Some fixes addressing Christina's suggestions.

scripts/exregional_run_fcst.sh

@@ -436,8 +436,8 @@ fi
 
 if [ "${DO_ENSEMBLE}" = TRUE ] && ([ "${DO_SPP}" = TRUE ] || [ "${DO_SPPT}" = TRUE ] || [ "${DO_SHUM}" = TRUE ] \
    [ "${DO_SKEB}" = TRUE ] || [ "${DO_LSM_SPP}" =  TRUE ]); then
-  python3 $USHDIR/set_FV3nml_ens_stoch_seeds \
-      --path-to-defns $EXPTDIR/var_defns.sh \
+  python3 $USHDIR/set_FV3nml_ens_stoch_seeds.py \
+      --path-to-defns ${GLOBAL_VAR_DEFNS_FP} \
       --cdate "$cdate" || print_err_msg_exit "\
 Call to function to create the ensemble-based namelist for the current
 cycle's (cdate) run directory (run_dir) failed:

ush/create_model_configure_file.py

@@ -213,22 +213,22 @@ def parse_args(argv):
     parser.add_argument('-c', '--cdate',
                         dest='cdate',
                         required=True,
-                        help='Date string.')
+                        help='Date string in YYYYMMDD format.')
 
     parser.add_argument('-s', '--sub-hourly-post',
                         dest='sub_hourly_post',
                         required=True,
-                        help='Sub hourly post.')
+                        help='Set sub hourly post to either TRUE/FALSE by passing corresponding string.')
 
     parser.add_argument('-d', '--dt-subhourly-post-mnts',
                         dest='dt_subhourly_post_mnts',
                         required=True,
-                        help='dt subhourly post mnts.')
+                        help='Subhourly post minitues.')
 
     parser.add_argument('-t', '--dt-atmos',
                         dest='dt_atmos',
                         required=True,
-                        help='dt_atmos.')
+                        help='Forecast model\'s main time step.')
 
     parser.add_argument('-p', '--path-to-defns',
                         dest='path_to_defns',

ush/set_FV3nml_sfc_climo_filenames.py

@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ def set_FV3nml_sfc_climo_filenames():
 def parse_args(argv):
     """ Parse command line arguments"""
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
-        description='Creates symbolic links to FIX directories.'
+        description='Set surface climatology fields.'
     )
 
     parser.add_argument('-p', '--path-to-defns',

ush/setup.py

@@ -930,19 +930,12 @@ def setup():
     NEMS_CONFIG_FN = "nems.configure"
     #----------------------------------
 
-    if DATA_TABLE_TMPL_FN is None:
-       DATA_TABLE_TMPL_FN = DATA_TABLE_FN
-    if DIAG_TABLE_TMPL_FN is None:
-       DIAG_TABLE_TMPL_FN = DIAG_TABLE_FN
-    DIAG_TABLE_TMPL_FN = f"{DIAG_TABLE_TMPL_FN}{dot_ccpp_phys_suite_or_null}"
-    if FIELD_TABLE_TMPL_FN is None:
-       FIELD_TABLE_TMPL_FN = FIELD_TABLE_FN
-    FIELD_TABLE_TMPL_FN = f"{FIELD_TABLE_TMPL_FN}{dot_ccpp_phys_suite_or_null}"
-    if MODEL_CONFIG_TMPL_FN is None:
-       MODEL_CONFIG_TMPL_FN = MODEL_CONFIG_FN
-    if NEMS_CONFIG_TMPL_FN is None:
-       NEMS_CONFIG_TMPL_FN = NEMS_CONFIG_FN
-
+    DATA_TABLE_TMPL_FN = DATA_TABLE_TMPL_FN or DATA_TABLE_FN
+    DIAG_TABLE_TMPL_FN = f"{DIAG_TABLE_TMPL_FN or DIAG_TABLE_FN}{dot_ccpp_phys_suite_or_null}"
+    FIELD_TABLE_TMPL_FN = f"{FIELD_TABLE_TMPL_FN or FIELD_TABLE_FN}{dot_ccpp_phys_suite_or_null}"
+    MODEL_CONFIG_TMPL_FN = MODEL_CONFIG_TMPL_FN or MODEL_CONFIG_FN
+    NEMS_CONFIG_TMPL_FN = NEMS_CONFIG_TMPL_FN or NEMS_CONFIG_FN
+
     DATA_TABLE_TMPL_FP = os.path.join(TEMPLATE_DIR,DATA_TABLE_TMPL_FN)
     DIAG_TABLE_TMPL_FP = os.path.join(TEMPLATE_DIR,DIAG_TABLE_TMPL_FN)
     FIELD_TABLE_TMPL_FP = os.path.join(TEMPLATE_DIR,FIELD_TABLE_TMPL_FN)