CI/CD and various scripts in .github/scripts

[VeckoTheGecko]

I was looking through the CI/CD workflows for the project, and came across the calls to the installation and testing scripts in the .github/scripts folder for the various platforms.

It feels a bit strange having many scripts for this setup, rather than just invoking the Setup Miniconda workflow with the appropriate environment file. I think using this workflow would greatly simplify the CI/CD eliminating the use for the custom scripts (and would also make for a good example for fellow researchers to copy to get started with unit testing and CI/CD in their parcels projects).

My questions are:

• Is the use of these scripts just for the running of CI/CD? (i.e. don't play a role in building the package, or aren't called elsewhere in the codebase?)
• I'm unfamiliar with some of the stuff happening in some of the scripts (allowing for a plotting display??, custom variables being set). Could you shed light on these items?

[erikvansebille]

Thanks for the question, @VeckoTheGecko. The CI was set up for us by IT support from Utrecht University (specifically @jelletreep), building on some older legacy code.

Is the use of these scripts just for the running of CI/CD? (i.e. don't play a role in building the package, or aren't called elsewhere in the codebase?)

Yes, I only think for CI/CD. The packaging is done at https://github.com/conda-forge/parcels-feedstock for anaconda, and at https://github.com/OceanParcels/parcels/blob/master/.github/workflows/pypi-release.yaml for PyPi

I'm unfamiliar with some of the stuff happening in some of the scripts (allowing for a plotting display??, custom variables being set). Could you shed light on these items?

I think these are remnants of when we also tested for plotting and visualisation. See https://github.com/OceanParcels/parcels/blob/master/tests/test_scripts.py. But I'm not entirely sure this actually works anymore?

[VeckoTheGecko]

Alrighty. I'll see if I can mock up what some updated workflows can look like, and we can discuss in a PR or something.

Even if the PR isn't accepted, this is good experience for me anyway.