Changes in version 1.7 (Mar 4, 2004)

• Kernel (i.e. the 'mcstas' program)
• components may have a SHARE section, which is imported only once per type
  of component. It has the same role as DECLARE, but only once.
  
• the component files may have some %include inside '%{ }%' C DECLARE or SHARE
  blocks. The files to include are searched locally, and then in the library.
  If an extension is found, just the specified file is included, else both
  .h and .c are embedded if the --no-runtime has not been specified.
  The instrument files can also embed external files, both in C blocks
  and in the instrument parts (DECLARE, etc...) as in previous releases.
  
• The instrument and components may have char* setting parameters. For
  instruments, their length is limited to 1024 chars.
  
• The FINALLY section, that was executed at the end, has been split into
  still the FINALLY, and a new SAVE section. This latter is executed
  at simulation end (just before the FINALLY), but also each time an
  intermediate save is required (e.g. a 'kill -USR2 <pid>' is used).
  
• An instrument source file may contain EXTEND %{ }% C blocks just after
  the usual AT...ROTATED.. keywords, to extend the behaviour of existing
  components, without touching their code. All local component variables are
  available. This may for instance be used to add a new 'color' to neutrons,
  i.e. assign a new characteristic variable to the neutron.
  
• component instances in an instrument source file may be GROUPed into
  exclusive assembly, i.e. only one component of the group will intercept
  neutron, the rest will be skipped. This is usefull for multi monochromators
  multi detectors, multiple collimators, ... This is a kind if splitting.
  
• McStas can now compile for Windows without troubles (if lex/yacc files
  were generated elsewere, or using the flex/yacc for Windows)
  
  
• Components (in the lib directory)
• a new data directory contains neutron data tables
  
• obsolete directory contains components that were renamed or old.
  
• misc/Progress_bar component now exists, and may save data regularly.
  
• optics/Monochromator_curved can read reflectivity and transmission tables
  
• monitors/Monitor_nD can have automatic limits mode for either all or
  selected monitored variables. It may also plot banana monitors for mcdisplay
  and trigger intermediate savings for all monitors (same as USR2 sig.)
  Also, it may monitor something else than the intensity, e.g. the mean
  energy on a XY psd.
  
• sources/Virtual_output can save all neutron events into a file
  (beware the size of the generated files !). Format may be text and binary
  
• sources/Virtual_input can read the files generated by Virtual_output
  
• optics/Guide_gravity can handle a 2D array of channels
  
• optics/Filter_gen can read a table from a file and affect the neutron beam
  (replaces the obsolete 'Flux_adapter'). It may act as a filter or a source
  
• samples: they now can all target towards any component, giving its index
  (no need to compute target_x/y/z vector, use e.g. target_index=+1)
  
• samples/Res_monitor, Powder1 and V_sample may now have a sphere or box
  shape, and may focus to a circular or rectangular area
  
  
• Run-time library (e.g. the instrument program)
• A global gravitation handling is now available, by setting the -g flag. BUGGY
  
• many output formats are available for data. use the --format="format"
  flag, e.g. --format="Scilab". The full list is displayed with
  the -h flag for the instrument program.
  example:
  mcrun test.instr --format="Matlab binary" -n 1e4
  will create a mcstas.m file. Launch Matlab and execute
  s=mcstas('plot') % will import data into s, and plot all detectors.
  Binary formats are handled by IDL, Matlab, Scilab.
  The present available format list is
  "McStas" "Scilab" "Matlab" "IDL" "XML" "HTML"
  The default format is McStas/PGPLOT, but may be specified globally using
  the MCSTAS_FORMAT environment variable
  
• It is possible to save 3D data arrays, by calling the DETECTOR_OUT_3D macro.
  (handled as 2D by mcplot)
  
• The type of the 'number of events' array in monitors was changed from int to
  double, to avoid overflow. Please update your home-made monitors.
  
• many dedicated libraries are now available as shared code for reading
  tables, handling data trees and monitors. These are C functions to be
  %included into components (see e.g. lib/monitors/Monitor_nD.comp)
  
• The USR2 signal generates an intermediate save for all monitors, during
  the simulation (execute the SAVE section). The USR1 still give informations.
  
• a new randvec_target_rect function now focuses on a rectangle
  (more efficient than former randvec_target_sphere=randvec_target_circle)
• Tools
• Matlab, Scilab and IDL may read directly McStas results if the simulation
  was executed with the --format="..." option (see 'Run-time' changes)
  
• mcplot, mcdisplay, mcgui are now less dependent on the perl/pgplot installed
  versions.
  
• mcplot can plot a single simulation data file
  
• mcplot, mcresplot, mcdisplay can output gif, ps and ps color. They also
  have integrated help (-h options), and may generate output files in a
  non interactive mode (read file, create output file, exit)
  
• mcplot and mcdisplay work with Matlab, PGPLOT and Scilab plotters (set with
  the MCSTAS_FORMAT default setting, or -pPLOTTER, or PGPLOT if not set)
  
• mcrun can not currently generate scan results in other formats than McStas
  
• mcsats2vitess works now ok for converting a McStas component to a Vitess one

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Last modified Feb 24 2005 by E. Farhi

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Last Modified: Friday, 25-Feb-2005 16:28:29 CET