Proposal (and bugfix) to implement value-based conditional requirement

HISTORY.rst

@@ -38,6 +38,28 @@
 
 Unreleased Changes
 ------------------
+* General
+    * We have updated validation in several ways that will improve the
+      developer experience of working with InVEST models, and we hope will also
+      improve the user experience:
+
+      * Symbols in conditional requirement expressions now represent the values
+        of parameters instead of whether the value of the parameter is
+        sufficient.  If a symbol is not present in ``args`` as a key, the
+        symbol will have a value of ``False``.  This allows for value-based
+        comparisons, which is useful in models that have overlapping modes of
+        operation. https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/1509
+      * Vector fields, CSV rows/columns and the 1st level of directory
+        contents may now all be conditionally required based on a python
+        expression.
+      * Under certain circumstances, validation may return more warnings than
+        before. This specifically applies to model inputs that have conditional
+        requirement expressions where their expression evaluates to ``False``,
+        and the user has provided a value for this parameter.  Previous
+        versions of InVEST would skip these parameters' type-specific
+        validation. Now, these parameters will be validated with their
+        type-specific validation checks.
+
 * Annual Water Yield
     * Added the results_suffix to a few intermediate files where it was
       missing. https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/1517
@@ -48,6 +70,9 @@ Unreleased Changes
     * Fixed an issue where Urban Nature Access would crash if an administrative
       boundary geometry did not overlap any people in the population raster.
       https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/1503
+    * Fixed an issue where validation was failing to catch missing values in
+      the uniform search radius args key when using uniform search radii.
+      https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/1509
     * Fixed an issue where the output administrative units vector's
       ``Pund_adm`` and ``Povr_adm`` fields representing undersupplied and
       oversupplied populations, respectively, had values of 0 when running the

src/natcap/invest/habitat_quality.py

@@ -5,26 +5,22 @@
 import os
 
 import numpy
-from osgeo import gdal
 import pygeoprocessing
 import taskgraph
+from osgeo import gdal
 
-from .model_metadata import MODEL_METADATA
+from . import gettext
 from . import spec_utils
 from . import utils
 from . import validation
+from .model_metadata import MODEL_METADATA
 from .unit_registry import u
-from . import gettext
-
 
 LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 MISSING_SENSITIVITY_TABLE_THREATS_MSG = gettext(
     'Threats {threats} does not match any column in the sensitivity table. '
     'Sensitivity columns: {column_names}')  # (set of missing threats, set of found columns)
-MISSING_COLUMN_MSG = gettext(
-    "The column '{column_name}' was not found in the Threat Data table for "
-    "the corresponding input LULC scenario.")
 MISSING_THREAT_RASTER_MSG = gettext(
     "A threat raster for threats: {threat_list} was not found or it "
     "could not be opened by GDAL.")
@@ -1116,7 +1112,6 @@ def validate(args, limit_to=None):
         bad_threat_paths = []
         duplicate_paths = []
         threat_path_list = []
-        bad_threat_columns = []
         for lulc_key, lulc_arg in (('_c', 'lulc_cur_path'),
                                    ('_f', 'lulc_fut_path'),
                                    ('_b', 'lulc_bas_path')):
@@ -1126,9 +1121,6 @@ def validate(args, limit_to=None):
                 # threat_raster_folder
                 for threat, row in threat_df.iterrows():
                     threat_table_path_col = _THREAT_SCENARIO_MAP[lulc_key]
-                    if threat_table_path_col not in row:
-                        bad_threat_columns.append(threat_table_path_col)
-                        break
 
                     # Threat path from threat CSV is relative to CSV
                     threat_path = row[threat_table_path_col]
@@ -1151,11 +1143,6 @@ def validate(args, limit_to=None):
                             duplicate_paths.append(
                                 os.path.basename(threat_path))
 
-        if bad_threat_columns:
-            validation_warnings.append((
-                ['threats_table_path'],
-                MISSING_COLUMN_MSG.format(column_name=bad_threat_columns[0])))
-
         if bad_threat_paths:
             validation_warnings.append((
                 ['threats_table_path'],

src/natcap/invest/urban_cooling_model.py

@@ -71,23 +71,23 @@
                         "considered a green area.")},
                 "shade":  {
                     "type": "ratio",
-                    "required": "cc_method == factors",
+                    "required": "cc_method == 'factors'",
                     "about": gettext(
                         "The proportion of area in this LULC class that is "
                         "covered by tree canopy at least 2 meters high. "
                         "Required if the 'factors' option is selected for "
                         "the Cooling Capacity Calculation Method.")},
                 "albedo": {
                     "type": "ratio",
-                    "required": "cc_method == factors",
+                    "required": "cc_method == 'factors'",
                     "about": gettext(
                         "The proportion of solar radiation that is directly "
                         "reflected by this LULC class. Required if the "
                         "'factors' option is selected for the Cooling "
                         "Capacity Calculation Method.")},
                 "building_intensity": {
                     "type": "ratio",
-                    "required": "cc_method == intensity",
+                    "required": "cc_method == 'intensity'",
                     "about": gettext(
                         "The ratio of building floor area to footprint "
                         "area, with all values in this column normalized "

src/natcap/invest/urban_nature_access.py

@@ -272,8 +272,6 @@
                 'search_radius_m': {
                     'type': 'number',
                     'units': u.meter,
-                    'required':
-                        f'search_radius_mode == "{RADIUS_OPT_POP_GROUP}"',
                     'expression': 'value >= 0',
                     'about': gettext(
                         "The search radius in meters to use "