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Root-dependent package template
While writing simple macros or python scripts can be an effective way to quickly
get started with ROOT, cases frequently arise where it would be most effective
to create a library of compiled functions or even a compiled executable. Here is
the setup of a template package for compiling ROOT-dependent C++ classes and applications.
First, determine which ROOT installation you will use.
On lxplus5 (i.e., slc5 operating system at CERN), set environment variables with values like these:
export ROOTSYS=/afs/cern.ch/sw/lcg/app/releases/ROOT/5.22.00d/i686-slc5-gcc43-dbg/root
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${ROOTSYS}/lib:/afs/cern.ch/sw/lcg/external/Python/2.5/i686-slc5-gcc43-opt/lib:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}
export PATH=${ROOTSYS}/bin:/afs/cern.ch/sw/lcg/external/Python/2.5/i686-slc5-gcc43-opt/bin:${PATH}
export PYTHONPATH=$ROOTSYS/lib
- Create a directory where you will run ROOT and
cd
to it. - Download the
CompiledRootAnalysis
template package, e.g.,
wget http://mgwilson.web.cern.ch/mgwilson/Software/CompiledRootAnalysis_V01.tgz
tar -xzvf CompiledRootAnalysis_V01.tgz
- Edit the top of
CompiledRootAnalysis/scripts/RenamePackage.sh
with a new package name and namespace for the code in
your package; this will be denoted <package> below. CompiledRootAnalysis/scripts/RenamePackage.sh
cd <package>; gmake shlib; gmake apps; gmake setup; cd ..
Note: If you want to use MacOS, domake dylib; make macapps
instead- Execute the
bin/example
application to see that it runs correctly. - Start a root session to see that the shared library is loaded correctly. All of the classes and methods
compiled in this package are available on the ROOT command line.
Athena-dependent package template
Template package for building and running Athena algorithms and tools
General C++ questions and answers
- Q. What is
void*
?
C and C++ are strongly typed languages, meaning that blocks of memory given a specific type (i.e., int, float, char, etc.) when allocated or used within a piece of code. Sometimes, it is desirable to write functions that can perform the
same operations on different variable types. In C++, this is achievable through class inheritance. However,
in C, this is done by telling the compiler not to check the type of the variable; this is done with the void*
declaration. Specifically, void*
is a pointer to untyped memory, and the programmer is free to cast this memory
into any other type:
float fcn( void* var1, void* var2 ) {
float* f1 = (float*)var1;
float* f2 = (float*)var2;
/* return the product of these two floats */
return (f1)(*f2);
}
As you see, in doing this, the programmer assumes all responsibility for making sure that the types and operations
are correct, something normally (and best) done by the compiler.