Fix output_root

data/example_bmi_multi_realization_config_w_noah_pet_cfe.json

@@ -105,5 +105,6 @@
         "start_time": "2015-12-01 00:00:00",
         "end_time": "2015-12-30 23:00:00",
         "output_interval": 3600
-    }
+    },
+    "output_root": "./output_dir/"
 }

data/example_realization_config.json

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
         "end_time": "2015-12-30 23:00:00",
         "output_interval": 3600
     },
+    "output_root": "./output_dir/",
     "catchments": {
         "cat-27": {
           "formulations": [

include/realizations/catchment/Formulation_Manager.hpp

@@ -9,7 +9,11 @@
 #include <functional>
 #include <dirent.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <cerrno>
 #include <regex>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <string>
 
 #include <boost/property_tree/ptree.hpp>
 #include <boost/property_tree/json_parser.hpp>
@@ -271,7 +275,9 @@ namespace realization {
             }
 
             /**
-             * @brief Get the formatted output root
+             * @brief Get the formatted output root: check the existence of the output_root directory defined
+             * in realization. If true, return the directory name. Otherwise, try to create the directory
+             * or throw an error on failure.
              *
              * @code{.cpp}
              * // Example config:
@@ -285,16 +291,32 @@ namespace realization {
              * 
              * @return std::string of the output root directory
              */
-            std::string get_output_root() const noexcept {
+            std::string get_output_root() const {
                 const auto output_root = this->tree.get_optional<std::string>("output_root");
                 if (output_root != boost::none && *output_root != "") {
                     // Check if the path ends with a trailing slash,
                     // otherwise add it.
-                    return output_root->back() == '/'
+                    std::string str = output_root->back() == '/'
                            ? *output_root
                            : *output_root + "/";
-                }
 
+                    const char* dir = str.c_str();
+
+                    //use C++ system function to check if there is a dir match that defined in realization
+                    struct stat sb;
+                    if (stat(dir, &sb) == 0 && S_ISDIR(sb.st_mode)) {
+                        return str;
+                    } else {
+                        errno = 0;
+                        int result = mkdir(dir, 0755);      
+                        if (result == 0)
+                            return str;
+                        else
+                            throw std::runtime_error("failed to create directory '" + str + "': " + std::strerror(errno));
+                    }
+                }
+
+                //for case where there is no output_root in the realization file
                 return "./";
             }
 

test/realizations/Formulation_Manager_Test.cpp

@@ -179,7 +179,6 @@ class Formulation_Manager_Test : public ::testing::Test {
 const double EPSILON = 0.0000001;
 
 const std::string EXAMPLE_1 = "{ "
-    "\"output_root\": \"/tmp/output-dir/\","
     "\"global\": { "
       "\"formulations\": [ "
         "{"
@@ -264,6 +263,7 @@ const std::string EXAMPLE_1 = "{ "
     "} "
 "}";
 const std::string EXAMPLE_2 = "{ "
+    "\"output_root\": \"./output_dir/\","
     "\"global\": { "
       "\"formulations\": [ "
             "{"
@@ -719,7 +719,7 @@ TEST_F(Formulation_Manager_Test, basic_reading_1) {
 
     ASSERT_TRUE(manager.contains("cat-52"));
     ASSERT_TRUE(manager.contains("cat-67"));
-    ASSERT_EQ(manager.get_output_root(), "/tmp/output-dir/");
+    ASSERT_EQ(manager.get_output_root(), "./");
 }
 
 TEST_F(Formulation_Manager_Test, basic_reading_2) {
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ TEST_F(Formulation_Manager_Test, basic_reading_2) {
 
     ASSERT_TRUE(manager.contains("cat-52"));
     ASSERT_TRUE(manager.contains("cat-67"));
-    ASSERT_EQ(manager.get_output_root(), "./");
+    ASSERT_EQ(manager.get_output_root(), "./output_dir/");
 }
 
 TEST_F(Formulation_Manager_Test, basic_run_1) {