def createEquipment(equipmentData):
#check that equipmentData is valid
if not ("name" in equipmentData and type(equipmentData["name"]) == str
and len(equipmentData["name"]) > 0):
raise errors.BadRequestError(
"Equipment must have attribute 'name' (type=str and length>0)")
#construct the equipment
e = Equipment()
e.name = equipmentData["name"]
if "abbreviation" in equipmentData:
e.abbreviation = equipmentData["abbreviation"]
#create the equipment
EquipmentTable.put_item(Item=e.toDynamo())
return e
