EnergyPlus with option --expandobjects set fails when working directory is not on the same device as the output directory (on Linux)

[MaximilianAzendorf]

Issue overview

ExpandObjects writes two files named expanded.idf and expandedidf.err into the working directory and then moves them (via rename() unix syscall) into the output directory. This does not work if the working directory is not on the same device as the output directory (e.g. a working directory in /tmp while the output directory is under an externally mounted /home).

Details

Some additional details for this issue (if relevant):

• Platform: Arch Linux x64 (linux 5.9.4)
• Version of EnergyPlus: 9.4.0

Checklist

Add to this list or remove from it as applicable. This is a simple templated set of guidelines.

• Defect file added (list location of defect file here)
• Ticket added to Pivotal for defect (development team task)
• Pull request created (the pull request will have additional tasks related to reviewing changes that fix this defect)

[jmarrec]

@MaximilianAzendorf Thanks for the issue report.

This the Fortran OPEN command that is indeed used to create the file.

https://github.com/NREL/EnergyPlus/blob/4e2af181c66c3a55748df2f7167ae5aae41a7e15/src/ExpandObjects/epfilter.f90#L1935-L1962

The CLI will then move it via moveFile:

EnergyPlus/src/EnergyPlus/CommandLineInterface.cc

Lines 560 to 588 in 734af19

	if (runExpandObjects) {
	std::string expandObjectsPath = exeDirectory + "ExpandObjects" + exeExtension;
	if (!fileExists(expandObjectsPath)) {
	DisplayString(state, "ERROR: Could not find ExpandObjects executable: " + getAbsolutePath(expandObjectsPath) + ".");
	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
	}
	std::string expandObjectsCommand = "\"" + expandObjectsPath + "\"";
	bool inputFileNamedIn = (getAbsolutePath(inputFileName) == getAbsolutePath("in.idf"));
	// check if IDD actually exists since ExpandObjects still requires it
	if (!fileExists(inputIddFileName)) {
	DisplayString(state, "ERROR: Could not find input data dictionary: " + getAbsolutePath(inputIddFileName) + ".");
	DisplayString(state, errorFollowUp);
	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
	}
	bool iddFileNamedEnergy = (getAbsolutePath(inputIddFileName) == getAbsolutePath("Energy+.idd"));
	if (!inputFileNamedIn) linkFile(inputFileName.c_str(), "in.idf");
	if (!iddFileNamedEnergy) linkFile(inputIddFileName, "Energy+.idd");
	systemCall(expandObjectsCommand);
	if (!inputFileNamedIn) removeFile("in.idf");
	if (!iddFileNamedEnergy) removeFile("Energy+.idd");
	moveFile("expandedidf.err", outputExperrFileName);
	if (fileExists("expanded.idf")) {
	moveFile("expanded.idf", outputExpidfFileName);
	inputFileName = outputExpidfFileName;
	}
	}

moveFile does indeed use a rename syscall on Unix:

EnergyPlus/src/EnergyPlus/FileSystem.cc

Lines 258 to 266 in 734af19

	void moveFile(std::string const &filePath, std::string const &destination)
	{
	#ifdef _WIN32
	//Note: on Windows, rename function doesn't always replace the existing file so MoveFileExA is used
	MoveFileExA(filePath.c_str(), destination.c_str(), MOVEFILE_COPY_ALLOWED | MOVEFILE_REPLACE_EXISTING);
	#else
	rename(filePath.c_str(), destination.c_str());
	#endif
	}