As we do not define what we want the configuration manager to do or not. I wrote, here after, some open question that we should discuss. If you think to other important question, please add it. Those questions are here to open discussion and help us to planned the work to be done.

However, although will be the configuration manager at the end. It can not answer all our expectations. We should try to create the easiest and more useful tool for users.

which users of this tool?

it implies a different way of think the tools and a different manner of write it, if users are NEMO developpers or novices, people who never use NEMO before and don't want to touch source code.

Which language to use ?

it seems we will use Fortran and Python.

Should the configuration manager be able to manage ORCA and regular grid ? to change grid from one to another ?

There are different regional configuration in the community. Some of them use ORCA grid others regular grid. So it seems useful to allow the configuration manager to change from one grid to another. However change grid implies that boundaries do not shared U,V point. So the configuration manager will not be AGRIF compliant. Or it should use different routines for each case. so more codes to maintain.

Should the configuration manager be able to change vertical coordinates ?

There are many type of vertical coordinates allowed in NEMO. It could be difficult to manage all case.

I think it was planned to add vertical interpolation on the fly. Can we wait for it, or create an externalize tool to do the same ?

Should the configuration manager create grid ?

This is link to what will be decided be the Simplification Working group. If they choose to externalize the creation of the grid, the configuration manager should be able to create it.

Could the configuration manager start from hot state ?

Most of the time there is no restart file at the date we want to start a run. It could be interesting to allow to start from some fake climatologies on T,S,U,V,SSH (may be more) from NEMO standard output at this date.

However it implies modification of NEMO codes.

Should the configuration manager be able to set up AMM12 ?

As the AMM12 is shipped with the NEMO trunk. The configuration manager should have the capability to setup and run the AMM12 standard configuration. However it implies to have larger configuration on regular grid and with s-coordinates. Or configuration manager should allow to change grid and vertical coordinates, see below.

Should the configuration manager be simpler ?

May be the configuration manager should only manage the coordinates and bathymetry creation as well as boundary coordinates if need be. It should also create weight files needed for online interpolation. Then all input files will be interpolated, horizontally and vertically, on the fly whatever the grid we work with.

Should the configuration manager create the bathymetry use by NEMO ?

Now, the bathymetry is modified inside NEMO (ex: partial cells). Those modification could be move in the configuration manager.