Better error messages for Modular Properties when config dict in not unpacked

idaes/models/properties/modular_properties/base/generic_property.py

@@ -304,7 +304,8 @@ def build(self):
         # Add Phase objects
         if self.config.phases is None:
             raise ConfigurationError(
-                "{} was not provided with a phases argument.".format(self.name)
+                f"{self.name} was not provided with a phases argument. "
+                "Did you forget to unpack the configurations dictionary?"
             )
 
         # Add a flag indicating whether this is an electrolyte system or not

idaes/models/properties/modular_properties/base/generic_reaction.py

@@ -199,6 +199,13 @@ def build(self):
         # and cannot be set until the config block is created by super.build
         super(ReactionParameterBlock, self).build()
 
+        # Check to make sure a property block was assigned
+        if self.config.property_package is None:
+            raise ConfigurationError(
+                f"{self.name} was not assigned a property package. "
+                "Did you forget to unpack the configuration dictionary?"
+            )
+
         # Set base units of measurement
         self.get_metadata().add_default_units(self.config.base_units)
 

idaes/models/properties/modular_properties/base/tests/test_generic_property.py

@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ def test_no_components(self):
 
         with pytest.raises(
             ConfigurationError,
-            match="params was not provided with a components " "argument.",
+            match="params was not provided with a components argument.",
         ):
             m.params = DummyParameterBlock(
                 phases={
@@ -215,12 +215,33 @@ def test_no_phases(self):
 
         with pytest.raises(
             ConfigurationError,
-            match="params was not provided with a phases " "argument.",
+            match="params was not provided with a phases argument. "
+            "Did you forget to unpack the configurations dictionary?",
         ):
             m.params = DummyParameterBlock(
                 components={"a": {}, "b": {}, "c": {}}, base_units=base_units
             )
 
+    @pytest.mark.unit
+    def test_packed_dict(self):
+        m = ConcreteModel()
+
+        dummy_dict = {
+            "phases": {
+                "p1": {"equation_of_state": "foo"},
+                "p2": {"equation_of_state": "bar"},
+            },
+        }
+
+        with pytest.raises(
+            ConfigurationError,
+            match=re.escape(
+                "params[phases] was not provided with a phases argument. "
+                "Did you forget to unpack the configurations dictionary?"
+            ),
+        ):
+            m.params = DummyParameterBlock(dummy_dict)
+
     @pytest.mark.unit
     def test_invalid_component_in_phase_component_list(self):
         m = ConcreteModel()

idaes/models/properties/modular_properties/base/tests/test_generic_reaction.py

@@ -193,6 +193,17 @@ def test_rate_build_no_stoichiometry(self, m):
                 rate_reactions={"r1": {"heat_of_reaction": "foo", "rate_form": "foo"}},
             )
 
+    @pytest.mark.unit
+    def test_packed_config_dict(self, m):
+        with pytest.raises(
+            ConfigurationError,
+            match=re.escape(
+                "rxn_params[property_package] was not assigned a property package. "
+                "Did you forget to unpack the configuration dictionary?"
+            ),
+        ):
+            m.rxn_params = GenericReactionParameterBlock({"property_package": m.params})
+
     @pytest.mark.unit
     def test_rate_build_invalid_phase_stoichiometry(self, m):
         with pytest.raises(