Environment Modules

Introduction

Environment Modules provides an easy mechanism for setting up a user's environment for a particular application. The module command is functionally equivalent, irrespective of the shell you are using.

Prior to using the module command, the Module software must be initialized. In your HPCCC account, your dot-files are already set up correctly to do this.

If, for any reason the module command is unavailable, you must manually initialize modules in your script before using the module utility. For example, if you run batch jobs with /bin/sh you will need to initialize modules manually. Choose the appropriate initialization command for your host and script environment from those shown below.

flurry, gale

• '. /SX/local/Modules/3.1.6/init/sh' (for sh)
• '. /SX/local/Modules/3.1.6/init/ksh' (for ksh)
• '. /SX/local/Modules/3.1.6/init/bash' (for bash)
• 'source /SX/local/Modules/3.1.6/init/csh' (for csh)
• 'source /SX/local/Modules/3.1.6/init/tcsh' (for tcsh)

solar

• '. /etc/profile' (for bash/ksh)
• 'source /etc/csh.cshrc' (for csh/tcsh)

cherax, burnet

• '. /usr/share/modules/init/sh' (for sh)
• '. /usr/share/modules/init/ksh' (for ksh)
• '. /usr/share/modules/init/bash' (for bash)
• 'source /usr/share/modules/init/csh' (for csh)
• 'source /usr/share/modules/init/tcsh' (for tcsh)

Module commands

Modules uses a quite sophisticated model for tracking environment settings and allow loading, unloading and switching of modules, including specification of dependencies and conflicts in the module definitions. A range of commands are available to query the current environment and the available modules. In summary:

module

Shows module command usage summary

module avail

Lists available modules

module load package

Loads setting defined by package

module unload package

Unloads settings defined by package

module purge

Unloads all currently loaded modules

module list

Lists currently loaded packages

module whatis package

Shows a brief description of the package

module help package

Shows a detailed description of the package

module show package

Shows the changes to the environment that will take effect on load/unload

Note: If there is a default version for a software package, it will be shown in the output of module avail as '(default)' listed next to the package name. If the revision number is omitted for a module load when there is no default, the latest version will be loaded.

Sources of Information on Modules

Other information on modules can be found by reading the man pages man module, but you will need to run module load modules first.

The Modules sources can be found at the following Sourceforge site (http://modules.sourceforge.net/), which also requires the Tcl sources (http://www.scriptics.com/).