Saving/Generating Parameter Files

Thorn IOUtil can save a copy of the parameter file of a run, or can also automatically generate a parameter file from all current parameter settings. This is controlled by the IO::parfile_write parameter:

• IO::parfile_write="copy"
  This is the default option, and makes an exact replica of the input parameter file in the standard output directory (this is particularly useful when the output directory is going to be archived).

• IO::parfile_write="generate"
  Generate a new parameter file from runtime information, containing the Cactus version, the name of the original parameter file, the run time/date, the host to run on, and the number of processors - all on comment lines. Following this the parameter file contains the ActiveThorns list plus a sorted list of all active thorns' parameters which have been set in the original parameter file.

• IO::parfile_write="no"
  Switch off writing of a new parameter file.

The name of the new parameter file defaults to the original filename, unless the parameter IO::parfile_name is set. Note that an already existing file with the chosen name will be overwritten unless it is identical with the original parameter file, or if Cactus was recovered from a checkpoint (in which case you don't want to overwrite an existing parameter file with your recovery parameter file).