This was discovered in discussion #1703. The Hovmoeller use case failed to run on Hera due to the current approach.

Currently the METPLOTPY_BASE environment variable is set in 2 use case config files.

s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_Hovmoeller.conf:
METPLOTPY_BASE = {METPLUS_BASE}/../METplotpy

s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_CrossSpectraPlot.conf:
METPLOTPY_BASE = {METPLUS_BASE}/METplotpy

This may not always be the location of the METplotpy install. Also, the information is inconsistent between the two. Apparently it is not actually used for the CrossSpectraPlot use case.

Describe the Problem

Come up with a better way to set this environment variable on install so that it is consistent for all use cases.

• Remove setting of env var from individual use case config files
• For the automated tests, this could be set via [user_env_vars] in the .github/parm/test_settings.conf file so it is used for all use cases:

[user_env_vars]
METPLOTPY_BASE = {METPLUS_BASE}/../METplotpy

• Consider adding the [user_env_vars] section and the variable commented out in the parm/metplus_config/defaults.conf file with instructions to uncomment and set to the appropriate location upon install
• On Hera, the environment variable is set in the module load script for METplotpy, so it doesn't need to be set in METplus defaults.conf. This would allow users to easily load a different METplotpy module and METplus would use that version. Variables set in [user_env_vars] take precedence over environment variables set in the user's environment.

Expected Behavior

Use cases will run properly regardless of location, i.e. Hera

Environment

Describe your runtime environment:
1. Machine: Hera

To Reproduce

Describe the steps to reproduce the behavior:
1. Log into Hera
2. Run the module load commands to obtain METplus, METplotpy, METcalcpy, and METdatadb (METdataio)
3. Run the Hovmoeller use case and confirm it fails

Note: I commented out setting METPLOTPY_BASE in the use case config file for METplus-4.1.0 so other users could run the use case. To test the original behavior, copy the conf file, uncomment the variable, and run the use case.

Relevant Deadlines

5.0.0 and 4.1.3

Funding Source

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Define Related Issue(s)

Consider the impact to the other METplus components.

• METplus, MET, METdatadb, METviewer, METexpress, METcalcpy, METplotpy

Bugfix Checklist

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