Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/model/MatlabFuncs.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/model/MatlabFuncs.py	(revision 12841)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/model/MatlabFuncs.py	(revision 12842)
@@ -1,28 +1,47 @@
-def strcmp(str1,str2):
+def strcmp(s1,s2):
 
-	if str1 == str2:
+	if s1 == s2:
 		return True
 	else:
 		return False
 
-def strncmp(str1,str2,n):
+def strncmp(s1,s2,n):
 
-	if str1[0:n] == str2[0:n]:
+	if s1[0:n] == s2[0:n]:
 		return True
 	else:
 		return False
 
-def strcmpi(str1,str2):
+def strcmpi(s1,s2):
 
-	if str1.lower() == str2.lower():
+	if s1.lower() == s2.lower():
 		return True
 	else:
 		return False
 
-def strncmpi(str1,str2,n):
+def strncmpi(s1,s2,n):
 
-	if str1.lower()[0:n] == str2.lower()[0:n]:
+	if s1.lower()[0:n] == s2.lower()[0:n]:
 		return True
 	else:
 		return False
 
+def ismember(a,s):
+	import numpy
+
+	if not isinstance(s,(tuple,list,dict,numpy.ndarray)):
+		s=[s]
+
+	if not isinstance(a,(tuple,list,dict,numpy.ndarray)):
+		a=[a]
+
+	if not isinstance(a,numpy.ndarray):
+		b=[item in s for item in a]
+
+	else:
+		b=numpy.empty_like(a)
+		for i,item in enumerate(a.flat):
+			b.flat[i]=item in s
+
+	return b
+
Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/consistency/checkfield.m
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/consistency/checkfield.m	(revision 12841)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/consistency/checkfield.m	(revision 12842)
@@ -54,5 +54,5 @@
 		end
 	else
-		if ((size(field)~=fieldsize(1)) |  (size(field,2)~=fieldsize(2)))
+		if ((size(field,1)~=fieldsize(1)) |  (size(field,2)~=fieldsize(2)))
 			md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
 				['field ''' fieldname ''' size should be ' num2str(fieldsize(1)) ' x ' num2str(fieldsize(2))]));
@@ -87,5 +87,5 @@
 end
 
-%check NaN
+%check cell
 if getfieldvalue(options,'cell',0);
 	if ~iscell(field),
@@ -99,32 +99,32 @@
 	fieldvalues=getfieldvalue(options,'values');
 	if iscell(fieldvalues), %strings
-	if ischar(field) | iscell(fieldvalues),
-		if any(~ismember(field,fieldvalues)),
-			if length(fieldvalues)==1
-				md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
-					['field ''' fieldname ''' value should be ' fieldvalues{1} ]));
-			elseif length(fieldvalues)==2
-				md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
-					['field ''' fieldname ''' values should be ' fieldvalues{1} ' or ' fieldvalues{2} ]));
-			else
-				md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
-					['field ''' fieldname ''' should have values in ' sprintf('''%s'', ',fieldvalues{1:end-1}) 'or ''' fieldvalues{end} '''']));
+		if ischar(field) | iscell(fieldvalues),
+			if any(~ismember(field,fieldvalues)),
+				if length(fieldvalues)==1
+					md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
+						['field ''' fieldname ''' value should be ''' fieldvalues{1} '''']));
+				elseif length(fieldvalues)==2
+					md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
+						['field ''' fieldname ''' values should be ''' fieldvalues{1} ''' or ''' fieldvalues{2} '''']));
+				else
+					md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
+						['field ''' fieldname ''' should have values in ' sprintf('''%s'', ',fieldvalues{1:end-1}) 'or ''' fieldvalues{end} '''']));
+				end
 			end
+		else
+			md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
+				['field ''' fieldname ''' should be one of the following strings: ' sprintf('''%s'', ',fieldvalues{1:end-1}) 'or ''' fieldvalues{end} '''']));
 		end
 	else
-		md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
-			['field ''' fieldname ''' should be one of the following strings: ' sprintf('''%s'', ',fieldvalues{1:end-1}) 'or ''' fieldvalues{end} '''']));
-	end
-else
-	field2=reshape(field,prod(size(field)),1);
-	if isnumeric(field),
-		if any(~ismember(field2,fieldvalues)),
+		field2=reshape(field,prod(size(field)),1);
+		if isnumeric(field),
+			if any(~ismember(field2,fieldvalues)),
+				md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
+					['field ''' fieldname ''' should have values in [' num2str(fieldvalues) ']']));
+			end
+		else
 			md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
-				['field ''' fieldname ''' should have values in [' num2str(fieldvalues) ']']));
+				['field ''' fieldname ''' should be a number in [' num2str(fieldvalues) ']']));
 		end
-	else
-		md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
-			['field ''' fieldname ''' should be a number in [' num2str(fieldvalues) ']']));
-	end
 	end
 end
@@ -162,5 +162,5 @@
 	if any(field2>=upperbound),
 		md = checkmessage(md,getfieldvalue(options,'message',...
-			['field ''' fieldname ''' should have values below ' num2str(upperbound(1))]));
+			['field ''' fieldname ''' should have values below ' num2str(upperbound)]));
 	end
 end
@@ -169,5 +169,5 @@
 if getfieldvalue(options,'file',0),
 	if ~exist(field,'file')
-		md = checkmessage(md,['file profided in ''' fieldname ''': ''' field ''' does not exist']);
+		md = checkmessage(md,['file provided in ''' fieldname ''': ''' field ''' does not exist']);
 	end
 end
Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/consistency/checkfield.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/consistency/checkfield.py	(revision 12842)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/utils/consistency/checkfield.py	(revision 12842)
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+import numpy
+import os
+from pairoptions import *
+from MatlabFuncs import *
+
+def checkfield(md,fieldname,*args):
+	"""
+	CHECKFIELD - check field consistency
+
+	    Used to check model consistency.
+	    Available options:
+	       - NaN: 1 if check that there is no NaN
+	       - size: [lines cols], NaN for non checked dimensions
+	       - >:  greater than provided value
+	       - >=: greater or equal to provided value
+	       - <:  smallerthan provided value
+	       - <=: smaller or equal to provided value
+	       - < vec:  smallerthan provided values on each vertex
+	       - forcing: 1 if check forcing consistency (size and time)
+	       - values: cell of strings or vector of acceptable values
+	       - numel: list of acceptable number of elements
+	       - cell: 1 if check that is cell
+	       - empty: 1 if check that non empty
+	       - message: overloaded error message
+
+	    Usage:
+	       md = checkfield(md,fieldname,options);
+
+	    Example:
+	       md = checkfield(md,'mesh.elementonbed','size',[md.mesh.numberofelements 1],'values',[0 1]);
+	       md = checkfield(md,'diagnostic.icefront','size',[NaN 4],'NaN',1);
+	       md = checkfield(md,'diagnostic.icefront(:,end)','values',[0 1 2]);
+	"""
+
+	#get options
+	options=pairoptions(*args)
+
+	#get field from model
+	field=getattr(md,fieldname)
+
+	#check empty
+	if 'empty' in options:
+		if not field:
+			md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+				"field '%s' is empty" % fieldname))
+
+	#Check size
+	if 'size' in options:
+		fieldsize=options.getfieldvalue('size')
+		if   numpy.isnan(fieldsize[0]):
+			if not numpy.size(field,1)==fieldsize[1]:
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' should have %d columns" % (fieldname,fieldsize[1])))
+		elif numpy.isnan(fieldsize[1]):
+			if not numpy.size(field,0)==fieldsize[0]:
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' should have %d lines" % (fieldname,fieldsize[0])))
+		else:
+			if (not numpy.size(field,0)==fieldsize[0]) or (not numpy.size(field,1)==fieldsize[1]):
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' size should be %d x %d" % (fieldname,fieldsize[0],fieldsize[1])))
+	
+	#Check numel
+	if 'numel' in options:
+		fieldnumel=options.getfieldvalue('numel')
+		if not numpy.size(field) in fieldnumel:
+			if   len(fieldnumel)==1:
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' size should be %d" % (fieldname,fieldnumel)))
+			elif len(fieldnumel)==2:
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' size should be %d or %d" % (fieldname,fieldnumel[0],fieldnumel[1])))
+			else:
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' size should be %s" % (fieldname,fieldnumel)))
+
+	#check NaN
+	if options.getfieldvalue('NaN',0):
+		if True in numpy.isnan(field):
+			md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+				"NaN values found in field '%s'" % fieldname))
+
+	#check cell
+	if options.getfieldvalue('cell',0):
+		if not isinstance(field,(tuple,list,dict)):
+			md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+				"field '%s' should be a cell" % fieldname))
+
+	#check values
+	if 'values' in options:
+		fieldvalues=options.getfieldvalue('values')
+		if False in ismember(field,fieldvalues):
+			if   len(fieldvalues)==1:
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' value should be '%s'"  % (fieldname,fieldvalues[0])))
+			elif len(fieldvalues)==2:
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' values should be '%s' or '%s'"  % (fieldname,fieldvalues[0],fieldvalues[1])))
+			else:
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' should have values in %s" % (fieldname,fieldvalues)))
+
+	#check greater
+	if '>=' in options:
+		lowerbound=options.getfieldvalue('>=')
+		if numpy.any(field<lowerbound):
+			md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+				"field '%s' should have values above %d" % (fieldname,lowerbound)))
+	if '>' in options:
+		lowerbound=options.getfieldvalue('>')
+		if numpy.any(field<=lowerbound):
+			md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+				"field '%s' should have values above %d" % (fieldname,lowerbound)))
+
+	#check smaller
+	if '<=' in options:
+		upperbound=options.getfieldvalue('<=')
+		if numpy.any(field>upperbound):
+			md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+				"field '%s' should have values below %d" % (fieldname,upperbound)))
+	if '<' in options:
+		upperbound=options.getfieldvalue('<')
+		if numpy.any(field>=upperbound):
+			md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+				"field '%s' should have values below %d" % (fieldname,upperbound)))
+
+	#check file
+	if options.getfieldvalue('file',0):
+		if not os.path.exists(field):
+			md = md.checkmessage("file provided in '%s': '%s' does not exist" % (fieldname,field))
+
+	#Check forcings (size and times)
+	if options.getfieldvalue('forcing',0):
+		if   numpy.size(field,0)==md.mesh.numberofvertices:
+			if not numpy.size(field,1)==1:
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' should have only one column as there are md.mesh.numberofvertices lines" % fieldname))
+		elif numpy.size(field,0)==md.mesh.numberofvertices+1:
+			if not numpy.all(field[-1,:]==numpy.sort(field[-1,:])):
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' columns should be sorted chronologically" % fieldname))
+			if nump.any(field[-1,0:-1]==field[-1,1:]):
+				md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+					"field '%s' columns must not contain duplicate timesteps" % fieldname))
+		else:
+			md = md.checkmessage(options.getfieldvalue('message',\
+				"field '%s' should have md.mesh.numberofvertices or md.mesh.numberofvertices+1 lines" % fieldname))
+
+	return md
+