autora.experiment_runner.firebase_prolific.firebase_runner ignores time_out arg

[LJKS]

%%%%%Description%%%%%:

The firebase_runner implements a time_out arg in documentation and comments in the code-base, but does not actually use this arg. This results in misleading behaviour for users, and causes issues with users dropping ongoing experiments.

The firebase_runner has the following kwargs (documentation copied from implementation @firebase_prolific/init.py):

firebase_credentials: a dict with firebase service account credentials
time_out: time out to reset a condition that was started but not finished
sleep_time: the time between checks and updates of the firebase database

The call is forwarded to _firebase_run (@firebase_prolific/init.py, line 21). This in turn forwards the time_out arg to autora.experiment_runner.experimentation_manager.firebase.check_firebase_status.

This in turn accepts time_out in its args (as an Optional)

        collection_name: name of the collection as given in firebase
        firebase_credentials: credentials for firebase
        time_out: time out for participants that started the condition
            but didn't finish (after this time spots are freed)
        pids_aborted: a list of personal ids that aborted the experiment (free the places)

The arg is subsequently completely ignored in the respective function implementation though.

%%%%%Build information%%%%%

[autora packages only, all packages are on the latest version available on pypl]
autora-core 5.0.3
autora-experiment-runner-experimentation-manager-firebase 1.1.5
autora-experiment-runner-firebase-prolific 1.0.1
autora-experiment-runner-recruitment-manager-prolific 1.0.1

%%%%%Proposed fix%%%%%
Solving this issue should be as simple as adjusting line 371 (in check_firebase_status):
from:
if is_aborted:
to:
if is_aborted or (time_out is not None and time_from_started > time_out):

Confidence in this fix is low, as I have little to no experience with firebase myself. The fix is implemented in my current experiment, I will try and update here regarding its success.