Add -i, --input_file optional flag for overriding conf.yaml location

Author: felker

examples/mpi_learn.py

@@ -1,11 +1,36 @@
 import plasma.global_vars as g
 g.init_MPI()
+
+import os.path
+
+
+# TODO(KGF): replace this workaround for the "from plasma.conf import conf"
+def is_valid_file(parser, arg):
+    if not (os.path.exists(arg) and os.path.isfile(arg)):
+        parser.error("The file %s does not exist!" % arg)
+    else:
+        return arg
+
+import argparse
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='mpi_learn', description='FusionDL TensorFlow 1.x + mpi4py')
+parser.add_argument("--input_file", "-i",   # type=str,
+                    required=False, dest="conf_file",
+                    help="input YAML file for configuration", metavar="YAML_FILE",
+                    type=lambda x: is_valid_file(parser, x))
+args = parser.parse_args()
+
+g.conf_file = args.conf_file
+
+
+from plasma.conf import conf
+
 from plasma.models.mpi_runner import (
     mpi_train, mpi_make_predictions_and_evaluate
     )
+
 from plasma.preprocessor.preprocess import guarantee_preprocessed
 from plasma.models.loader import Loader
-from plasma.conf import conf
+
 '''
 #########################################################
 This file trains a deep learning model to predict

plasma/conf.py

@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
 from plasma.conf_parser import parameters
 import os
 import errno
+import plasma.global_vars as g
+
 
 # TODO(KGF): this conf.py feels like an unnecessary level of indirection
-if os.path.exists(os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)),
+if g.conf_file is not None:
+    g.print_unique(f"Loading configuration from {g.conf_file}")
+    conf = parameters(g.conf_file)
+elif os.path.exists(os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)),
                                '../examples/conf.yaml')):
     conf = parameters(os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)),
                                    '../examples/conf.yaml'))

plasma/global_vars.py

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 # TODO(KGF): remove this (and all?) references to Keras backend
 backend = ''
 tf_ver = None
+conf_file = None
 
 
 def init_MPI():