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[[ | == Introduction == | ||
When one has multiple programs serving the same purpose (for instance SMTP servers such as sendmail, exim and postfix; or print servers such as lprng and cups), it is usual to wrap these using alternatives. Alternatives provides a clean way to have many types of software serving the same purpose installed at the same time and have the commands such as <code>mail</code> and <code>lpr</code> point to the wanted versions. | |||
However, when there are multiple variants that each serve the needs of some user and thus must be available simultaneously by users, the alternatives system simply isn't enough since it is system-wide. This has been reality on supercomputers and clusters for eons, and multiple implementations of a solution has been developed: [http://modules.sourceforge.net/ environment modules] and [https://www.tacc.utexas.edu/tacc-projects/lmod Lmod]. Fedora currently makes use of this primarily for handling switching between differen MPI implementations. | |||
Environment modules are also useful in situations where a package wants to install binaries that use common names and might conflict file in or otherwise pollute /usr/bin. Use must then load an environment module before being able to make use of those programs. | |||
== Using environment modules == | |||
To see what modules are available, run <code>$ module avail</code>. | |||
To load a module run e.g. <code>$ module load mpi/openmpi-x86_64</code>. | |||
To unload a module, run e.g. <code>$module unload mpi/openmpi-x86_64</code>. | |||
== | The upstream documentation for the module command is available [http://modules.sourceforge.net/man/module1.html here] or with <code>man module</code>. | ||
== Creating environment modules == | |||
{{admon/important|Packaging note|When creating RPMs containing module files, be sure to specify <code>Requires: environment(modules)</code> for directory ownership and usability, and <code>BuildRequires: environment(modules)</code> for the %{_modulesdir} macro.}} | |||
To install an environment module, place a module file into <code>%{_modulesdir}</code>, which should evaluate to <code>/usr/share/modulefiles</code>. This macro is available in Fedora 21+ and EPEL 7+. The directory <code>/usr/share/Modules/modulefiles</code> is to be used only for internal modules of environment-modules. <code>/etc/modulefiles</code> is available to local system administrator use. | |||
{{admon/warning|Multilib packages|Suffix the module file name with the architecture to prevent clashes from multilib/multiarch packages.}} | |||
The module files are plain text with optional tcl syntax, for instance an environment module for 64-bit OpenMPI <code>mpi/openmpi-x86_64</code>: | |||
<pre> | |||
#%Module 1.0 | |||
# | |||
# OpenMPI module for use with 'environment-modules' package: | |||
# | |||
conflict mpi | |||
prepend-path PATH /usr/lib64/openmpi/bin | |||
prepend-path LD_LIBRARY_PATH /usr/lib64/openmpi/lib | |||
prepend-path PYTHONPATH /usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/openmpi | |||
prepend-path MANPATH /usr/share/man/openmpi-x86_64 | |||
setenv MPI_BIN /usr/lib64/openmpi/bin | |||
setenv MPI_SYSCONFIG /etc/openmpi-x86_64 | |||
setenv MPI_FORTRAN_MOD_DIR /usr/lib64/gfortran/modules/openmpi-x86_64 | |||
setenv MPI_INCLUDE /usr/include/openmpi-x86_64 | |||
setenv MPI_LIB /usr/lib64/openmpi/lib | |||
setenv MPI_MAN /usr/share/man/openmpi-x86_64 | |||
setenv MPI_PYTHON_SITEARCH /usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/openmpi | |||
setenv MPI_COMPILER openmpi-x86_64 | |||
setenv MPI_SUFFIX _openmpi | |||
setenv MPI_HOME /usr/lib64/openmpi | |||
</pre> | |||
The module file begins with the magic cookie <code>#%Module <version></code>, where <code><version></code> is the version of the module file used. The current version is 1.0. | |||
The above commands prepends the path with the bindir of the 64-bit OpenMPI (compiled with GCC) and adds the relevant library path. Then it sets various environment variables. | |||
It is also possible to set <code>CFLAGS</code> and <code>LDFLAGS</code> with the above manner, but in the case of MPI compilers it is not necessary since the compilers are invoked with the <code>mpicc</code>, <code>mpicxx</code>, <code>mpif77</code> and <code>mpif90</code> wrappers that already contain the necessary include and library paths. Also, in the case of development packages an override of <code>CFLAGS</code> and/or <code>LDFLAGS</code> is not sane, as it may cause trouble in building RPMs as it overrides <code>%{optflags}</code>. | |||
The upstream documentation for module files is available [http://modules.sourceforge.net/man/modulefile4.html here] or with <code>man modulefile</code>. | |||
== Switching between module implementations == | |||
Switching between the environment-modules and Lmod implementations is done via alternatives. The shell init scripts /etc/profile.d/modules.{csh,sh} are links to /etc/alternatives/modules.{csh.sh} and can be manipulated with the alternatives command. | |||
== Lmod == | |||
However, | [https://www.tacc.utexas.edu/tacc-projects/lmod Lmod] is an environment modules implementation written in Lua, and can make use of module files written in Lua as well as Tcl. Such files have a ".lua" extensions. However, such files '''must not''' be installed /usr/share/modulefiles so as to not cause issues when the environment-modules package is in use. Instead install into /usr/share/lmod/lmod/modulefiles/Core. | ||
[[Category:Packaging guidelines drafts]] |
Latest revision as of 17:26, 8 May 2014
Introduction
When one has multiple programs serving the same purpose (for instance SMTP servers such as sendmail, exim and postfix; or print servers such as lprng and cups), it is usual to wrap these using alternatives. Alternatives provides a clean way to have many types of software serving the same purpose installed at the same time and have the commands such as mail
and lpr
point to the wanted versions.
However, when there are multiple variants that each serve the needs of some user and thus must be available simultaneously by users, the alternatives system simply isn't enough since it is system-wide. This has been reality on supercomputers and clusters for eons, and multiple implementations of a solution has been developed: environment modules and Lmod. Fedora currently makes use of this primarily for handling switching between differen MPI implementations.
Environment modules are also useful in situations where a package wants to install binaries that use common names and might conflict file in or otherwise pollute /usr/bin. Use must then load an environment module before being able to make use of those programs.
Using environment modules
To see what modules are available, run $ module avail
.
To load a module run e.g. $ module load mpi/openmpi-x86_64
.
To unload a module, run e.g. $module unload mpi/openmpi-x86_64
.
The upstream documentation for the module command is available here or with man module
.
Creating environment modules
To install an environment module, place a module file into %{_modulesdir}
, which should evaluate to /usr/share/modulefiles
. This macro is available in Fedora 21+ and EPEL 7+. The directory /usr/share/Modules/modulefiles
is to be used only for internal modules of environment-modules. /etc/modulefiles
is available to local system administrator use.
The module files are plain text with optional tcl syntax, for instance an environment module for 64-bit OpenMPI mpi/openmpi-x86_64
:
#%Module 1.0 # # OpenMPI module for use with 'environment-modules' package: # conflict mpi prepend-path PATH /usr/lib64/openmpi/bin prepend-path LD_LIBRARY_PATH /usr/lib64/openmpi/lib prepend-path PYTHONPATH /usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/openmpi prepend-path MANPATH /usr/share/man/openmpi-x86_64 setenv MPI_BIN /usr/lib64/openmpi/bin setenv MPI_SYSCONFIG /etc/openmpi-x86_64 setenv MPI_FORTRAN_MOD_DIR /usr/lib64/gfortran/modules/openmpi-x86_64 setenv MPI_INCLUDE /usr/include/openmpi-x86_64 setenv MPI_LIB /usr/lib64/openmpi/lib setenv MPI_MAN /usr/share/man/openmpi-x86_64 setenv MPI_PYTHON_SITEARCH /usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/openmpi setenv MPI_COMPILER openmpi-x86_64 setenv MPI_SUFFIX _openmpi setenv MPI_HOME /usr/lib64/openmpi
The module file begins with the magic cookie #%Module <version>
, where <version>
is the version of the module file used. The current version is 1.0.
The above commands prepends the path with the bindir of the 64-bit OpenMPI (compiled with GCC) and adds the relevant library path. Then it sets various environment variables.
It is also possible to set CFLAGS
and LDFLAGS
with the above manner, but in the case of MPI compilers it is not necessary since the compilers are invoked with the mpicc
, mpicxx
, mpif77
and mpif90
wrappers that already contain the necessary include and library paths. Also, in the case of development packages an override of CFLAGS
and/or LDFLAGS
is not sane, as it may cause trouble in building RPMs as it overrides %{optflags}
.
The upstream documentation for module files is available here or with man modulefile
.
Switching between module implementations
Switching between the environment-modules and Lmod implementations is done via alternatives. The shell init scripts /etc/profile.d/modules.{csh,sh} are links to /etc/alternatives/modules.{csh.sh} and can be manipulated with the alternatives command.
Lmod
Lmod is an environment modules implementation written in Lua, and can make use of module files written in Lua as well as Tcl. Such files have a ".lua" extensions. However, such files must not be installed /usr/share/modulefiles so as to not cause issues when the environment-modules package is in use. Instead install into /usr/share/lmod/lmod/modulefiles/Core.