Enhance Multivariate MODE to change the default merge_flag setting to NONE

[davidalbo]

Describe the Enhancement

Change the merge_flag default to NONE, and allow it to not be set for MvMode fields. If not set right now the code uses a default merge_flag=THRESH and merge_thresh = ">=1.25". MvMode is now implemented so that the user MUST set all the merge_flag (and merge_thresh) values explicitly.

Time Estimate

1 day

Sub-Issues

Consider breaking the enhancement down into sub-issues.

• See if changing for both mvmode and single var mode causes problems for single var mode.

Relevant Deadlines

November 7 2023 (beta 2)

Funding Source

2702691

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[davidalbo]

Looks like mode always reads the MODEConfig_default, not the MODEMultivarConfig_default. These default files are similar but not quite the same. The latter does already have default merge_flag=NONE.

mode needs to read an actual config to be able to detect whether it's multivar or not, so on startup it does not know which of these is the default file to read.
One option would be to change the MODEConfig_defauilt so that merge_flag=NONE is the default, which might impact single var mode.
Another option is to read the config as is now to determine if it's multivar or not, then read again using MODEMultivarConfig_default if it was determined it's a multivar case.

[davidalbo]

@hertneky @JohnHalleyGotway

I did change the code so that it uses MODEMultivarConfig_default, once it determines the user config has multivar content by doing a 'double read'. If the user config does not have multivar content, MODEConfig_default is used. The former file has merge_flag=NONE as the default, so now if the user does not specify merge_flag for a field, that field will get merge_flag=NONE (unless the user puts something else into the 'parent' part of the config, 'parent' being outside of the individual input fields).

I also added debug printing (level 2) for the case where a field does not have merge_flag/merge_thresh set, and it is defaulting to the parent values, to show what the merge_flag/merge_thresh values that field is using. Just to make sure the user is getting what they want.

I also added some code to disallow certain combinations and error exit:

1. individual fields with merge_flag specified, but without merge_thresh specified. This is to prevent merge_thresh to come from the parent, which probably would be an error.
2. individual fields with merge_thresh specified, but without merge_flag. Same idea, to prevent merge_flag to come from the parent, which probably would be an error.

Possible tests to try:

1. create a config with a field that does not specify merge_flag/merge_thresh and make sure it defaults to NONE.
2. create a config with a field that has merge_flag but no merge_thresh and observe the error exit.
3. create a config with a field that has merge_thresh but no merge_flag and observe the error exit.

[davidalbo]

The use of the MODEMultivarConfig_default file caused a value to change when Metplus tests were run, it was multivar_name = "ALPHA_BETA_GAMMA". Previously this name was not set so reverted to the default name "Super". Changed the MODEMultivarConfig_default to have multivar_name = "Super".

Another bugfix was put into this branch, found by @hertneky, in which the default output directory was never set for multivar mode, causing the output directory to be the empty string, which caused an error exit. The fix was to set the default output directory to ".", consistent with single var mode.