The Generator phase of Gauss

This page will be populated with Frequently Asked Questions concerning Gauss in general, for example:

• external generator libraries available for use in Gauss
• interface to external generators
• generator settings

Please feel free to add topics.

FAQs:

If you did not find an answer to you question you can add it here:

Current user-submitted FAQ's can be found here

How to add a new decay file

Follow these instructions before committing a new decay file to the Gen/DecFiles package.

How to test a decay file or study the output of the generator phase of Gauss

Follow these instructions.

How to find the efficiency of generator level cuts applied in the decfile

Follow these instructions.

How can I run Gauss with one of the integrated generators other than Pythia (e.g. BcVegPy) ?

To use non-standard generators, one has to configure Gauss by adding the corresponding generator options. For example, for standard Sim08 settings with BcVegPy, one just adds the corresponding options after those of the eventtype:

For the other generators available (Herwig, Hijing, HidValley, ...), replace BcVegPy with the name of the generator in the instructions above. This applies also to the particle guns and MIB (Machine Induced Background) where one uses PGuns and MIB as names of the generators. The list of generators available in Gauss, and the option files needed to use them can be found here.

How do I generate particle guns in Gauss Sim08 ?

Predefined event types exist for particle guns, you can find them in the DecFiles list. They start with the digit 5. Gauss has then to be configured to produce events with the particle gun engine. To do that, add the option file $LBPGUNSROOT/options/PGuns.py to the list of Gauss option files, as for any other generator:

If you have written your own configuration of the particle gun algorithm and tools, you can pass it instead of the pre-defined event type:

How do I generate B particle guns in Gauss, and decay the B with EvtGen

Run Gauss with the following parameters:

where the file BParticleGun.py configures the behaviour of the ParticleGun algorithm to generate B decays:

# content of the file BParticleGun.py
from Configurables import ParticleGun, MomentumRange, FlatNParticles, ToolSvc, EvtGenDecay
from GaudiKernel import SystemOfUnits

pgun = ParticleGun()
pgun.ParticleGunTool = "MomentumRange"
pgun.addTool( MomentumRange , name = "MomentumRange" )

pgun.NumberOfParticlesTool = "FlatNParticles"
pgun.addTool( FlatNParticles , name = "FlatNParticles" )

pgun.MomentumRange.PdgCodes = [ 511 , -511 ]

tsvc = ToolSvc()
tsvc.addTool( EvtGenDecay , name = "EvtGenDecay" )
tsvc.EvtGenDecay.UserDecayFile = "BDecayFile.dec"
pgun.DecayTool = "EvtGenDecay"

pgun.MomentumRange.MomentumMin = 20.0*SystemOfUnits.GeV
pgun.MomentumRange.MomentumMax = 140.0*SystemOfUnits.GeV

EvtGen has to be configured with a decay file (called BDecayFile.dec in this example). Its content is to generate for example decays:

# content of the file BDecayFile.dec
Alias      MyJ/psi  J/psi
ChargeConj MyJ/psi  MyJ/psi
Alias      MyKs     K_S0
ChargeConj MyKs     MyKs
#
Decay B0
  1.000         MyJ/psi   MyKs           SVS;
Enddecay
CDecay anti-B0
#
Decay MyKs
  1.000         pi+       pi-            PHSP;
Enddecay
#
Decay MyJ/psi
  1.000         mu+       mu-           VLL;
Enddecay
End

If EvtGen picks up the right decay file but does not use it, you may need to change B0sig to B0 in your decay file.

If you get an error:

AttributeError: Configurable 'ParticleGun' does not have property 'PileUpTool'

this thread

I want to generate some events with a given particle in the final state in EvtGen but EvtGen does not know it.

The error message can be for example the following:

ToolSvc.EvtGenDecay       ERROR EvtGen Error from EvtGen 
Unknown particle name:K_1(1400)+ on line 18 

In fact, the name K_1(1400)+ is the generic LHCb name and not the name used internally in EvtGen. The correspondance between LHCb names and EvtGen names is in the particle table, that you can display typing:

SetupProject Gauss
dump_particle_properties 

The EvtGen name appears in the 7th column.

How to change Gauss random seeds

See this FAQ.

Why are decay files for special event generation empty (Higgs, top, Z, ...) ?

In this case, Pythia is used to generate the signal particles (Higgs, top, Z, ...) and not EvtGen. Then no special decay file is needed for EvtGen. However, an empty decay file must however be created to contain the nickname, the event type number, the decay descriptor and other informations needed to have the corresponding option file created automatically for Gauss in the DecFiles package.

Where can I find generator level efficiency for the MC11 productions ?

They can be found at location, grouped by event type number and physics working group. If your event type is not listed here, you should ask the MC contact person of your working group to add it to this page.

Running Gauss with the generator phase only, my jobs stopped after around 20k events with Pythia errors

Pythia6 allows a maximum number of errors per job (10). When this number is reached, Pythia itself will terminate the execution. When running only the generator phase with high statistics for signal events, you may end up in this case. You will then have a message of the type:

Error type 4 has occured after 7768259 PYEXEC calls:
(PYSTRF:) caught in infinite loop
Execution will be stopped after listing of last event!

To avoid the problem you can either produce less events per job and submit more jobs with different starting event number, or you can increase the number of errors you allow from Pythia by setting the property

# Allow up to 50 internal errors in Pythia
from Configurables import Generation, PythiaProduction
Generation().SignalRepeatedHadronization.addTool(PythiaProduction)
Generation().SignalRepeatedHadronization.PythiaProduction.Commands += [  "pydat1 mstu 22 50" ]

How can I find the BR of various channels for a given even type comprising more than one final state ?

-- GloriaCorti - 08 October 2007

How can I print Generator (HepMC) event record?

DumpMC algorithm

DumpMC

 1000// add the printout algorithm  at the end of the main Generator sequence:
 1001Generator.Members +=  { "DumpMC/Dump" } ;

LoKi::DumpHepMC algorithm

 1000// add the printout algorithm  at the end of the main Generator sequence:
 1001Generator.Members +=  { "LoKi::DumpHepMC/Dump" } ;
 1002
 1003Dump.Depth = 5 ; // set the maximal recursion depth (default is 7): 
 1004
 1005Dump.PrintVertex = True ;  // print the vertex infomation (default is false) 
 1006 
 1007Dump.PrintEndVertex = True ; // print the end-vertex infomation (default is false)
 1008
 1009// The printout mode, see the enum LoKi::DecayChain::Mode 
 1010//    // modes to print 4-vectors 
 1011//    enum Mode    
 1012//      { 
 1013//        LV_STD    = 0 , // default: as 4-values (E/px/py/pz) 
 1014//        LV_MASS       , //          as 5 values (M/E/px/py/pz)
 1015//        LV_WITHPT     , //          as 6 values (M/PT/E/px/py/pz) 
 1016//        LV_ONLYP      , //          as 3 values (px/py/pz) 
 1017//        LV_SHORT        //          as 3 values (M/PT/E) 
 1018//      } ;
 1019
 1020Dump.Mode = 2 ; // default is 0 : print as 4-values (E/px/py/pz)
 1021

DumpHepMCDecay algorihtm

DumpHepMCDecay

 1000// add the printout algorithm  at the end of the main Generator sequence:
 1001Generator.Members +=  { "DumpHepMCDecay/Dump" } ;
 1002
 1003// set the maximal recursion depth (default is 4): 
 1004Dump.MaxLevels = 5 ; 
 1005
 1006// print only decay trees for B+ and B-:
 1007Dump.Particles = { 521 , -521 } ;
 1008
 1009/// print decays for all beauty particles (default):
 1010// Dump.Quarks = { 5 } ;
 1011 

DumpHepMCTree algorithm

DumpHepMCTree

 1000// add the printout algorithm  at the end of the main Generator sequence:
 1001Generator.Members +=  { "DumpHepMCTree/Dump" } ;
 1002
 1003// set the maximal recursion depth (default is 4): 
 1004DumpMCDecay.MaxLevels = 5 ; 
 1005
 1006// print only decay trees for B+ and B-:
 1007DumpMCDecay.Particles = { 521 , -521 } ;
 1008
 1009/// print decays for all beauty particles (default):
 1010// DumpMCDecays.Quarks = { 5 } ;
 1011 

LoKi::DecayChain utility

LoKi::DecayChain

How can I read HepMC-ASCII input files in Gauss?

Gauss

 1000/// define "the special" production:
 1001Generation.SampleGenerationTool = "Special" ;
 1002
 1003/// define the production tool
 1004Generation.Special.ProductionTool = "ReadHepMCAsciiFile/ReadHepMC" ;
 1005
 1006/// define input file with HEpMC-ASCII events
 1007Generation.Special.ReadHepMC.Input = "my_input_file.ascii" ;
 1008 
 1009/// rescale from Pythia units (GeV, mm) into Gauss units (MeV, mm)  (default)
 1010Generation.Special.ReadHepMC.Rescale = True ;
 1011
 1012/// turn off Cut tool and Decay tool.
 1013Generation.Special.CutTool = ""
 1014Generation.DecayTool = ""
 1015

-- KarolH - 07-Feb-2012

Attention:

• This option is suitable only for events which are already hadronized, for partonic-level events see the next chapter.

How can I process the partonic events from the external generators in Gauss?

Gauss currenly allows to read two types of input files with partonic events: the files in Les Houches Accord XML-format and the dumb files, produced by ALPGEN generator. Well, actually one can use also the old-style Les Houches Accord partonic events, but this option being supported by the code has never been tested.

To read the files in Les Houches Accord XML-format one need to use the class LbPythia::ReadLHE as the production tool :

 1000/// define "the special" production:
 1001Generation.SampleGenerationTool = "Special" ;
 1002
 1003/// switch-off the pileup  (recommended!)
 1004Generation.PileUpTool = "FixedNInteractions/PileUp" ; 
 1005Generation.PileUp.NInteractions = 1 ;
 1006
 1007/// no cuts
 1008Generation.Special.CutTool = "" ;
 1009
 1010/// define the production tool
 1011Generation.Special.ProductionTool = "LbPythia::ReadLHE/ReadLHE" ;
 1012
 1013/// define input file in Les Hauches Accord XML -format
 1014Generation.Special.ReadLHE.InputFile = "my_input_file.lhe"
 1015 

To read the data, produced by ALPGEN generator:

 1000/// define "the special" production:
 1001Generation.SampleGenerationTool = "Special" ;
 1002
 1003/// switch-off the pileup  (recommended!)
 1004Generation.PileUpTool = "FixedNInteractions/PileUp" ; 
 1005Generation.PileUp.NInteractions = 1 ;
 1006
 1007/// define the production tool
 1008Generation.Special.ProductionTool = "LbPythia::ReadAlpGen/ReadAlpGen" ;
 1009
 1010/// define input file with unweighted events in ALPGEN format
 1011Generation.Special.ReadAlpGen.InputFile = "my_input_file.unw" ;
 1012 
 1013/// define the parameter  file in ALPGEN format
 1014Generation.Special.ReadAlpGen.ParamFile = "my_input_file_unw.par" ;
 1015
 1016/// define log-file for ALPGEN (optional)
 1017Generation.Special.ReadAlpGen.LogFile = "my_log_file.log" ;

How can I use the new JetProduction production tool to generate Jet particle guns?

How can I know the cuts that are applied on generator level in a given datasample? For example for Bd_JpsiKst, mm=DecProdCut (11144001)?

You can see which cut tool is applied by looking at the decay file for what is given as argument of the keyword "Cuts". The code can then be found in the "Gen/Generators" package. The properties of the tool can be changed in the decfiles in which case they should appear in the decay file as arguments of the keyword "CutsOptions". Finally when cuts on the complete event are applied they appear as argument of the keyword "FullEventCuts".

The cuts applied when the suffix "=DecProdCut" is applied is in general "DaughtersInLHCb". This means that normally the charged products are 10 mrad < theta < 400 mrad and the neutral 5 mrad < theta < 400 mrad.

-- GloriaCorti - 27 Nov 2008

Can I generate cosmics with Gauss? What is the procedure to do this?

To generate cosmics one just need to pick the appropriate generator. In fact there are two generators for cosmics: one written by Wouter that is called OTCosmic and one written by Giulia Manca, called Cosmics more general that is used by both the Muon System and the Calorimeters.

The Cosmics generator can be asked to produce events through given detectors or combinations and gives expected rates. For details on what it does and how to use it refer to the presentation given at a Gauss meeting (30 Apr 2008) by Giulia. Essentially you just have to replace the EVTTYPE.opts with an option file like the one given as example in $PARTICLEGUNSROOT/options/CosmicsGun.opts .

-- GloriaCorti - 01 Dec 2008

Is it possible to generate exotic charm states like X(3872) and Z(4430) ?

Not with Gauss as-is. To generate exotic charm states you there are two things you will have to take care of:

• produce them
• make them known to Gauss

-- GloriaCorti - 17 Dec 2008

How do I know what is exactly in a given event type? For example what does "13410001 - Bs_DsX=cocktail,DsinAcc" means?

To understand what really is in a specific data sample, the best is to look directly at the decay file it refers to. To do that you dan look directly in the package Gen/DecFiles that contains the options and EvtGen settings for all event types. It is recommended that you use the version of the package that was used to generate the events. The simplest way to get that is to do

lxplus> SetupProject Gauss vXrY 

In general the text by the event type code is the nickname that is also the name of the decay file itself, or you can retrieve it looking at the options:

The options are in $DECFILESROOT/options/EVENTTYPE.opts (for the example that would be $DECFILESROOT/options/13410001.opts

In the options file you will find the line

ToolSvc.EvtGenDecay.UserDecayFile = "$DECFILESROOT/dkfiles/MyDecay.dec";

in the example "MyDecay.dec" is Bs_DsX=cocktail,DsInAcc.dec.

You can now look in $DECFILESROOT/dkfiles/MyDecay.dec and you will find the whole list of decays with the relative BR for the given event type.

EvtGen reports the error: "Error in EvtParser: line:NN to long"

See this bug report in Savannah for the solution.

Gauss just says "Pythia". Which version am I using?

Pythia in general refers to Pythia6 whereas Pythia8 refers to Pythia8, so to use Pythia6 you would call $LBPYTHIAROOT/options/Pythia.py, and to use Pythia8 you would call $LBPYTHIA8ROOT/options/Pythia8.py.

Note that Pythia6 may still call Pythia8 for some processes (and produce a Pythia8 splash screen) even if you use $LBPYTHIAROOT/options/Pythia.py.

-- MichaelWilkinson - 2018-05-22

Gauss seems to be using Pythia6...?

-- MichaelWilkinson - 2018-05-22

How do I switch processes on and off in Pythia?

If you want to switch off all processes in Pythia, you can use the file $DECFILESROOT/options/SwitchOffAllPythiaProcesses.py (which has the relevant Pythia8 lines at the end). If you want to selectively turn some processes on and off, you can use that file as a template and follow the online Pythia manual for reference. See also Gauss seems to be using Pythia6...?.

-- MichaelWilkinson - 2018-05-22

How do I do RICH-less Simulation, as descibed in Philip Ilten's talk?

You can turn off Cherenkov photons using $APPCONFIGOPTS/Gauss/G4PL_FTFP_BERT_EmNoCuts_noLHCbphys.py. You may want to avoid using $APPCONFIGOPTS/Gauss/RICHRandomHits.py. (Note that $GAUSSOPTS/Gauss-2016.py includes the line importOptions("$APPCONFIGOPTS/Gauss/RICHRandomHits.py").)

You probably do not want to turn off the RICH in Gauss().DetectorGeo, Gauss().DetectorSim, Gauss().DetectorMoni, etc., as this will remove the entire RICH from the detector and you probably still want material interactions in your simulation.

-- MichaelWilkinson - 2018-05-22

How do I use ReDecay, as descibed in Philip Ilten's talk?

ReDecay takes the same underlying event and simply re-decays the signal particle, thus greatly speeding up production. (It does not re-generate the signal particle.) You can use ReDecay by including, e.g., $APPCONFIGROOT/options/Gauss/ReDecay-100times.py. (See $APPCONFIGROOT/options/Gauss/ for other pre-defined ReDecay options.

-- MichaelWilkinson - 2018-05-22

SetupProject and lb-run

Gauss still works using SetupProject, e.g., SetupProject Gauss v49r10. See here for an example. If your environment does not like SetupProject or you prefer not to use it for whatever reason, you can use lb-run, even for locally-built projects that were built using SetupProject, e.g., lb-run -c best --user-area ~/cmtuser Gauss/v49r10 bash --norc.

-- MichaelWilkinson - 2018-05-22

I am seeing non conservation of 4-momentum in truth MC for taus decayed according to TAUOLA. What is happening?

This is a known issue related to the numerical precision of the Lorentz boosts and Euler rotations at the LHC energy scale in TAUOLA (i.e. a rounding off error). A new version of TAUOLA with higher numerical precision might be forthcoming at some point.

-- AravindhanVenkateswaran - 2022-05-11