DEP: rename io.votable.tree.Table to TableElement

[bsipocz]

To fix #15358

Needs feedback from downstream users, too, though maybe there aren't many direct usage of the class (a quick look brought up only one in pyvo, elsewhere it may be even fewer)

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[pllim]

Maybe send a memo out to astropy-dev ? I can imagine a lot of VO server code is not public and even if this is used, we won't know. 🤞

Thanks!

[tomdonaldson]

Thanks, @bsipocz. From a technical perspective, this seems straightforward and complete.

It is unlikely this class has external usage, but if it does the deprecation will give an opportunity to switch. Notice was also sent on the appropriate IVOA e-mail list: http://mail.ivoa.net/pipermail/apps/2023-September/001608.html

[pllim]

Doesn't this affect the following?

• Implementation read/write of VOTable with Parquet serialization  #15281
• Feature MIVOT (Model Instance in VOTable) #15390

Should this go in first, then the other two after they adapt?

[bsipocz]

I don't expect direct clash with the parquet PR, but still would like to have that go in first as it does some weird stuff in the tests to avoid the nameclash that this PR addresses (e.g. it does from astropy.table import Table as Table2). So once that one is in, I can rebase and extend this.
I haven't followed the MIVOT one closely, if it's close to being merged, then that should also go in before this, as fixing stuff here would be much easier than in that big one.

[pllim]

parquet PR is merged so now there is conflict. Please rebase again. Thanks!

[pllim]

Do @tomdonaldson or @andamian want to do one more pass of reviews?

[andamian]

Looks good. Thanks!

[tomdonaldson]

This still LGTM after the rebase.

[pllim]

Thanks, all!