Quick Example (If You Don't Like To Read Documentation)

To run interactive-psana execute the following commands.  This requires the ability to ssh to an LCLS unix account and the ability to open up a graphics window on your computer ("X-windows").  Execute these commands:

ssh -X pslogin.slac.stanford.edu
ssh -X span
source /reg/g/psdm/etc/ana_env.csh
sit_setup
cp /reg/g/psdm/tutorials/xcs/princeton.py princeton.py
python princeton.py

The 17-line princeton.py script loops over 4 events and plots a princeton camera image (close each image window to see the next one).  You can examine the script with the command "more princeton.py" or edit it with unix editors like emacs, vim, or vi.

Introduction

This document offers a brief overview of a high-level interface to the psana analysis framework for user applications written in the Python programming language. The interface is informally known as "interactive psana*. The tool's use is not solely limited to the interactive analysis scenarios. It also allows its users to benefit from a rich set of services of the core framework while retaining a full control over an iteration in data sets (runs, files, etc.). This combination makes it possible for the interactive exploration and (if needed) visualization of the experimental data. Note that by the later we always mean data files in the XTC or HDF5 formats produced at the LCLS DAQ or Data Management system. We also suggest visiting the psana - Interactive API which is found in the end of the document.

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