Cylc-flow: Name of global config file?

[hjoliver]

Ref: https://github.com/cylc/cylc-flow/issues/3150#issuecomment-493898123

Ping @oliver-sanders

[hjoliver]

As flow is the name of a cylc module it doesn't quite make sense e.g:

I had imagined that each distinct component will have its own config file now. In which case, flow.rc seemed appropriate for cylc-flow global config and (future) workflow definition file (formerly known as suite.rc).

We could combine them all into one, but that might create problems or confusion if not all components are used?

[kinow]

Maybe keep it as global.rc? Residing within a directory of cylc-flow like ~/etc/cylc/flow/8.0.0/global.rc?

[matthewrmshin]

Global should be flow. rc whereas suite should be cylc-flow.rc. Reason being that global always lives under a directory in the cylc/flow namespace whereas a suite file can live anywhere.

[hjoliver]

Maybe keep it as global.rc?

We are planning (I think) to unify global.rc and suite.rc - because both of these are concerned with configuring the workflow engine (current global.rc includes a few unnecessary extras)... and global.rc essentially gives default values that apply to all suites.

So, once unified, global.rc doesn't make sense as a workflow definition config file.

[hjoliver]

Reason being that global always lives under a directory in the cylc/flow namespace whereas a suite file can live anywhere.

Not sure I understand this - what if global config is under /etc. We weren't considering (so far) actually keeping the config file in the library, just a package resource that specifies the prefix for the config file location.

[hjoliver]

So I think either flow.rc or cylc-flow.rc would be fine for both global and specific workflow config. It is just the location that determines its use.

[matthewrmshin]

Another suggestion is to call global config like Git.

[hjoliver]

I kind of like have the filename make the purpose obvious (config is maximally generic) especially if the user gets to choose the location. (We can't guarantee that it will end up under /etc/cylc/cylc-flow/...)

[oliver-sanders]

I kind of like have the filename make the purpose obvious (config is maximally generic)

:+1:

If we do go for a configuration tree structure something like:

• <configuration_root_dir>
  
  
  
  • \cylc
  
  
  • \flow
    
    
    
    
    
    • \8.0.0
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      • flow.rc
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
    • \8.0.1
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      • flow.rc
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
  
  
  • \ui-server
    
    
    
    
    
    • \1.0.0
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      • ui-server.rc
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
  
  
  • /hub
    
    
    
    
    
    • \1.0.0
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      • hub.rc
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
  
  

It would be quite annoying that the configuration files are called something different in each case. Something generic like config.rc which makes it's purpose clear and permits consistency would be preferable.

[hjoliver]

@oliver-sanders your :+1: seems inconsistent with the subsequent verbiage :grin: (maybe you thought I was arguing for a generic filename?)

[sadielbartholomew]

I kind of like have the filename make the purpose obvious (config is maximally generic)

I do (also?) agree a specific name is better, & like the idea of naming equivalent config after the relevant repo e.g. flow, ui-server & hub (.rc), etc.

[oliver-sanders]

Closing as superseded by https://github.com/cylc/cylc-flow/issues/3689