Coming from XPPAUT¶
XPP Lab is XPPAUT with a new interface. The parts that compute (the
.ode parser, the fifteen integrators, the equilibrium solver, nullclines,
AUTO) are XPPAUT 8.0's own C code. The test suite checks that every
example model shipped with XPPAUT gives bit-for-bit the same output as
unmodified XPPAUT in batch mode. The only changes fix genuine bugs, such as
memory errors; each is listed in the
upstream issues
page.
What stays the same¶
- Your
.odefiles, including@options,sets, tables, arrays,#include, Markov chains, delays and noise. - The numbers: same methods, same defaults, same results.
- Your hands: the two-key commands (I G, N N, S G, ...) still work.
- AUTO's colours and conventions: red and black for steady states, green and blue for periodic orbits; LP, HB, BP, PD, TR labels; Grab and Run.
What is new¶
- No X11 server, no XQuartz, no Xming: a native program for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Dockable windows, zoomable plots, sliders for every parameter, and live re-integration while you drag.
- An editor with error messages that point at the offending line.
- AUTO without dialogs: the special points are listed in a table, and only the continuations that make sense from a point are offered, in plain words.
- A command window to script what you do, and a Python package (
xpplab) that runs the same engine, including AUTO, from notebooks.
Where XPPAUT's menus went¶
| XPPAUT | XPP Lab |
|---|---|
| Initial conds > Go | Run button, F5, run |
| Initial conds > Mouse | Phase Plane > Click to start, click x y |
| Initial conds > mIce | Phase Plane > Click to start > Keep each |
| Initial conds > Last, Shift | Workspace > Initial values > From end of last run, From end, time goes on; ic last, ic shift |
| Initial conds > File, formUla | Workspace > Initial values > From file..., From a formula; ic read, ic u[1..20] = ... |
| Continue | continue (C C) |
| Nullcline > New | Phase Plane > Nullclines |
| Nullcline > Freeze (Freeze, Range, Animate, Delete all) | Phase Plane > Freeze..., nullclines freeze |
| Nullcline > Save | Phase Plane > Export... > Nullclines as CSV..., export nc.csv nullclines |
| Dir.field | Phase Plane > Flow |
| Window/zoom | Mouse: drag, scroll, double-click |
| Sing pts > Go | Equilibrium button |
| Sing pts > Monte Carlo | Phase Plane > All equilibria, eq all |
| Sing pts > Range | Workspace > Range > Equilibria, range ... eq |
| Initial conds > 2par range | Workspace > Range > Vary a second value too, range p1 ... p2 ... |
| Parameters, ICs, Numerics windows | Workspace tabs |
| Erase | erase (E) |
| File > Auto | Bifurcation window |
| AUTO > File > Save diagram, Load diagram | Bifurcation > Save..., Open..., auto save, auto load |
| AUTO > File > Import orbit | Bifurcation > Show this orbit as the run, auto orbit |
| Kinescope (Capture, Reset, Playback, Autoplay, Save, Make AniGif) | View > Kinescope; kinescope capture, kinescope play, kinescope save film.gif |
| Initial conds > Range with Movie = Yes | Workspace > Range > Film it in the Kinescope, range ... film |
| Data viewer | View > Data |
| File > Write .set / Read .set | the .ode file keeps the values; set statements give named sets |
Not yet in the new interface: several curves and labels on one figure (Graphic stuff, Text) and formulas in the data browser. The engine supports them, so they will come; the roadmap lists them.
AUTO files¶
AUTO's working files (fort.*, model.b, model.d, model.s) go to a
private temporary folder instead of your home folder, and are deleted when
you close the model.