Rachel GUI

==Rachel, a GUI for Gosia==

[[File:Guisnapshot.png|thumb|right|A snapshot of the alpha version GUI.]]

===General description===

A GUI (Graphical User Interface) has been developed for Gosia version 20081208.10 and is currently undergoing beta-testing.  The latest beta-test version can be [downloaded here].  Rachel is written in Python 2.6 and is expected to be Python 2.7 compliant.  It runs under Linux and Unix (OS X) machines, but is ''not'' Windows compatible.  

A 64-bit processor is desirable, because Gosia runs fastest and most accurately on 64-bit machines.  The release-candidate version, expected in early 2011, will have many structural changes in the code, allowing more automation, more general particle detector options and fewer user prompts for standard operations.

[[File:Typicalgosiainput.png|thumb|right|Excerpt of a typical Gosia input for a collective system.]]While gosia.20081208 incorporates the [[OP,BRIC]] command to read internal conversion data from BrIcc data files, removing the burden of entering ICC interpolation data by the user, the GUI allows the greatest possible automation by prompts for pre-defined or user-defined germanium detector crystals or arrays, calculation of Zeigler stopping power data, optimum meshpoint selection for yield calculations, transformation of rectilinear detector definition to laboratory-frame spherical-polar interpolation coordinates, etc.  For standard problems, the burden on the user is reduced to entering nuclear level and matrix data for simulations (including optional data-set simulation) and real experimental data for fitting.  For collective systems, where the matrix definition often includes several hundred lines of matrix elements, rotor parameters can be given to reduce the input definition considerably.  This also eliminates the need for the user to re-index the reduced matrix elements by hand as changes are made to the matrix.

===Upgrade strategy===

Upgrades are being made to incorporate all of the capabilities of Gosia, with a focus on the most commonly used features.  Prioritization of the upgrades will be directed primarily by Gosia user input on the [[Gosia forum]].  Users are encouraged to submit requested upgrades to handle present features of Gosia that are not already included, ''as well as new functions that Gosia does not handle, but which could be incorporated via the GUI.''  

===GUI version backward compatibility===

The GUI preserves backward-compatibility of the saved session files, so that users can upgrade the GUI without having to rebuild the session.

===Beta version capabilities===

* Azimuthally symmetric particle detection
* Partitioning particle-detector data by azimuthal angle
* Graphical definition of rectilinear or irregular-shaped particle detectors [[File:rectilineardetectorexample.png|thumb|right|A user-defined rectilinear detector automatically transformed into the laboratory spherical polar coordinates for Gosia.  Black edge is the "exact" shape; red lines are the azimuthal range samples passed to Gosia.]]
* 4pi experiments (e.g. experiments with no particle detection)
* Normal or inverse kinematics experiments
* A user-expandable library of standard Ge crystals e.g. Gammasphere
* Data from summed 4pi arrays
* Efficiency-corrected gamma-ray data only
* Experiment planning aids
** Generation of simulated data based on a proposed beam run
** Optional quasi-Gaussian random scatter in simulated data
** Estimated precision of the proposed measurement
* Accuracy testing to determine if Gosia will be appropriate for a planned experiment
* Fitting and correlated error estimations
* Reading level schemes and gamma-ray data from Radware AGS files and Rachel format text files
* Importing branching ratio data
* Instantly generating plots of experimental vs. predicted yields via gnuplot  [[File:plottingexample.png|thumb|right|A plot of yield vs. spin in a rotational band generated instantly from the Gosia output and experimental data.  The plot has been expanded around several points using the zoom feature.]]
* Automated generation of stopping power and internal conversion input for Gosia
* Push-button controls
* A searchable help function
* Saving the entire session to a file
* Undo/Redo of most functions
* As of version 2 beta, automatic conversion of users' session files to upgraded formats

Using Rachel, the user will be able to build a level scheme from either a hand-written text file and/or a Radware AGS file, define the experimental setup and import relative-efficiency-corrected gamma-ray data from Rachel-format text and/or AGS files.  The matrix and fit parameters can be defined by push-buttons and prompts or imported from a Rachel-format matrix file.  Gosia will then be run by push-button GUI controls.  Most prompts will be preceded by help information, suggestions, or warnings.  

For experiments that fit the capabilities above, the user can view the Gosia inputs to learn the format, but will not be required to type any input code.  Experienced Gosia users can export a GUI-generated input skeleton file and abandon the GUI to use the more advanced capabilities of Gosia.

===Rachel manual and tutorial videos=== 

Download the [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/rachel_manual.pdf draft manual here]

====The basics====

# To install Rachel and get it running for the first time, watch [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/rachel_installation.html Rachel Installation].
# A short video on [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/undo_redo.html the undo/redo buttons].
# How to [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/crash_recovery.html recover data from a crashed session].
# First steps: [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/reading_level_schemes.html Reading level schemes.]
# How to [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/add_matrix_non_collective.html add individual matrix elements].  This is most applicable to small, non-collective systems, such as the one in the sample file example2levels.txt file distributed with Rachel. 
# How to [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/add_matrix_collective.html add matrix elements systematically], i.e., for collective nuclei with rotational bands.
# How to [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/setting_up_calculations.html define experiments, Ge detectors and calculate predicted yields]. This video will show how to define experimental detector setup, data partitions and make instant plots as well.
# A [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/basic_fit_example.html very basic example of fitting] including a correlated error calculation. The entire video is about 30 minutes long. You can follow along using the GUI on your system and the example files shown in the video, which are included with your Rachel distribution in the .../example_files/ subdirectory.
# More advanced selection of fit parameters are shown in this video on [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/experiment_planning_2.html experiment planning].

====Experiment planning and accuracy testing tools====

# [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/accuracy_testing.html Testing the accuracy] of your Gosia calculations and the applicability of Gosia to a planned experiment.
# Semiclassical Coulomb excitation codes have inherent adiabaticity and eccentricity limits. [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/adiabaticity_limit.html This video] shows how to test for these limits with an experiment that would ''not'' be appropriate for Gosia.
# [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/experiment_planning.html Generating simulated data]. The errors in the simulated data are based on Poisson statistics and the expected number of days, beam current, etc. to estimate your ability to observe desired gamma-ray yields and to fit matrix elements to the observed yields. The present beta version applies ''optionally'' a quasi-gaussian random scatter of the predicted yield data [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/experiment_planning_2.html as demonstrated in this video] to better aid in predicting expected precision of fitted matrix elements. Watch this supplemental video to see how this works. You should also watch the [http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~hayes/beta_rachel/accuracy_testing.html accuracy testing video] to see if Gosia would be an appropriate analysis tool for your planned experiment.