docs: def _pack_prms():
      """if you introduce new 'save-able' parameter dictionaries, then you have
      to include them here"""
  
      config_dict = {
          "Paths": prms.Paths.to_dict(),
          "FileNames": prms.FileNames.to_dict(),
          "Db": prms.Db.to_dict(),
          "DbCols": prms.DbCols.to_dict(),
          "DataSet": prms.DataSet.to_dict(),
          "Reader": prms.Reader.to_dict(),
          "Instruments": prms.Instruments.to_dict(),
          # "excel_db_cols": prms.excel_db_cols.to_dict(),
          # "excel_db_filename_cols": prms.excel_db_filename_cols.to_dict(),
          "Batch": prms.Batch.to_dict(),
      }
      return config_dict