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As usual, the solution is really easy once you know how to do it. Here's the code

# define what happens when the measure is run
def run(workspace, runner, user_arguments)
  super(workspace, runner, user_arguments)

  # use the built-in error checking
  if !runner.validateUserArguments(arguments(workspace), user_arguments)
    return false
  end

  #array to hold new IDF objects
  string_objects = []

  string_objects << "
  AirLoopHVAC,
      DOAS,                    !- Name
      DOAS Controllers,        !- Controller List Name
      DOAS Availability Managers,  !- Availability Manager List Name
      autosize,                !- Design Supply Air Flow Rate {m3/s}
      DOAS Branches,           !- Branch List Name
      ,                        !- Connector List Name
      DOAS Air Loop Inlet,     !- Supply Side Inlet Node Name
      DOAS Return Air Outlet,  !- Demand Side Outlet Node Name
      DOAS Supply Path Inlet,  !- Demand Side Inlet Node Names
      DOAS Supply Fan Outlet;  !- Supply Side Outlet Node Names
      "
      .
      .
      .
      MANY MORE OBJECTS ADDED TO string_objects
      .
      .
      .
      DONE ADDING OBJECTS

  idfobjects_vector = []
  string_objects.each do |string_object|
    idfObject = OpenStudio::IdfObject::load(string_object)
    object = idfObject.get
    idfobjects_vector.push(object)
  end
  workspace.addObjects(idfobjects_vector)

  return true
end

The significant difference was using addObjects() PLURAL instead of addObjects() SINGULAR.

The loop converts all the IDF objects in text file format to IDFObjects objects and puts all those IDFObjects into a vector called idfobjects_vector. The idfobjects_vector is then passed to the addObjects() PLURAL outside the loop.

I'm guessing that addObject(idf_object) SINGULAR function checks the validity of all fields of the idf_object being added to the IDF every time. Fields that were invalid were left blank. On the other hand, the addObjects(idfobjects_vector) PLURAL still checks the validity of all the objects being added, but is checking field validity of all objects at once, instead of one at a time like my previous attempts. This means the order of the objects written in text format in the measure does not matter, which is very, VERY nice for the severely interconnected airloops, plantloops, etc.