, such as `default`, and click **SAVE**. The run can’t be created until its data source has a ref name.
4. Click **CREATE RUN**.