[ET Trac] [Einstein Toolkit] #229: Using a nonexistent header file should lead to an error message

[Einstein Toolkit]

#229: Using a nonexistent header file should lead to an error message
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  Reporter:  hinder       |       Owner:     
      Type:  enhancement  |      Status:  new
  Priority:  minor        |   Milestone:     
 Component:  Cactus       |     Version:     
Resolution:               |    Keywords:     
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Changes (by hinder):

  * priority:  major => minor
  * type:  defect => enhancement


Comment:

 Let's ignore LoopControl now, as that was not the thorn that I had the
 problem with.  I was using the Vectors thorn, and in my thorn I asked for
 the vectors.h header file.  The thorn Vectors was not in my thorn list.

 The correct thing to do if you want to use Vectors is to "require" the
 Vectors capability.  If I had done that, I would have gotten a fatal error
 that there was no thorn providing that capability, which would have
 directed me to the solution of the problem (to include Vectors in my
 thornlist).

 Instead, I simply asked for the header file, and the Cactus header file
 mechanism gives you an empty header file if no thorn provides one. My
 point is that this is counterintuitive.  I would like for Cactus to give
 an error if you ask for a header file which does not exist.  In order to
 support the case that this might be a valid situation, thorns could
 specify

 OPTIONALLY USES INCLUDE: vectors.h

 if it can deal with the header file being empty.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.einsteintoolkit.org/ticket/229#comment:10>
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