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Hello McStas users,
<p>A McStas version 1.6-ill <i>alpha</i> is now available on the ILL McStas
web page <<A HREF="http://www.ill.fr/tas/mcstas">http://www.ill.fr/tas/mcstas</A>>.
<br>This version is there for <b>evaluation and testing</b> as it contains
many new features in the Kernel.
<br>I would be pleased to have your <b>feedback</b> about it, with comments,
bugs, things still to be done, etc.
<br>Main changes are the following (a complete list and details is available
at <<A HREF="http://www.ill.fr/tas/mcstas/package/CHANGES">http://www.ill.fr/tas/mcstas/package/CHANGES</A>>)
<ul>
<li>
Some minor bugs in the components of version 1.5 are corrected (Vitess
data exchange, sources, Powder_filter, Gravity_guide, Channeled_guide...).
They will be corrected anyway soon in the version 1.5.</li>
<li>
Many components have a usage example inside, so that all of you know typical
values for parameters.</li>
<li>
Many components have had their McDisplay updated (curved monochromators...)</li>
<li>
The generated C code for instruments is lighter when using Gravity_guide
and Monitor_nD components. Indeed, these two comps use the new <b>SHARE</b>
block, which is the same as a DECLARE, but only included once in the instrument
source code when you use N-times the same comp.</li>
<li>
You may define exclusive groups of components (multiple monochromators
and detectors, radial multiple guides...) with the <b>GROUP</b> keyword.</li>
<li>
You may include C code bits in the TRACE section of an instrument with
a <b>THEN</b> keyword.</li>
<li>
McPlot can now generate ps, color ps and gif from the command line, without
display (usefull for automatic generation)</li>
<li>
The Monitor_nD can monitor log10 and absolute value of any variable and
intensity. A bug for propagation to rectangular shape Monitor_nD was corrected.
It can also store neutron history, in order to generate a 'virtual' source
file, to be read by Source_file</li>
<li>
The Source_file can read a Vitess, free format text or binary float file,
and shot neutrons stored in it, acting as a source.</li>
<li>
The signal handler tells you where a bug occurs.</li>
<li>
The 2D monitors now also export the Errors and N counts.</li>
<li>
A new Curved_Monochromator is a merging of Mon_2foc and Mosaic_anisotropic</li>
<li>
The total number of components has been reduced when possible, so that
the user is not drown into many versions of the nearly the same thing.</li>
<li>
The Source_Maxwell_3 is a great source. You may also use the Source_gen
component, that can handle all previous sources, with rect/circular/box/cylinder
geometry, and Maxwellian (up to 3 as in SM_3), or flat flux.</li>
<li>
An <b>obsolete</b> directory now gathers old components.</li>
</ul>
Hope you find it useful !
<br>Cheers.
<br>Emmanuel.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<pre>--
What's up Doc ?
--------------------------------------------
Emmanuel FARHI, <A HREF="http://www.ill.fr/tas/people/Farhi.html">http://www.ill.fr/tas/people/Farhi.html</A> \|/ ____ \|/
CS-Group ILL4/156, Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) Grenoble ~@-/ oO \-@~
6 rue J. Horowitz, BP 156, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9,France /_( \__/ )_\
Work :Tel (33/0) 4 76 20 71 35. Fax (33/0) 4 76 48 39 06 \__U_/</pre>
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