set default value of stop_if(keep_output) to True.

[BoPeng]

The default value of keep_output of action stop_if is currently set to False.

Suppose users do not know this option at all and keep_output=True by default, the output file will be kept if it is already generated before the stop_if call, and will not be available if it is not generated. There is no surprise.

If the default is set to False, the output will not exist in both cases, which can be a surprise to users. So, from a less surprise point of view, this option should better be set it to False by default.

[gaow]

Sure. But if the output is not generated then SoS will know it and not complain at the end of the step?

[BoPeng]

Yes but the point is that removing a file is an aggressive action that should not be done by default.

[BoPeng]

But then the parameter name should be changed from a negative to a positive one, something like

stop_if(cond, remove_output=True)

instead of

stop_if(cond, keep_output=False)

because the consequence of the option is to remove _output from step_output, and the files if they exist.

[BoPeng]

stop_if(cond, discard_output=True)

sounds more appropriate.

[BoPeng]

stop_if(cond, no_output=True)

is used because discard or remove implies that the output already exists, and no_output is more neutral (and shorter) in this regard. Hopefully you have not used this new parameter somewhere.