Overriding env variable in Parallel job from the sequence

[sivanandha]

I have a multi-instance job which is being used by a ton of different sequences. It does not have APT_CONFIG_FILE explicitly defined.

However, I now want that job to run in single node for a new sequence. I am trying to override the environment variable from a sequence by defining the APT_CONFIG_FILE variable at the sequence level. But it does not have any effect on the common job. Is that a normal behavior? are there alternatives to achieve that?

[chulett]

You must add it to the job... it should be one of several 'default' APT variables that every job should have so you have the option to override the default value at any time as needed.

[Teej]

Correct. Think about it this way:

The job sequencer is a process that have its own environment defined in general based on the system, THEN the project level, then the job itself.

The job is a separate process that have its own environment defined in general, once again based on system, project, and then the job settings. It does not inherit any settings from the job sequencer for the most part.

If you want to inherit settings, you must explicitly pass the value along to the job from the job sequencer.

This is why it's a big roadblock to pass any updated parameters back to the job sequencer -- there is no communication channel set up to do so by the tool itself.