Framework Changes

Instrument Definition Updates

  • The ALF IDF has been updated following a detector array alteration.
  • The LARMOR IDF has been updated following the addition of a new detector to the instrument.
  • Instrument definition for IN4, 5, and 6 at the ILL have been updated
  • REF_L and CNCS has update instrument files and EQSANS, REF_M, ARCS and CNCS are now configured for loading live data.

Stability

  • We have introduced a Project Recovery mechanism for Mantidplot in order to be able to recover the lost state of the interface in the event of a crash or unexpected shutdown. There are more details in the UI section of the release notes.
  • The error reporter can now catches hard crashes to desktop, allowing us to get more information on causes of hangs or crashes in Mantid. Since the last release error reports sent to us led directly to the identification of and fixes for 3 separate bugs in Mantid.
  • Mantid now handles poor network stability better when reading live data from the ISIS DAE. Mantid will now timeout after a couple of minutes of loss of network connectivity and remains responsive during this time. You can alter the duration of this timeout by adding a line to the mantid.user.properties file like: ` ISISDAE.Timeout = 100 #seconds `

Algorithms

New feature

  • Sometimes the algorithm you are looking at is close to what you want, but not quite, to help you find the right one a list of related algorithms has been added to each algorithm, and is displayed in the documentation page of each algorithm as part of it’s summary.

New Algorithms

  • LoadSampleShape loads a shape into the sample in a workspace from an ASCII STL file, which contains a list of triangles or an ASCII OFF file, which has a list of vertices and triangles.
  • CalculateCarpenterSampleCorrection outputs a group workspace with the separate absorption and multiple scattering corrections for flexibility to the User to apply them to the sample workspace
  • CarpenterSampleCorrection replaces MultipleScatteringCylinderAbsorption and uses CalculateCarpenterSampleCorrection for calculating its corrections.
  • SaveBankScatteringAngles was added to save theta and phi values for diffraction banks to a MAUD-readable grouping.new file format
  • ExportSampleLogsToHDF5 saves a workspace’s samples logs to an HDF5 file
  • SaveGDA saves a focused diffraction workspace to MAUD-readable .gda format
  • SaveGEMMAUDParamFile, which acts as a partner to SaveGDA, saves a MAUD calibration file to convert the output of SaveGDA back to d-spacing
  • Algorithm FitPeaks is implemented as a generalized multiple-spectrum multiple-peak fitting algorithm.

Improvements

Bugfixes

  • In LoadMcStas internally reduce number of event workspaces created. If n mcstas event components now create n*(n-1) fewer.
  • The documentation of the algorithm CreateSampleWorkspace v1 did not match its implementation. The axis in beam direction will now be correctly described as Z instead of X.
  • The ExtractMask algorithm now returns a non-empty list of detector ID’s when given a MaskWorkspace.
  • Fixed a crash when the input workspace for GroupDetectors contained any other units than spectrum numbers.
  • ConvertToMD can now be used with workspaces that aren’t in the ADS.
  • Fixed SumSpectra to avoid a crash when validation of inputs was called with a WorkspaceGroup.
  • Fixed a bug in TableWorkspaces where vector column data was set to 0 when the table was viewed
  • The output workspace of LineProfile now has correct sample logs, instrument and history.
  • TimeSeriesProperty::splitByTimeVector’s behavior on a boundary condition is changed. In the set of splitters toward a same target split workspace, if a splitter’s beginning time is after the last entry of the TimeSeriesProperty to be split, then this last entry shall be included in its output TimeSeriesProperty.
  • Fixed a bug in MergeRuns which could cause the runs to be merged in a different sequence than indicated in the InputWorkspaces property.
  • Fixed a bug where the values entered for basis vector properties in BinMD were not being remembered.
  • Fixed a bug which prevented Load and LoadAndMerge from parsing advanced run ranges such as 1-3+5-7+10+15-20.

Python

New

  • Added a new MDFrameValidator which can check that a MD workspace passed to a python algorithm has the expected MD frame (e.g. HKL, QLab, QSample etc.).

Improvements

  • Python fit functions that use from IPeakFunction as a base no longer require a functionDeriveLocal method to compute an analytical derivative. If the method is absent then a numerical derivative is calculate.

Bugfixes

  • Checks on the structure of Python fit function classes have been improved to avoid scenarios, such as writing function1d rather than function1D, which would previously have resulted in a hard crash.
  • Fit functions defined in a python script can be used with the new fit function API right after subscription.
  • Child algorithms now respect their parent algorithm’s EnableLogging setting when invoked using the function-style calling. Previously, some messages could appear in the log even though EnableLogging was set to False.
  • Fixed a bug in detectorSignedTwoTheta method in MatrixWorkspace where the sign of the angle depended on the axis pointing up, not on the actual theta-sing axis defined in the IDF.
  • Fixed a bug where calling setCell method on a PeaksWorkspace did not set the cell value.

Release 3.13.0