wip

Author: corneliusroemer

augur/util_support/node_data_file.py

@@ -78,7 +78,13 @@ def validate(self):
 
         if not isinstance(self.branches, dict):
             raise AugurError(
-                f"`branches` value in {self.fname} is not a dictionary. Please check the formatting of this JSON!"            )
+                f"`branches` value in {self.fname} is not a dictionary. Please check the formatting of this JSON!"
+            )
+
+        if not self.nodes and not self.branches:
+            print_err(
+                f"WARNING: {self.fname} has empty or nonexistent `nodes` and `branches`. Please check the formatting of this JSON!"
+            )
 
         if self.validation_mode is not ValidationMode.SKIP and self.is_generated_by_incompatible_augur:
             msg = (