Using config xml files in batch job when $HOME is not accessible on ARCHER2 workers

[m_mineter@ed_ac_uk]

Hi
On ARCHER2 it would be useful to run the pre-alpha tests from a serial job queue rather than on the login node
However $HOME is not visible form the workers - its a characteristic of ARCHER2.

I'd like to keep the config_machines etc in .cime, rather than appended to the CIME's machines/*.xml as that makes amending them so easy

Is there a way to put the .cime/*.xml somewhere else than $HOME?

I see that Add ability to have CIME read an external-to-code site-specific configuration · Issue #3981 · ESMCI/cime indicates this has been implemented but not in the version I am running, CESM2.1.3
Is it a feature we could reasonably add ourselves merging from your implementation? If so how please?

Regards
Mike

 

[jedwards]

Since $HOME is not available on compute nodes you can set env variable HOME
to another directory with .cime as a subdirectory. To be safe you can link from $HOME/.cime to
the other directory which is available on the compute nodes. If you want to make a more robust change you
would need to change os.environ.get("HOME") in a few locations in the cime python.
lib/CIME/XML/batch.py, lib/CIME/XML/workflow.py, lib/CIME/XML/machines.py, lib/CIME/XML/compilers.py

 

[m_mineter@ed_ac_uk]

That was quick! Many thanks Jim

 

[m_mineter@ed_ac_uk]

I have a confession to make....
Quickstart for users - ARCHER2 User Documentation says we can see $HOME from the data analysis nodes.
Apologies
I thought I'd better note this for anyone browsing.
Mike