1.3.10. Tools for working with parameter files

This guide describes the features and usage of the query_paramfile and set_paramfile tools, located in tools/param_utils/. These utilities help users inspect and modify CLM parameter files.

Note that you need to have the ctsm_pylib conda environment activated to use these tools. See Sect. 1.3.4 for more information.

1.3.10.1. `query_paramfile`

Purpose: Print the values of one or more parameters from a CTSM parameter file (netCDF format).

Features:

Print values for specified parameters or all.
Optionally filter output by Plant Functional Types (PFTs) for PFT-specific parameters.

For more information, do tools/param_utils/query_paramfile --help.

1.3.10.1.1. Example usage

Print all variables in a parameter file:

tools/param_utils/query_paramfile -i paramfile.nc

Print specific variables:

tools/param_utils/query_paramfile -i paramfile.nc jmaxha jmaxhd

Print values for specific PFTs:

tools/param_utils/query_paramfile -i paramfile.nc -p needleleaf_evergreen_temperate_tree,c4_grass medlynintercept medlynslope

1.3.10.2. `set_paramfile`

Purpose: Change values of one or more parameters in a CTSM parameter file (netCDF format).

Features:

Modify parameter values for all or selected PFTs.
Optionally drop PFTs not specified.
Set parameter values to fill (missing) values using nan.
Ensures safe file handling and checks for argument validity.

Note that the output file must not already exist.

For more information, do tools/param_utils/set_paramfile --help.

1.3.10.2.1. Example usage

Change a scalar parameter:

tools/param_utils/set_paramfile -i paramfile.nc -o output.nc jmaxha=51000

Change a one-dimensional parameter (mimics_fmet has the segment dimension, length 4):

tools/param_utils/set_paramfile -i paramfile.nc -o output.nc mimics_fmet=0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4

Change a one-dimensional parameter to be all one value (mxmat has the pft dimension, length 79):

tools/param_utils/set_paramfile -i paramfile.nc -o output.nc mxmat=360

Change a parameter for specific PFTs:

tools/param_utils/set_paramfile -i paramfile.nc -o output.nc -p needleleaf_evergreen_temperate_tree,c4_grass medlynintercept=99.9,100.1 medlynslope=2.99,1.99 mxmat=199

Set a parameter to the fill value:

tools/param_utils/set_paramfile -i paramfile.nc -o output.nc -p needleleaf_evergreen_temperate_tree,c4_grass fleafcn=nan,nan

1.3.10.3. `compare_paramfiles`

Purpose: Compare values of one or more parameters in two CTSM parameter files (netCDF format). Compares both “raw” values and values after masking and scaling (applying _FillValue to convert missing values to NaN, multiplying by scale_factor, and adding add_offset).

1.3.10.3.1. Example usage

Results truncated.

file0=/glade/campaign/cesm/cesmdata/cseg/inputdata/lnd/clm2/paramdata/clm_params78pftModDates.c130821.nc
file1=/glade/campaign/cesm/cesmdata/cseg/inputdata/lnd/clm2/paramdata/ctsm60_params.c251124.nc

tools/param_utils/compare_paramfiles $file0 $file1

File 0: /glade/campaign/cesm/cesmdata/cseg/inputdata/lnd/clm2/paramdata/clm_params78pftModDates.c130821.nc
File 1: /glade/campaign/cesm/cesmdata/cseg/inputdata/lnd/clm2/paramdata/ctsm60_params.c251124.nc

Variable(s) present in File 0 but not File 1:
   cn_s1_bgc
   cn_s2_bgc
   ...

Variable(s) present in File 1 but not File 0:
   C2_liq_Brun89
   FUN_fracfixers
   ...

...

allconss:
   Values differ:
      [pft 71 (miscanthus)] 0.0 → 2.0 (raw)
                            nan → 2.0 (masked/scaled)
      [pft 72 (irrigated_miscanthus)] 0.0 → 2.0 (raw)
                                      nan → 2.0 (masked/scaled)
      [pft 73 (switchgrass)] 0.0 → 2.0 (raw)
                             nan → 2.0 (masked/scaled)
      [pft 74 (irrigated_switchgrass)] 0.0 → 2.0 (raw)
                                       nan → 2.0 (masked/scaled)

...

atmch4:
   Attribute(s) present in File 1 but not File 0:
       _FillValue: nan
   Dimension names differ: File 0: ['allpfts']
                           File 1: []

baset:
   Attribute(s) present in File 1 but not File 0:
       _FillValue: nan
   Values differ:
      [pft 71 (miscanthus)] 0.0 → 8.0
      [pft 72 (irrigated_miscanthus)] 0.0 → 8.0
      [pft 73 (switchgrass)] 0.0 → 8.0
      [pft 74 (irrigated_switchgrass)] 0.0 → 8.0

...

For more information, do tools/param_utils/compare_paramfiles --help.