20020212: netcdf 3.5.0 ncvarput failure - Cray SV1

John,

> To: address@hidden
> From: John Metzner <address@hidden>
> Subject: netcdf 3.5.0 test failure - Cray SV1
> Organization: UCAR/Unidata
> Keywords: 200202122006.g1CK6Lx24308

The above message contained the following:

> Support, 
>       I am trying to build and test netcdf-3.5.0 on the Cray SV1ex here 
> at ARSC.  I encounter the following failure when running " make test ":
> 
> ...
> ** Testing ncvarput1 ...       ok ***
> *** Testing ncvarget1 ...       ok ***
> *** Testing ncvarput ...        *** test_varputget: bad values returned from 
> ncvarget
>   name=shortv  type=NC_SHORT  dims=(2, 3, 5, 6)
> FAILED! ***
> *** Testing ncvarget ...        *** test_varputget: bad values returned from 
> ncvarget
>   name=shortv  type=NC_SHORT  dims=(2, 3, 5, 6)
> FAILED! ***
> *** Testing ncvarputg ...       *** test_varputgetg: bad values returned from 
> ncvargetg
>   name=shortv  type=NC_SHORT  dims=(2, 3, 5, 6)
> *** test_varputgetg: bad values returned from ncvargetg
>   name=shortvar  type=NC_SHORT  dims=(7, 5, 6, 4)
> *** test_varputgetg: ncvarputg failed for point 0, variable longvar
>   name=longvar  type=NC_LONG  dims=(7, 5, 6, 4)
>   corner = (0, 0, 0, 0)
>   npts = (7, 5, 6, 4)
>   external strides = (1, 1, 1, 1)
>   internal index mapping vector = (960, 192, 32, 8)
> Make: "./nctest" terminated due to signal 8 (core dumped)
> Make: "cd nctest && \
>     echo "Making \`test' in directory `pwd`" && \
>     echo "" && \
>     make test || exit 1": Error code 1
> Make: "subdir=`echo nctest/test | sed 's,/.*,,'`; \
> target=`echo nctest/test | sed 's,.*/,,'`; \
> make SUBDIR=$subdir TGET=$target subdir_target": Error code 1
> cmd-2436 make: Stop.
> 
>       I have followed the system specific directions from the web site for
> UNICOS, both with and without setting the environment variable "F90=''".  The 
> error is the same.  
> 
>       I am including the configure.log, make.log and test.log as per the 
> instructions on the web site.
> 
>       Please advise on a fix.
> 
> Thanks,
> John Metzner - Cray, Inc                          address@hidden
> Arctic Region Supercomputing Center               address@hidden
> 910 Yukon Drive Rm. 106E                          Phone: (907)474-5431
> Fairbanks, AK 99775-6020                          FAX:   (907)474-1820

Your problem is extremely unusual. The failure occurs in the netCDF-2
interface, which is implemented using the netCDF-3 interface, which
passes all its tests. Looking at the code that interfaces the netCDF-2
API to the netCDF-3 implementation, I don't see anything that could go
wrong. Furthermore, the netCDF-2 interface has been extensively tested
on CRAY systems similar to yours where almost everything is 8 bytes.

Perhaps the aggressive optimization (i.e. "O3") is causing problems.
If you're willing, you might try rebuilding and retesting the
package with optimization turned off (adjust the CFLAGS environment
variable appropriately). If you try this, remember to remove the file
"config.cache" in the top-level directory before executing the configure
script.

Another alternative is to ignore the netCDF-2 interface. If you won't
be using that interface, then there's no harm in ignoring the failure
because the netCDF-3 interface passes its tests. To test the other
interfaces, drop into the appropriate subdirectory (e.g. "fortran",
"f90") and execute the command "make test".

Please let us know what you discover and/or decide.

Regards,
Steve Emmerson   <http://www.unidata.ucar.edu>