def initialize(log_file, project_dir=None, debug=False):
print_splash()<EOL>log.setup_logging(log_file, print_log_location=False, debug=debug)<EOL>logger = log.get_logger('<STR_LIT>')<EOL>if project_dir is not None:<EOL><INDENT>make_dir(os.path.normpath(project_dir))<EOL>logger.info('<STR_LIT>'.format(project_dir))<EOL>logger.info('<STR_LIT>')<EOL><DEDENT>logger.info('<STR_LIT>'.format(log_file))<EOL>print('<STR_LIT>')<EOL>return logger<EOL>
Initializes an AbTools pipeline.

Initialization includes printing the AbTools splash, setting up logging,
creating the project directory, and logging both the project directory
and the log location.

Args:

    log_file (str): Path to the log file. Required.

    project_dir (str): Path to the project directory. If not provided,
        the project directory won't be created and the location won't be logged.

    debug (bool): If ``True``, the logging level will be set to ``logging.DEBUG``.
        Default is ``FALSE``, which logs at ``logging.INFO``.

Returns:

    logger