Deprecated functionality

Some of the functionality that was available in previous EasyBuild versions is deprecated (or will be soon), and should no longer be used.

This page presents an overview of deprecated functionality, together with available alternatives.

In EasyBuild v2.0 we will drop the support for this deprecated functionality, forcing you to use the alternative features instead.

Python compatiblity

Python 2.4 compatibility is deprecated.

• deprecated since: EasyBuild v1.14.0 (July'13)
• no longer supported since: EasyBuild v2.0 (planned)
• alternatives: upgrade to Python v2.6.x or v2.7.x

Even since EasyBuild v1.0, the codebase has been Python 2.4 compatible. One reason for this is that EasyBuild was being used on a daily basis on Scientific Linux 5, in which the Python 2.4.x is the system default.

With EasyBuild v2.0 we will drop support for Python 2.4, and only ensure compatibility with Python 2.6.x or a more recent Python 2.x. This will enable us to also make the codebase compatible with Python 3.x, a feat that is very difficult without dropping support for Python 2.4.

EasyBuild configuration

Old-style configurating is deprecated.

• deprecated since: EasyBuild v1.3.0 (Apr'13)
• no longer supported since: EasyBuild v2.0 (planned)
• alternatives: new-style configuration

Early versions of EasyBuild v1.x provided support for configuring EasyBuild via a Python module that was automagically executed when available.

Since EasyBuild v1.3 a safer and more consistent way of configuring EasyBuild is supported, which aligns the EasyBuild command line, $EASYBUILD_X environment variables and key-value style configuration files.

More information about the new(er) and recommended configuration style, and the differences with the old-style configuration is available on the wiki page on EasyBuild configuration.

Note that the default path for the new-style configuration path is $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/easybuild/config.cfg (or $HOME/.config/easybuild/config.cfg if $XDG_CONFIG_HOME is not set); the default path $HOME/.easybuild/config.cfg that was in place since EasyBuild v1.3.0 is deprecated since v1.11.0 (Feb'14).

Easyconfig parameters

The software_license easyconfig parameter will become mandatory; easyconfig files that do not provide a value for this parameter (from a predefined list of supported values) will no longer work in EasyBuild v2.0.

A couple of easyconfig parameters have been renamed, for consistency reasons:

• buildopts replaces the deprecated makeopts (since EasyBuild v1.13.0 (May'14))
• prebuildopts replaces the deprecated premakeopts (since EasyBuild v1.13.0 (May'14))

Using the shared_lib_ext "magic" variable representing the extension for shared libraries (.so on Linux, .dylib on OS X) is deprecated; the easyconfig constant SHLIB_EXT should be using instead (since EasyBuild v1.5.0 (June'13)).

The deprecated easyconfig parameters can only be used until EasyBuild v2.0.

After that, EasyBuild will throw an error if it detects any of these are still being used in an easyblock and/or defined by an easyconfig file.

EasyBuild API

Easyblocks API (easybuild.framework.easyblock)

Some changes were made to the easyblocks API:

• the return type of the extra_options static method has been changed to a dictionary, rather than a list of key-value tuples
• only the ext_name, ext_version and src template strings can be used in the exts_filter extension filter easyconfig parameter; using the name and version template strings is deprecated (since EasyBuild v1.2.0 (Feb'13))
• determining the location of Python modules representing easyblocks based on the software name is deprecated; EasyBuild must be able to determine the easyblock module path solely based on the name of the easyblock Python class (since EasyBuild v1.4.0 (May'13))

Easyblocks not taking into account these changes will only be supported until EasyBuild v2.0.

easybuild.tools.modules Python module

The API of the easybuild.tools.modules Python module has been changed extensively when implementing support for alternative module naming schemes (EasyBuild v1.8.0 (Oct'13)):

• use of modules class variable and the add_module/remove_module methods is deprecated; modules should be (un)loaded using the load and unload methods instead
• the mod_paths and modulePath named arguments for the run_module method are deprecated; the class instance should be created with a specific list of module paths instead
• using the Modules class to obtain a class instance representing a modules tool interface is deprecated,; the modules_tool function should be used instead

Next to this, the get_software_root and get_software_version functions will only take $EBROOTFOO and $EBVERSIONFOO environment variables into account starting with EasyBuild v2.0, as opposed to also considering the $SOFTROOTFOO and $SOFTVERSIONFOO environment variables (which were set in modules generated by EasyBuild v0.x). Likewise, adhering to the $SOFTDEVELFOO environment variables is deprecated.

Other changes

A number of functions and methods that are part of the EasyBuild framework API have been renamed, mainly for consistency reasons:

• source_paths() (in easybuild.tools.config) replaces the deprecated source_path() (since EasyBuild v1.8.0 (Oct'13))
• get_avail_core_count() (in easybuild.tools.systemtools) replaces the deprecated get_core_count() (since EasyBuild v1.9.0 (Nov'13))
• get_os_type() (in easybuild.tools.systemtools) replaces the deprecated get_kernel_name (since EasyBuild v1.3.0 (Apr'13))
• the det_full_ec_version function available from easybuild.tools.module_generator replaces the deprecated det_installversion function that was available from easybuild.framework.easyconfig.* (since EasyBuild v1.8.0 (Oct'13))

Some functions have moved to a different location:

• the read_environment function is now provided by the easybuild.tools.environment module, rather than by easybuild.tools.config or easybuild.tools.utilities (since EasyBuild v1.7.0 (Sept'13))
• the modify_env function is now provided by the easybuild.tools.environment module, rather than by easybuild.tools.filetools (since EasyBuild v1.7.0 (Sep'13))
• the run_cmd, run_cmd_qa and parse_log_for_error functions are now provided by the easybuild.tools.run module, rather than by easybuild.tools.filetools (since EasyBuild v1.11.0 (Feb'14))

The get_log function provided by the easybuild.tools.build_log module has been deprecated entirely, no alternatives are provided (since none are needed).

These functions and methods will only be available under their deprecated name/location until EasyBuild v2.0.

After that, EasyBuild will throw an error if they're still being used (e.g., in easyblocks).