Adding a quick fix for str accidentally converted to type byte, until I find out why this happens

pycif/plugins/obsoperators/fp/obsoper.py

@@ -80,15 +80,25 @@ def obsoper(self, inputs, mode,
     subdir = subsimu_dates[0].strftime("%Y%m")
     
     fp_header_glob = model.utils.flexpart_header.Flexpartheader()
-    fp_header_glob.read_header(
-        os.path.join(model.run_dir_glob, obsvect.datastore.head(1)['station'][0].decode().upper(),
-                     subdir, 'header'))
+    try:
+        fp_header_glob.read_header(
+            os.path.join(model.run_dir_glob, obsvect.datastore.head(1)['station'][0].decode().
+                         upper(),subdir, 'header'))
+    except AttributeError as e:
+        fp_header_glob.read_header(
+            os.path.join(model.run_dir_glob, obsvect.datastore.head(1)['station'][0].
+                         upper(),subdir, 'header'))
     
     if model.plugin.nested:
-        fp_header_nest = model.utils.flexpart_header.Flexpartheader()
-        fp_header_nest.read_header(
-            os.path.join(model.run_dir_nest, obsvect.datastore.head(1)['station'][0].decode().upper(),
-                         subdir, 'header_nest'))
+        try:
+            fp_header_nest = model.utils.flexpart_header.Flexpartheader()
+            fp_header_nest.read_header(
+                os.path.join(model.run_dir_nest, obsvect.datastore.head(1)['station'][0].
+                             decode().upper(), subdir, 'header_nest'))
+        except AttributeError as e:
+            fp_header_nest.read_header(
+                os.path.join(model.run_dir_nest, obsvect.datastore.head(1)['station'][0].
+                             upper(), subdir, 'header_nest'))
 
     # Trajectory life time
     trajdays = fp_header_glob.trajdays
@@ -148,11 +158,17 @@ def obsoper(self, inputs, mode,
             obs_check[obs_i] = obs_i
             
             station = row.station
-            
-            runsubdir_nest = os.path.join(
-                model.run_dir_nest, station.decode().upper(), subdir)
-            runsubdir_glob = os.path.join(
-                model.run_dir_glob, station.decode().upper(), subdir)
+
+            try:
+                runsubdir_nest = os.path.join(
+                    model.run_dir_nest, station.decode().upper(), subdir)
+                runsubdir_glob = os.path.join(
+                    model.run_dir_glob, station.decode().upper(), subdir)
+            except AttributeError as e:
+                runsubdir_nest = os.path.join(
+                    model.run_dir_nest, station.upper(), subdir)
+                runsubdir_glob = os.path.join(
+                    model.run_dir_glob, station.upper(), subdir)
             
             file_date = row.Index.strftime('%Y%m%d%H%M%S')
 

pycif/plugins/obsvects/standard/init_background.py

@@ -74,8 +74,10 @@ def init_background(obsvect, **kwargs):
 
         # Subdirectory for FLEXPART grid_initial files
         subdir = row.Index.strftime("%Y%m")
-        # station = row.station
-        station = row.station.decode()
+        station = row.station
+        # Sometimes datastores read from netcdf convert type str to type bytes 
+        if isinstance(station, bytes):
+            station = station.decode()
         runsubdir_glob = os.path.join(
             model.run_dir_glob, station.upper(), subdir)
         file_date = row.Index.strftime('%Y%m%d%H%M%S')