Use empty_var_context in command_helper

[WardBrian]

Submisison Checklist

• Run tests: ./runCmdStanTests.py src/test
• Declare copyright holder and open-source license: see below

Summary:

Closes #1182 and cleans up some weird logic where we were passing a file handle we knew didn't exist to the dump var context as a synonym for "no data".

Copyright and Licensing

Please list the copyright holder for the work you are submitting (this will be you or your assignee, such as a university or company):

Simons Foundation

By submitting this pull request, the copyright holder is agreeing to license the submitted work under the following licenses:

• Code: BSD 3-clause (https://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause)
• Documentation: CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

[mitzimorris]

awesome!
thanks!