No error messages from .modulerc execution

[smprather]

Describe the bug

When I make an error in .modulerc (reference non-existent variable, etc), the execution of .modulerc just stops. Everything else goes on as is nothing happened.

To Reproduce

Create a .modulerc file in a leaf modules directory (foo/bar/.modulerc). Insert an error into it (like puts stderr $foo).
Do a module show foo/bar.
You won't see the error message like you will with tclsh .../foo/bar/.modulerc.

Expected behavior

Give an error message similar to what happens when a regular module file is being sourced.

Error and debugging information

$ module --debug <command1> <arguments>
$ module --debug <command2> <arguments>
...

Modules version and configuration

$ module --version
Modules Release 5.4.0 (2024-02-20)
$ module config --dump-state
Modules Release 5.4.0 (2024-02-20)

- Config. name ---------.- Value (set by if default overridden) ---------------
abort_on_error            ml:reload:switch_unload
advanced_version_spec     1
auto_handling             1
avail_indepth             1
avail_output              modulepath:alias:dirwsym:sym:tag:variantifspec:key
avail_terse_output        modulepath:alias:dirwsym:sym:tag:variantifspec
cache_buffer_bytes        32768
cache_expiry_secs         0
collection_pin_tag        0
collection_pin_version    0
collection_target         <undef>
color                     auto
colors                    hi=1:db=2:tr=2:se=2:er=91:wa=93:me=95:in=94:mp=1;94:di=94:al=96:va=93:sy=95:de=4:cm=92:aL=100:L=90;47:H=2:F=41:nF=43:S=46:sS=44:kL=30;48;5;109
contact                   root@localhost
csh_limit                 4000
editor                    nvim
extended_default          1
extra_siteconfig          <undef>
home                      /usr/share/Modules (env-var)
icase                     search
ignore_cache              0
ignore_user_rc            0
ignored_dirs              CVS RCS SCCS .svn .git .SYNC .sos
implicit_default          1
implicit_requirement      1
list_output               header:idx:variant:sym:tag:key
list_terse_output         header
locked_configs
mcookie_check             always
mcookie_version_check     1
ml                        1
nearly_forbidden_days     14
pager                     /usr/bin/less -eFKRX
protected_envvars         <undef>
quarantine_support        0
rcfile                    <undef>
redirect_output           1
reset_target_state        __init__
run_quarantine            LD_LIBRARY_PATH LD_PRELOAD (env-var)
search_match              starts_with
set_shell_startup         0
shells_with_ksh_fpath
silent_shell_debug        0
siteconfig                /grid/common/pkgs/modules/v5.4.0/etc/siteconfig.tcl
source_cache              0
sticky_purge              error
tag_abbrev                auto-loaded=aL:loaded=L:hidden=H:hidden-loaded=H:forbidden=F:nearly-forbidden=nF:sticky=S:super-sticky=sS:keep-loaded=kL
tag_color_name
tcl_ext_lib               /grid/common/pkgs/modules/v5.4.0/lib/libtclenvmodules.so
tcl_linter                nagelfar.tcl
term_background           dark
term_width                0
unique_name_loaded        0
unload_match_order        returnlast
variant_shortcut
verbosity                 normal
wa_277                    0

- State name -----------.- Value ----------------------------------------------
always_read_full_file     1
autoinit                  0
clock_seconds             1752252586
cmdline                   /grid/common/pkgs/modules/v5.4.0/libexec/modulecmd.tcl bash config --dump-state
commandname               config
domainname                cadence.com
error_count               0
extra_siteconfig_loaded   0
false_rendered            0
force                     0
hiding_threshold          0
inhibit_errreport         0
inhibit_interp            0
init_error_report         1
is_stderr_tty             1
cmdline                   /grid/common/pkgs/modules/v5.4.0/libexec/modulecmd.tcl bash config --dump-state
commandname               config
domainname                cadence.com
error_count               0
extra_siteconfig_loaded   0
false_rendered            0
force                     0
hiding_threshold          0
inhibit_errreport         0
inhibit_interp            0
init_error_report         1
is_stderr_tty             1
is_win                    0
kernelversion             #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Fri Jul 19 14:40:47 EDT 2024
lm_info_cached            0
machine                   x86_64
nodename                  sjcvl1-mylesp
os                        Linux
osversion                 5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4.x86_64
paginate                  1
path_separator            :
report_format             regular
reportfd                  file4
return_false              0
shell                     bash
shelltype                 sh
siteconfig_loaded         1
sub1_separator            &
sub2_separator            |
subcmd                    config
subcmd_args               --dump-state
supported_shells          sh bash ksh zsh csh tcsh fish cmd tcl perl python ruby lisp cmake r
tcl_ext_lib_loaded        1
tcl_version               8.6.10
term_columns              282
timer                     0
usergroups                cadence1
username                  mylesp

- Env. variable --------.- Value ----------------------------------------------
BASH_FUNC__module_raw%%   () {  eval "$(/usr/bin/tclsh '/grid/common/pkgs/modules/v5.4.0/libexec/modulecmd.tcl' bash "$@")";
 _mlstatus=$?;
 return $_mlstatus
}
BASH_FUNC_module%%        () {  local _mlredir=1;
 if [ -n "${MODULES_REDIRECT_OUTPUT+x}" ]; then
 if [ "$MODULES_REDIRECT_OUTPUT" = '0' ]; then
 _mlredir=0;
 else
 if [ "$MODULES_REDIRECT_OUTPUT" = '1' ]; then
 _mlredir=1;
 fi;
 fi;
 fi;
 case " $@ " in
 *' --no-redirect '*)
 _mlredir=0
 ;;
 *' --redirect '*)
 _mlredir=1
 ;;
 esac;
 if [ $_mlredir -eq 0 ]; then
 _module_raw "$@";
 else
 _module_raw "$@" 2>&1;
 fi
}
LOADEDMODULES             fast/shims/1.0.0:foss/python_venv/3.13.4:farm/sjlsf01/10.1.14
MODULEPATH                /vols/fast_digital_scratch/users/mylesp/dev/fast_cad/modules
MODULESHOME               /usr/share/Modules
MODULES_CMD               /grid/common/pkgs/modules/v5.4.0/libexec/modulecmd.tcl
MODULES_RUN_QUARANTINE    LD_LIBRARY_PATH LD_PRELOAD
_LMFILES_                 /vols/anvil_release/fast_cad/modules/fast/shims/1.0.0:/vols/anvil_release/fast_cad/modules/foss/python_venv/3.13.4:/vols/anvil_release/fast_cad/modules/farm/sjlsf01/10.1.14
__MODULES_LMALTNAME       fast/shims/1.0.0&as|fast/default&as|fast/latest&as|fast/shims/default&as|fast/shims/latest:foss/python_venv/3.13.4&as|foss/python_venv/default&as|foss/python_venv/latest:farm/sjlsf01/10.1.14&as|farm/sjlsf01/default&as|farm/sjlsf01/latest
__MODULES_LMINIT          module use --append /usr/share/Modules/modulefiles:module use --append /etc/modulefiles:module use --append /usr/share/modulefiles
__MODULES_SHARE_MANPATH   :1:/grid/sfi/farm/sjlsf01/10.1/man:2

Additional context

[xdelaruelle]

A code issue in a .modulerc file is not reported on an avail sub-command unless if run in debug mode. In modulefile evaluation mode, like module show, the modulerc error is reported.

Some example:

$ cat modulepath/foo/bar/.modulerc
#%Module
puts stderr $foo
$ cat modulepath/foo/bar/1
#%Module
$ module use ./modulepath
$ module avail -t foo/bar
/path/to/modulepath:
foo/bar/1
$ module show foo/bar
Module ERROR: can't read "foo": no such variable
      while executing
  "puts stderr $foo"
      (file "/path/to/modulepath/foo/bar/.modulerc" line 2)
  Please contact <root@localhost>
-------------------------------------------------------------------
/path/to/modulepath/foo/bar/1:

-------------------------------------------------------------------

[smprather]

Well, the main thing I'm doing in .modulerc is defining virtual modules (as we discussed last week). Writing the filters and string processing to turn my tool versions into modules is a little tricky, so lots of errors along the way. The only way I know if I'm getting it right or not is to check with module avail (which definitely executes .modulerc obviously). My workaround is to define dummy procs for the env-modules procs I'm calling and just run with tclsh .../.modulerc.
You can reject, but it seems that if the .modulerc code is being sourced, in any context, and there's an error, the error should be reported.

[smprather]

On a side note, thank you for being so responsive. I know you're (probably) not getting paid to do this. Thank you again, so much!

[xdelaruelle]

.modulerc error is ignored on avail to avoid breaking the whole module system if someone just made an error in one modulerc file.

If you want to test the correctness of your .modulerc file, you may run in debug mode and check the exit code returned:

$ module avail -D
$ echo $?

[smprather]

Yeh, but I can't debug with that. I'm doing edit/run loop. I need message, line numbers, etc. Should you not print that in debug mode? It's your call. I understand either way. My work-around is good enough for me.

[xdelaruelle]

To get the error message and the line number, just do a load or show of the module which is linked to the .modulerc you have edited:

$ module show foo/bar
Module ERROR: can't read "foo": no such variable
      while executing
  "puts stderr $foo"
      (file "/path/to/modulepath/foo/bar/.modulerc" line 2)
  Please contact <root@localhost>
-------------------------------------------------------------------
/path/to/modulepath/foo/bar/1:

-------------------------------------------------------------------