The easiest way to get started with ratpac-two is via containers. The latest builds can be found on dockerhub or on ghcr.io.
On HPC platforms, apptainer/singularity containers are a better option than docker containers. To create these, run
apptainer pull ratpac2.sif docker://ratpac/ratpac-two:mainTo enter the container:
apptainer run [-B /disks/to/mount] ratpac2.sifInstallation requires ROOT 6.25+, Geant4 11.0+, and cmake 3.22+
For development, the following are also required:
- clang-format: major version 14. other major versions are known to produce different outputs that will result in failed checks
The most well-supported way of installing ratpac-two is via the ratpac-setup script. Follow the instruction will produce a standalone directory that includes all dependencies. You can also check this repo for the best-tested minor versions of each dependency.
A convenience Makefile exists to automate the above process, simply type make.
Install using cmake:
cmake . -Bbuild
cmake --build build -- -j$(nproc)If you want to install the code, just add
cmake --build build . --target install -j$(nproc)Ratpac-two compiles as a library which can be extended for specific experiment
use cases. The library can be accessed through CMake using
find_package(Ratpac).
A stand-alone executable is included with the library that can be run on simple experimental geometries and test suites. The intent is for users to compile against the ratpac library, and any specific additions to the C++ framework should exist outside of the main repository.
Ratpac-two is a refactor of ratpac which makes the necessary changes to compile with modern versions of GCC and is compatible with the latest Geant4 and ROOT versions. This version of Ratpac is not backwards compatible with the previous version.
Ratpac is a simulation and analysis package built with GEANT4, ROOT, and C++, originally developed by S. Seibert for the Braidwood Collaboration. Versions of Ratpac are now being used and developed by several particle physics experiments.
Ratpac combines simulation and analysis into a single framework, which allows analysis code to trivially access the same detector geometry and physics parameters used in the detailed simulation.
Ratpac follows the "AMARA" principle: As Microphysical as Reasonably Achievable. Each and every photon is tracked through an arbitrarily detailed detector geometry, using standard GEANT4 or custom physics processes. PMTs are fully modeled, and detected photons may be propagated to a simulation of front-end electronics and DAQ.
This generic version is intended as a starting point for collaborations looking for an easy-to-learn, extensible detector simulation and analysis package that works out of the box. Once acquainted with Ratpac, it is easy to customize the geometry elements, physics details, data structure, analysis tools, etc., to suit your experiment's needs.