From 6022837c635d7d9cf258fec9ddd1af21401c34d0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Jürgen Knödlseder <jurgen.knodlseder@irap.omp.eu>
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2018 12:22:33 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Transparently update parameter files (#2513)

---
 ChangeLog                                |  3 ++-
 NEWS                                     |  7 ++++++-
 doc/source/admin/release_history/1.6.rst |  3 +++
 doc/source/help/faq.rst                  | 18 ------------------
 src/ctools-setup.in                      | 13 -------------
 src/support/ctool.cpp                    |  9 +++++++++
 6 files changed, 20 insertions(+), 33 deletions(-)

diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 651ff1a..19fb85f 100755
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-2018-06-13
+2018-06-14
 
         * Version 1.6.0 released
         ========================
 
+        Transparently update parameter files (#2513)
         Change formula for number of true energy bins in csphagen (#2490)
         Remove ctools::is_valid_filename() method
         Fix bug when using precomputed model in csresspec (#2448)
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 14e629e..89c5dd1 100755
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 New Features and Important Changes in ctools 1.6.0
 
-13 June 2018
+14 June 2018
 
 
 Introduction
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ None
 
 Base classes
 ------------
+The ctool base class now loads the application parameters from the file provided
+in the "syspfiles" folder and updates parameter values using the file found in
+the user's "pfiles" folder, so that any change to the parameter file structure
+is handled transparently and no longer leads to an exception (#2513).
+
 The ctool::time_reference constant was removed since it is not required
 anymore. The time reference is now transparently handled by the tools, and
 if there is a choice, a "mjdref" parameter was added to the tools (#2054).
diff --git a/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.6.rst b/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.6.rst
index 8c14f55..1e0f163 100644
--- a/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.6.rst
+++ b/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.6.rst
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ ctools 1.6 is a major release that adds significant functionality.
 In particular, this release provides:
 
 * Support for Xspec spectral analysis
+* Improved computation speed for :ref:`ctskymap` and :ref:`csphagen`
 
 
 Bug fixes
@@ -25,6 +26,8 @@ Bug fixes
 Improvements
 ------------
 
+* [`2513 <https://cta-redmine.irap.omp.eu/issues/2513>`_] -
+  Transparently update parameter files
 * [`2490 <https://cta-redmine.irap.omp.eu/issues/2490>`_] -
   Change formula for number of true energy bins in :ref:`csphagen`
 * [`2404 <https://cta-redmine.irap.omp.eu/issues/2404>`_] -
diff --git a/doc/source/help/faq.rst b/doc/source/help/faq.rst
index c775af1..c57b4b0 100755
--- a/doc/source/help/faq.rst
+++ b/doc/source/help/faq.rst
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ asked.
 - :ref:`What is the difference between ctools and GammaLib? <faq_ctools_gammalib>`
 - :ref:`Are ctools and GammaLib specific to CTA? <faq_instruments>`
 - :ref:`I want to upgrade ctools, do I have to upgrade GammaLib? <faq_upgrade>`
-- :ref:`Why does my ctool complain about missing parameters? <faq_pars>`
 - :ref:`Should I used binned or unbinned analysis? <faq_analysis>`
 - :ref:`How precise are ctools? <faq_precision>`
 
@@ -82,23 +81,6 @@ asked.
   ctools should then become more independent from GammaLib.
 
 
-.. _faq_pars:
-
-.. topic:: Why does my ctool complain about missing parameters?
-
-  After upgrading to a new ctools version, a ctool may issue the following
-  error
-
-  ``*** ERROR in GApplicationPars::operator[](std::string&): Invalid 
-  argument. Parameter "XXX" has not been found in parameter file.
-  Please specify a valid parameter name.``
-
-  This error may occur if some parameters have been added to a ctool and
-  you still have the old parameter file without that parameter sitting in
-  your pfiles folder. Simply erasing all files in the pfiles folder should
-  fix this problem.
-
-
 .. _faq_analysis:
 
 .. topic:: Should I used binned or unbinned analysis?
diff --git a/src/ctools-setup.in b/src/ctools-setup.in
index 5c460c8..11baaf8 100755
--- a/src/ctools-setup.in
+++ b/src/ctools-setup.in
@@ -76,19 +76,6 @@ if [ -d $prefix/syspfiles/. ]; then
     syspfiles="$prefix/syspfiles$syspfiles"
   fi
 
-  # updates any existing PFILES if syspfiles are newer
-  for filename in $HOME/pfiles/*.par
-  do
-    parfile=`basename $filename`
-    sys_parfile=$prefix/syspfiles/$parfile
-    if [ -e "$sys_parfile" ]; then
-      if test "$sys_parfile" -nt "$filename"
-      then
-        cp -f "$sys_parfile" "$filename"
-      fi
-    fi
-  done
-
   # Set PFILES and PFCLOBBER environment variable
   PFILES="$locpfiles;$syspfiles"
   PFCLOBBER=1
diff --git a/src/support/ctool.cpp b/src/support/ctool.cpp
index 4de40dd..4cca3b5 100755
--- a/src/support/ctool.cpp
+++ b/src/support/ctool.cpp
@@ -258,6 +258,15 @@ void ctool::init_members(void)
     // Set language to english to make sure that a dot is a dot
     std::setlocale(LC_ALL, "en_US.UTF-8");
 
+    // Set parameter syspfiles and reload parameter file
+    char* ptr = std::getenv("CTOOLS");
+    if (ptr != NULL) {
+        std::string path = std::string(ptr) + "/syspfiles";
+        m_pars.clear();
+        m_pars.syspfiles(path);
+        m_pars.load(par_filename());
+    }
+
     // Return
     return;
 }
--
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