simfactory does not detect changes to stored option list

[Steven R. Brandt]

When you update the .ini and .cfg files you have to delete the config to get things to rebuild.

Keyword:

[Erik Schnetter]

The .cfg files are stored outside of Cactus. The intent is that a Cactus configuration is independent of these files and does not automatically pick up changes, so that one can keep Cactus configurations around for a long time without major changes, e.g. if finishing a long-running calculation.

If you want to make Cactus pick up the changes, you have to use the simfactory option "--optionlist=NAME.cfg". Similar for the .sub and .run files.

The .ini files are only part of simfactory, and changes to them take effect immediately.

[Ian Hinder]

I don't like this behaviour, though I understand the logic. Would it be possible for SimFactory to issue a warning to the user in the case that the optionlist has been modified and the old one is being used? For example:

WARNING: Optionlist <name> has been modified and is newer than the stored optionlist for configuration sim. Use --optionlist <name> in the build command to update the optionlist to the newer version.

[Ian Hinder]

...and for the submit and run scripts as well. The submit script in particular always catches me out.

[Erik Schnetter]

I don't like warnings. They are always a compromise, and in the heat of the moment people tend to not see them.

What about a new option --track-optionlist=... that would replace --optionlist=..., and which would track the corresponding option list? Internally, it would store a (symbolic link) to the option list instead of copying it.