Feature 628 diff index

[georgemccabe]

Pull Request Testing

• Describe testing already performed for these changes:
  
  Ran the METplus use case on kiowa. It ran successfully.

• Recommend testing for the reviewer to perform, including the location of input datasets:
  
  Reviewers should run UserScript_fcstGEFS_Difficulty_Index.conf and make sure it runs successfully for them.
  Reviewers should also skim the documentation and make sure nothing is obviously wrong.

• Will this PR result in changes to the test suite? [Yes or No]
  
  If yes, describe the new output and/or changes to the existing output:
  
  Unknown

• After merging, should the reviewer DELETE the feature branch from GitHub? [Yes or No]
  
  Yes

Pull Request Checklist

See the METplus Workflow for details.

• Complete the PR definition above.
• Ensure the PR title matches the feature or bugfix branch name.
• Define the PR metadata, as permissions allow.
  Select: Reviewer(s), Project(s), and Milestone
• After submitting the PR, select Linked Issues with the original issue number.

[lindsayrblank]

@bikegeek George and I need someone who hasn't developed this code to review it, which is why I assigned you. Let me know if you have any questions.

[lindsayrblank]

It all worked for me, but I made a lot of changes so someone else needs to review it.

[georgemccabe]

@lindsayrblank the use case is now failing because the run time was changed and it no longer matches the data that was put on the DTC web server. The previous run time was 2020121100 and it is now set to 2020120812. Why was this time changed? If it was by mistake, we can change it back in the .conf file and the test should succeed again.

[bikegeek]

1. Typo in the Scientific Objective section, last sentence:
   The challenge is combing these factors into a continuous function that allows the user to assess relative risk.

Replace combing with combining

2. Under the Datasets section, what are the hash tags in the following supposed to represent?

Variables required to calculate the difficulty index: Levels required: 10-m #. v- component of wind #. u- component of wind #. Windspeed #. Latitude #. Longitude

3. Running master_metplus.py, I had to set the PYTHONPATH to include the path to METcalcpy, but there aren't instructions for how to set this in the documentation. Likewise for METplotpy.

4. Running master_metplus.py I see in the log file that there is a module not found error for 'matplotlib'. I didn't see any instructions in the documentation for installing the matplotlib library

[georgemccabe]

I am addressing some of these comments inline:

1. Typo in the Scientific Objective section, last sentence:
   _The challenge is combing these factors into a continuous function that allows the user to assess relative risk._

Replace combing with combining

This change makes sense to me.

1. Under the Datasets section, what are the hash tags in the following supposed to represent?

Variables required to calculate the difficulty index: Levels required: 10-m #. v- component of wind #. u- component of wind #. Windspeed #. Latitude #. Longitude

My guess is the hash tags are meant to create a numbered list. This is RST syntax. However, I have had issues in the past getting this to work in other situations. If the hash tags do not render as numbers when building the docs, I would suggest just changing these to the actual numbers since this list is unlikely to change often (if ever).

1. Running master_metplus.py, I had to set the PYTHONPATH to include the path to METcalcpy, but there aren't instructions for how to set this in the documentation.  Likewise for METplotpy.

2. Running master_metplus.py I see in the log file that there is a module not found error for 'matplotlib'.  I didn't see any instructions in the documentation for installing the matplotlib library

For the last 2 items, I noticed that very few use case documentation files contain information about additional external dependencies. We should create a GitHub issue to review all of the use cases that require additional python packages used for python embedding scripts and add an "External Dependencies" section to the docs that describe what is needed to run. We should also make sure the python embedding scripts are added to the use case doc with a literalinclude. The use cases that I see have an "External Dependencies" section already are:

• model_applications/precipitation/GridStat_fcstHREFmean_obsStgIV_Gempak.py
• met_tool_wrapper/GempakToCF/GempakToCF.py
• /met_tool_wrapper/PCPCombine/PCPCombine_python_embedding.py

so there are many that need to be updated.

In terms of instructions to install the packages or adding to the PYTHONPATH to make the packages found, in my opinion our responsibility is to list the packages that are needed and it is up to the user to obtain and install them. Most of the packages have documentation that describes how to install them with pip or conda. Are there installation instructions for METplotpy and METcalcpy? If not, that would be helpful to users.

[georgemccabe]

I created a new GitHub issue to add all extra Python dependencies to use case docs: #767

[lindsayrblank]

@lindsayrblank the use case is now failing because the run time was changed and it no longer matches the data that was put on the DTC web server. The previous run time was 2020121100 and it is now set to 2020120812. Why was this time changed? If it was by mistake, we can change it back in the .conf file and the test should succeed again.

Hi George, I had miscalculated the initialization date when naming the input file. I realized this when writing the documentation. I forgot to apply the local filename change to the tarball.

[lindsayrblank]

1. Typo in the Scientific Objective section, last sentence:
   The challenge is combing these factors into a continuous function that allows the user to assess relative risk.

Replace combing with combining

1. Under the Datasets section, what are the hash tags in the following supposed to represent?

Variables required to calculate the difficulty index: Levels required: 10-m #. v- component of wind #. u- component of wind #. Windspeed #. Latitude #. Longitude

Thank you for your review, Minna. I have fixed the typo you found and hopefully the numbered list builds correctly. I have used it in other use case documentation in the past, so it should theoretically work.

[georgemccabe]

Once the input data is updated, the conf file is updated to use the correct time, and all of the tests pass, we can merge these changes.

[lindsayrblank]

Once the input data is updated, the conf file is updated to use the correct time, and all of the tests pass, we can merge these changes.

I updated the input data and the conf file. It looks like the tests run after I made those changes have passed. I think we're good!