root/branches/mcstas-1.x/CHANGES

/*******************************************************************************
*
* McStas, neutron ray-tracing package
*         Copyright 1997-2010, All rights reserved
*         Risoe National Laboratory, Roskilde, Denmark
*         Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble, France
*
* Documentation: CHANGES
*
* %Identification
* Written by: KN, KL, PEO, EF, PW
* Date: 1997
* Origin: Risoe DTU, ILL, Uni Copenhagen, PSI
* Release: McStas 1.12c
* Version: $Revision: 1.49 $
* Modified by: KN, October 26, 1998 : initial release 1.0
* Modified by: KN, March 31, 1999   : release 1.1
* Modified by: KN, January 31, 2000 : release 1.2
* Modified by: KN, May 18, 2000     : release 1.3
* Modified by: KN, July 28, 2000    : release 1.4
* Modified by: KN, PEO, March 16, 2001: release 1.4.1
* Modified by: PEO, EF, October, 10th, 2001: release 1.5
* Modified by: PW, EF, May 19th 2003: version 1.7
* Modified by: PW, EF, March 4th 2004: version 1.8
* Modified by: PW, EF, November 16th 2005: version 1.9
* Modified by: PW, EF, March 29th 2006: version 1.9.1
* Modified by: PW, EF, December 4th 2006: version 1.10
* Modified by: PW, EF, July 3rd 2007: version 1.11
* Modified by: PW, EF, EK May 8th 2008: version 1.12
* Modified by: PW, EF, EK April 2nd 2009: version 1.12a
* Modified by: PW, EF, EK June/July 2010: version 1.12b
* Modified by: PW May-June 2011: version 1.12c (re-release)
*
* This file is part of McStas  version 1.12c, released June 3rd, 2011.
* It gives a 'changes' list from the beginning of the project
*
*******************************************************************************/
Changes in McStas v1.12c, June 3rd, 2011

 McStas 1.12c is bugfix release.

 Bugfixes include:

  Runtime
  - Fix of a bug in the rectangular focusing routine, reported to mcstas-users by Markos Skoulatos, HZB
    (see http://mailman.mcstas.org/pipermail/mcstas-users/2010q4/000845.html)
  - Introduction of --ncount as unsigned long long int in place of double. Using double could potentially lead 
    simulations to "hang". A re-release of McStas 1.12c was done due to bugs in components related to the new
    type returned from mcget_ncount.

  Tools
  - If gnuplot is available at installation time, mcplot and mcgui can use this in place of PGPLOT.
    To use gnuplot, either
    - edit your mcstas_config.perl and put      PLOTTER => 'Gnuplot',
    - set the enviroment variable MCSTAS_FORMAT to Gnuplot

  Components
  - Lens.comp, typo in author name corrected
  - Guide_four_side.comp (and other similar), by Tobias Panzner updated
  - Single_crystal.comp, corrected initialization when providing lattice consts and angles
  - Source_simple.comp, corrected centering-bug when using gaussian wavelength distribution
  - Monochromator_pol.comp, now works properly in GROUPS/multi-slab configurations
  - Pol_simpleBfield.comp, potential polarisation exit-state bug corrected
  - FermiChopper.comp, fixed error when computing automatic phase 
  - Monitor_nD.comp, fixed geometry bugs reported by Lambert van Eijck
  
  
  Example instruments
  - ESS_IN5_reprate.instr, parameter naming change in ESS_moderator_long component was not accomodated.
  - templateTAS.instr, fixes relating to inclusion in other instrument files
  


Changes in McStas v1.12b, July 15th, 2010

 McStas 1.12b is mostly a bugfix release, and the VERY last release in the 1.x series.
 - A few extra features and contributions have been included.

 McStas 2.0 will be released late 2010 and will introduce new features that
 could break ceartain backward compatibility, hence we move from the 1.x series.

 Bugfixes include:

  Runtime
  - Further adjustments to the MPI implementation, solves problems of hanging processes on large cluster runs.
  - Threading support completely removed.

  Components
  - New contributions
    - Multilayer_Sample.comp (Robert Dalgliesh, ISIS)
      Multilayer Reflecting sample using matrix Formula. Requires GSL (GNU Scientific Library)
    - Lens.comp (C. Monzat/E. Farhi/S. Desert/G.Euzin, ILL/LLB)
      Refractive lens with absorption, incoherent scattering and surface imperfection.
    - Lens_simple.comp (Henrich Frielinghaus, FZ Juelich)
      Rectangular/circular slit with parabolic/spherical LENS
    - Guide_four_side.comp (Tobias Panzner, PSI)
      Models a guide with elliptic, parabolic or straight shaped side walls. 
    - Guide_four_side_2_shells.comp (Tobias Panzner, PSI)
      Models a guide with elliptic, parabolic or straight shaped side walls. 
      As -"- with 2 outer mirror layer shells.
    - Guide_four_side_10_shells.comp (Tobias Panzner, PSI)
      Models a guide with elliptic, parabolic or straight shaped side walls.
      As -"- with 10 outer mirror layer shells.
    - Pol_FieldBox (Peter Willendrup)
      Easier to use precession area. Corresponds to a set of Pol_simpleBfield's plus slits.
    - Sapphire_Filter (Jonas O Birk, Uni CPH). Filter component, defaulting to saphire material properties

  - New component features
    - Addition of high-energy tail to Source_gen.comp (edits by Uwe Filges, PSI)  
    - Single_crystal.comp extended for anisotropic mosaicity (EXPERIMENTAL), (edits by Erik Knudsen, Risoe DTU)

  - Various minor bugfixes to
    - Guide_curved.comp
    - DiskChopper.comp
    - SNS_source.comp
    - ESS_moderator_long.comp
   
  Example instruments
  - New examples
    - ISIS_CRISP.instr, CRISP reflectometer from ISIS, test instrument for Multilayer_Sample.comp above
    - Test_Lens.instr, test instrument for Lens.comp above
    - FZJ_KWS2_Lens.instr, KWS2 SANS from FZJ, test instrument for Lens_simple.comp above
    - templateTOF.instr (Was ILL_TOF_Env before)
    - templateLaue.instr (Derived from the old tutorial Laue instrument)
    - SE_example.instr and SE_example2.instr, simplistic Spin-Echo machines for illustrating use of Pol options
    - template.instr ("Void" instrument skeleton - like Insert->Instrument Template)
    - Test_shellguides.instr, test instrument for contributions from Tobias Panzner and Jonas O Birk.

  - Minor improvements to
    - templateDIFF.instr (SPLIT improves statistics)
    - templateTAS.instr (SPLIT improves statistics)
    - SNS_test.instr (Cleanup)
    
  Datafiles
  - Added SNS moderator input file source_sct091_tu_02_1.dat
  - Added ISIS moderator input file h.crisp

  Licensing
  - We have decided to distribute the components and the other runtime code under the LGPL license (see the LGPL
    file under lib/ . This allows to link (unmodified) code from that directory with other software and achieve
    non-GPL binaries.
 
  Platform support/Tools
  - Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, 10.4 Tiger, 10.5 Leopard, 10.6 Snow Leopard (PPC/Intel, 32/64bit)  
    - Fix for problems with multiple perl installs, currently locked to perl 5.8.
    - Instructions for using Matlab visualisation in the .dmg README file
  - Windows XP 32/64bit, Windows Vista 32/64bit, Windows 7 32/64bit
    - Note that we provide only a 32 bit package, but shown to work on 64 bit
    - Fixed mcrun / mcgui for Windows for missing transfer of mpi parameters
    - Fixed mcplot for Windows, foreground color is now black, not cyan
  - Linux: Ubuntu is now our only "reference" Linux (Debian does not provide perl-pgplot)
    - Ubuntu .deb's for 32 and 64bit, work for both for 9.10 Karmic Koala and 10.04 Lucid Lynx
    - The .deb's require PGPLOT and perl-pgplot from Ubuntu Universe/Multiverse repositories

  Parallelisation
  - Improved stability of MPI simulations
 
  Various
  - A number of unlisted minor bugs ironed out, both in components, runtime code and tools.


 McStas 1.12a is essentially a bugfix release, and the last release in the 1.x series.

 McStas 2.0 will be released late 2009 / early 2010 and will introduce new features that
 could break ceartain backward compatibility, hence we move from the 1.x series.

 Bugfixes include:

  Runtime
  - Adjustments to the MPI implementation, solves problems of hanging processes on large cluster runs.

  Components
  - Various minor bugfixes to
    - Isotropic_sqw.comp
    - Vitess_input.comp
    - Pol_bender.comp
    - Pol_monitor.comp
    - PolLambda_monitor.comp
    - SNS_source.comp
    - ISIS_moderator.comp
    - FermiChopper_ILL.comp
    - Progress_bar.comp
    - TOFRes_sample.comp
    - Virtual_tripoli4_output.comp
    - Guide_honeycomb.comp
   
  Example instruments
  - Minor improvements to
    - PSI_DMC.instr (source-guide focusing corrected)
    - templateDIFF.instr (SPLIT improves statistics)
    - templateTAS.instr (SPLIT improves statistics)
    - SNS_test.instr (Cleanup)

  Datafiles
  - Added SNS moderator input file source_sct091_tu_02_1.dat

  Tools
  - Fixed mcrun / mcgui for Win32 for 'fixed --ncount at 1e6' when scanning/optimizing
 
  Platform support
  - Mac OS X, fix for problems with multiple perl install
  - Windows XP,  Windows Vista - see Tools section
  - Linux, pgplot and pgperl now builds using gfortran (replacing g77)
  
  Parallelisation
  - Improved stability of MPI simulations
  - Preference for OpenMPI (standard on Ubuntu and Mac OS X)

  Various
  - A number of unlisted minor bugs ironed out, both in components, runtime code and tools.


Changes in McStas v1.12, May 8th, 2008

  Metalanguage
  - New %include "instr" mechanism to include one instrument in another. (Useful for independent
     build-up of e.g. primary and secondary spectrometer. Or easily see the effect of moving an instrument
     to a different beamport or facility!) See the manual for details.
  - When applying the WHEN keyword, an applied EXTEND %{ %} block will only be active if the WHEN
     returns 'true'.
  - Please take care when combining WHEN, GROUP and EXTEND %{ %} - see the manual.

  Runtime
  - Fix of a limiting case focusing problem reported to mcstas-users by George Apostolopoulos.
     ( See http://mailman.risoe.dk/pipermail/neutron-mc/2007q4/002915.html )

  Components
  - When using the Virtual_input type components, --ncount is always set to an integer multiplum 
     (repeat_count) of the number of events in the file. See also related remark about MPI below.
  - New component: MirrorElli.comp, elliptical mirror. Contributed by Sylvain Desert, LLB
  - New component: MirrorPara.comp, parabolic mirror. Contributed by Sylvain Desert, LLB
  - Single_crystal validation still ongoing, but has progressed: The algorithm seems OK, but is to some
     extent not in sync with the documentation. New option to specify reciprocal space vectors directly.
     (before only real space definitions were possible)
  - Most monitors now allow to 'not propagate' the neutron, i.e. not influence the beam. Parameter name
     is 'restore_neutron'.
   
  Example instruments
  - ILL_H25_IN22_sample/_resolution.instr (CRG instrument @ ILL) by E. Farhi / P. Willendrup
  - Incoherent_Test.instr - instrument to compare incoherent scattering from the different sample comps
     (V_samle, PowderN, Single_crystal, Isotropic_sqw). More instruments of this type planned (compare
     guides etc.), P. Willendrup / E. Knudsen / A. Daoud-Aladine
  - FocalisationMirrors.instr - test instrument for MirrorElli and MirrorPara, Sylvain Desert, LLB
  - PSI_DMC.instr, Powder Diffractometer, PSI, L. Keller / U. Filges / P. Willendrup

  Datafiles
  - 'Bugfix', some of the provided .laz files did not have proper unit for |F2|.
  
  Tools
  - Support for per-user mcstas_config.perl file, located in $HOME/.mcstas/ . This folder is also the default
     location of the 'host list' for use with MPI or gridding, simply name the file 'hosts'.
  - mcgui Save Configuration for saving chosen settings on the 'Configuration options' and 'Run dialogue'.
  - Possibilty to run MPI or grid simulations by default from mcgui.
  - When scanning parameters, mcrun now terminates with a relevant error message if one or more scan steps
     failed (intensities explicitly set to 0 in those cases).
  - When running parameter optimisations, a logfile (default name is "mcoptim_XXXX.dat" where XXXX is a
     pseudo-random string) is created during the optimisation, updated at each optim step.
  - We now provide syntax-highlighting setup files for vim and gedit editors.

  Output formats
  - Rudimentary support for GNUPLOT when plotting with mcplot. Data file format is standard McStas/PGPLOT.
 
  Platform support
  - Mac OS X 10.3 Panther (ppc), 10.4 Tiger (pcc/intel), 10.5 Leopard (ppc/intel)
  - Windows XP,  Windows Vista (Now with a recent perl version; 5.10 plus various fixes). New feature on Windows:
     Simulations _always_ run in the background, freeing mcgui for other work.
  - "Any" Linux - reference platforms are Ubuntu 8.04 (and earlier) and Debian 4.0 (and earlier). We have also tested 
     Fedora 8, OpenSuSE 10.3 and CentOS 4 releases recently.
  - FreeBSD (FreeBSD release 6.3 and its cousin DesktopBSD 1.6 recently tested)
  - SUN Solaris 10 (Intel tested, Sparc probably OK)
  - Plus probably any UNIX/POSIX type environment with a bit of effort...
  
  Parallelisation
  - Improved stability of MPI simulations by addition of an 'MPI barrier' (reduces probability of nodes beeing 'out of sync'.
  - On Windows, an 'mpicc.bat' script has been added for easier setup of McStas with gcc and MPI (We recommend MPICH).
  - Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard is shipped with built-in support for MPI (OpenMPI). No need to install extra packages.
  - Use of 'virtual sources' is now supported on MPI clusters. (If running on N nodes, all neutron events will be processed
     on each of the N nodes - implicit repetition N times of the source contents.)
  - OpenMP threading support 
  - Much improved gridding support (via ssh). Ready for heterogenous systems, e.g. mixed operating systems and hardware
     types! (Requires -c compile flag for mcrun or equivalent setting in mcgui.) The only requirement is ssh client on the machine 
     where the grid run is started, plus ssh daemon and c-compiler (e.g. gcc or simply cc) on the remote machines. Files in the 
     current dir are transparently copied back and forth, causes a substantial network traffic in some cases. Output data from the 
     nodes are automatically merged using mcformat. Just as efficient as MPI without any library dependencies at all. Make use 
     of all processer cores in your machine, simply choose to 'grid'. Windows 'client' host OK, we autodetect ssh and scp binaries
     from the Putty package.

  Various
  - A number of minor bugs ironed out, both in components, runtime code and tools.
  - From release 1.12, McStas is GPL 2 only. The debate on the internet about the future GPL 3 license suggests that this license 
     might have implications on the 'derived work', hence have implications on what and how our users use their McStas simulations
     for. To protect user freedom, we will stick with GPL 2.     

  WARNING: The 'dash' shell which is used as /bin/sh on some Linux system (Including Ubuntu 8.04) makes the 'Cancel' and 'Update' 
  buttons fail in mcgui. Solutions:
  a) If your system is a Debian or Ubuntu, please dpkg-reconfigure dash and say 'no' to install dash as /bin/sh
  b) If you run another Linux with /bin/sh beeing dash, please install bash and manually change the /bin/sh link to point at bash.

Changes in McStas v1.11, July 3rd, 2007

  Metalanguage
  - New SPLIT keyword for improving statistics. WARNING: Follow instructions in the documentation for safe
    use of the SPLIT keyword. 

  Components
  - Source_adapt.comp, additions by Aaron Percival which allows to specify a flat wavlength distibution.
  - Single_crystal.comp, warning NOT to use this component as a monochromator (bug fix/validation under way).
  - PowderN.comp, can now be used in concentric mode, i.e. for modelling sample surroundings (cryostat, container..).
  - Tunneling_sample.comp (new) Double-cylinder shaped all-incoherent scatterer with elastic, quasielastic (Lorentzian)
    and tunneling (sharp) components. No multiple scattering. Absorbtion included. By Kim Lefmann
  - TOF2E_monitor.comp (new) TOF-sensitive monitor, converting to energy. By Kim Lefmann

  Example instruments
  - New ILL_H15_IN6 and ILL_H142_IN12 instruments by Emmanuel Farhi are included.
  - Histogrammer.instr - see the 'Tools' section
  - New ESS_IN5_reprate.instr Instrument for simulating IN5-TYPE (cold chopper) multi-frame spectrometer at ESS LPT.
    (Also example instrument for Tunneling_sample.comp.) By  Kim Lefmann

  Datafiles
  - Reflectivity curves from Swiss Neutronics (more work done, available in the next McStas release).
  - More Sqw tables for use with the Isotropic_Sqw component.

  Tools
  - PGPLOT output format (original McStas format) is now possible on Windows. A pgplot/pgperl installation
    is included in a standard McStas Win32 installation.
  - New mcdaemon for visualisation of intermediate simulation results (obtained by sending USR2 signal to a 
    running simulation or by using the Progress_bar component with flag_save=1).
  - Improvements to mcgui:
    * New tool menu with hooks to mcformat, mcdaemon and mcplot
    * Possibility for auto-setup of MPI ssh keys
    * Possibility to run the McStas editor in 'detached' mode, hence available whilst a simulation is running
  - Histogrammer.instr: Special histogramming instrument for visualisation of virtual source files (Virtual_input,
    VitESS, MCNP and Tripoli formats)

  Output formats
  - NeXus output format possible. To use this feature, HDF and NeXus libraries must be available
    and functional on your system before installing McStas from source. (In case of a binary package, 
    you MUST recompile the McStas software.) To enable a McStas build with NeXus, run 
    ./configure --with-nexus.

  Platform support
  - Mac OS X is now considered a supported platform. For now, no actuall installer program
    is given, but all needed software has been packed together with easy to follow instructions.
    Test of the instructions have been performed on Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger on both Intel and PPC
    hardware.
  - McStas now comes in a Debian binary package (.deb), tested to work on Debian and Ubuntu systems. The debian
    package provides McStas, pgplot and pgperl and have dependencies for the perl, perl-tk, gcc, libg2c0, pdl and libc6-dev 
    packages.

  Parallelisation
  - The threading mechanism for parallelisation has been removed from McStas since it caused too many problems. For 
    parallelisation on single machines (e.g. modern dual-core processors) or clusters, MPI (MPICH) is the recommended solution.
    The McStas team members routinely run developer machines and clusters using MPI.

  Intel C compiler
  - The documentation now includes instructions to run McStas with the Intel C compiler (available on Windows,
    Linux x86 and Mac OS x86 systems). Typically, a performance gain of 2 is found relative to gcc -O2. Relevant
    compiler flags are:

    MCSTAS_CFLAGS="-g -O2 -wd177,266,1011,181"
    export MCSTAS_CC="icc"

  - To run McStas with MPI and the Intel C compiler, you may have to edit your mpicc shell script to set:
    
    CC="icc"

  Various
  - A standard McStas source package now works directly within the DANSE framework.

  WARNING: The 'dash' shell which is used as /bin/sh on some Linux system (Including Ubuntu 7.04) makes the 'Cancel' and 'Update' 
  buttons fail in mcgui. Solutions:
  a) If your system is a Debian or Ubuntu, please install our Debian package which requests automatic removal of 'dash'.
  b) If your /bin/sh is dash, please install bash and manually change the /bin/sh link to point at bash.

Changes in McStas v1.10, Dec 4, 2006

  General
  - This release is a major step forward for McStas in terms of support for polarisation.
    Peter Christiansen who worked at Risoe March-October 2006 was the main workforce 
    behind this new functionality, backed by funding from ISIS, work by Rob Dalgliesh at 
    ISIS and inspiration from the VitESS and NISP packages. As this is the first release
    with polarisation support, the methods and algorithms implemented will certainly be 
    developed further. Hence, documentation of the functionality has been placed in an 
    appendix to the manual. 
    Polarisation users: Please give us feedback for further development!
    Items marked by (p) below relate to the new polarisation support.
  - New keywords for the meta language improves support for e.g. description of sample
    enviroments.
  - A method for automatic optimisation has been implemented, e.g. for achieving maximum flux
    at the sample position (any quantity measured by a McStas monitor can be optimised) as a
    function of simulation parameters.
  - Bugfixes in many different areas.

  Documentation
  - Manual and component manual slightly updated according to adding/modification of components
    and functionality. New appendix on the polarisation features. (p)

  Kernel
  - New WHEN keyword, conditional use of components,
        COMPONENT MyComp=Component(...) WHEN (condition) AT
  - New JUMP keyword, possibility to iterate a given component a number of times (multiple 
    scattering) or for 'teleportation' to a given component. (USE WITH CAUTION)
  - Improved COPY keyword with parameter substitution (Make a copy of an other component 
    instance with a few parameters changed)
  - Spin propagation algorithm (When magnetic field is set 'on', the central propagation
    routines also handle Larmor precession in the field) (p)
  - Handeling of analytical B-fields (p)

  Tools
  - New 'merge/convert' tool mcformat: Convert between McStas output formats and merge cluster
    node datasets into one dataset.
  - TOF mode for mcdisplay (Statistical chopper acceptance diagrams generated from the simulated
    neutron rays. Currently only supported on Unix systems with PGPLOT.)
  - Optmisation support in mcrun/mcgui using Perl::Amoeba (se description above)
  - POSIX threading on multi-core processors (BEWARE, performance is generally better using MPI)
  - mcgui: Note that if you experience crashes when starting/running GNOME/Gtk2 applications, 
    update your perl-Tk installation. Two ways to do this:
    1) Get the tarball from http://www.mcstas.org/download/Tk-804.027_gtk2_patch.tar.gz and
       install using 'perl Makefile.PL && make && make install'.
    2) Do a 'make tk' in the McStas unpacked McStas source directory. This will download and
       install the tarball into your McStas system directory.

  Components
  - Monochromator_pol.comp - Polarising monochromator/analyzer (p)
  - Pol_bender.comp - Polarising bender (p)
  - Pol_mirror.comp - Polarising mirror (p)
  - Pol_guide_vmirror.comp - Guide with semi-transparent, polarising mirror (p)
  - Pol_simpleBfield.comp - Numerical precession in analytical B-fields (p)
  - 3 Polarisation monitors - MeanPolLambda_monitor.comp, PolLambda_monitor.comp
    Pol_monitor.comp (p)
  - PSD_Detector.comp - Physical detector - comes with many gas lookup tables 
    (Contrib: Thorwald van Vuure, ILL)
  - Virtual_mcnp_*.comp - MCNP event file handeling
    (Contrib: Chama Hennane, ENSIMAG and Emmanuel Farhi, ILL) 
  - Source_multi_surfaces.comp - Source comp with multiple surface areas with individual
    spectrums 
    (Contrib: Ludovic Giller, EPFL and Uwe Filges, PSI)
  - multi_pipe.comp - Defines a 'grid' of slits (focusing device)
    (Contrib: Uwe Filges, PSI)
  - Exact_radial_coll.comp - Radial collimator comp, exact model
    (Contrib: Roland Schedler, HMI)
  - FermiChopper_ILL.comp  - Fermi Chopper comp with optional supermirror coated blades.
    (Contrib: Helmut Schober, ILL)
  - V_sample enriched with quasi-elastic features (Kim Lefmann)
          
  Example Instruments
  - TAS frontend with reciprocal space (hkl) calculator (Emmanuel Farhi)
  - Example instruments for polarisation comps (p)
  - QUENS_test.instr (Test of new quasi-elastic features V_sample)
  
  Installation
  - Much easier installation on Windows, single executable file with all support applications
    is now available. Simply click 'next' alle the way and you are done.
  - PGPLOT and Scilab installation help tools on Linux systems

  WARNINGS (Almost identical to those from release 1.9.1)
  - Because of rapid changes in the support software for McStas, the current release has support
    for only some releases of:

    * Scilab (Win32 and Unix) - pick release 4.0 if available or pick release 3.0 from , e.g. from
      http://www.scilab.org/download/index_download.php?page=oldReleases.html
      (Automatically included in the Win32 .exe installer and Linux Scilab installer)

    * Perl (Win32) - on Windows we only support Perl 5.6 - pick
      http://downloads.activestate.com/ActivePerl/Windows/5.6/ActivePerl-5.6.1.638-MSWin32-x86.msi
      (Automatically included in the Win32 .exe installer)

    * If you are running Unix with GNOME/Gtk2 applications, you may experience problems with mcgui
      crashing, please install updated perl-Tk from http://www.mcstas.org/download

Changes in McStas v1.9.1, Mar 29, 2006

  General
  - Update release, mainly bugfixes plus a few other things

  Documentation
  - Component manual slightly updated according to adding/modification of components.

  Tools
  - mcgui: A few bugfixes. Note also that if you experience crashes when starting/running
    GNOME/Gtk2 applications, update your perl-Tk installation. Two ways to do this:
    1) Get the tarball from http://www.mcstas.org/download/Tk-804.027_gtk2_patch.tar.gz and
       install using 'perl Makefile.PL && make && make install'.
    2) Do a 'make tk' in the McStas unpacked McStas source directory. This will download and
       install the tarball into your McStas system directory.

  Components
  - DiskChopper.comp - new disc chopper component. Chopper.comp made obsolete.
    See mcdoc page / component manual for further details.
  - Guide.comp - reads reflectivity tables from disk.
  - Isotropic_Sqw - minor bugfixes, validated against PowerN, V_sample, etc.
  - PowderN - validated against Isotropix_Sqw, Squires, experimental data.

  WARNINGS
  - Because of rapid changes in the support software for McStas, the current release has support
    for only some releases of:

    * Scilab (Win32 and Unix) - pick release 4.0 if available or pick release 3.0 from , e.g. from
      http://www.scilab.org/download/index_download.php?page=oldReleases.html

    * Perl (Win32) - on Windows we only support Perl 5.6 - pick
      http://downloads.activestate.com/ActivePerl/Windows/5.6/ActivePerl-5.6.1.638-MSWin32-x86.msi

    * If you are running Unix with GNOME/Gtk2 applications, you may experience problems with mcgui
      crashing, please install updated perl-Tk as noted above.

Changes in McStas v1.9, Nov 16, 2005

  General
  - To indicate the collaborative nature of the McStas package, the main website
    URL does no longer belong to Risoe or ILL but is http://www.mcstas.org.
  - The package has been strengthened by the presence of Klaus Lieutenant (former
    captain of Vitess, HMI) at ILL. He has focused a lot on validation and testing
    of the package, giving very important input and done very valuable work.
  - To help us in the fight against bugs, a BUGZILLA system has been set up for users
    to report their suggestions and problems. The system is available at the URL
    http://www.mcstas.org/McZilla .
  - The VnCS (Virtual neutron Code Sharing) agreement has been signed by the leaders
    of the Vitess and McStas software packages to formally support closer collaboration
    and sharing of code between the packages. At least one component (Vitess_ChopperFermi)
    now works with both packages, work done by Klaus Lieutenant and Geza Zsigmond.
  - Many big and small BUGS ellimnated!
  - First attempt at "concentric components" (sample environment). See Isotropic_Sqw in
    the 'Components' section below.

  Documentation
  - With this release, the component manual has finally been updated! Major work has
    been put into this by especially Kim Lefmann and Emmanuel Farhi. The user manual
    has also been revised, but not as intensively.
  - Improvements to tutorial/teaching material as result of Copenhagen University course on
    neutron scattering, given by Kim Lefmann and Peter Willendrup. The idea is that when
    improved further, the full simulation part of the course can serve as an extended
    tutorial for McStas. In the package, projects on virtual experiments at DMC, RITA-2 and
    SANS-2 at PSI is included.

  Tools
  - A web frontend is now available for McStas, check it out at http://www.mcstas.org/webfront .
    Currently it is not actually part of the package, may become so in a near future release.
  - On Unix systems, mcdaemon is a tool to periodically send -USR2 signals (save) to running
    simulation processes. Is in an early state but should work okay, but not documented in the
    user manual. Replots intermediate data.
  - mcgui has been intensively revised, many annoyances have been removed and features adjusted
    for easier use.

  Components
  - For simplicity, a number of components (especially monitors and sources) have been merged.
    This for example means that the Source_simple replaces the former Source_flat* components.
    Fewer duplications of code => smaller risk of old bugs surviving in the code.
  - PowderN: General powder sample component, replaces the simpler Powder1 and Powder2 components,
    has a very flexible system to read crystallographic data for powder line description. Is
    in the process of beeing validated against data from DMC@PSI. The code itself and the
    validation of it is the result of collaboration between mainly Peter Willendrup from the
    McStas team and Laurent Chapon (ISIS), Uwe Filges (PSI) and Lukas Keller (PSI). A validation
    paper will be presented at ICNS, Sydney.
  - Isotropic_Sqw: Originally work for the Ph.D. thesis of V. Hugouvieux, ILL. Extended and
    validated intensively by Emmanuel Farhi, ILL. It handles elastic and inelastic scattering
    for both coherent and incoherent processes, with secondary absorption and multiple scattering.
    The code has been validated against PowderN and V_sample. It comes with the same flexible
    system as PowderN to read data files, including crystallographic data for powder line
    description. Moreover, it may be used to describe concentric geometries in order to model
    sample environments.
  - Vitess_ChopperFermi: Originally work for Vitess by Geza Zsigmond, now PSI. Validated and
    adapted for use with McStas by Klaus Lieutentant, ILL in the frame of the VnCS agreement.
  - TOFRes_sample: time-of-flight version of the Res_sample component. Written by Kim Lefmann,
    Risoe. Will be merged with the res_sample component in next release.
  - The full suite of Fermi Choppers have been tested intensively by Klaus Lieutentant, partly
    inspired by the work of ILL stagiere Rebecca Peacock.

  WARNINGS
  - Because of rapid changes in the support software for McStas, the current release has support
    for only some releases of:

    * Scilab (Win32 and Unix) - pick release 3.0 from , e.g. from
      http://www.scilab.org/download/index_download.php?page=oldReleases.html

    * Perl (Win32) - on Windows we only support Perl 5.6 - pick
      http://downloads.activestate.com/ActivePerl/Windows/5.6/ActivePerl-5.6.1.638-MSWin32-x86.msi


Changes in McStas v1.8, Mar 4, 2004

  License
  - McStas is now GPL software. Note that generated code, output data and papers
    based on these is not considered "derived work" but merely normal usage of the
    software package.
  - The McStas software package now includes a re-distribution of the plotlib
    package for Scilab, (http://www.dma.utc.fr/~mottelet/myplot.html), courtesy of
    Stephane Mottelet (stephane.mottelet@dma.utc.fr). Plotlib is beeing distributed
    using a BSD like license. Plotlib needs not be precompiled anymore.
  - McStas now uses the Perl CPAN module Proc::Simple on unix platforms. Proc::Simple
    is distributed using the Perl artistic license.

  General
  - Nightly CVS builds of McStas are now available to the public from
    http://mcstas.risoe.dk/cvs (optionally use the mcsync script to get these)
    NOTE: The CVS builds are not considered 100% stable, you can count on errors
    in there, but you also get the newest stuff.

  Installation
  - Improved installation and build scripts. NOTE: The new version is INCOMPATIBLE
    with Win32 releases older than Windows 2000
  - Automatic detection of plotting backend, (make config)
  - Test procedure (make test)

  Kernel (i.e. the 'mcstas' program)
  - a PREVIOUS keyword has been implemented, for referencing e.g. position placement
    to upsteam components.
  - improvements to runtime randvec_target_rect functions
  - Updated Mersenne Twister random number generator

  Tools
  - Various bugfixes, especially on the Win32 platform and RedHat 9 specific stuff
  - mcgui now includes an option to 'scan' instrument parameters (previously only
    possible using mcrun.pl.
  - mcconvert.pl script has been added to the distribution, converts between
    Matlab and Scilab type output. Cyclic conversion, e.g. Matlab->Scilab->Matlab
    is not supported.
  - mcplot opens scan steps with Matlab/Scilab backends
  - mcrun now has support for Matlab/Scilab backends, built in test procedure
    (mcrun --test), poor man's grid computing - see the manual for information on
    how to use this.
  - mcdoc support for instrument headers, support for the built in tutorial
  - Improved tutorial built into the gui tools
  - editor, various improvements (line numbers etc.)

  Instruments
  - mcgui now has a special Neutron Site menu (auto generated) to allow distribution
    of instruments
  - instruments can now have default input values
  - several contributed / new instruments, have a look in your examples/ folder

  Components
  - New components:
    $ Official components
      - Sans_spheres, a sample for small angle neutron scattering
      - Powder2, a two ring powder sample
      - Phonon_simple, a phonon scattering sample
      - Guide_gravity improved
    $ Contributed components
      - Guide_tapering, guide with elliptical/parabolic/general tapering
        (Uwe Filges)
      - ISIS_moderator, (Stuart Ansell and Dickon Champion)
      - Guide_curved (Ross Stewart)

Changes in McStas v1.7, Jan 17, 2003

  Kernel (i.e. the 'mcstas' program)
  - components may have a SHARE section, which is imported only once per type
    of component. It has the same role as DECLARE, but only once.
  - the component files may have some %include inside '%{ }%' C DECLARE or SHARE
    blocks. The files to include are searched locally, and then in the library.
    If an extension is found, just the specified file is included, else both
    .h and .c are embedded if the --no-runtime has not been specified.
    The instrument files can also embed external files, both in C blocks
    and in the instrument parts (DECLARE, etc...) as in previous releases.
  - The instrument and components may have char* setting parameters. For
    instruments, their length is limited to 1024 chars.
  - The FINALLY section, that was executed at the end, has been split into
    still the FINALLY, and a new SAVE section. This latter is executed
    at simulation end (just before the FINALLY), but also each time an
    intermediate save is required (e.g. a 'kill -USR2 <pid>' is used).
  - An instrument source file may contain EXTEND %{ }% C blocks just after
    the usual AT...ROTATED.. keywords, to extend the behaviour of existing
    components, without touching their code. All local component variables are
    available. This may for instance be used to add a new 'color' to neutrons,
    i.e. assign a new characteristic variable to the neutron.
  - component instances in an instrument source file may be GROUPed into
    exclusive assembly, i.e. only one component of the group will intercept
    neutron, the rest will be skipped. This is usefull for multi monochromators
    multi detectors, multiple collimators, ... This is a kind if splitting.
  - McStas can now compile for Windows without troubles (if lex/yacc files
    were generated elsewere, or using the flex/yacc for Windows)

  Run-time library (e.g. the instrument program)
  - A global gravitation handling is now available, by setting the -g flag
  - many output formats are available for data. use the --format="format"
    flag, e.g. --format="Scilab". The full list is displayed with
    the -h flag for the instrument program.
    example:
      mcrun test.instr --format="Matlab binary" -n 1e4
    will create a mcstas.m file. Launch Matlab and execute
      s=mcstas('plot')  % will import data into s, and plot all detectors.
    Binary formats are handled by IDL, Matlab, Scilab.
    The present available format list is
      "McStas" "Scilab" "Matlab" "IDL" "XML" "HTML"
    The default format is McStas/PGPLOT, but may be specified globally using
    the MCSTAS_FORMAT environment variable
  - It is possible to save 3D data arrays, by calling the DETECTOR_OUT_3D macro.
    (handled as 2D by mcplot)
  - The type of the 'number of events' array in monitors was changed from int to
    double, to avoid overflow. Please update your home-made monitors.
  - many dedicated libraries are now available as shared code for reading
    tables, handling data trees and monitors. These are C functions to be
    %included into components (see e.g. lib/monitors/Monitor_nD.comp)
  - The USR2 signal generates an intermediate save for all monitors, during
    the simulation (execute the SAVE section). The USR1 still give informations.
  - a new randvec_target_rect function now focuses on a rectangle
    (more efficient than former randvec_target_sphere=randvec_target_circle)

  Components (in the lib directory)
  - a new data directory contains neutron data tables
  - obsolete directory contains components that were renamed or old.
  - misc/Progress_bar component now exists, and may save data regularly.
  - optics/Monochromator_curved can read reflectivity and transmission tables
  - monitors/Monitor_nD can have automatic limits mode for either all or
    selected monitored variables. It may also plot banana monitors for mcdisplay
    and trigger intermediate savings for all monitors (same as USR2 sig.)
    Also, it may monitor something else than the intensity, e.g. the mean
    energy on a XY psd.
  - sources/Virtual_output can save all neutron events into a file
    (beware the size of the generated files !). Format may be text and binary
  - sources/Virtual_input can read the files generated by Virtual_output
  - optics/Guide_gravity can handle a 2D array of channels
  - optics/Filter_gen can read a table from a file and affect the neutron beam
    (replaces the obsolete 'Flux_adapter'). It may act as a filter or a source
  - samples: they now can all target towards any component, giving its index
    (no need to compute target_x/y/z vector, use e.g. target_index=+1)
  - samples/Res_monitor, Powder1 and V_sample may now have a sphere or box
    shape, and may focus to a circular or rectangular area

  Tools
  - Matlab, Scilab and IDL may read directly McStas results if the simulation
    was executed with the --format="..." option (see 'Run-time' changes)
  - mcplot, mcdisplay, mcgui are now less dependent on the perl/pgplot installed
    versions.
  - mcplot can plot a single simulation data file
  - mcplot, mcresplot, mcdisplay can output gif, ps and ps color. They also
    have integrated help (-h options), and may generate output files in a
    non interactive mode (read file, create output file, exit)
  - mcplot and mcdisplay work with Matlab, PGPLOT and Scilab plotters (set with
    the MCSTAS_FORMAT default setting, or -pPLOTTER, or PGPLOT if not set)
  - mcrun can not currently generate scan results in other formats than McStas
  - mcsats2vitess works now ok for converting a McStas component to a Vitess one


Changes in McStas v1.6.1 (beta), Feb 18th, 2002.

 - a bug was corrected for very small signal statistics automatic limits
   search in Monitor_nD (0.16.4), that could cause parasitc peaks and
   fluctuations in detector.

 - 'optics' components were renamed by categories, starting with Guide_...,
   Monochromator_..., Filter_... etc so that sorting is easier.

 - Monochromator_2foc and Monochromator_curved can now read a reflectivity table
   file (eg. PG) with rows [k, R]. Both components give the same results, and
   can use the same parameters.

 - mcplot can now read a list of detector files, without a '.sim' file. This
   enables to visualise a set of selected monitors, or may be used when the
   mcstas.sim file was deleted. Detector files must be in current directory.

 - the 1D and 2D detectors now compute simple signal statistics (min, max, mean,
   center and width of distributions) which are stored in the detector file
   and shown in plots (mcplot).

 - The Virtual_input replaces the Source_file component (see below), and can
   read text, Vitess and binary float files of neutron events.

Changes in McStas v1.6-ill (alpha), October 29th, 2001.

 - In component definitions, a SHARE keyword followed by a C code block
   %{...}% acts the same as a DECLARE block, but is only included once in an
   instrument. This is very useful when using many identical components
   (guides, monitors, monochromators) to speed-up compiling and perfomrnaces.
     SHARE
     %{ /* included only once for all identical components */
     %}
     DECLARE
     %{ /* included for all components */
     %}
   Then all component programmers may add C functions to the 'kernel'. This is
   only worth when you plan to use a given component many times in a simulation
   (e.g. not for sources or samples). To downgrade a McStas 1.5 component, just
   move the SHARE block C code into the DECLARE block.
 - In an instrument definition, within the TRACE section, each COMPONENT
   instance may include a C code block:
     COMPONENT Comp1 = Guide(...)
     AT (...) ROTATED (...)
     EXTEND
     %{ /* some C code to execute after component Comp1 */
        /* in current coordinate system. You may use Comp1 and global */
        /* instrument variables */
     %}
   For instance, you can here give a 'color' (additional neutron
   characteristic) and modify next components behaviours.
   This block is always executed in groups, but you can test if the componnet
   intercepted the neutron with the SCATTERED variable (if (SCATTERED) { ... }).
 - In an instrument TRACE section, it is possible to put a set of component
   in an exclusive group. Only one of the elements of the group can act on
   the neutron. If no element acts on the neutron, it is absorbed.
   This is specially useful for multi-detectors, multi-monochromators in
   parallel, multiple collimators/guides (e.g. radial).
     COMPONENT Comp1 = Guide(...)
     AT (...) ROTATED (...) GROUP MyGroupName

     COMPONENT Comp2 = Guide(...)
     AT (...) ROTATED (...) GROUP MyGroupName
   Comp1 and Comp2 may even be at the same place.
   For programmers: it is important that the component TRACE section contains a
   SCATTER keyword when it successfully intercepts it, to tell McStas that a
   component in a group acts on a neutron, and can skip other comp in the group.
 - In 'mcplot', it is possible to use the -ps, -psc and -gif options to
   generate a PS, color PS, and GIF file, and exit mcplot (no display).
 - The Monitor_nD was upgraded to correct bugs when reaching the component
   (the propagation was not performed correctly in some cases), and the disk/
   sphere radius (monitor remained then squared). This component now uses
   the SHARE block. A bug was corrected for lists. It can output log and abs of
   signals, and source files (see Source_file).
 - The Gravity_guide now handles correctly the focusing multichannel guides.
   Gravitation is included (on y axis). This component now uses the SHARE block.
   The Channeled_guide does not handle properly the focusing multichannels.
 - The Source_gen component focuses uniformly on the target, and can model
   rectangular, disk, gaussian, and Maxwellian (up to 3 distributions) sources.
   Previous source components did not focus correctly on the target. They were
   also corrected, execpt the 'Source_Maxwell'. Source_gen can replace all thee
   previous sources.
 - A new Source_file component can take as input a text file containing an
   array with columns ' x y z vx vy vz t sx sy sz p', such as the data files
   generated from Monitor_nD with options="list all source". The source may
   be re-generated more than once, which is useful to improve accuracy,
   specially when further components do MC choices. Vitess files and float
   binary files are also ok (auto-recognition of format).
 - The signal handler now gives more info about where a signal was caught.
   For instance it tells in which component part an error occured, to make
   debuging easier.
   Usefull Signals: kill -Signal <pid>
      -USR1: display info and continue simulation
      -USR2: finish simulation and save results
      -QUIT: end simulation immediately
 - The 2D detectors now also output the errors/counts on signal as 1D detectors.
   Set p2=NULL in DETECTOR_OUT_2D to unactivate error saving in components.
 - We tried to lower the number of components by merging similar ones.
 - There are now new MACROS for the component programmer.
     * mccompcurindex is the number (index) of the current component
       (1 is first component of instrument)
     * RESTORE_NEUTRON(index, x, y, z, vx, vy, vz, t, sx, sy, sz, p)
       restores the neutron state to the one at the input of the component
       'index'. To ignore a component effect, use
       RESTORE_NEUTRON(mccompcurindex, x, y, z, vx, vy, vz, t, sx, sy, sz, p)
       at the end of its TRACE section, or in its EXTEND section.
       These neutron states are in the local component coordinate systems.
     * STORE_NEUTRON(index, x, y, z, vx, vy, vz, t, sx, sy, sz, p)
       stores the current neutron state in the trace-history table, in local
       coordinate system. This is automatically done when entering each
       component of an instrument.
     * POS_A_COMP_INDEX(index) is the absolute position of component
       'index'. POS_A_COMP_INDEX(mccompcurindex) is the same as
       POS_A_CURRENT_COMP. You may use POS_A_COMP_INDEX(mccompcurindex+1) to
       make, for instance, your component access the position of the next
       component (this is usefull for automatic targeting).
     * SCATTERED is non zero when previous component acted on neutron (let pass
       or scatter)

   Warning: programmers, do not use anymore the 'mccompcurname' when writing
   your components. rather use the 'NAME_CURRENT_COMP'.

   Other minor modifications
   #cleaned up non used variables in mcstas-r.c/h
   #tested and corrected components
        misc: Vitess_input/output: included Spin from Vitess. (vitess-lib.c/h)
          but can not be used as mcstas can not find vitess-lib.c/h. I included
          what was needed in SHARE sections. now works OK.
        samples:
            Single_crystal (now can take lattice angles, forgot a %} at SHARE
              end)
            provide *.dat diffraction samples from Crystallographica
        optics:
            Beamstop now is a merging of Beamstop_circular and
              Beamstop_rectangular (using default  values to select shape)
            Channeled_guide: now output an error in multichannel focusing mode.
            Chopper: determined default values to have lambda~4 AA. Can handle
              First_Chopper (parameter IsFirst)
            Fermi_Chopper : default values for transmission every ~2 AA
            Gravity_guide: limit loops to max of 1000 bounces for each
              components (to avoid endless loops)
            Mosaic_anisotropic: can take DM (d-spacing). default for graphite.
            Powder_filter (did not work at all, now can take lattice angles,
              also works as a sample, can take samples/*.dat diffraction files)
            Selector: default values for transmission at ~4 AA
            Slit: now is a merging of Slit and Circular_slit (using default
              values to select shape)
            Soller: can take transmission
            V_selector: default values for transmission at ~4 AA
        sources
            Source_gen: can handle all previous sources in one component (up to
              3 Maxwellians). Corrected homogeneity bug for illumination.
            Source_file: can read 'source' files from Vitess, text files (both
              90 bytes/neutron) and float binary  files (e.g, from Monitor_nD
              with options="list all, source binary" which is more compact in
              size, 48  bytes/neutron). Autorecognition of the format. The MCNP
              output is not fixed. Just tell MCNP  guys to output the float
              binary or text file.
   #other tested components:
        monitors: all
        optics: Bender, Curved_Monochromator, Filter, Filter_Graphite,
          Gravity_guide, Mon_2foc,
        Curved_Monochromator, Monochromator
   #not tested: Guide, He3_cell, Mirror, (should be ok ??!!)
   #moved to obsolete components:
        monitors: PSD_monitor_4PI_log.comp, PSD_bidim.comp, PSD_curved.comp,
          PSD_entry.comp,
        samples: Powder0.comp
        optics:
            Beamstop_circular Beamstop_rectangular (gathered into Beamstop)
            First_Chopper (included in Chopper)
            Circular_slit (included in Slit)
            Guide2
            Monochromator0
            Circular_slit
            Soller_trans.comp
   #perl scripts: mcplot (direct output -ps, -psc, -gif)

Changes in McStas v1.5, October, 10th, 2001

Modified components
      A corrected version of Arm.comp. For further information, see the emails by Ulrich
      Wildgruber and Stuart Rycroft. (Apr. 26, 2001)
      A corrected version of  Monitor_nD.comp. For further information, see the email by
      Emmanuel Farhi. (Apr. 26, 2001)
      A rewritten version of Gravity_guide.comp has been contributed by Emmanuel Farhi
      (see email). The component provided in the email works with McStas 1.4.2, but the official
      version of the component is not working with McStas 1.4.2 because support for this
      component has been added to the kernel. (Aug. 7, 2001)
      An updated version of Monitor_nD.comp has been contributed by Emmanuel Farhi (see
      first and second email). The new version of the component is not working with McStas
      1.4.2 because support for the component has been added to the kernel. (Aug. 8, 2001)
      Andrew Wildes and Emmanuel Farhi have detected an error when using focusing
      geometry in Channeled_guide. The slope of the channels is not computed corrected
      correctly, because the same left and right slopes are used in all channels. This has now
      been included properly in Gravity_guide, and it is recommended that this component is
      used. (Sep. 18, 2001)
      The handling of illumination in Source_flat, Source_div and Source_flat_lambda have
      been corrected. (Oct. 9, 2001)
  New components
      The He3_cell.comp has been contributed by Trefor Roberts. It models a cylindrical 3He
      spin filter cell. (Aug. 8, 2001)
      The Mon_2foc.comp has been contributed by Peter Link. It models a double bent
      monochromator with multiple slabs. (Aug. 9, 2001)
      The Bender.comp has been contributed by Philipp Bernhardt. It models a curved neutron
      guide. (Aug. 10, 2001)
      The Powder_filter.comp has been contributed by Ben Fortescue. It models a general
      box-shaped powder filter. (Aug. 16, 2001)
      The Source_Maxwell_3 component describes a source with three Maxwellian
      distributions. (Sep. 17, 2001)
      Various monitors have been added: EPSD_monitor, PSDcyl_monitor, PSDlin_monitor,
      TOF_cylPSD_monitor, TOFlog_mon. (Sep. 18, 2001)
          A minor error in TOF_cylPSD_monitor has been corrected. (Oct. 9, 2001)
      A new monitor TOFLambda_monitor has been added. (Oct. 9, 2001)
      A guide modeling waviness, Guide_wavy, has been added. (Oct. 9, 2001)
      A generic source, Source_gen, has been added. (Oct. 10, 2001)
  The signal handling system has been updated to handle a special case. The signal handling
  system will be documented in the manual of version 1.5. (Aug. 7, 2001)
  The representation of polarisation in McStas components and instruments is supposed to work
  as follows. Only components actually modifying the spin explicitly require the "POLARISATION
  PARAMETERS (sx,sy,sz)" line. An instrument handling polarisation may consist of  components
  both with and without this line; it will transform the spin vector correctly anyway. The
  "POLARISATION PARAMETERS (sx,sy,sz)" line is therefore removed from all official
  components not dealing with polarisation. The reason is that for instruments without polarisation
  some simulation time is gained by excluding the transformations of the spin vector. (Aug. 9,
  2001)
  Some definitions have been added that can be used in coding components:
      NAME_CURRENT_COMP gives the name of the current component as a string. (Aug.
      16, 2001)
      POS_A_CURRENT_COMP gives the absolute position of the current component. A
      component of the vector is referred to as POS_A_CURRENT_COMP.i where i is x, y or z.
      (Aug. 16, 2001)
      ROT_A_CURRENT_COMP and  ROT_R_CURRENT_COMP give the orientation of the
      current component as rotation matrices (absolute orientation and the orientation relative to
      the previous component, respectively). A component of  a rotation matrice is referred to
      as  ROT_A_CURRENT_COMP[m][n], where m and n are 0, 1, or 2. (Aug. 16, 2001)
      POS_A_COMP(comp) gives the absolute position of the component with the name
      comp. Note that comp is not given as a string. A component of the vector is referred to as
      POS_A_COMP(comp).i where i is x, y or z. (Aug. 16, 2001)
      ROT_A_COMP(comp) and ROT_R_COMP(comp)  give the orientation of the
      component comp as rotation matrices (absolute orientation and the orientation relative to
      its previous component, respectively). Note that comp is not given as a string. A
      component of  a rotation matrice is referred to as  ROT_A_COMP(comp)[m][n], where
      m and n are 0, 1, or 2. (Aug. 16, 2001)

Changes in McStas v1.4.1, March 16, 2001

 - New components: ESS_moderator_long.comp and ESS_moderator_short.comp
   (by Kim Lefmann), Source_Maxwell (by Emmanuel Farhi). Gravity_guide.comp
   is included in the official version.
 - Some support for the calculation of correlation functions in the
   components Monitor_nD and PreMonitor_nD (by Emmanuel Farhi)
 - A signal handling system is included (by Emmanuel Farhi)
 - Misc. minor bug fixes
 - For more information:
   http://neutron.risoe.dk/mcstas/developments/developments.html


Changes in McStas v1.4, July 28, 2000:

 - It is now possible to use arbitrary C expressions in the instrument
   definition, ie. to set rotations, component parameters, etc. Only
   works for SETTING parameters though, not DEFINITION parameters.
 - Experimental mcstas2vitess conversion program to automatically
   translate a McStas component into a VITESS module.
 - Option to clear the simulation output in mcgui.
 - Partial solution to the problem with name conflicts on component
   parameters.
 - Partial NeXus support implemented, but not yet functional.
 - Misc. minor bug fixes.



Changes in McStas v1.3, May 18, 2000:

 - New facility `McDoc' for documentation of components, with
   automatic extraction of documentation from comment headers in the
   source code.
 - The possibility in the graphical user interface `mcgui' to build
   instrument definitions using "point-and-click", based on McDoc.
 - Much improved `mcrun' front-end, which now replaces the old `gscan'
   front-end and interfaces with `mcplot'.
 - Optional component input parameters.
 - Instrument parameters may now also be of string type.
 - Improved Single_crystal component, now supports anisotropic mosaic,
   multiple scattering, extinction, absorbtion, and incoherent
   scattering.
 - New components Source_Optimizer and Monitor-nD, by Emmanuel Farhi.
 - Misc. minor bug fixes.



Changes in McStas v1.2, January 31, 2000:

 - New components (Single_crystal, Mosaic_simple, Source_adapt,
   Res_sample, ...).
 - New graphical user interface mcgui.
 - New command-line front-end mcrun with automatic compilation
   (experimental).
 - New resolution function front-end mcresplot (experimental).
 - Better random number generator "Mersenne Twister".
 - Fix for problem with Digital Unix almost-ANSI compiler.
 - Misc. minor bug fixes.



Changes in McStas v1.1, March 31, 1999:

 - New components.
 - Much improved output file format, with new mcplot front-end to
   automatically plot the results of a simulation.
 - New MCDISPLAY sections in component definitions, and much improved
   mcdisplay front-end.
 - New kernel calls DETECTOR_OUT_[012]D(), mcget_ncount().
 - Improved error messages.
 - New --portable compiler option.
 - Various minor bug and compatibility fixes.
 - Preliminary support for polarised neutrons.
 - Quote special characters in strings in the generated C code.



Changes in McStas v1.0, October 26, 1998:

 - Initial release.