`run_mode` in illuminator application a bit misleading

[orelgueta]

I think the run_mode setting in the application below is a bit misleading, because it doesn't actually set the application to run an illuminator. That is done from the flasher_type parameter in the DB. This line just sets the file name down the road I think.

simtools/src/simtools/applications/simulate_illuminator.py

Line 132 in 1376590

light_emission_config={**app_context.args, "run_mode": "illuminator"},

Having this line in the application could confuse users. I think it is better to add that to the config dict inside the class and hide it from the user.

[GernotMaier]

Where does run_mode appear when running simulate_illuminator?

 python src/simtools/applications/simulate_illuminator.py
usage: simulate_illuminator [-h] --light_source LIGHT_SOURCE [--light_source_position X Y Z] [--light_source_pointing X Y Z] [--number_of_events NUMBER_OF_EVENTS] [--flasher_photons FLASHER_PHOTONS]
                            [--model_version MODEL_VERSION [MODEL_VERSION ...]] [--overwrite_model_parameters OVERWRITE_MODEL_PARAMETERS] [--site SITE] [--telescope TELESCOPE] [--ignore_missing_design_model] [--db_api_user DB_API_USER]
                            [--db_api_pw DB_API_PW] [--db_api_port DB_API_PORT] [--db_server DB_SERVER] [--db_api_authentication_database DB_API_AUTHENTICATION_DATABASE] [--db_simulation_model DB_SIMULATION_MODEL]
                            [--db_simulation_model_version DB_SIMULATION_MODEL_VERSION] [--data_path DATA_PATH] [--output_path OUTPUT_PATH] [--model_path MODEL_PATH] [--sim_telarray_path SIM_TELARRAY_PATH] [--config CONFIG]
                            [--env_file ENV_FILE] [--test] [--label LABEL] [--log_level LOG_LEVEL] [--log_file LOG_FILE] [--version] [--build_info] [--export_build_info EXPORT_BUILD_INFO] [--user_name USER_NAME]
                            [--user_organization USER_ORGANIZATION] [--user_email USER_EMAIL] [--user_orcid USER_ORCID]

Simulate light emission by a calibration light source (not attached to a telescope).

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  --light_source LIGHT_SOURCE
                        Illuminator name, i.e. ILLN-design
  --number_of_events NUMBER_OF_EVENTS
                        Number of events to simulate (default: 1)
  --flasher_photons FLASHER_PHOTONS
                        Override flasher photon yield. Accepts integers including scientific notation, e.g. 1e8. (default: None)

Configurable light source position and pointing (override simulation model values):
  --light_source_position X Y Z
                        Light source position (x,y,z) relative to the array center (ground coordinates) in m (default: None)
  --light_source_pointing X Y Z
                        Light source pointing direction (Example for pointing downwards: --light_source_pointing 0 0 -1) (default: None)

simulation model:
  --model_version MODEL_VERSION [MODEL_VERSION ...]
                        production model version (default: None)
  --overwrite_model_parameters OVERWRITE_MODEL_PARAMETERS
                        File name to overwrite model parameters from DB with provided values (default: None)
  --site SITE           site (e.g., North, South) (default: None)
  --telescope TELESCOPE
                        telescope model name (e.g., LSTN-01, SSTS-design, ...) (default: None)
  --ignore_missing_design_model
                        Ignore missing design model definition of DB (default: False)

database configuration:
  --db_api_user DB_API_USER
                        database user (default: None)
  --db_api_pw DB_API_PW
                        database password (default: None)
  --db_api_port DB_API_PORT
                        database port (default: None)
  --db_server DB_SERVER
                        database server address (default: None)
  --db_api_authentication_database DB_API_AUTHENTICATION_DATABASE
                        database with user info (optional) (default: None)
  --db_simulation_model DB_SIMULATION_MODEL
                        name of simulation model database (default: None)
  --db_simulation_model_version DB_SIMULATION_MODEL_VERSION
                        version of simulation model database (default: None)

paths:
  --data_path DATA_PATH
                        path pointing towards data directory (default: ./data/)
  --output_path OUTPUT_PATH
                        path pointing towards output directory (default: ./simtools-output/)
  --model_path MODEL_PATH
                        path pointing towards simulation model file directory (default: ./)
  --sim_telarray_path SIM_TELARRAY_PATH
                        path pointing to sim_telarray installation (default: None)

configuration:
  --config CONFIG       simtools configuration file (default: None)
  --env_file ENV_FILE   file with environment variables (default: .env)

execution:
  --test                test option for faster execution during development (default: False)
  --label LABEL         job label (default: None)
  --log_level LOG_LEVEL
                        log level to print (default: info)
  --log_file LOG_FILE   log file path (default: None)
  --version             show program's version number and exit
  --build_info          show build information and exit
  --export_build_info EXPORT_BUILD_INFO
                        export build information to file (default: None)

user:
  --user_name USER_NAME
                        user name (default: None)
  --user_organization USER_ORGANIZATION
                        user organization (default: None)
  --user_email USER_EMAIL
                        user email (default: None)
  --user_orcid USER_ORCID
                        user ORCID (default: None)

[orelgueta]

It's not an option, it's in the application itself (linked above).

[GernotMaier]

(in my understanding, users don't look into the source code - this is why this is confusing to me)

[orelgueta]

Applications are considered source code in this case? We always assumed a user will be able to write new applications even. It's a very minor point, but when I tried to understand which parameters I need to set and how values are taken, I looked into the application source code and was a bit confused by that line.