Using SLIC from lxplus

When simulating events with slic it is usually better to do this as a batch job, like on the CERN lxplus batch queues.

For easy submission of multiple jobs to the batch queues (splitting the job for parallel processing) a script has been set up. It can be found on the common AFS space:

/afs/cern.ch/eng/clic/software/scripts/slic_submit.sh

This script allows easy submission of multiple similar jobs, splitting of simulation of a larger stdhep input file, automatic naming of the output files, creates automatic slic macros for some generic particle sources etc.

The script requires the detector definition file (*.lcdd) to be located at

/afs/cern.ch/eng/clic/data/detectors/DETECTORNAME/DETECTORNAME.lcdd

The lcio outputfiles are created at

/afs/cern.ch/eng/clic/work/events/DETECTORNAME/

Script usage

• connect to an lxplus machine using your CERN account

  ssh lxplus

• run the script with the according parameters

  ./slic_submit.sh -...

• the possible parameters are:
  • -h or --help : lists all possible parameters with a short description
  • -a ANGLE: sets the opening angle for the point-like particle source (default=1)
  • -d DETECTORNAME: sets the name of the detector to be used (default=clic000)
    the script also checks if the necessary detector description is located at /afs/cern.ch/eng/clic/data/detectors/DETECTORNAME/DETECTORNAME.lcdd
  • -e ENERGY : sets the particle energy (in GeV) for all particle sources except stdhep input (default=50)
  • -f FILENAME : sets the file name of the stdhep input file
  • -g GENERATOR : sets the particle generator, this parameter is mandatory. It can be
    • file for stdhep input
    • beam for a testbeam-like particle generator in z-direction
    • gun for particles generated in a straight line in z-direction
    • point for a point-like particle generator shooting in z-direction
  • -j JOBS : sets the number of equal jobs to be submitted (default=1)
    for stdhep input the jobs are sequentially, ie. job1 will simulate events 0-99, job2 will simulate events 100-199, ...
  • -l PHYSLIST : sets the physics list to be used (default=QGSP_BERT)
  • -n NEVENTS : sets the number of events per submitted job (default=100)
  • -p PARTICLE : sets the particle type for all particle sources except stdhep input (default=pi+)
    important : use the GEANT4 particle naming convention
  • -q QUEUE : sets the lxplus batch queue, this parameter is mandatory.
    It has to be one of the following: 8nm, 1nh, 8nh, 1nd, 2nd, 1nw, 2nw

Examples

• slic_submit.sh -g file -f yourinput.stdhep -n 100 -j 10 -q 1nd

  this will simulate the first 1000 events from yourinput.stdhep in the default detector (clic000) equally split into 10 jobs on the 1day queue.

• slic_submit.sh -g gun -d clichcalstack -p e+ -e 500 -n 1000 -j 2 -q 1nw

  this will simulate 2000 positrons split into 2 jobs with an energy of 500 GeV shot on the clichcalstack in z-direction on the 1week queue.

Bugfixes

• 30 Oct 2008 fixed naming of lcio output files when using stdhep input
• 31 Oct 2008 fixed random seed being NOT random
• 24 Nov 2008 introduced better feedback of parameters used

For questions and comments please contact ChristianGrefe