Skip to content

files.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
68 lines (48 loc) · 5.04 KB

files.md

File metadata and controls

68 lines (48 loc) · 5.04 KB
Raw

Files and command line

This chapter describes the files ALIEN works with, how simulations are saved automatically, how to share your work through the browser and how to run simulations without a window.

File types

File Contents
.sim A complete simulation: all objects, energy particles, creatures and genomes, the simulation parameters, the statistics history, the time step and the position of the view.
.genome A single genome, as created in the genome editor.
.settings.json A set of simulation parameters including layers and radiation sources. It can be loaded into any simulation.
.png A picture created with Simulation > Save picture.

Opening and saving

  • Simulation > Open (Ctrl+O) loads a simulation file and Simulation > Save (Ctrl+S) saves the current simulation.
  • Simulation > New (Ctrl+N) creates an empty world.
  • Genomes are opened and saved in the tool bar of the genome editor.
  • Parameter sets are opened and saved in the tool bar of the window Simulation parameters.
  • If Settings > Save on exit is enabled, ALIEN saves the current simulation when it closes and opens it again at the next start.

Autosave and save points

The window Autosave (Alt+5) protects long runs. It creates save points of the running simulation at regular intervals:

  • Autosave interval sets the time between two save points in minutes.
  • Number of files limits how many save points are kept. The oldest ones are deleted.
  • Directory sets where the save points are stored.
  • The buttons create a save point by hand or delete save points. The download button in a row loads that save point.

Sharing in the browser

The browser (Alt+B) connects ALIEN with the ALIEN server, where users share simulations and genomes.

  • Browsing works without an account. The workspace Featured contains simulations of the ALIEN project, Community contains everything users have shared.
  • Logging in. Choose Network > Login (Alt+L) or click the account chip in the browser. There you can also create a new account. With an account you get a Private workspace, can upload your own work and can react to the work of others.
  • Uploading. Network > Upload simulation (Alt+D) uploads the current simulation, Network > Upload genome (Alt+Q) uploads the genome of the genome editor. The name is prefilled with your user name as folder followed by the project name of the simulation or the name of the genome, for example UserName/Ocean. You can add a description. Share with the community makes the upload visible to everyone, Keep private shows it only in your Private workspace. A slash in the name creates folders, for example My worlds/Ocean. After the upload, Show in browser selects the new entry in the browser.
  • Managing. The browser tool bar lets you rename your uploads, replace them by a newer version, switch them between private and community and delete them.
  • Reacting. Click the reaction field of a simulation to give it a reaction. The gallery view can sort by reactions, date or downloads.

Command line interface

ALIEN includes a second program, alien-cli (alien-cli.exe on Windows), which runs a simulation without any window. It is useful for long experiments, for automation and on computers without a monitor, such as rented cloud GPUs.

alien-cli -i input.sim -o output.sim -t 100000
Option Meaning
-i The simulation file to run.
-o The file to which the result is written.
-t The number of time steps to calculate. Without it, the simulation runs until you press Q or Ctrl+C, which also writes the output file.
-u, -p User name and password for the ALIEN server.
--upload-name, --upload-interval Upload the running simulation periodically to your private workspace, under the given name followed by a number, every given number of minutes.
-d Debug mode, which runs slower but writes detailed timing and trace files.
--plain Plain text output without colors and status panel.
--no-count-as-active Do not count this run as an active simulator, see below.

While a simulation runs, alien-cli counts as an active simulator in the Browser of the graphical program, also without a login. It reports to the server every 5 minutes, unless --no-count-as-active is given or Count me as active is disabled in Settings > Network settings of the graphical program for the same user account.

A Docker image with the command line interface is published as chrxh/alien:nightly, see the README of the project for details.

The console mode of the graphical program (Alt+C) offers a similar experience without leaving the user interface for good, see The user interface.

Log files

ALIEN writes its messages to log.txt in its folder. The window Log (Alt+7) shows the same messages. If ALIEN crashes, enable Settings > Debug mode, reproduce the problem and attach log.txt and the trace file to a bug report, see Troubleshooting.