Add binary `file_format` options for gauges

[mandli]

GeoClaw has implemented a few binary options for outputting gauges that AMRClaw currently does not support (only ASCII). The Python handles more than just ASCII so it would be nice to port this capability back from GeoClaw.

[yingjie1234]

Hi Kyle

I’d like to work on this issue as part of a contribution to AMRClaw.

Plan

• Review how GeoClaw implements binary gauge output.
• Port similar functionality to AMRClaw (keeping compatibility with existing ASCII output).
• Add an input flag to select between binary and ASCII formats.
• Test the new option using existing gauge examples.
• Update documentation accordingly.

Please let me know if this approach sounds good before I begin implementation.

Thanks!

[mandli]

Sounds good @yingjie1234. A couple of thoughts as you get started:

• One thing that would be nice to add would be a test for this functionality (nothing exists even for GeoClaw) for both types of binary output. This could be done by taking another test, switching the type of output, and comparing.
• The python interface to the gauge output is in clawpack/pyclaw in the gauges.py module.