Scope of this guide

This is intended for people just getting started with simulacrum on a fastx virtual linux desktop. It assumed that the reader has access to fastx, github, and a text editor.

There may be services not included in the starter files that are specific to your project. Contact your supervisor or ask the simulacrum Slack channel for additional files.


How to read this guide

Bullet points will walk you through a step-by-step guide.

Green text means you should be typing it into your terminal/file as the bullet point specifies. E.g., source ENV

Since some commands will be specific to your computer, text in arrow brackets will describe fields where you have to supply your own customization. E.g., <your name here>


Instructions

  • Download the simulacrum source code to your desired directory from github at https://github.com/slaclab/simulacrum
    • Attached below is a screenshot of this library as of 2/24/2021
    • This will be missing ENV, so we will have to grab that from someone else's directory on a SLAC computer

  • Add ENV to the same directory as the simulacrum source code
    • ENV will give us a simple virtual environment to use python3, which is the standard for running simulacrum. Some things may run on regular python, but python3 is more universal
    • cp /u/ad/colocho/simulacrum/ENV <your directory here>
  • We need to edit the ENV file. The author uses emacs as a text editor on the SLAC desktop, but use whatever you like.
    • emacs ENV
    • On line 6 of ENV, change the two-digit number to your own unique 2-digit number. If you finish this guide and experience errors, come back to this step and try a different unique two-digit number.
      • This two-digit number is the serial number for your private simulator. This is what tells the machine you are running on a private, isolated simulacrum. Theoretically, you could put in someone else's serial number and mess with their instance of simulacrum! (Not advised...)
      • The first 6 lines of ENV should now look something like the following image. Double-check to make sure your version of ENV includes source use_private_simulator_data.bash <2-digit number> as shown, not use_shared_simulator_data.bash

  • We need to get a copy of use_private_simulator_data.bash into our simulacrum directory in order for ENV to run.This file does not need to be edited.
    • cp /afs/slac/g/ad/simul/use_private_simulator_data.bash <your directory here>
  • If the files are unavailable at the specified directories,  ask a simulacrum dev (Matt Gibbs, William Colocho, etc...) for help. Otherwise, write your own copy of the files using the full screenshots below:


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