Old LoadXXX (LoadEventPreNexus, LoadAscii) need "previous versions" documentation and/or deprecation

[mantid-builder]

This issue was originally TRAC 10865

Original Reporter: @FedeMPouzols

This ticket is blocks : TRAC10619

Checking old versions of LoadXXX (in http://trac.mantidproject.org/mantid/ticket/8175) this is what I found. For the following algorithm there is an older version that is still in use and documented:

• LoadMuonNexus (v1), see http://docs.mantidproject.org/nightly/algorithms/LoadMuonNexus-v2.html#previous-versions

Perfect, nothing to do there. But for the following two algorithms there is no "previous versions" documentation (or about why the older versions are still there):

• LoadAscii (there's v1 and v2 but no information about previous versions in v2's doc: http://docs.mantidproject.org/nightly/algorithms/LoadAscii-v2.html)
• LoadEventPreNexus (same as LoadAscii, see: http://docs.mantidproject.org/nightly/algorithms/LoadEventPreNexus-v2.html)

For these two, it should be documented why the older versions are still provided (or they should be deprecated if there's no reason any longer). At first glance, in both algorithms, it looks like the newer versions are just expanded versions of the old ones.

Try to find those who might know the history of versions and clarify what's the current status of these algorithms/versions.

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Keywords: Maintenance

[mantid-builder]

@NickDraper (2015-04-27T08:10:35):
Moved to R3.5 at the R3.4 code freeze

[NickDraper]

see #9020 as well

[NickDraper]

LoadMuonNexus is in current use
LoadAscii Version 1 used a rubbish format for 2D data, and can be discarded / removed
As to wether LoadPreEventNexus v1 can be removed we need to get an answer from @peterfpeterson or @stuartcampbell

[peterfpeterson]

I don't think LoadPreEventNexus v1 is used. v2 works everywhere that I have needed it to.

@stuartcampbell: do you use any of them?

[NickDraper]

Plan:
LoadMuonNexus: Add Previous Versions documentation -> actually this already exists in the V2 doc file
LoadAscii: Deprecate V1
LoadPreEventNexus: Deprecate V1