Physics Analysis Workstation
{{Short description|Data analysis tool used at CERN}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Physics Analysis Workstation
| logo =
| screenshot = PAW.png
| caption = PAW - sample code output
| collapsible =
| author = CERN
| developer =
| released = {{Start date and age|1986}}
| latest release version = 2.13/08
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2002|09|16}}
| latest preview version =
| latest preview date =
| frequently updated =
| programming language =
| operating system =
| platform =
| size =
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| genre = Particle physics
| license = GNU GPL
| website = {{URL|http://cern.ch/paw/}}
}}
The Physics Analysis Workstation (PAW) is an interactive, scriptable computer software tool for data analysis and graphical presentation in high-energy physics.
The development of this software tool started at CERN in 1986, it was optimized for the processing of very large amounts of data. It was based on and intended for inter-operation with components of CERNLIB, an extensive collection of Fortran libraries.
PAW had been a standard tool in high energy physics for decades, yet was essentially unmaintained.{{Cite web |last=Knobloch |first=Jürgen |title=Future of CERNLIB |url=http://cernlib.web.cern.ch/cernlib/news/future.html |website=European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)}} Despite continuing popularity as of 2008, it has been losing ground to the C++-based ROOT package. Conversion tutorials exist.{{Cite web |title=PAW to ROOT conversion table |url=https://root.cern.ch/root/HowtoConvertFromPAW.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171121055147/https://root.cern.ch/root/HowtoConvertFromPAW.html |archive-date=21 November 2017 |website=root.cern.ch}} In 2014, development and support were stopped.{{Cite web |title=Physics Analysis Workstation - PAW |url=https://paw.web.cern.ch/paw/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150131050100/http://paw.web.cern.ch/paw/ |archive-date=31 January 2015 |website=paw.web.cern.ch}}
Sample script
PAW uses its own scripting language. Here is sample code (with its actual output), which can be used to plot data gathered in files.
- read data
vector/read X,Y input_file.dat
- eps plot
fort/file 55 gg_ggg_dsig_dphid_179181.eps
meta 55 -113
opt linx | linear scale
opt logy | logarithmic scale
- here goes plot
set plci 1 | line color
set lwid 2 | line width
set dmod 1 | line type (solid, dotted, etc.)
graph 32 X Y AL | 32 stands for input data lines in input file
- plot title and comments
set txci 1
atitle '[f] (deg)' 'd[s]/d[f]! (mb)'
set txci 1
text 180.0 2e1 '[f]=179...181 deg' 0.12
close 55
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://cern.ch/paw/ PAW (at CERN)]
- [http://ref.web.cern.ch/ref/CERN/CNL/2001/001/paw/ The PAW History Seen by the CERN Computer News Letters]
- [http://cern.ch/cernlib/ CERNLIB (at CERN)]
- [http://root.cern.ch/ ROOT (at CERN)]
Category:Free science software
Category:Free software programmed in Fortran
{{physics-software-stub}}