HPC/Module naming scheme 2016

Configuration files used

You have files: .bashrc and …		Remark	CentOS-5 uses		CentOS-6 uses
			module names	files	module names	files
–	–	Starting situation.	old	.bashrc only	new	.bashrc only
–	.modules-el6	Switch over, recommended.	new	.modules-el6 and .bashrc		.modules-el6 and .bashrc
.modules-el5	–	Avoid! – file ignored on EL6.	old	.modules-el5 and .bashrc		.bashrc only
.modules-el5	.modules-el6	For advanced users.	old	.modules-el5 and .bashrc		.modules-el6 and .bashrc

Configuration steps

New-style modules only (recommended)

To switch over to new hierarchical module names on both CentOS releases you could continue making all your module choices in ~/.bashrc and simply signal on the older platform to use the new module style by creating an empty new-style customization file: touch ~/.modules-el6 .

However, it's perhaps cleaner to move the module selection into their dedicated files:

1. Move your previous module selections inro a conspicuously named but otherwise unused file, e.g., .modules-el5.inactive.
2. Duplicate the file and adapt its contents to new module names, as follows:
   • Remove version numbers from module names of the old-style packagename/version, leaving only packagename. This is the recommended approach, as you will automatically benefit from future updates.
   • To insist on a specific version for a package affected by the new-style names, use the form packagename/compilername/version or packagename/mpiname/compilername/version as appropriate. To see available flavors and versions, separately run the command module avail packagename.
3. Remove all previous module customizations from ~/.bashrc.
4. Test.

cd      # Go to home directory
grep -A 1  module .bashrc > .modules-el5.inactive
cp .modules-el5.inactive .modules-el6

vi .modules-el6    # adapt module names, clean up errant lines
vi .bashrc         # remove all lines with "module" commands

# Test
exec bash -l
module list

CentOS-dependent module selection

If you encounter difficulties with making your module selection work in both CentOS-5 and CentOS-6, use separate configurations.

1. Follow the steps as above.
2. Re-activate the older module selection.
3. Test.

cd      # Go to home directory
mv .modules-el5.inactive .modules-el5

# Test
exec bash -l
module list