WIP: runtime browser

[mvds00]

Description of the Change

This PR implements a new, simple way of interacting with bittensor runtime data. It was pushed 8 months ago but got some renewed attention recently and is now discussed in CoR channel btcli-btsdk. An async version was added.

The core ideas are that:

• you should need only one line to get a particular value from the runtime
• you only need the name of the storage item
• ideally, accessing data from the runtime looks like accessing a local object property
• you should be able to specify the block number in that one line
• the code should rely on on-chain metadata so that it is always up to date and backward compatible
• error messages should be self explanatory and use metadata to give useful hints
• __repr__() should be helpful as well
• we should be welcoming new developers, and make life easy for them; more sophisticated/reliable/faster/better methods of accessing the same data may exist, but there should be a straightforward way that requires no explanation

The PR contains ample examples, but here are a few that highlight how the points above are met, in a python -i instance:

>>> import bittensor
>>> ck = bittensor.runtime.SubtensorModule.SubnetOwner[29]
>>> ck
'5HHHHHzgLnYRvnKkHd45cRUDMHXTSwx7MjUzxBrKbY4JfZWn'
>>> bittensor.runtime.System.Account[ck]['data']['free']
205451
>>> bittensor.runtime.SubtensorModule.TotalHotkeyAlpha(ck,29)
2235109938216
>>> bittensor.runtime.SubtensorModule.TotalHotkeyAlpha(ck,29,block=6000000)
1336928150710

Alternate Designs

No alternate designs were considered, as it can't get any simpler than this.

Possible Drawbacks

More code to maintain. The magic code mapping the metadata to magical objects isn't easy to digest.

Verification Process

N/A, this is just a first request for feedback.

Release Notes

Improved interface to allow python access to subtensor runtime variables.

Branch Acknowledgement

[ ] I am acknowledging that I am opening this branch against staging Branch is built on top of branch SDKv10

[thewhaleking]

I really like the way JS does it where they use api.at(blockNumber), as the pallets/calls/etc. are all going to change depending on the particular runtime at that block. May be worth considering adding these to the Runtime object in async-substrate-interface: https://github.com/opentensor/async-substrate-interface/blob/d731dd55435f7588fc677458e428b7170caf97dc/async_substrate_interface/types.py#L103

[basfroman]

Hey @mvds00 feels like it's time to update your PR. Pls locate your implementation in bittensor.extras directory. This directory is specifically designed to house all Bittensor logic extensions. I think your logic is perfectly suited for this.
Also, pls pay attention to Ben's comment.

[mvds00]

I will look into it and update the PR. In the meantime the code evolved a bit further, as I have used it in various personal projects.

[basfroman]

I will look into it and update the PR. In the meantime the code evolved a bit further, as I have used it in various personal projects.

It's great that the code is already working. That means it's improved. You can close this PR and open a new one. Just please take into account all the comments above in this PR.