Setting up ROOT

(5 minutes)

Maybe you don’t have to do anything

Here’s a simple test: Use ssh to log in to the computer you connected to in Getting started using your laptop. Then type:1

> root

If you see a bunch of text that ends in the line:

root [0]

then you’re set. Go ahead to The Basics.

Before you start using ROOT, you may have to set it up:

  • If you’re not using one of the Nevis particle-physics systems, hopefully you have received instructions on how to set up ROOT at your site. Now is the time to follow those directions.

  • If you had to install ROOT on your own, you already know whatever special set-up you need on your local computer.

  • If you are using one of the particle-physics systems at Nevis, no special set-up is needed.

Nevis specifics

There’s an alternative distribution of the ROOT software on the Nevis particle-physics systems that’s available with this command:

conda activate /usr/nevis/conda/root

This modifies your UNIX environment to use a more full-featured ROOT setup than I was able to install natively on our standard Linux installations. If you have difficulty running ROOT on your workgroup’s server, you may to try that conda command.

Working-group specifics

Even at Nevis, some physics groups work with software frameworks that have their own versions of ROOT built-in; e.g., Athena in ATLAS or LArSoft in MicroBooNE. If you’re working with such a framework, you’ll have a special set-up command to work within it. Your group will let you know.

However, you won’t need to use those frameworks or their particular versions of root for this tutorial. Just login, type root, and you’re ready.

1

If you’re tempted to type the > symbol, then you haven’t read A guide to this tutorial.