Error even with sticky_purge silent when dependent is sticky

[adrien-cotte]

Describe the bug

While purging modules, error if a module has a sticky dependent.

To Reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Create 3 files:

• modulefiles/dep/1.0

#%Module

• modulefiles/main/1.0

#%Module
conflict main
prereq dep

• modulefiles/.modulerc

#%Module
module-tag super-sticky main
module-tag super-sticky dep

(note: stickiness of dep does not have any effect for this bug)

2. Load main module:

$ module load main

3. Configure sticky_purge to silent:

$ module config sticky_purge silent

4. Purge modules:

$ module purge
Unloading dep/1.0
  ERROR: Dependent main/1.0 is loaded

5. Same with wticky_purge warning:

Unloading main/1.0
  WARNING: Unload of super-sticky module skipped

Unloading dep/1.0
  ERROR: Dependent main/1.0 is loaded

Expected behavior

When a dependent of a module is sticky and sticky_purge value isn't error, then module command should not returns an error.

Modules version and configuration

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

Additional context

The following patch workarounds the problem but is not enough, there are still 2 problems:

• duplicated message when sticky_purge is warning

$ module config sticky_purge warning
$ module load main
$ module purge
Unloading main/1.0
  WARNING: Unload of super-sticky module skipped

Unloading dep/1.0
  WARNING: Unload of super-sticky module skipped
  WARNING: Unload of super-sticky module skipped

• get a warning message when purge is forced

$ module config sticky_purge silent
$ module load main
$ module purge -f
Unloading dep/1.0
  WARNING: Dependent main/1.0 is loaded

diff --git a/tcl/subcmd.tcl.in b/tcl/subcmd.tcl.in
index c83f6af0..1eebd310 100644
--- a/tcl/subcmd.tcl.in
+++ b/tcl/subcmd.tcl.in
@@ -1543,9 +1543,23 @@ proc cmdModuleUnload {context match auto force onlyureq args} {
                   reportWarning [getDepLoadedMsg $prereq_list]
                }
             } else {
-               knerror [expr {[isModuleEvaluated any $modnamevr {}\
-                  {*}$prereq_list] ? [getDepLoadedMsg $prereq_list] :\
-                  [getErrPrereqMsg $prereq_list 0]}]
+               # Initialize a flag to indicate if any dependent is sticky
+               set stickyFound 0
+               # Iterate over each module in the prereq_list
+               foreach dep $prereq_list {
+                   if {[skipUnloadIfSticky unload $dep $modfile]} {
+                       set stickyFound 1
+                       break
+                   }
+               }
+               # If any dependent is sticky, we prevent the unload
+               if {$stickyFound} {
+                   set ret 0
+               } else {
+                  knerror [expr {[isModuleEvaluated any $modnamevr\
+                     {*}$prereq_list] ? [getDepLoadedMsg $prereq_list] :\
+                     [getErrPrereqMsg $prereq_list 0]}]
+               }
             }
          }

[xdelaruelle]

Many thanks Adrien for your report.

After a quick analysis, I see that dependent are checked prior stickiness. Thus the dependent error is raised even if stickiness is set silent.

I will try to fix this by checking stickiness prior dependent modules.